Google Pixel 9 Pro Has A Camera Bar Problem… Again

Google might want to hire better quality checkers at its production facilities. This is because, according to a post on Reddit by MohiFlaz, their Pixel 9 Pro have encountered a problem where the camera bar has popped off the back of the device.

Not the first time

Worryingly enough, this is actually not the first time we’ve heard about this problem. The first reported case of the camera bar popping off the Pixel 9 Pro dates back to October last year. The user claims they first noticed fogging in the camera’s glass.

When they removed the protective case, they noticed a gap between the phone’s camera bar and its body. A light tug was enough for the piece to fall off. At that time, many thought it was a one-off problem. After all, there are bound to be defects that are missed during the quality checking process.

Plus, sometimes, there are some defects that are impossible to detect or account for until later on. However, based on this new report, it looks like it’s starting to become a trend. It is possible that this could be due to the phone’s design.

According to iFixit’s teardown of the Pixel 9 Pro, they found that the rear camera enclosure is actually glued into place. This means that under certain scenarios, it is possible for the glue or adhesive to wear off. This could then lead to the camera bar popping off the back of the phone.

No replacements

Unlike the first time when the poster claimed to have been able to secure a replacement, Redditor MohiFlaz wasn’t as lucky. In a comment on their own post, they mentioned that when they contacted Google, the response was essentially that they were out of luck. Since the device was more than 90 days old, apparently, it did not qualify them for a replacement unit.

This is unlike the previous issue, where the poster claimed to have only owned the handset for two weeks. We’re not sure if this boils down to the customer rep they spoke to or if it really is a time-sensitive issue. However, assuming there really was no abuse of the phone, then it is clear that this is a manufacturing defect, and Google should honor requests for a replacement.

That being said, Google has stepped up in the past over previous Pixel phone issues. For instance, the company issued an extended warranty for Pixel 8 users over problems with its display. Hopefully, Google will step up again this time.