Screen of Google Pixel 10 becomes friendlier to look at
The launch of the Google Pixel 10 is closer than you think. One more quarter and then in all likelihood we may greet it. One of the new features may be an improved screen. That will make people who are sensitive to flickering with OLED screen happy.
Like many other phones, Google uses OLED screens. These screens are made up of many individual LEDs. Most people will be familiar with the screen refresh rate, expressed in Hertz (Hz). The higher the screen refresh rate, the smoother animations look. Most phones, including the Pixel 9, do so at 120 Hz.
To make images brighter or less bright, OLED screens use PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation). This involves turning the LED off briefly and back on again, so quickly that the user does not notice. Again, like screen refresh, this is done at a certain frequency, again expressed in Hertz. In the Pixel 9, the PWM is at 240 Hz. And that's too low for some people.
PWM frequency
People who are sensitive to it experience visible flicker and may experience headaches. Still others, on the contrary, don't notice anything at all. Google applies a fairly low PWM while other manufacturers tend to be higher. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S25 has a PWM frequency of 480 Hz as does Apple's iPhone 16. Honor takes the crown with its Magic6 Pro and a PWM frequency of a whopping 4320 Hz.
Up-to-date
For the Pixel 10, Google is reportedly investigating whether it can apply a higher PWM frequency. To Android Central Google reports that it is aware of the problems with the Pixel 9 and its low PWM and may address it later this year. That bodes well, especially those sensitive to this kind of flicker.
Android 16
Meanwhile, some of the Pixel 10 has already been leaked. Thus, we already have images and some specifications. According to rumors, the entry-level Pixel will get an extra camera on the back, perhaps with a periscope lens for further zooming. The introduction of the device would possibly take place as early as just after the summer. First, we still get the Google I/O event on May 20. Here Google will give the first demonstration of Android 16.
