Soldato
Dark fragmented times for android if you ask me.
Google Pixel and Pixel XL
- Thread starter opethdisciple
- Start date
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I'm glad I purchased the 6P a month or so ago. I was waiting for the next Nexus/Pixel but I'm very glad I didn't now.
The problem with Google bringing this 'premium' phone out is this:
Most of my friends have Android based phones. Some Samsung, some Nexus and some Chinese. This is due to wanting a AOSP, mainly down to them being of a computer/tech backgrounds, so talking about 20-40 year olds.
My other friends have iPhones as they like a phone that works from the off. They like iTunes and iCloud and then they go home and use their iPad. Most of them won't buy the newest iPhones due to cost, but then are blind to cost when it comes to upgrade time and will just have a new iPhone even at £50 a month and £150 upfront.
The biggest users of iAnything that I know are my parents and their generation/friends.
My Dad misses a generation and then buys the best one on the market for himself and Mum. They have disposable income, and so have a love for iAnythings. They all work together and sync together with incredible support.
Having had a chat with them and a couple of their friends, they can't see why they would buy a phone at that cost from a search engine company. This must be a massive part of the market.
I'm baffled really. I wanted to part up to £400 say for a 6P upgrade, or a 5" phone for the Mrs but they've fallen very short, there's nothing to even make me consider paying more for a phone.
The problem with Google bringing this 'premium' phone out is this:
Most of my friends have Android based phones. Some Samsung, some Nexus and some Chinese. This is due to wanting a AOSP, mainly down to them being of a computer/tech backgrounds, so talking about 20-40 year olds.
My other friends have iPhones as they like a phone that works from the off. They like iTunes and iCloud and then they go home and use their iPad. Most of them won't buy the newest iPhones due to cost, but then are blind to cost when it comes to upgrade time and will just have a new iPhone even at £50 a month and £150 upfront.
The biggest users of iAnything that I know are my parents and their generation/friends.
My Dad misses a generation and then buys the best one on the market for himself and Mum. They have disposable income, and so have a love for iAnythings. They all work together and sync together with incredible support.
Having had a chat with them and a couple of their friends, they can't see why they would buy a phone at that cost from a search engine company. This must be a massive part of the market.
I'm baffled really. I wanted to part up to £400 say for a 6P upgrade, or a 5" phone for the Mrs but they've fallen very short, there's nothing to even make me consider paying more for a phone.
Yep Feb isn't long away by then the dust will settle and end users will see which direction Android is taking. A lot of Nexus users are seeing the Pixel devices as a middle finger to them. Look how long it took the Nexus 6 to receive Nougat. It literally just received it.....
Aside from price there isn't much difference in performance between the so called Mid range devices and flagships - OP3 being case in point.
It's a superb phone and OnePlus will do well out of this Pixel debacle and will be laughing.
Agreed....Google really threw the cat amongst the pigeons when they decided to announce the Pixel. I hope it blows up in their faces....Google have basically turned Android into three tiers -
Pixel - lives at the top of the heap, followed by Nexus and then the OEMs.
How the OEMs react to Google who knows? Only time will tell.
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I think you have described many people really well. I agree with many of your comments. But remember, any tech company that stands still, becomes obsolete.
Fact: Google Android has conquered the smartphone world with an 86% global market share while iOS has again lost market share now standing at 12%. Surveying Android and AOSP, Google is looking at where to take search and has concluded that it is to become voice driven rather than touch screen/type driven. Already 20% of all mobile phone search queries are voice driven. Enter: Google Assistant and Google Home.
But Google surely sees emerging problems including:
1. It derives a significant portion of profits from its search bar on Apple's iOS. It sees high end pricing of iPhones attracting people with high disposable income who buy plenty of Apple services.
2. It sees huge fragmentation in the Android world and cannot get its updates out so that its innovation it brings to the smartphone is lost on a large percentage of Android users. Many Android users are generations behind and only get to see Marshmallow for example when they buy a new phone (did I not see Marshmallow penetration at 10% recently). The OEMs and carriers do not have any incentive to update as their margins are thin to begin with, despite whatever promises they make to Google. Hence Google for many Android users is still just that "search engine company" your parents describe.
