A fresh accessibility option offers possible relief for users sensitive to flickering.
Is OLED the premier display type? Consult anyone with tech knowledge, and the likely response will be “yes,” yet an increasing number of users adamantly assert “no.”
This is due to smartphones such as the Google Pixel 9 employing displays that flicker rapidly on and off at a frequency that escapes most people’s visual perception, but our brains can certainly sense. This phenomenon is termed PWM dimming, and although some manufacturers have sought solutions, Samsung and Google devices have not seen substantial advancements for years. That shifts with the Pixel 10 Pro series.
A new accessibility option named “Adjust brightness for sensitive eyes” at least doubles the PWM frequency of the Pixel 10 Pro family’s displays. We encountered this leak a few months ago, and it’s encouraging to see that Google is developing a potential solution for those sensitive to flicker.
While I have not yet conducted comprehensive testing on this new feature, I observed it in operation during my hands-on with the Google Pixel 10. From what I gather, activating this feature elevates the PWM rate to 480Hz, akin to what Samsung achieved with the Galaxy S24 series.
This new capability is exclusive to the Google Pixel 10 Pro and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold includes the setting only for the inner display, which is logical since the outer display closely resembles that of the base Pixel 10, and that model does not support the new “sensitive eyes” feature either.
If you’ve been keeping up with our reports over recent years, you might already be aware that 480Hz remains insufficient to address the issue, based on studies in this field. Devices such as the OnePlus 13 utilize 2160Hz PWM solely at lower brightness levels, while the Honor Magic 7 Pro boosts that to 4320Hz.
I’m not prepared to provide a comfort rating judgment on Google’s new display accessibility feature just now, but I want to acknowledge the achievement of at least implementing this crucial setting change. Flicker sensitivity has been increasing as LEDs and related technologies have spread throughout modern life, particularly since numerous companies do not adhere to fundamental IEEE standards for flicker protection established in 2015.
Regardless of the outcome, this represents a genuine victory for users seeking hope for relief in the future. Companies like Google are attentive, and that’s significant for anyone impacted.
