Defective Pixel 2 XL Display, What Are My Options?

Ldarkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 09:39
Last edited 08/01/2019 - 15:46

*update - my RMA device has just been shipped. It's a refurb with manufacture date of 30 Oct 2017 even though I owned my phone for less than a week… Will have to see how the device performs when it arrives.

I bought a Pixel 2 XL from Mobileciti last week during the Ebay 10% sale. After playing around with it for an week I noticed two things. First is the blue shift. When I put my phone on an stand to watch videos I see noticeable blue shift to the screen. Second when the phone is on a plain color background, eg calendar or music player, I see dirty/uneven colors across the screen.Further googling showed these are common issues on the pixel 2 XL.So I don't think replacement will help much. I'm very upset about the quality of the display consider I paid almost $800 for my phone. Is it possible to get a refund in this case?

PS: I can't believe big companies like Google gets to walk away with charging $1000 for their phones with obvious display defects, these greedy bastards :(

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Comments

  • whooah1979 on 27/12/2018 - 09:50

    Is the fault a minor or a major defect?

    • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 09:57

      Blue shift is obvious when I put the phone on a stand to watch youtube videos. Uneven colors/ dirty marks is also noticeable at night with night mode on during web browsing(chrome has a white background). The phone works fine but the display is just bad, personally I can't stand the uneven colors/dirty marks. Every night when I use the phone on 50% brightness with night mode I see dirty marks and uneven colors. That's just a deal breaker for me. My old S6 doesn't have any of the above issues, so I would say its definitely not a minor issue for me.

  • shaz0316 on 27/12/2018 - 10:48
    +5

    Have you asked Mobileciti?

    • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 12:10
      -2

      They asked me to contact customer service for return. I don't want a replacement because it seems like blue shifting and uneven colors/dirty marking occurs on all of the devices. I dont mind the muted colors, but the screen looks really terrible at night with the dirty marking, especially for apps with plain color background(chrome, calendar or music app).

      • MDSUXKS on 27/12/2018 - 13:53

        I've got a pixel xl 2 for 8 mó this know and I didn't have any issues o far. So is not all the pixel hast é problem. Unfortunately it an happens Apple, Samsung, all in the same boat. Maybe you got lucky with your S6.

        • Member 0230 on 28/12/2018 - 10:11

          I’ve owned a few smartphones (Apple) over the years, but I have never experienced the problems described by OP.

          • MDSUXKS on 28/12/2018 - 14:29

            @Member 0230: Nowadays all phones from any brand are subjected to faults. Since they are mass production the chance of problem getting high and high also they try to cut cost that's mean less quality control.

  • Burnz316 on 27/12/2018 - 11:55
    +3

    All OLED screens have some form of colour shift when tilting the screen.

    My Pixel XL 2 has it but it's not too bad.

    My wife's iPhone X also has it.

    My Pixel XL 2 does not have any noticable 'dirty' screen affect, even now as I am on chrome, it is not noticeable.

    I believe all Pixel XL 2 screens will suffer from some sort of black crush as well.

    Some places will have a return policy within a timeframe, if mobileciti have one, return it if your not happy.

    You can try a RMA with Google but since you did not buy it off them, you will have to send back the phone first before they send you a new one which will leave you without a phone for a period of time.

    Also remember you paid $800. If you want a current gen plus sized phone you'll be paying more like $1400.

    Edit: start using the camera, it will be the reason to keep this phone.

    • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 12:20
      -2

      My old S6 had none of these issues.

      My mum just bought a S8 for $630 which again has none of these issues.

      I agree that OLED do have color tilting at extreme angles.

      Pixel 2 XL however has a severe blue shifting when viewed from an angle,I notice it because I put my phone on a stand to watch videos.
      It also has a dirty screen, you could see the dirty marking on the screen with 50% brightness and its particularly visible in apps with solid color background with night mode turned on.

      There is no excuse for a phone that cost $800 now and sold for $1k+ last year. Google's quality control is a joke personally I will never buy from them again. You can't just sell products with defective display for a such a premium price and expects the buyer deal with them because they don't affect phone calls and messaging.

      • Burnz316 on 27/12/2018 - 14:25
        +1

        Sounds like you have just got a bad device.

        The blue shift shouldn't be that noticable and really isn't that much worse than other devices.

        There is shift on my wife's iPhone X which is a Samsung panel.

