Pixel phones are no strangers to bugs and strange issues. However, this time, it's not a bug that's probably been confusing you if you've been trying to film a landscape video on your new Pixel 10 Pro XL and have been astounded by audio issues.
You're holding it wrong
Google slightly changed the design of the Pixel 10 Pro XL in comparison to its predecessor, the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The new design (actually, it's a minuscule but significant change) could lead to some people experiencing audio issues in landscape videos.
The Mountain View tech giant swapped the bottom speaker and mic positions on the phone. Because of this little change, people who are right-handed may end up actually covering the mic while recording videos in landscape mode.
Have you run into audio issues when filming on your Pixel?
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Nope, no issues
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I film in portrait anyway
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Curious little change can ruin your landscape mode videos on Pixel 10 Pro XL
On the Pixel 10 Pro XL, the main peaker now sits on the right of the USB-C port, which ensures you don't accidentally cover it while gaming, watching videos, or just holding the phone in landscape position. And that's great, as watching a muffled video ain't fun.
However, as Artem Russakovskii highlighted, that switch is also causing the unintended effect that the mic is now on the left. And yep, this means it can easily be covered by your palm if you're right-handed and holding the phone in landscape mode. And this can cause the audio on your video not to be as good as it should be.
Turns out that on the Pixel 10, the engineering team has swapped the bottom (when holding upright) mic and speaker positions.
This means that when holding the phone in landscape orientation, the speaker is now on top and microphone on the bottom. pic.twitter.com/LTulkyKKQr
As you can see, we're not talking here about a software or hardware bug with the mike, but a simple design. Luckily, there's an easy workaround - rotate the phone 180 degrees so your right hand isn't covering the mic. Unfortunately, though, this may feel a bit awkward if you're right-handed, but it is what Google decided that it is, after all.
It may take a while to get used to
I think that, generally speaking, this little design change with its unintended effect is not the end of the world. People can get used to all sorts of things, so maybe with practice, you'll start noticing it less and less. The thing is, most people shoot videos in portrait mode anyway, as those are the hot deal on social media right now.
Of course, it would've been ideal if the design were perfect, but such a thing as perfection doesn't exist. So, well, it will take some getting used to, but it at least isn't an annoying and somewhat creepy display glitch that haunts you. That scary glitch with the display is at least getting noticed by Google with the intentions of getting fixed. Here, it's not a bug that needs fixing, so there's that.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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