Google Nexus 7 Experiencing Low Light Screen Flicker, Is Yours?

Last night while I was doing some late night web surfing on my Nexus 7 I noticed some pretty serious screen flicker going on.  Today, I noticed Nexus 7 owners on the XDA forums having the same issue.  Here’s what XDA member potentiality says will reproduce the screen flickering on any Nexus 7:

  1. Weak WiFi signal.
  2. Backlight dimmed to under 30%.
  3. A program that constantly accesses the net, such as Google Maps.

Have you experienced this issue?  Did you find it a problem?  If you haven’t experienced it on your Nexus 7 yet, try out the steps above and see if it happens.  Let us know your thoughts and what you think Google or ASUS should do about it…

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Does anyone know the effective date of when the non-defective ones were/will be made available?

spoke to google. they indicated it was a hardware problem DOA (dead on arrival) and that i should exchange it with the retail outlet that i purchased it from. they are making a new batch that fixes this issue. no software patch can fix it, as it is a hardware problem.

I received my 16GB version two days ago.  The flickering started from the moment I started using it.  After looking online and seeing others with the same issue, I tried all the "fixes".  I talked to Google customer service, after about 30 seconds he set up a new device to be sent to me.  Although this is great customer service, I am a little bummed.  I am also concerned that the new device will suffer the same issue.  I'm a techie but having to redo all of my settings on a new device doesn't strike me as fun.

FWIW it looks to be only some units suffering.  However if you got yours in the first week, I would strongly suggest checking it.  If you do suffer it, a work around seems to be setting your brightness to absolute 0.  Since this is the absolute minimum brightness as it is, the unit wont go any lower.  However, you lose 35% of your lower brightness range.  There is also talk of it being a uninsulated solder connection, which in the long term could be bad.

 

Here is a video showing someone with their old versus replaced unit showing indeed it being fixed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfgUmb4sOyY

 

-potentiality

Looks like its not all versions.  But if you got yours in the first few days, I would strongly suggest checking. However,if you do suffer it and don't want to return,  if you set your brightness to absolute 0, this seems to get rid of it.  But of course you lose about 35% of your lower brightness adjustment.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfgUmb4sOyY

 

-potentiality

JoePR31 5 pts

No flickering here. Only time mine's flickered is when using the Engadget app. But, that's the app's fault.

digitaljax 5 pts

Mine is also flickering, not always but here and there.

cujester 8 pts

Mine is having the screen flicker issue. My brightness is typically all the way up and wifi is strong. I notice it the most when I'm reading books/articles or watching Netflix.

astontopgears 19 pts

strange, haven't noticed it yet on mine, but a friend is experiencing it on hers

JaysonVelazquez 5 pts

Experienced it last night as well :(

ColtonKaiser 5 pts

I haven't experienced this personally.