Pixel 8a will soon support display output via USB-C

Since its inception, the Pixel line has omitted display output as a feature for reasons we can only speculate about. However, Google has finally shifted gears with its Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones, which hardware support display output through their USB-C ports. However, neither of the two Pixel 8 series phones launched with display output enabled out of the box. Instead, Google quietly enabled display output on the Pixel 8 in an Android beta update. Similarly, Google’s all-new Pixel 8a smartphone doesn’t come with display output enabled out of the box, but the feature will likely be available in next month’s software update.

The Google Pixel 8a, like the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, is powered by Google’s Tensor G3 chipset. So it’s no surprise that all three phones share many internal components, such as their USB controller. Although Google wired the USB-C port on all three phones at the factory to support sending an alt-mode DisplayPort signal through a connected USB-C cable, the company disabled this feature using a software indicator. The system property persist.vendor.usb.displayport.enabled is read by the USB initialization file for all Tensor G3 series devices, and if the property is set to 0DisplayPort Alternate Mode is disabled.

This system property has been set to 0 in firmware until Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2, where it was set to 1, thus enabling the default display for all Pixel 8 series users enrolled in the Android beta program. Display output is still disabled by default for all other Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro users running the latest stable update with the May 2024 Android security patch level. This is because the latest stable update is based on Android 14 QPR2, while the next stable update in June will be based on Android 14 QPR3. So, Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro users who are not enrolled in the Android beta program should expect their devices to get display output support in the stable update of the next month.

As for the new Pixel 8a, the latest software version available is version UD2A.240505.001.B1 based on Android 14 QPR2. This build brings May 2024 Android security patches and Google’s AI wallpaper app, but since it’s based on the older Android 14 QPR2 build, display output is not enabled by default. However, the upcoming Pixel 8a stable update in June, currently in testing, sets the aforementioned system property to 1which means DisplayPort Alternate Mode will be enabled by default.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise since, as I just mentioned, all three Tensor G3-powered devices share the same common USB configuration. Still, this is good news for any user or developer looking to get a Pixel 8a, as it means the device can have access to Android’s revamped desktop mode, whenever that feature launches. However, until this feature is ready, connecting your Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, or Pixel 8a to an external display will simply mirror the screen, which is certainly better than nothing happening like on previous Pixels.