Key Takeaways
- A Reddit user reported that their Pixel 9 Pro XL’s camera bar popped off within two weeks of use.
- Only one such case has come to light, indicating that this might just be a one-off issue.
- Google has acknowledged the sole report, and is escalating the issue
When you spend nearly $1,000 on a gadget, you expect it to be somewhat durable even without a case. Unfortunately, it seems the Pixel 9 Pro XL‘s camera bar has a few structural problems that are raising concern among owners. The issue first appeared when Reddit user/lakhip shared a link that their 9 Pro camera bar had popped off.
They had left it on the counter of their sink while taking a shower and noticed the camera had fogged up internally. They noticed one side of the camera bar was not at all attached and could be removed with a simple pull. The OP says the phone hasn’t been dropped and hasn’t gone through rough use, and was, in fact, protected by a case when the problem was discovered. Water resistance is a major selling point for Pixel fans these days, and the faulty camera bar eliminates any hope of an IP rating.
Related
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review: The best big Android phone
Google’s big flagship earns its $100 price bump and then some
Google hasn’t issued any sort of statement, and u/lakhip hasn’t updated their post with further details. Since this is currently the only report of this problem we’re aware of, it could be limited to just that unit or a handful of others.
If more people begin reporting this problem, then it might imply a quality control issue. If we take a look at iFixit’s breakdown of how to repair the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, you can see that the rear camera enclosure is a part of the frame and appears to be glued or adhered in place. Even when repairing the camera, the enclosure isn’t meant to be removed as a separate unit.
Google now knows of the issue
In the comments of their post, u/lakhip confirmed they were able to go to the Google Store in New York City and get a replacement unit. However, they say they’re still afraid of the issue reoccurring with the new unit. According to their post, the staff at the Google Store had “never seen this before and will escalate the issue.” It’s reassuring to know this doesn’t seem to be a widespread problem so far, but it is concerning that it happened in the first place.
Theories as to the source of the damage ranged from exposure to steam from the shower — although even if the phone was right next to the shower, two weeks’ of shower steam doesn’t seem like enough to disconnect the camera module — all the way to blaming the new design of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Whatever the reason, keep a close eye on your own handsets. If you see any weird issues like this, reach out to Google for a replacement while the warranty is still valid.