Google needs to take it down a notch with this bug. For some reason, a number of Pixel 3 XL phones have been displaying an extra virtual notch on the smartphone’s display. Fortunately, a fix is on the way.
Want an extra smartphone notch?
Probably not. But a software bug on the Google Pixel 3 XL is placing an additional notch on the smartphone’s display, whether you like it or not.
Owners of the smartphone have been tweeting out pictures of the hilarious bug for the past week. For some reason, the phone will display a virtual notch on the side of the phone, blacking out a portion of the display.
Owners who’ve encountered the bug have said it appears randomly, with no apparent trigger. However, the error can be easily fixed, either with a restart or by rotating the phone.
Fortunately, the bug doesn’t appear to be widespread. Google also told PCMag that a fix is on its way. But the company refrained from explaining what’s causing the bug in the first place. Users are speculating the issue has something to do with the phone’s auto-rotate function and the software erroneously displaying the virtual notch.
Whatever the case is, the internet has been full of jokes about the weird bug. “Introducing Pixel Ultra with 2 Notches,” wrote one user on Reddit. “Get Pixel 3 now and we’ll include extra notch for free,” wrote another.
Earlier this month, PCMag reviewed the Pixel 3 XL, which we gave an “Excellent” score. The handset received high marks for its speed, high-performing camera, and impressive OLED display.
However, the phone does sport a beefy notch, which contains the front-facing cameras, speaker and sensors. The good news is that you can hide the existing notch by blacking out the top portion of the display. You can do this by going into the phone’s developer options for the Android OS.