3. It sees Samsung as basically defining Android because it has such a dominant market share of Android handsets. Samsung and carriers load its phones with bloatware and often place its apps in central positions ahead of Google's. It has developed Tizen and has pushed into AI, etc. It appears to have software ambitions beyond Android.
4. Google's implementation of its vision cannot be left entirely in the hands of third parties, even "partners". Regulators such as the EU believe Google to be treating Android competitors and even partners unfairly and are urging them to change their approach. By taking this end to end hardware approach, it cannot be accused of forcing OEM/carrier partners to do things against their will or better interests.
5. Smartphones have become commodities and a low margin business for most players. Only in the flagship can profits be made. Apple's ODM approach with Foxconn is now being copied by Google and HTC.
Considering the above, Google has clearly decided to "skate to where the puck is going" rather than where it is. It wants to push us in the direction of where it is going (ie AI, machine learning, Cloud services) by offering a strong incentive. Enter Google Assistant on Pixel, Google Allo and soon Google Home to showcase and differentiate itself to any Pixel or Home purchaser.
To the average person, Google remains that search engine company but some may have noticed that its foray into hardware is not recent. Google believes it needs to be an end to end player in hardware. The Chromecast device for example has been a big success. Google Home actually leverages off this device. Google bought Nest and they have made inroads into areas such as smart thermostats, smart carbon monoxide detectors, video cameras, etc. Google has been seen by many as a leader in the nascent area of self driving cars, having begun its efforts nearly a decade ago. So a hardware and software game plan is emerging to transform Google into a force in the emerging areas of AI, robotics and Cloud.
I see Pixel in this light. A $ 50 million UK ad budget behind Pixel may convince a number of people to buy a Pixel. Who knows?
Maybe many folks will start to see Google as more than a search engine company? Obviously, Google hopes so.
The world right now? Nexus owners are clearly not happy with the pricing of the Pixel.
After the way Moto have gone of late I was hoping for something from Google. Pixel turned out to be too expensive but I'll read some hands on reviews. Moto Z takes the term 'bottom bezel' to a whole new level
Can't make my mind up about an HTC 10, but a OnePlus 3 would be a strong contender if my phone went under a bus tomorrow. The HTC is too expensive and turning me off that phone.
Soldato
I've been doing a bit of research tonight and pretty much decided to buy Pixel. I don't really want a phone bigger than 5" and I can't really find anything in that size that I'm happy with. I'll go to town this weekend and see if I can get my hands on Honor 8 as that is the only other phone I like the look of.
Yes Pixel is expensive and it might not have some features but is the only phone I feel I'll be happy with plus I really want to try VR. My Nexus 5 lasted me 3 years, pretty much, so if I can get 3 years out of this as well then the price is not too bad. Also Carphone Warehouse gives £50 Play store voucher basically making it £550.
Yes Pixel is expensive and it might not have some features but is the only phone I feel I'll be happy with plus I really want to try VR. My Nexus 5 lasted me 3 years, pretty much, so if I can get 3 years out of this as well then the price is not too bad. Also Carphone Warehouse gives £50 Play store voucher basically making it £550.
Soldato
^^^
Can't have everything I guess
Can't have everything I guess
This is just the beginning. At the moment it is still possible to get hold of 5x and 6p devices. Give it a year or two for supply to dry up and then if you want a Google device with timely updates your be paying top £££. 
I'm seriously thinking of just grabbing a 5x as an upgrade to my 5. Credit card is already out and waiting. Just don't know if it's the wise move.
I don't see anything else out in the market that really grabs me.
The main feature I want is uptodate software and timely updates. The 5x seems to be the only device to fulfil this criteria. (At a price I am willing to pay)
Considered the S7. It's a nice device, but it's still expensive and the whole OS not being uptodate thing would bug me.
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Ouch, I was going to buy from Argos but they are out of stock.
I'm seriously thinking of just grabbing a 5x as an upgrade to my 5. Credit card is already out and waiting. Just don't know if it's the wise move.
