Android animations and smooth scrolling have always been playing catch up to Apple’s iOS. And it seems not even the top-of-the-line Tensor G3 chipset coupled with the latest Android 14 update are enough to save the brand new Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro from micro stuttering and jitters when scrolling through various apps.
It’s only a few days since the first units started shipping. But a quick look through the Pixel subreddit points to what is a potential repeat of the same screen scrolling issues that plagued the Pixel 7 series at launch. According to multiple reports on Reddit, Twitter and the Google Issue Tracker, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are stuttering when scrolling through apps like X, Reddit, Google Play Store and so on. The issue isn’t visible when navigating through these apps, but it becomes more prominent when scrolling up and down.
The Reddit app seems the most affected. Although this has pretty much been the case with the app ever since I started using it. There are multiple accounts of this, but since other apps are affected, it could be a software optimization issue with the Pixel 8’s Tensor G3 chipset.
Is Pixel 8 stuttering issue when scrolling a software glitch?
What’s even more frustrating is the lag and poor animations are still present when smooth display is enabled. Smooth display is supposed to make the visual experience more pleasing to the eyes. But this isn’t what you get with the setting enabled on the Pixel 8.
In their review, GSM Arena spotted the stuttering, jittering and lag issues on the Pixel 8. They point to poor optimization as the potential issue, especially since most 3rd-party Android apps are optimized for Qualcomm chips. To them, this explains why Nothing Phone (2) feels a lot smoother than the Pixel 8 despite rocking an older chipset. But since the likes of Chrome and Google Play Store are affected by the inconsistent scrolling and jittering, we can’t solely blame the stuttering and jitters on 3rd-party app developers. Google has some part to play too.
In fact, it’s also possible that this is an Android 14 issue. Ever since the OS rolled out, we’ve encountered similar reports about scrolling and jittering on older Pixel phones. If this is the case, Pixel 8 owners can expect some improvements with future software updates.
Fortunately, the issue has been filed in the Issue Tracker and it’s already being actively investigated. But there’s no word on when the problem will be addressed. However, if it’s an OS-level problem, Pixel 8 owners can expect the update to Android 14 QPR1 to address it.
Featured image: Google
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Hillary Keverenge
2114 Posts
Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.
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