I’m not a Google hater by any standard. I had the original Google Pixel XL and I loved it. I also strongly considered getting a Google Pixel 6 Pro against the phone I eventually decided on. However, I’m objective enough to say that Google’s smartphone launches have always been plagued with issues.
The Pixel 9 series has been no different as there have been issues upon issues, and now, there’s yet another one where it seems like the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL isn’t registering certain touches made at the corners of the device. That’s an interesting one but certainly another annoying issue for Pixel users to deal with.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Seems To Have Issues Registering Touches In The Bottom-Left Corner
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is still warm off the factory’s conveyor belt — that’s how recently it was launched. Yet, the smartphone family as a whole didn’t seem to need to spend much time getting warmed up before they started manifesting different bugs and issues. This time around, it seems that Google Pixel 9 Pro XL units are having problems when it comes to registering taps made in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
For instance, when trying to close a keyboard like GBoard on the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, you have to tap on a button at the bottom left. Under normal circumstances, it should register, even without tapping precisely on the button itself. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case as many users have complained on Reddit that taps in that area (and even the bottom-right corner) regularly require more than one attempt before they register.
My brother, who has a Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, was able to replicate the issue as well. It seems that it is extremely widespread and likely affects all units out there, as it seems to be a software issue (fortunately). The Pixel 9 Pro and vanilla Pixel 9 don’t seem to be afflicted with the same curse either. A temporary fix seems to be to restart your device, but the issue doesn’t seem to stay away for very long even after you do.
Google Is All About The Software, But Is The Cost Of Good Software A Lot Of Software Issues?
Out of all the Android manufacturers out there, Google is easily near the top of the list — if not at the very top of the list — when it comes to the user experience of its software. It’s unsurprising that it is that good, since Google gives you the pure Android experience, exactly the way it was intended to be.
However, the trade-off for that amazing software experience, especially when you buy a Google Pixel very soon after launch, seems to be contending with a ridiculous number of bugs and issues.
Other companies, like Samsung, are able to offer great software even with their own unique layer on top of Android. Google needs to do a lot better with the quality of its release software as it certainly isn’t good publicity to hear issue after issue just weeks after a phone is launched. Fortunately, OTA updates are always there to save the day.
