Are we well beyond the point of no return? Have we successfully become… addicts?This isn't an AA meeting intro, this is what I've been asking myself ever since I read this article by my colleague Alan:
When I saw the headline, I wasn't sure if Google's team did something to mess up the Pixel's famous camera in some way. It crossed my mind that the update – regardless of which feature it had to with – is yet another AI blitzkrieg. The Big G loves AI and that's that – at the last Google I/O conference back in May 2024, the term "AI" was mentioned over 120 times in some hours' time, which is enough to cause anyone PTSD.Thankfully, the current Google debacle has nothing to do with AI – it's a pure hardware issue (that got triggered by a software update). Long story short, people are mad that their beloved Pixel phones are now vibrating differently than they used to. This happened after the March Pixel Feature Drop software update was released.
Not vibrating differently when getting a call or a text, but upon using the phone itself – the so-called haptics.
You know, the tiny vibrations you feel when you tap the screen, type on a keyboard, or get a notification. It makes interactions feel more natural by simulating real-world touch, like pressing a physical button (as opposed to just tapping on the flat display). These vibrations help us navigate our devices without relying only on visuals. Like when the phone vibrates ever so slightly when unlocking – and you know it's now ready for use.
Modern smartphones use advanced haptics to create more immersive experiences, such as adding texture to on-screen elements or making long-press gestures more intuitive. On the Android team, research explored how haptics could simulate texture, elasticity, and physicality in real-time, leading to enhancements like the
updated Quick Settings experience in the 2024 Android feature drop.The Quick Settings buttons, which feature both tap and long-press actions, previously confused users who were unaware of the long-press option. The new haptic feedback system introduces a gradual "ramp-up" effect when pressing slightly longer, culminating in a sharp "snap" when the long-press is activated.This is useful, but people in 2025 are mad because many Pixels now vibrate much stronger than previously. In fact, even with Haptics setting at its lowest, the vibrating is still too much – like a hammer, one user said.
What's the big deal?
Pixels are praised for having excellent haptics, and I can confirm that. For now, it's not clear whether this change is an intentional one or a bug, but it's irrelevant.A part of me is baffled that this is an issue – after all, we're not talking about a sudden battery drainage or an unresponsive camera, or a modem that can't make or receive calls. No, we're talking about gentle buzz vibrations made by tiny motors or actuators inside the device.I'm sure that most Pixel owners – yes, even those who felt the change right away – will get used to the change in a short period of time. It's our human nature and ability to adapt to blame here.Let me give you an example: in different periods, I've used vastly different monitors for my PC – a 50-inch TV screen, a 24-inch dedicated monitor, a 14-inch laptop screen. The adaptation period was a nightmare, but it was all over quickly (and the difference between a 50-inch TV and a 14-inch laptop is brutal, mind you).My theory is that most people can't even tell if their phone vibrates gently or firmly.
The solution: more control
However, the other part of me completely understands why those Pixel users are furious – we all have expectations about our devices, and it's only natural to be mad when those expectations are not met.It's crystal clear that it's not some sort of hardware limitation at play here – Pixel phones were able to buzz gently until recently, now they're "hammering". The only thing that changed is a software update. Let's hope it's a bug and things get back to normal.But I'd be even better if the Android team made further improvements and gave us, freak controls, more options to control our devices. Expand the specter of the haptics control! Allow us to set it to real low, but also give us the option to go over the top, if we choose to.Wasn't Android all about customization and liberation? We expect
Android 16 to bring a ton of new features and controls, and richer haptics is among those.
Android 16 should introduce a new level of flexibility for haptic feedback, allowing apps to implement vibrations in entirely different ways. This change is expected to have the biggest impact on gaming, where developers can create distinct vibration patterns for various in-game actions. This should be paired with a richer, more granular control of the haptic system as a whole.Right now, there is the option to increase or decrease the haptic vibrations in Android's Settings menu – but I don't think it does a great job. I get the feeling that – on an imaginary scale from zero to ten – Android only gives me the option to increase or decrease between, say, three and seven.One-size-fits-all solutions rarely work, especially when it comes to something as personal as haptic feedback: some people like it tender, some like it rough. Google, take my advice and let sleeping dogs lie by implementing a truly granular control for the haptics.
