Google October 4th Event

[Dumbnub]

But it has challenges: fragmentation, slow updates for many users, monopoly concerns

Yeah, android really sucks for updates. I would like to see new updates for all android devices direct from google 4 ever (like apple) and all the manufacture additions could just be apps that can be updated seperately via the playstore. It probably won't happen but I think it would be way better if it could be done.

edit: some manufacturer apps change a lot of things and require root permission but these apps could still be installed as system apps (for root permissions) when you buy the phone but made so they have to be updated via the playstore and the actual OS comes direct form google.

 

[thep02]

Yep...and a big middle finger to everyone else especially those who own Nexus devices.

Think it's time for the end users to vote with their pocket and show Google what they think of the move they've pulled off.

I have been using Android devices since the T Mobile G1 and now I'm seriously considering a move to iOS.

Will wait and see what happens in 2017 before making such a drastic move though.

Pretty much agree with you on this but for much the same reasons I won't be buying a Pixel I won't go to ios, I'm very much looking forward to the s8 which I hope will be better across the board than the Pixel and cheaper.

I was really looking forward to the Note 7 but the current battery issue and the proximity of the s8 release mean I'll give the Note a miss, yet again, can't see me holding on to my s6 until the Note 8 arrives no matter how much I want to get back on the big train.

 

[mark43]

I think people are missing the point. This phone is not for nerds, its for the masses. I think as long as it feels decent, has decent battery life and a solid camera not much else matters outside of marketing the phone correctly. If google nails the marketing I think it will be a relatively successful smartphone. A lot of the issues raised here really don't matter too the masses.

But what does it have to attract the masses. Decent feel, battery life and camera are all very good, but I think you need something to wow people if you want to attract them to a new brand.

 

[sesevans]

But what does it have to attract the masses. Decent feel, battery life and camera are all very good, but I think you need something to wow people if you want to attract them to a new brand.

I think $ 50 million of advertising heading to the UK might help wow people?

 

[thep02]

But what does it have to attract the masses. Decent feel, battery life and camera are all very good, but I think you need something to wow people if you want to attract them to a new brand.

My guess is that the type of buyer Google want will buy it because they think it's the premiumest android phone because of Google's power and money and it's cost to spec ratio being apple like.

The fact that it's shipped with a tool for easy ios transfer indicates they're after apple buyers who have a history of buying phones for social prestige based upon price exclusivity.

 

[AndyCr15]

Think the poster means software wise Google will differentiate the software and hold back on features for OEMs and use the features for Pixel devices.

Ahh, okay. By Tech I thought they meant hardware.

Is it not just because it's 7.1? New releases always have new features. Nexus devices were always on the newest version, surely it's no different?

Think it's time for the end users to vote with their pocket and show Google what they think of the move they've pulled off.

I have been using Android devices since the T Mobile G1 and now I'm seriously considering a move to iOS.

Switching to iOS because you can't get a Nexus seems an odd thing to do. Are they not polar opposites?

 

[sesevans]

My bet is even Google won't be able to market this enough to sell loads it at this price. We shall see in a few months.

Maybe time to add the upcoming LG V20 to the list of new flagship phones for price comparison purposes vs the Pixel?

ATT just announced the V20 at $ 830, more expensive than the Pixel and more expensive I think than the iPhone 7 Plus.

Will the V20 be coming to the UK? I am not sure if the V10 made it here.

 

[Fallen god]

But what does it have to attract the masses. Decent feel, battery life and camera are all very good, but I think you need something to wow people if you want to attract them to a new brand.

I don't think you need a wow factor, you just need good marketing off your brand. The phone is all around solid phone, with a lot of things you could easily nitpick on.

 

[muon]

Maybe time to add the upcoming LG V20 to the list of new flagship phones for price comparison purposes vs the Pixel?

ATT just announced the V20 at $ 830, more expensive than the Pixel and more expensive I think than the iPhone 7 Plus.

Will the V20 be coming to the UK? I am not sure if the V10 made it here.

The $830 is not the one off payment price.

Nice try.

 

[stoosh]

Ahh, okay. By Tech I thought they meant hardware.

Is it not just because it's 7.1? New releases always have new features. Nexus devices were always on the newest version, surely it's no different?



Switching to iOS because you can't get a Nexus seems an odd thing to do. Are they not polar opposites?

This time it is different. Google wants to push new features that are exclusive to Pixel devices unless the good folks over at XDA find a way to port over to Nexus devices.

See link below:

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Google-Pixel-features-that-Nexus-will-NOT-get_id86189

So owning a Nexus device no longer guarentees one will get the latest and greatest but now just the latest minus what Pixel devices would get.


As for switching to iOS because I can't get a Nexus device, a) I have not bought a Nexus since the Nexus 5 came out as I didn't feel the need to and b) I didn't say I will switch to iOS. I stated in my post that I'm going to see how the dust settles in 2017 before making such a drastic move. I can already see that with the introduction of the Pixel, Android is going to become even more fragmented than it already is.

Besides I have been down with Android since the start and probably have had more Android phones than the average person...Maybe I fancy a change?

PS next time you quote me don't cut out what I actually said just to make it more sensationalist - that's tabloid journalism 101 right there...

 

[mark43]

I don't think you need a wow factor, you just need good marketing off your brand. The phone is all around solid phone, with a lot of things you could easily nitpick on.

Yeah, but your average consumer is much more aware of brands such as Samsung when it comes to andoid phones, what makes them go for this over say an S7? The only advantage I can think of is stock android but the average consumer isn't going to care (or even be aware). Things like waterproofing would be a bigger selling point.

I think it will take some good marketing, we'll have to see if they manage it.

