Users of various devices, including Samsung models, have been encountering screen flickering issues when using the Gmail app. Some individuals have reported instances where text disappears entirely from their emails, while others see only blank white boxes instead of the expected message content.
Frustrated Gmail users have turned to social media platforms to express their discontent with the situation. One user named Jeremiah voiced his concerns, questioning when Android would function properly on folding phones like the Samsung Fold, citing ongoing flickering problems on the inner screen.
Similar grievances have surfaced on Google’s support forums, with one user highlighting the persistent screen flickering problem when attempting to read emails. Despite trying troubleshooting steps like force-stopping the app, clearing the cache, and device restarts, the issue remains unresolved.
Google product expert, Kimiya Kitani, has identified the root cause as being related to Android System WebView, a critical component enabling apps to display web content internally. Kitani noted that certain devices, particularly Samsung tablets, are experiencing intermittent challenges with Android System WebView, with the matter already escalated to Google for resolution.
While the exact number of affected users remains unknown, reports indicate that Samsung foldable devices such as the Galaxy Z Fold series and specific Galaxy tablets are among the most impacted devices.
As a temporary fix, Kitani recommends rotating the device to mitigate the flickering problem. Users can open the email in portrait mode, switch to landscape mode until the screen stabilizes, and then revert to portrait mode.
In the interim, rotating the device serves as a simple workaround as users await a permanent solution from Google to address the issue.