
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The Google Pixel 10 has “Adaptive Tone,” a feature that dynamically adjusts the display’s white balance to match ambient lighting.
- This technology is Google’s version of Apple’s True Tone and was previously available on the Pixel 4 under the name “Ambient EQ.”
- After a five-generation absence, the feature returns to the Pixel phone lineup to improve visual comfort and viewing consistency.
The Pixel 10 series isn’t a major hardware leap, though the addition of integrated Qi2 magnets is a significant improvement. While the display hardware has only seen a modest upgrade on the surface, Google has equipped the Pixel 10 with new software features to improve the viewing experience. One such feature is Adaptive Tone, designed to enhance visual comfort in any lighting condition.
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The Pixel 10’s new Adaptive Tone feature, found under Settings > Display & touch, “dynamically adapts the display to warmer or cooler tones based on ambient lighting.” It uses the phone’s integrated ambient light and color sensor to measure the surrounding color temperature, then adjusts the display’s white balance to match. This process ensures visuals appear consistent, as our perception of a screen’s white balance changes with the ambient light — often making displays look overly blue in warmer, indoor lighting.

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
If this feature sounds familiar, that’s because the Pixel 10 is far from the first device to have it. Apple calls its version True Tone, while Samsung has a similar feature named adaptive color tone. Google itself isn’t new to this technology; its Nest Hub displays have had a similar feature called Ambient EQ for years. Ambient EQ even made its way to phones with the 2019 Pixel 4, but Google removed it from the Pixel 5 onward. While the feature briefly reappeared on the 2023 Pixel Tablet, the Pixel 10 marks its welcome return to the phone lineup after a five-generation absence.
As we reported back in June, Google has reintroduced this functionality on the Pixel 10 series under a new name: Adaptive Tone. According to a support page, the feature is available across the entire Pixel 10 lineup and works just like the original Ambient EQ did on the Pixel 4.
In addition to Adaptive Tone, the Pixel 10 also introduces a new setting to optimize the display for users with flicker sensitivity. While this may not make the device the absolute best phone for flicker-sensitive users, it’s a welcome improvement over previous Pixel models.
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