Sudden washed out colors

[namura]

Hi everyone. I had a really strange issue hit me today. All was going great these few months but suddenly today my screen seems washed out. Blacks don't seem to be black but light greyish. And playing YouTube videos such as the one attached look terrible like it is a heavily compressed JPEG with terrible color clipping. It used to play perfectly before this. You can see the color clipping around where the dark area meets some light in the 2nd image (sample.jpg).

Strangely enough, taking a screenshot, it is really how the video should look (Screenshot_20190721-230137-01.jpeg).

Just wondering if anyone had this issue before? Not sure if it was a recent software update. I'm still on December update on my end so perhaps it's one of the apps.

A reboot also did not seem to resolve the issue.

Thanks in advance everyone

 

[v12xke]

Hi everyone. I had a really strange issue hit me today. All was going great these few months but suddenly today my screen seems washed out. Blacks don't seem to be black but light greyish. And playing YouTube videos such as the one attached look terrible like it is a heavily compressed JPEG with terrible color clipping. It used to play perfectly before this. You can see the color clipping around where the dark area meets some light in the 2nd image (sample.jpg).
Strangely enough, taking a screenshot, it is really how the video should look (Screenshot_20190721-230137-01.jpeg).
Just wondering if anyone had this issue before? Not sure if it was a recent software update. I'm still on December update on my end so perhaps it's one of the apps.
A reboot also did not seem to resolve the issue.
Thanks in advance everyone

December? Update your phone first, preferably with a full image if you are unlocked. If that doesn't work, backup your data and do a FDR to rule out a hardware issue. If you end up calling Google for support this will be step number one, so you may as well get it over with. If you are not unlocked already, now would be a good time to do it. Unlocking will wipe the phone for you.

 

[ccalixtro]

Update your phone buddy.

 

[namura]

Just updated to the July update and it's still the same. The video looks terrible on my phone when compared to a Poco F1. Any chance I could trouble you guys to see if you are noticing the same banding/washed out colors on your phones as well?

Played some other videos and the same problem also occurs, especially when there's contrasty scenes. It's as though, my screen bit depth went down a little and it looks a bit like a heavily compressed JPEG when contrasty or backlit scenes appear

 

[fury683]

I looked at the same video in your OP and it looked fine. I am on Q beta 5.

 

[namura]

I looked at the same video in your OP and it looked fine. I am on Q beta 5.

Thanks fury683! I'm guessing it's probably a hardware issue of sorts. Even some of the default wallpapers are showing banding at times

 

[namura]

Same issues are showing up on wallpapers and images as well. Those areas where there are transitions seem to be smudging and all like a low color depth display. Moved on to Q Beta 5 and the problem still remains. The issue seems to be how the screen handles dark/dim transitions.

Just wondering if anyone has any idea how to reset the screen parameters/calibration etc?

 

[Achesh]

Same issues are showing up on wallpapers and images as well. Those areas where there are transitions seem to be smudging and all like a low color depth display. Moved on to Q Beta 5 and the problem still remains. The issue seems to be how the screen handles dark/dim transitions.

Just wondering if anyone has any idea how to reset the screen parameters/calibration etc?

Any luck? I started facing this problem on Pixel 3a since a few days

 

[Kevwara77]

Facing the exact same issue on my Pixel 3 XL. Were you able to find a solution?

 

[bobbyphoenix]

Check your color choices under display settings. Try Boosted if it's not already selected. Maybe you had it on Boosted, and somehow it went back to Natural?

 

[karlm1]

Same problem here...

 

[counterz]

I've noticed that same issue on my 3xl. Looks really bad, both wallpaper and YouTube blocky and compressed.

 

[Vhruday]

I have faced the same issue on my pixel 3xl recently. Have contacted the google support. They don't seem to acknowledge that it's an issue that's been occurring frequently. Instead they tell me it's just for my phone. Can anyone bring it to notice of the concerned authorities. I wish this is an issue which has been since pixel 2xl. And they refuse to cover it since the phone is out of warranty

 

[counterz]

What did you provide them as evidence? Ive sent a few YouTube screenshots and my wallpaper on home screen as it has bad banding at the top. All darks are horribly blocky no matter what quality I have YouTube at

 

[Vhruday]

I have sent them pictures of night sky i have taken and other such pictures in instagram where the contrast is very much evident. I have given my phone to the repair service and they said its a case of display mura. But i cant imagine such issues in a phone within an year and half of purchase.

 

[Con4253]

4 days ago, after 2 years using pixel 3 xl I have the same issue. My screen is washed out. I don't have black any more. It is unacceptable buy a phone that costed more then U$ 700 and after 2 years I have to replace it because of screen issue. My battery is perfect, my phone never dropped and everything is working except the screen. I will give up to buy Google's phones. The only one I never had problem was nexus 5, all rhe others nexus 6p, pixel xl and now pixel 3 xl I had basic problems that if I have bought a Samsung or other famous brand will never have it. It is really a shame!

 

[neobie]

I am having this issue too ! Crazy Google Pixel. No point of buying after discontinuing google photo unlimited storage. Another disappointing issue after buzzing sound for front camera.

Left: Pixel 3 XL, blocky night sky.
RIght: Pixel 2 XL, everything looks normal.