Google can be great at supporting its phones with non-stop feature updates, and the latest one in March brought some useful updates, like a battery widget that shows remaining charge on connected devices and the ability to automatically transcribe phone calls.
These features were added a few weeks ago, but the Pixel XNUMX and Pixel XNUMX Pro received them late (probably due to using a different chipset, which means the software needs tweaking). However, now that this feature is free on the best Pixel phones, some users appreciated something about the update.
According to abundant comments on Reddit (detected by PhoneArena), the new Pixel feature has altered the haptics (or vibration), and most of the responses are negative.
It seems that phone vibrations are noticeably smoother on the updated phones, and many users seem quite annoyed with the change.
The reviewer claimed he found the issue on his Pixel XNUMX, but the r/GooglePixel subreddit lets you select a style (an identifier next to your name) based on which Pixel phone you have. Based on this and other reviewers who have appreciated the drawback, we can say that it is not exclusive to the Pixel XNUMX.
Analysis: bug or feature?
It's unclear if this is a bug or a feature (ie, intentional or unintentional on Google's part).
Some people like this update, saying they like the softer Swedish noise and find it "naturalistic" and "refined".
But from a quick scan of the subreddit, it seems that the overall feedback tends to be negative, with people calling the haptics "soft" and "pussy."
We understand that last perspective really well: if you've ever gotten used to the particular cadence of your phone's notification vibration, there's a good chance you're already missing certain messages.
Whether you like this change or not, we can't help but think that Google would be better off offering more customization of vibrations, rather than simply changing them for each and every user.
Interestingly, the comments are divided on which applications are truly harmed by this change. Some users claim that only the Messages app is affected, while others claim that many social media apps have seen changes to notifications as well.
It's impossible to know for sure if this is an intentional change or not, as Google has been reluctant to comment on the long history of Pixel glitches that have crippled phones over the past 6 months. The best way to tell if this was an intentional change or not is to wait and see if Google "fixes" it in a subsequent patch or just leaves it as it is.