        Samsung Galaxy range is known to have better screens compared to pixels. Did you do any research before selecting to purchase a Pixel XL 2? The screen issues (which sometimes is a lottery to get a good one) have been well documented since it launched over a year ago.

        Again researching would also show Mobileciti isn't the greatest with warrenty claims.

        If you can return for a refund and purchase a different device. I've heard the pixel 3 range screens are much better, heck even the normal sized pixel 2 has a better screen and still provides all the pixel features.

        • darkyjaz95 on 08/01/2019 - 15:52

          After contacting Google my refurb replacement is currently on its way to me, however the manufacture date is Oct 30 2017 which is a bit worrying. I was expecting a device that's manufactured in late 2018.

  • Steven Reece Lewis on 27/12/2018 - 12:13
    +2

    My pixel 2 xl is from mobileCiti. It has all of the defects you mentioned in the display and touchscreen sensitivity issues in the corners of the display. They are ruthless when it comes to avoiding their warranty obligations and they will try everything to get rid of you if you exercise your Australian consumer rights. I believe they do a change of mind but they will charge you a restocking fee. I regret buying my phone from them and have learnt my lesson. In future I will wait for JB hi-fi to discount whatever phone it is I'm after in future. If you like the phone enough, you could pursue Google who will replace the phone for free but you will get a "refurbished" phone. If you paid with pay pal on eBay, your chances of getting a full refund are high. Just take photos of the issue. Take the photos in low light if you can and use grey images as it will show the defects clearer. Also, put the Brightness right down and put night mode on (yellow tint for eye strain) and get some video of black smear as you scroll webpages. Then simply Dona return through PayPal and very clearly and simply state the screen is defective because of X and Y and you'd like a refund. Attach some images and get the process happening. If you don't like your chances, you could do the eBay resolution first and then follow up with PayPal if unsuccessful with ebay. That way you get 2 cracks at it.

    • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 12:26

      Thank you for your advice, i will send them a refund request and we will see how that goes. Did you manage to get a refund for your pixel 2 XL? And if so how long did the process take? Just curious as I'll be going overseas in feb.

      • 51kabunka on 27/12/2018 - 14:00
        +1

        Mate, just contact Google directly. They replaced my Pixel xl 2 that had a defective screen with a brand new sealed unit, not a refurb

        • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 14:22

          I didn't buy from Google store so I hesitated to contact them. I'll give it a shot. How long did that process take for you?

          • [Deactivated] on 27/12/2018 - 20:38

            @darkyjaz95: I bought google phone off gumtree used. I was able to replace my pixel 2xl twice with google directly. They will ask for email address used during the purchase, IMEI and stuff like that. I got refurbished devices both times.

        • darkyjaz95 on 08/01/2019 - 16:11

          I just got a confirmation email on my replacement unit, it's a refurb thats manufactured on 30 Oct 2017, when did you RMA your device and what is the manufacture date of your replacement device if I may ask?

      • Steven Reece Lewis on 27/12/2018 - 14:03

        I really needed a phone when my Nexus 6P died and at the time, my options were very limited and I'd grown accustomed stock android, to prompt updates from Google and the kick arse camera software from Google so I took it on the chin, also I was able to claim cash back over time through 28 degrees MasterCard so I got it down to $753 from $1045 initially. Next time, I will probably get a OnePlus phone and avoid Google and avoid sellers like mobileciti. I reckon you really should send it back and jump on a pixel 3 or a OnePlus 6. I see JB selling pixel 3 for a decent price but I can't justify a grand for a phone.

        • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 17:00

          I was looking to buy a OP6 but they don't have any stocks in Australia and I don't want to deal with imports. Great phone though!

        • Seedy seed on 28/12/2018 - 09:24

          Motorola.

    • follow on 27/12/2018 - 12:44

      Neg their deals stating this, they'll probably help then.

  • Gabbatron44 on 27/12/2018 - 14:06

    I had a pixel 2 xl for a year and had the colour change when tilting the display but it was a never a problem that I noticed.

    Initially I noticed that some colours were grainy but I quickly stopped noticing and forgot about it just like the saturation of the colours. You quickly adapt and forget about it.

