Google’s latest smartphone has bizarre bumps on the screen

Pixel 8 Pro owners complain about ‘extremely visible’ protrusions, but Google says the bumps are nothing to worry about

The Google Pixel 8 Pro was officially unveiled on 4 October, 2023 (Google)

Owners of Google’s latest premium smartphone are experiencing strange bumps and ripples that appear on the device’s screen.

Google claims the issue with the Google Pixel 8 Pro has “no functional impact to Pixel 8 performance or durability”, though some users have already returned their new phone in an effort to resolve it.

Pixel owners shared their experiences with the issue across social media and on Google forums, expressing their frustration that there appears to be no fix.

“I had this on mine as well,” a user called Constanza Juarez wrote. “Not visible on natural light but extremely visible under artificial light, both with screen on and/or off.”

Another user wrote: “Even with a glass screen protector, I can see the same bumps when I examine the edges of my Pixel 8 Pro.”

Users uploaded images to Google support forums of the bumps appearing on the Pixel 8 Pro display (Google/ Support.Google)

Bumps and ripples have been reported on the top and bottom left of the screen, above the SIM card tray, near the fingerprint scanner, as well as the top and bottom right of the display.

Some even reported sending their bumpy phones back to Google, only to have the same issue occur with the replacement device.

A video showing the Google Pixel 8 Pro being taken apart suggests that the internal mechanics of the smartphone are responsible for the screen bumps, which could complicate any attempts by the phone maker to rectify the issue on this particular model.

“Notice how the spring clips in the right side of the Pixel 8 Pro line up exactly with the indents in the foil on the display side of the phone,” one owner noted.

“It seems to be pretty clear that these clips are the cause of the bumps we are seeing in our displays.”

Google has not revealed the exact internal phone part causing the uneven surface, however did acknowledge that some users may see them on their new smartphones.

“Pixel 8 phones have a new display,” a company spokesperson said. “When the screen is turned off, not in use and in specific lighting conditions, some users may see impressions from components in the device that look like small bumps. There is no functional impact to Pixel 8 performance or durability.”