November update fixes Pixel 8a screen flickering; Pixel 9 Bluetooth, camera and display issues

Google has just released the November update for Pixel devices, and for Pixel 8a users in particular, it’s a much-needed fix to a screen flickering issue that’s been making around since launch, especially noticeable at 120Hz refresh rate.

Since its release earlier this year, Pixel 8a users have been venting about display quirks that cast a grayish haze over dark mode and create an odd flickering effect when interacting with the screen. It all started with complaints about black tones that seemed, well, not black enough, alongside a strange shimmer that made dark mode feel less smooth.

Users noticed the issue while typing or using apps with dark backgrounds — sometimes just touching the screen could make the black shades look lighter or grayish, creating a distracting flicker. A Pixel Community forum thread from May captured a lot of these frustrations, with users saying their screen flickering problems persisted even after replacing the device. Here’s a recent video showing the Pixel 8a’s flickering display.

A Reddit user also jumped in with their experience, noting that the flickering often happened when switching between 120Hz and 60Hz refresh rates or using dark mode in low-light environments. The phenomenon was particularly noticeable in apps with minimal bright colors. Google seems to have heard these voices loud and clear, and now, the November update brings a fix to address the Pixel 8a “issue with screen brightness flickering under certain conditions.”

So, if you’re a Pixel 8a owner, this November update might finally bring the smooth, flicker-free experience you’ve been hoping for.

While the Pixel 8a fix is a major highlight of this update, Google has also fine-tuned several other Pixel models. For example, Pixel 9-series devices get a fix for camera tilt issues when zooming, which some users found frustrating. A fix for an occasional Bluetooth range issue has been included, and Google has made general performance tweaks for animations and transitions, which will benefit the entire Pixel lineup from the Pixel 6 to the newest Pixel 9 models.

It’s safe to say that this is a broad effort to polish up the Pixel experience for everyone following the recent update to Android 15 — and the Pixel 8a’s flicker-free display fix is one welcome change that perhaps many users have been eagerly awaiting.

For those Pixel users facing other issues since the Android 15 rollout — such as alarms not sounding, slow Google Play Store updates, SIM card detection troubles, glitches with the back gesture and Wallpaper & Style features, Google Discover lag and and battery drain from Google Play Services — it’s a good idea to install the latest update. Many of these problems have been widely reported across multiple forums, and the November patch may bring the improvements or fixes that you have been waiting for.