Google Pixel devices are some of the best smartphones you can buy right now. But every smartphone has its quirks, and the Pixel is no exception. A Reddit post by u/Adnaks on the Google Pixel subreddit has sparked some discussion about the Pixel 8’s flashlight.
According to the post, when you turn on the flash from the Google Pixel 8’s Quick Settings element, the light is only at half intensity. u/Adnak noted that there is no way to set the flashlight to full brightness without using a third-party app.
There is no official explanation from Google yet
Several users also noted that this behavior was not only seen on the Pixel 8, but also on other models such as the Pixel 6 and 7. We can only speculate as to the reasons for this behavior by Google as the company has yet to release an official explanation. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Samsung provide the ability to control the intensity of the flashlight.
Several Reddit users shared their thoughts with some suggested theories as to why the default intensity of the Pixel 8 flashlight is 50%.
A prominent argument was that this was Google’s move to improve LED life. Another theory was that a dimmed flashlight was more likely to burn you if you accidentally turned it on in your pocket.
For now, the only option is to use third-party apps
According to Android Police, Google has not yet taken advantage of the API in Android 13 that allows you to configure the brightness level of the flash. If you want to configure the Pixel’s flash intensity, you’ll have to settle for a third-party app for now. Android Authority recommends FlashDim, an app that uses getTorchStrengthLevel and turn on the torch with power level API in Android 13 to control flashlight.
Tags: default flash brightness Pixel devices
