If you own a Google Pixel phone and something’s been feeling a little bit off, it’s not just you. Many users are reporting that the latest Android 15 update appears to have messed with the haptic feedback in some Pixels, and it’s unclear whether this change was intended. This doesn’t seem to affect some of the other best Android phones, though. Here’s what’s happening.
As spotted by Android Police, Google Pixel owners are turning to Reddit to discuss this potential change. Users are noticing that the March update altered haptics, making vibration stronger while typing. It seems that only older Pixels are experiencing this problem (or improvement, depending on how you look at it), as the reports are flooding in from people with Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 smartphones — the Pixel 9 seems to be safe right now.
“Definitely not placebo. I think it might be a bug,” said one user in the Google Pixel Reddit. A quick peek at the comments tells me that not everyone is loving the new change, though.
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“Way stronger on the P8P (Pixel 8 Pro). That’s the first thing I noticed after the reboot. Not sure I like it,” said a commenter. Another person responded: “I hate the new haptics on the P8P Pro.”
This person went on to explain that they didn’t like the feel of the new haptic feedback. It’s not even that the vibrations are too strong — although some users say that they are — but they feel different, too. The commenter called them “tinny and hollow” as well as “cheap and floaty,” comparing them to a cheap toy.
In fact, several users remarked that the new haptics on the Pixel are feeling “cheap” when compared to before. Although many say they don’t like it, some say they enjoy it and prefer it that way. Surprisingly, a couple of Pixel 7 owners report a different sort of change — much weaker haptics.
Confusing stuff. However, in all likelihood, this is a bug that might be addressed at some point (if it is indeed unintended). Google’s release notes made no mention of altering the haptic feedback in Pixels, so odds are that these changes might be reverted. If you own a Pixel and don’t want stronger vibrations, sit this one out until Google says something on the matter.