Google tells Pixel XL owner: Buy another device

We've been following the plight of Mark Buckman. He's the Google Pixel XL owner who has been producing videos of the audio problem that has afflicted not one, not two, not three, not four but five Pixel XL units that he has owned. According to Buckman (and from the evidence we have seen on video), the speaker on the Pixel XL tends to produce static and distorted sounds at high volume levels. Buckman also discovered that this is occurring on the smaller Google Pixel models as well.

Yesterday, we told you that Google had finally acknowledged the issue, which we hoped would lead to a software update containing a fix. Instead, Mr. Buckman was stunned when he read an email sent from the company. Google was offering him a refund with the return of his latest Pixel XL.

By offering the refund, it would seem that Google doesn't feel confident that it will be able to deliver a Pixel XL without the sound issue. As we told you the other day, Mark came up with a workaround that involved flashing a custom ROM. For many of you out there, this is too complex of a solution, especially since it could result in the loss of your warranty.

At the moment, Google's solution to this issue is to give Buckman his money back and allow him to pick a new phone from another manufacturer.  But that was not Buckman's goal. He was hoping that at the end of the day, support from Google would allow him to keep the Pixel XL, but that support doesn't appear to be coming. He says that he is willing to give the Pixel XL another chance, all he wants is a better experience. Is that too much to ask for? Google apparently thinks so.


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