Google Pixel 2 launch hit by display, pricing and shipping issues

Such issues prompted the company to open an investigation and issue multiple apologies to customers

The launch of Alphabet Inc's second-generation Google Pixel smartphones has been hampered by display screen problems and pricing and shipping issues, prompting the company to open an investigation and issue multiple apologies to customers.

The Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2 XL, which start at $649 and debuted in stores on Thursday, are the lynchpin of Google's efforts to take on Apple Inc's

iPhone directly.

Early Pixel 2 users have voiced frustration with mishaps, including a potentially serious problem with the screen.

Google said on Sunday it is investigating whether graphics are burning into the display of the Google Pixel 2, following a report on the Android Central blog detailing the issue after a week of use. Burn-in, which usually becomes a problem only after several years of activity, can make it difficult to see information on the display.

Google likely would need to halt production if there is a problem, said Ryan Reith, a mobile device analyst at research firm IDC.

"We take all reports of issues very seriously, and our engineers investigate quickly," Mario Queiroz, Google's vice president for Pixel product management, said in an emailed statement to Reuters. "We will provide updates as soon as we have conclusive data."

The investigation follows Google's acknowledgement that it may introduce new software to respond to users' concern about a blue tint to the Pixel 2 XL's 6-inch screen. The device incorporates new OLED display technology, which Google described as offering "a more natural and accurate rendition of colours."

Reviewers and users in online support forums have also reported a clicking noise during calls and poor Bluetooth connections between the Pixel 2 and other devices. Google did not immediately comment on the issues. (more)

Larry Page is secretly investing millions to build flying cars

Larry Page is secretly investing millions to build flying cars

Three years ago, Silicon Valley developed a fleeting infatuation with a start-up called Zee. The company had set up shop right next to Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, which was curious, because Google tightly controls most of the land in the area. Then a reporter spotted patent filings showingZee.Aero was working on a small, all-electric plane that could take off and land vertically — a Flying car.

In the handful of news articles that ensued, all the start-up would say was that it wasn’t affiliated with Google or any other technology company. Then it stopped answering media inquiries altogether. Employees say they were even given wallet-size cards with instructions on how to deflect questions from reporters. After that, the only information that trickled out came from amateur pilots, who occasionally posted pictures of a strange-looking plane taking off from a nearby airport.

Turns out, Zee doesn’t belong to Google or its holding company, Alphabet. It belongs to Larry Page, Google’s co-founder. Page has personally funded Zee since its launch in 2010 while demanding that his involvement stay hidden from the public, according to 10 people with intimate knowledge of the company. Zee, however, is just one part of Page’s plan to usher in an age of personalised air travel, free from gridlocked streets and the cramped indignities of modern flight. Like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, Page is using his personal fortune to build the future of his childhood dreams. Read more.