I don't see anything else out in the market that really grabs me.
The main feature I want is uptodate software and timely updates. The 5x seems to be the only device to fulfil this criteria. (At a price I am willing to pay)
Considered the S7. It's a nice device, but it's still expensive and the whole OS not being uptodate thing would bug me.
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Ouch, I was going to buy from Argos but they are out of stock.
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Soldato
Other than the utterly abortive price I have one really big issue with the Pixel phones and that this is this drive to voice commands. I see this as being another miss on Googles behalf like the Google Glass. Sure I get that it's useful when driving but in social occasions and even in general public, I'm NOT going to talk to my phone. I don't care about Google Assist and the associated AI. I want a phone that doesn't require such an overt interaction with the OS and as such enhances my physical interaction options. "OK Google - Navigate to Home/Work/addressN" works brilliantly and rarely do I go beyond that.
Talking to my device in a broader capacity is not my number one demand and I have no interest in heading in that direction. That is why I'll be buying an exploding phone (Note 7). It's a million times better looking, full featured, expandable memory, wireless charging and waterproof/resistant. If I'm going to pay over $1000AUD for a phone then I want it do actually do stuff and do it well, rather than be some esoteric expectation that Google is going to deliver me "AI" in a new fluffy way.
Google is on a suck it and see mission IMO and I have no interest in being an early adopter and see no advantage in it other than having a lighter pocket and in a really shallow way I'd be a bit embarrassed to pull the phone out and have people know that I'd spent $1400AUD on fluff (ugly fluff too).
Talking to my device in a broader capacity is not my number one demand and I have no interest in heading in that direction. That is why I'll be buying an exploding phone (Note 7). It's a million times better looking, full featured, expandable memory, wireless charging and waterproof/resistant. If I'm going to pay over $1000AUD for a phone then I want it do actually do stuff and do it well, rather than be some esoteric expectation that Google is going to deliver me "AI" in a new fluffy way.
Google is on a suck it and see mission IMO and I have no interest in being an early adopter and see no advantage in it other than having a lighter pocket and in a really shallow way I'd be a bit embarrassed to pull the phone out and have people know that I'd spent $1400AUD on fluff (ugly fluff too).
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Has Google actually confirmed that the Pixel will only be supported for two years?
My honest feeling is that this is the start of a new OS from Google. I think it may well not be called Android and I suspect Google will just kick Android into the long grass - it's open-source anyway.
My honest feeling is that this is the start of a new OS from Google. I think it may well not be called Android and I suspect Google will just kick Android into the long grass - it's open-source anyway.
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Associate
Google want to go the Apple way. With exclusive features which may become a huge difference over the next few years and instant updates, they'd only need to take Samsungs market share and future Androids will solely be on their devices. It's understandable why given the huge Android fanbase. More money for Google.
Lowering the Pixel price would have helped, not sure how they think people will buy it over an Galaxy in its current ugly form, the Pixel that is. They need better designers.
Lowering the Pixel price would have helped, not sure how they think people will buy it over an Galaxy in its current ugly form, the Pixel that is. They need better designers.
Not sure why that's a big deal unless you think EE are going to do the same here?
Associate
Help! I'm stuck on a knackered old Nexus 5 and I don't like any of the current handsets!
Was kinda relying on Google to solve the problem for me but looks like it's not going to be this year.
Was kinda relying on Google to solve the problem for me but looks like it's not going to be this year.
Soldato
Totally agree - tis an ugly beast.
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You would think Google would have enough clout to say the OS remains untouched.You will never see an Apple phone with any network customisations.
Associate
I think this will happen with other networks, I think even in the UK unfortunately as they will be able to charge for this. What a mess mobiles have been this year, iPhones with no 3.5mm jack and now what I consider to be a mess of a phone, the Pixel.
What really irks me as well is Google saying that you will get 2 years of updates on their phone lines. That is totally unreasonable in my view, yeah 2 years from when the phone was released. So what about all those people who don't buy at the exact time the phone launches.
Very sour taste in my mouth.