Bug makes it difficult to use the Pixel Fold

First reported on Reddit four months ago, sticky scrolling on the Pixel Fold is an issue that has been mentioned before on other platforms including Google's own Pixel Phone Help page (posted last January) and just the other day on "X" by Android expert Mishaal Rahman. What exactly is sticky scrolling? The problem is made up of issues Pixel Fold users have scrolling on the foldable's internal screen.

The main problem with sticky scrolling is that scrolling inertia is broken on impacted phones. This is the feature that allows a page to continue to scroll even with your finger off the screen. Without the inertia, the screen will scroll only with your finger moving the content on the screen. Rahman posted a video on his "X" page that was recorded by tech journalist Zac Bowden and not only has his Pixel Fold suffered from sticky scrolling, but a refurbished replacement unit he received also has the same problem. Bowden also tried a full factory reset and manually installed a stable Android 14 release to see if either would help. They didn't.

Pixel Fold users: Is scrolling on the inner display wonky for you? Some users are reporting that scrolling inertia on the inner display has been weird, especially on recent Android 14 builds (both the latest stable QPR2-based build and the QPR3 beta).

For example, gestures like… pic.twitter.com/hgf3GF8QpD

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) March 8, 2024

A four-month-old post on the Pixel Phone Help page revealed a temporary fix. "So far my temporary solution is to shut off the screen via power button, then turn it back on. This usually fixes the issue, but it always comes back, sometimes within 30 seconds." This is not exactly the kind of solution that Pixel Fold users want to hear about.

The ideal solution would be an update from Google that would exterminate the bug and allow Pixel Fold users to scroll without a problem. On Reddit and on "X." there is some regret from some Pixel Fold users about purchasing the phone instead of picking up the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Sticky scrolling is a problem that has impacted Pixel Fold users for months. Before this becomes a problem that Google and the Pixel Fold can't come back from, it behooves the company to clear the desks in Mountain View, turn off all of the internal phones, and work around the clock until this problem is fixed. Once a solution is ready, Google will need to share it with Google Fold users (who paid $1,799 and up for the device) immediately.