    Call Google direct for support, then mobilciti

  • Steven Reece Lewis on 27/12/2018 - 14:07

    Guess you can take the gamble on a refurbished phon and possibly get a brand new unit but keep in mind, none of them have perfect screens and have varying levels of blurshift and graininess. Very poor form of Google to charge the prices they did for this screen. I did a side by side comparison with a nexus 6p and was amazed at how similar the screens were considering the 6p is 2 years older and half the price of a pixel 2xl.

    Can you please put your IMEI into this site and it'll tell you when it was manufactured.

    http://www.imeipro.info/check_lg.html

    Please tell us what date your pixel 2 xl was made. This will help us figure out if a replacement is worth pursuing over a refund.

    • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 16:56

      Manufacture date: April 24, 2018 , Shipped from factory: April 26, 2018

      Upon checking the site it seems like the phone was manufactured this year.

      • Steven Reece Lewis on 27/12/2018 - 19:15

        Mine is November 2017 and is from the intial batches that are the "worse" of them all. You can rma and wait 1.5 weeks and go into the lottery and cancel out the refund or go the return through eBay/PayPal route. You got to weigh up what alternative phones there are if you're after stock android. Many have returned their 2 XL and got the standard size pixel 2 with the Superior Samsung OLED. The camera and processer/ram is the same in both models. Or you get a 3 XL at JB hi-fi or Google Play store If the sales are still on or you wait for the mid range pixel 3 that's coming soonish. Could have an LCD screen though. If you like the phone you can choose to get used to it like me after being blown away by the camera or you can rma. I guess you could rma a few times if it's poor luck the 1st time. Just tell them it truns itself off intermittently the 2nd time you rma. Google offered to rma mine for the "dead" spots on the screen corners. Weirdly, the dead spots resolved themselves and my fingers were cold as ice being winter when I got it which didn't help at all with the touch sensitivity.

        • darkyjaz95 on 08/01/2019 - 15:49

          My refurb replacement is currently on its way, its manufacture date is Oct 30 2017, not particularly inspiring tbh. Hopefully they fixed up the panel issues on this refurb model. I'm also sad that I didn't get a new one even though I have owned my device for less than a week.

  • bargainperson on 27/12/2018 - 16:15

    I agree about mobileciti being dodgy, they weasled out of any repair to my bricked Nexus 6P even after I dealt with consumer affairs.

    I also have a 2 XL with a crappy screen, you get used to it though. Mostly the visual tearing and blue on angles is annoying.

    • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 16:58

      I don't want to get used to a defective product which I have paid almost $800 for.

  • pgdownload on 27/12/2018 - 18:30

    Sure. Every Google pixel 2 has a defective screen. Roll eyes. How about you contact mobile City and work through the issue. It's extremely likely any replacement will be fine. If not perhaps then you can start calling Google dirty bastards

  • [Deactivated] on 27/12/2018 - 18:53

    Just get RMA. Took me about 1.5 weeks.
    Tho it sucks Google doesn't provide advance RMA for 3rd party purchased device.

    • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 18:54

      Thanks for the info. Did you get an RMA due to screen related issue?

      • [Deactivated] on 27/12/2018 - 21:10

        Yes. There was permanent green smudge on the screen. I just took a pic of it and that was enough for RMA approval.

        • darkyjaz95 on 27/12/2018 - 22:08

          So do I just call in Google support@ 1 800 884 355, even though I bought it from Mobileciti?

          • [Deactivated] on 27/12/2018 - 22:15

            @darkyjaz95: Try live chat in google store.

            • darkyjaz95 on 08/01/2019 - 15:43

              @[Deactivated]: Did you receive a refurb or a brand new device?

              • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2019 - 16:43

                @darkyjaz95: Refurb. It comes with smaller box and a leaflet saying "hello again"

                • darkyjaz95 on 08/01/2019 - 17:00

                  @[Deactivated]: How was the display on your replacement? Any noticeable grain/blue shift?

                  • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2019 - 17:57

                    @darkyjaz95: Nothing noticeable.

  • mordinhoz on 27/12/2018 - 21:35

    Initiate a return through eBay. You're able to return a product within 30 days of purchase.

  • Candour on 28/12/2018 - 09:18

    not sure if they are owned by amaysim.
    persist with emails and threaten them with seeking advice from consumer affairs and they will come good in the end.

    • Seedy seed on 28/12/2018 - 09:19

      I did that with motorola yesterday 😂

    • bargainperson on 29/12/2018 - 09:57

      Mobileciti don't care about any threats, they are ruthless

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