Samsung is not the only manufacturer of high-end smartphones dealing with overheating issues. Google’s new Pixel and Pixel XL phones are showing worrisome temperatures after 15 minutes of usage within the DayDream VR environment. Albeit no devices have exploded just yet, something fishy is going on where the battery part of top smartphones is concerned.
DayDream VR Overheats Google’s Pixel Smartphones
Using virtual reality on a smartphone is a concept that requires a ton of performance from a device that fits in the palm of one’s hand. As these smartphones become smaller and thinner, the cooling of internal components can be compromised. In most cases, this leads to devices feeling warm to the touch, or even overheating.
Google touted their line of Pixel smartphones as the “first ones to access DayDream VR”. This is a great concept on paper, but it seems difficult to work out in reality. After just 15 minutes of browsing DayDream, Pixel phones will start to overheat. For now, it appears that this is due to the DayDream headset being made of cloth, although other causes are being explored as well.
Users suffering from this overheating problem will see a warning on their screen. They are then advised to shut down DayDream, allowing the device to cool off. Both the Pixel and Pixel XL are affected by this problem, indicating that the screen resolution has no influence on this overheating issue.
As one would come to expect, overheating issues affect the performance of these devices. Mainly virtual reality gaming can feel sluggish, as it is very demanding. Ignoring these warnings is not advised, as it may cause permanent damage to the smartphone and its battery. Speaking of which, it appears that DayDream causes significant battery drain.
It is difficult to get virtual reality “right” from day one, even when it is developed by a company such as Google. For now, it remains unknown if this is a battery issue or solely related to the VR headband itself. DayDream View could be the culprit behind all of this, although the internal investigation is still pending.
Keeping in mind how Samsung smartphones suffered from similar issues not too long ago, this incident raises a lot of questions. Additionally, any device using the Samsung Gear VR headset suffers from thermal throttling too, although mileage may vary. It is evident that there is still a very long way to go before VR becomes consumer-grade other than for playing video games.
If you liked this article, follow us on Twitter @themerklenews and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and technology news.
Glad it was free.
Hi I used aluminum foil only folded up like a ruler size x 2 one for the top and one for the bottom like a light weight heat sync I thought about doing the whole phone but it may block the WiFi’s so wanted to leave some clearance for WiFi, it worked well it let me use it continuously with no heat warnings. Bend the bits that jut out how ever you like, Ill try an X shape next time.
Being a longtime user of Google’s various software solutions – I was pretty pumped to get their Pixel phone and DayDream VR.
Ten minutes in and I see the phone is warning me to shut things down.
Search on things and it’s an issue that’s widely known – lame. Google is essentially forcing consumers who shell out more than $1k to hackt heir way into actually using the thing. Tin foil? I see YouTuber’s taking laptop fans, hooking them up to their DayDreams, people recommending ice packs.
Fucking joke – Google may want to consider doing the right thing here – it’s not too hard:
Options:
1. Tell people this is an issue and make it clear you are not going to be watching a movie with their phone and VR headseat
2. Engineer the thing with a fan, or hell, a slot fo have an ice pack resting against the phone. Sure it’s a hack, but it’s better than having people buy this thing and get a bunch of “how-to” videos explaining the benefits of Tin Foil.
It’s silly and I’m surprised people aren’t making a bigger stink over this. Samsung’s Note 7’s had issues with exploding phones. I have not heard of any Pixel’s exploding, but I’ve felt my overheated phone after watching some VR and would not be surprised if the thing blew apart. Not a great thing, especially with it operating in front of one’s eyes.