Pixel 2 XL Users Report Screen Oleophobic Coating Wearing Off

Google’s Pixel 2 XL smartphone has not had a particularly good run of headlines of late. Whether people are complaining of potential screen burn-in issues, bad audio quality, or the color shift that OLED displays are somewhat known for, the Pixel 2 XL is not without its issues. Many can overlook them though, safe in the knowledge that they are getting an excellent all-round smartphone, regardless of the issues.

Now, a new issue has cropped up, and it may be harder to overlook. According to reports on Reddit and Google’s own product forums, some Pixel 2 XL handsets are experiencing premature oleophobic coating wear.

For those unfamiliar, a smartphone’s oleophobic coating is designed to prevent fingerprint oils from adhering to a device’s display, making it easier to clean in the process. The coating also makes it easier to wipe water off of a display, something useful for all those water resistant handsets. While the coatings do wear off, this normally takes months or years of use. Unfortunately, some Pixel 2 XL owners are experiencing premature wear, with their oleophobic coating wearing off within just a few weeks.

Depending on how an oleophobic screen wears the result may look pretty bad, as shown in some of the photos shared online. Replacing a coating also requires the replacement of the entire display, too, meaning that there is no quick, easy and cheap way to resolve the issue.

This does not yet appear to be a widespread issue, but with Google’s Pixel 2 XL already under severe scrutiny, there is plenty of attention waiting to be lavished on every issue with the handset, small and large. This new scare is sure to give the Pixel 2 XL’s reputation another ding.

(Sources: Reddit, Google Product Forums)

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