Google Pixel phones got a huge empty white space in the notifications area after December update

The many hardware issues that Google Pixel phones have been experiencing since 2016 should have given the search giant a better angle to approach the hardware design of the Pixel 4. But no, it seems this was just too much for Google.

There is no shred of doubt that the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are great flagship phones with top-end cameras and equally premium price tags. However, the two are not the perfect handsets the market has to offer, especially from a hardware point of view.

Matter of fact, imperfect hardware is becoming synonymous with Pixel phones, but because these are Google-made phones, the software is expected to provide some leeway for the company. Well, apparently not.

The latest December security update, for instance, has been quite buggy for not just the Pixel 4, but also other Pixel phones. Talk of the Google Assistant issues, phones restarting after revoking USB Debugging authorizations, Google Search bug on home page, Pixel Launcher crashing, and so on.

In the latest series of Google Pixel bugs after the December update, it is now emerging that some Pixel 4 owners are experiencing an issue where a huge empty white space appears in the notifications area, especially when there are many unread notifications in the shade.

Pixel 4 – Anybody else sometimes get giant empty white spaces where notifications should be? Especially when many notifications build up?

As it stands, this issue isn’t unique to the Google Pixel 4, but in fact, nearly all Google Pixel phones are experiencing the issue after the latest December security update.

Same on Pixel 2 since December patch. Also, some notifications have a delay when using their buttons.
Source

Yup, I am on Pixel 3. After the December update, I have been getting this issue. Hoping the next update will fix this.
Source

This happens to me on the 3a if I’m on the phone (with the phone call screen showing) and the device goes to sleep, it goes to the lockscreen and the active call notification is completely empty/white rectangle with just the call time showing in the AOD.
Source

It’s one of those small but annoying issues that you wish to unsee, although we hope Google will address it in the next update, probably the one that brings the January 2020 security patch. FYI, Samsung has already rolled out the January 2020 security patch to the Galaxy S9 One UI 2.0 beta 3 in Europe.

NOTE: We have more Google-related coverage here.

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.