[Update: Dec. 07] Google Pixel 6 transparent or blurred notification shade is a bug, but some Pixel users on Android 12 prefer it

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on November 19, 2021) follows:

The Google Pixel 6 series of smartphones has been available since October. It seems that they were not completely polished, since users have discovered multiple aspects that need to be improved.

The most recent reports point out a bug where the notification shade suddenly becomes transparent or blurred. But, interestingly, some users prefer how the ‘bugged’ interface looks like (1, 2, 3).

According to reports from Google Pixel 6 series users, there is a curious bug that adds a transparent or blurred background to the notification shade. This makes the design look more ‘eye-catching’ for some.

So, not sure if anyone else has experienced this and I assume it’s just a bug but thought I would see if anyone else has had this.

I saw that some people that had received the mid November update (think it was Japan and Verizon US users) noticed the notification shade had turned slightly transparent like it was in previous versions of android.

Update: It has returned back to a bold black/grey colour like normal. So, I can only assume it was a bug.

Forgot to mention I am using the Google Pixel 6 Pro.
Source

Normally, the notification shade interface displays solid colors, not transparencies. You can see what the effect of the bug looks like in the following video:

Some users report that the bug would arise sometimes while trying to adjust the screen brightness using the notification shade shortcut.

My 6 Pro has been doing this every time I adjust the brightness using the quick settings slider. The transparency goes away after I turn the screen off and then back on. I spotted the same transparent shade in MKBHD’s review video too.
Source

Although the transparent effect is caused by a bug, some users prefer the way it looks. They even ask Google to make the blurred notification shade an option (1, 2, 3, 4):

I got my phone today, rebooted for an update, and suddenly the notification shade had a nice transparent blur on top of whatever was behind it. Then it disappeared again. The transparent blur looked so much nicer than the solid color blob.
Source

It is not yet known if Google is aware of the situation, or if this ‘accidental’ design will become an option for the Pixel 6 in the future.

In the coming days, if there is any new development in this regard, we will update this article. You can also check the issue/bug tracker dedicated to the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.

Google is bringing a fix for issue occasionally causing UI elements to display with transparent backgrounds in the December 2021 update.

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