Google will fix the Pixel 8's scrolling problem, but not anytime soon
What you need to know
Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones have been facing display stuttering problems that date back to October 2023.
Now, Google has updated the Issue Tracker listing related to the problem, marking it as "fixed."
But the actual fix won't become available until Android 15 publicly releases, which is many months away.
A longtime Pixel bug finally has a resolution in sight, at least according to Google. The company updated an Issue Tracker report on March 26 related to display stuttering problems on Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro users (via Android Police). Google marked the issue as "fixed," but that designation comes with a massive catch. The fix won't actually roll out to Pixel 8 series device owners until Android 15 is publicly available, and that won't be for many more months.
"Ongoing optimizations in performance and power are slated for the next Android release," a Google employee wrote in an Issue Tracker comment. "These include improvements positively impacting overall system UI jank as well as use cases tied to some Android applications."
This timeline means that Pixel 8 users will need to wait even longer for a proper fix since Android 15 is slated for a likely release in late summer or fall. It could end up taking a full year for Google to fix this problem, considering that the first report in this Issue Tracker thread was posted October 14, 2023.
Users continued posting comments in the thread, with over 100 comments being posted in total. Pixel 8 owners recounted screen stutters in some system and first-party apps, like the Google Play Store. Others also noticed abnormalities in third-party apps, such as Reddit and X (formerly Twitter).
In the days since Google first marked the issues as fixed, Pixel 8 users flooded the Issue Tracker thread with commenters explaining their displeasure. One user called the fixed designation "a bad joke" and said it shows "Google either cannot solve the problem or is not taking it seriously."
"If we really have to wait till August or longer for this to be fixed...well, it's seriously going to impact my choice next time I purchase a smartphone," wrote another Pixel 8 user.
The length of time it will have taken Google to fix this issue is also being considered in light of Google's promise of seven years of software support. Apparently, the company is still struggling to fix issues in a timely manner.
