New quality issues pertaining to the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL appeared online earlier this month, with some users complaining about problems with the microphones and screens found in the new Android flagships. One Pixel 2 unit was reported as having buggy calling software that would not enable its microphone during regular calls and would only turn them on when recording videos or conducting speakerphone calls. The same bug reportedly also made using the Google Assistant impossible, the user claimed in a post on the company's official product forums linked below. A company representative acknowledged that the Mountain View, California-based tech giant is aware of the issue and is working on addressing it but it's still unclear if the problem is specific to its new device seeing how only several similar reports can be found online and only a small number of users responded to the original report with claims they're experiencing the same issue which is apparently also troubling select models of the original Pixel phone.

Other owners of the latest Android flagships recently took to Twitter and other social media platforms to complain about a new screen-related issue apart from the previously reported ones – visual glitches. The problem is demonstrated by the two videos below and appears to only be affecting a small number of Pixel 2 XL units, with its symptoms ranging from sudden flashes to aggressive flickering. Google is also investigating those reports which are presumably related to LG's quality control procedures but aren't particularly widespread. Previous complaints about the screens found on the Pixel 2 devices included overly pale colors and significant color distortion whenever the handsets are viewed at a slight angle, as well as color banding, the latter of which only affects few a smaller number of presumably defective units.

While Google didn't manage to launch the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL in a completely smooth manner, the company's new offerings are still widely regarded as some of the best Android smartphones ever created and are expected to be in short supply over the coming months. The new Pixel lineup is presently available for purchase in the United States and is gradually expanding its availability to other parts of the world including Canada and select European countries, as well as some Asian markets.