Google’s Pixel smartphones are known for the fluidity of their customization layer and the quality of their cameras, but they are also known to be launched on the market with certain problems.
Last year, Pixel 2 was heavily criticized for the quality of the screen and the company released some software updates that partially solved these problems. Another problem with Pixel 2 had to do with video recording.
A few hours ago, we heard that the sound of the stereo speakers of the Pixel 3 XL is not balanced (the speaker below sounds much louder than the one above) and now we have seen a new problem related to sound recording.
The problem was first highlighted by the YouTuber SuperSaf TV, whose video shows the great difference between the audio quality recorded by the Pixel 3 XL and that recorded by the iPhone XS Max. Former Android Police member Jerome Ortega has also noticed the same difference in quality in his Pixel 3 smaller.
The problem is that the audio recorded by the Pixel 3 and 3 XL in videos sounds exceptionally low and distant, as you can see in the video.
Google has explained that what is heard in the video sounds like that by design, since the Pixel 3 incorporates an audio optimization system that reduces background noises to optimize the voice
We have made several advances in the audio recording capabilities of Pixel 3, including the enabling of stereo recording in landscape mode.
When recording outdoors, our setting is specifically designed to reduce background noise, such as wind and road noise and too loud sounds and optimize the audible voice.
To achieve this, we selectively attenuate some frequencies, which minimizes disturbing noises and optimizes the resulting audio. We do extensive testing of our products to make sure they conform to real-world usage, and we are always looking for additional adjustment opportunities based on user feedback.
Therefore, as with the speaker problems of the Pixel 3 XL, Google considers that the performance of its microphone has been “specifically designed” to deliver this result. Hopefully, in a future update, they will design it specifically to make it sound good.