 

[smilertoo]

Advertising isn't enough, microsoft ploughed a fortune into adverts and got nowhere with winphone. Google have set themselves directly against the iPhone with the pricing but the pixel phone offers nothing to convince an android user to pay much more, or for an IOS user to switch.

 

[kona786]

Advertising isn't enough, microsoft ploughed a fortune into adverts and got nowhere with winphone. Google have set themselves directly against the iPhone with the pricing but the pixel phone offers nothing to convince an android user to pay much more, or for an IOS user to switch.

Well put. Having large reserves of cash isn't always enough to flog a half baked product.


Just like how Apple watches aren't selling like they thought they would.

 

[Nexus18]

I think $ 50 million of advertising heading to the UK might help wow people?

This.

As usual people under estimate marketing and brand power when it comes to profits/success though.

Google most certainly has the brand power and the money to make this phone as much of a success as the iphones, if not more so. The pixel is a great phone, yes design is meh to us but then again, it looks like an iphone and how many people like that design.... Camera is supposedly the best, battery life will be decent, no doubt performance will be great, we all know it has the software side covered etc. etc.

However, it is all very well sinking loads of money into marketing but the advertising needs to be done to an extremely high standard and most importantly they need to make sure their presentation/demonstration areas/stands are of excellent quality and stand out just like apple and samsungs stands in the likes of CPW and not have the phone slabbed along with every other phone at the back.

Oh and give really good sales commissions/rewards to make the phone shops/assistants push the phones onto the "average joes" (where the majority of sales come from)

Again, if people are willing to pay these prices for iphones and galaxy devices then people will pay these prices for a google phone.

As shown time and time again even when you have a great phone that wins every review, majority of votes on the likes of here and xda, the phone will not sell if there is no good marketing and lack of brand power i.e. htc one m7.

EDIT:

Here is a good article showing how much Samsung, apple etc. put into the marketing department as well as sales commissions:

http://www.asymco.com/2012/11/29/the-cost-of-selling-galaxies/

And google are allocating £50 million "JUST" for the UK marketing department....

 

[kona786]

Put it this way.... Out of say 100 people I know, not one of them would buy a Pixel phone. This is people ranging from low income all they way to 6 figures.

I just can't see this selling well at all.

First and foremost to grab a saturated market... You have to stand out. This design is so bland it's forgettable in an instant. They need Note 7 level of design. Minus the flames of course.

 

[Christmas themed thank]

If Google want to get this off the ground I think they need to provide it on more networks than just EE. Vodafone would be a good fit as they have a good incentive program for employees to sell certain phones.

 

[Nexus18]

Put it this way.... Out of say 100 people I know, not one of them would buy a Pixel phone. This is people ranging from low income all they way to 6 figures.

I just can't see this selling well at all.

First and foremost to grab a saturated market... You have to stand out. This design is so bland it's forgettable in an instant. They need Note 7 level of design. Minus the flames of course.

Yup out of all the people I know, none of them would buy this either, nor would they buy an iphone or galaxy device.

But as shown with the most popular phones, people are willing to pay extreme prices for certain phones largely because of the brand.

It will all come down to execution on googles part with the advertising and sales commissions etc. etc. If they don't get that right from the get go then it will flop.

As I mentioned earlier on in the thread, google practically control the internet and advertising so they also have this area covered, heck they could even take it a step further and provide every big youtuber with a free pixel phone and have them promote it on their channels.

With the way they are marketing the phone ie.. "Google phone", "made by google", I think this will be enough to make it stand out from all the other android devices, after all, EVERYONE knows google and except for the privacy obsessed freaks, everyone loves google

 

[Rimsy]

With the way they are marketing the phone ie.. "Google phone", "made by google", I think this will be enough to make it stand out from all the other android devices, after all, EVERYONE knows google and except for the privacy obsessed freaks, everyone loves google

That's a pretty good point... Is the average Joe actually aware that their phone runs Android which is made by Google? Pretty sure most people just think they have a Samsung phone and have no clue about what the software is.
Suddenly Google making all the icons round makes a little more sense... It makes the pixel look different and more uniform, which when plastered on a 90ft billboard in Waterloo station will be vaguely memorable.

 

[Fallen god]

Yeah, but your average consumer is much more aware of brands such as Samsung when it comes to andoid phones, what makes them go for this over say an S7? The only advantage I can think of is stock android but the average consumer isn't going to care (or even be aware). Things like waterproofing would be a bigger selling point.

I think it will take some good marketing, we'll have to see if they manage it.

http://www.forbes.com/powerful-brands/list/

Stock Android doesn't matter, what does is the google brand. Its the 2nd strongest in the world behind Apple and its growing fast, while Samsung is in the decline. The S7 is a great phone, and Samsung has solid phone brand but I think if Google markets enough their brand will help them. I don't expect anything close to iPhone sales, or even S7 sales but I expect it to do well, better then most anything else in Android if they do well with the marketing.

 

[Nexus18]

That's a pretty good point... Is the average Joe actually aware that their phone runs Android which is made by Google? Pretty sure most people just think they have a Samsung phone and have no clue about what the software is.
Suddenly Google making all the icons round makes a little more sense... It makes the pixel look different and more uniform, which when plastered on a 90ft billboard in Waterloo station will be vaguely memorable.

In my experience not really, they might know that it has android but ask them what version it is running etc. they won't have a clue.

Heck I even have one friend with a nexus 5 who still hasn't updated their phone to the latest version, iirc, she still has it on 4.0.1

The circular icons is certainly a step in the right direction for that "uniform" look/feel, just a shame they look **** I can see them doing quite a lot of re-designs for the icons...