Google Pixel devices are some of the best flagship smartphones you can buy now. But every smartphone has its quirks and the Pixel is no exception. A Reddit post by u/Adnaks in the Google Pixel subreddit has sparked some discussion about the Pixel 8’s flashlight.
According to ..., When you turn on the flashlight from the Quick Settings tile on the Google Pixel 8, the light is only at half the intensity. u/Adnaks 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 noticeable not only on the Pixel 8 but also on other models like the Pixel 6 and 7. We can only speculate the reasons for this behavior by Google because the company has yet to release an official explanation. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Samsung provide a way to control the intensity of the flashlight.
Several Reddit users shared their thoughts with some proposing theories for why the Pixel 8’s flashlight defaults to 50% intensity.
The prominent argument was that this was a move by Google to improve the lifespan of the LED. Another theory was that a half-bright flashlight is less likely to burn you if you turn it on accidentally in your pocket.
The only option for now is to use third-party apps
According to Android Police, Google is yet to take advantage of the APIs in Android 13 that allow you to configure the brightness level of the flashlight. If you want to configure the intensity of your Pixel’s flashlight, you have to settle for a third-party app for now. Android Authority recommends FlashDim—an app that uses the getTorchStrengthLevel and turnOnTorchWithStrengthLevel APIs in Android 13 to control the flashlight.