Not good: Google's Video Boost offers nothing but static for Pixel 11 Pro users
What you need to know- Google Pixel 11 Pro users on Reddit have started voicing problems with the device's recording capabilities when Video Boost is active.
- A report states statis bursts every "five seconds" emerge in recordings when this enhancement feature is active, completely ruining the end-product.
- A Google support team member has responded, curious to learn more; however, users have discovered an at-home fix for this problem.
It's the end of August, and we're all unpacking our Pixel 11 phones, but some users say there's already an issue. Reports highlight a video enhancement feature that's working in reverse.
Over the past week, reports on the Pixel Phones subreddit have emerged, highlighting a problem with Video Boost on the Pixel 11 Pro (via 9to5Google). The original poster (OP) said that after recording, they noticed "static bursts" in the audio "every five seconds." The report specifies that this has only occurred with videos recorded with Video Boost enabled.
The OP followed up with a better example, showing how egregious these static bursts are every few seconds. Users entered the thread. Some say they've encountered the same problem when Video Boost is active. Another questioned the OP, wondering about their video quality. The user was recording in FHD at 6fps, not 4K. However, another recording at 4K displayed signs of these disruptive static bursts.
Users lamented the problem, stating it's disheartening to have such a problem on top of the phone's price. The OP considered returning their device, but they stuck with it and reportedly found a fix. They say, "I went in and cleared the cache on the camera app and turned off zoom audio. No static on the videos tonight." One user found no issues at 30fps, but toggling 60fps on and off seemed to help.
Interestingly, Google is aware of the problem-or at least, the issues users have voiced. A member of the Google product support team for Pixels responded, inquiring for more information.
Static in Videosfromr/pixel_phonesAndroid Central's Take
The best thing here is that Google has responded to the problem. It's also nice that uses have found a fix on their own in the meantime. The Pixel 11 has attracted consumers, which is what Google wanted. The last thing it needs is for an issue to sully its camerawork.
Video Boost is designed to help users record better videos. It works by submitting your recording to Google's Cloud services to "enhance it" before returning to your phone. When Google first introduced this for the Pixel 8 Pro, it seemed like a straightforward process. However, there appears to be some disconnect between the Pixel 11 Pro and Video Boost's original purpose. With Google chiming in, hopefully it'll look into a more permanent solution that doesn't involve extra steps from users.
These early issues are frustrating, as they're souring an otherwise well-received Pixel 11 launch. While Google has integrated some useful hardware upgrades, the company's also raised the bar significantly for Pixel AI. Of course, these are optional tools, so the final judgement is up to the end-user.