Why buy Pixel phones?
In my last post I wrote about how people make ridiculous concessions to accommodate the latest tech. Overlooking obvious flaws and implementing workaround which would have previously been unthinkable (like actually TURNING OFF the very feature you're raving about).
In response to that, I had said that if the Pixel 4, which will probably be my next phone, implements an in screen fingerprint sensor that I would probably buy a Pixel 3 at the time instead. All of this raises the question; am I making the same mistake I just complained about in a sense?
And, that thought occurred to me because there is some validity in the line of questioning. If the Pixel 4 goes that way, why buy a Pixel phone at all?
There are actually a couple of reasons for this:
As seen above, the first, and simplest point is that the Pixel 3 (non-XL) is actually the perfect phone for me. It literally hits the remaining check boxes left unchecked by the Pixel 2. So, it isn't exactly like I'd even be compromising. About the only reason I'm not jumping ship right now lines up (I suspect) with the reasons even Apple's sales are starting to fall. New phones don't offer enough to justify the upgrades most times.
On paper, the Pixel 3 is a tough sell to a Pixel 2 owner. Same RAM, incremental processor upgrades, incremental camera upgrades. There is some software upgrades which won't make it back to the Pixel 2, some for hardware reasons and some for marketing reasons.
The biggest of the missing boxes it ticks however is the wireless charging. This remains the one point that continues to push me to want to buy it anyway. My Nexus 6P's charge port started flaking out at the end. My wife already has issues with her charge port on occasions. She has the extended protection from Google though, so she at least has some recourse if it goes too far. And it does this while retaining all of the other features I like.
But, the reality is simple. Wireless charging is not worth $1000CAD. So, I've decided to try and wait another generation of devices before I upgrade and only replace along the way if my phone breaks or starts having problems.
The next point is the perks of 1st party hardware. I've lived too long in the Windows Phone/Nokia world and now the Android Pixel/Nexus world. I've tried other devices. I get timely security updates. I get timely feature updates. My phone is almost devoid of clutter. When there is a serious problem, it gets fixed. And that sort of support lasts YEARS.
The final point is really just the other half of that. 3rd party device manufacturers may sell more phones, and offer more variety. But, that variety comes at a cost. The phones are rarely updated. They override the core experience with things you can't change. There are often apps which can't be removed. And the support length is arbitrary. A lower end device may be DoA from a support standpoint. A flagship may be supported for a few months or a few years.
If you really want supportability and a 3rd party device, you really only have 1 option. Samsung's Galaxy phones. They are generally good on support. They lag a bit behind on updates and the likes. But, you still get stuck with certain Samsung branded software and design decisions.
The argument is simple, 1st party hardware makers have a lot of reason to provide exemplary products and services. And so, as long as I'm with Android I'll be buying Nexus or Pixel devices. I'll buy older ones and save some cash if newer ones offend until the old models are no longer viable. The original Pixel devices are still reasonably competitive even with the Pixel 3. So, I have no reason to believe I'd totally screwed by grabbing a Pixel 3 when the 4's are released.
In response to that, I had said that if the Pixel 4, which will probably be my next phone, implements an in screen fingerprint sensor that I would probably buy a Pixel 3 at the time instead. All of this raises the question; am I making the same mistake I just complained about in a sense?
And, that thought occurred to me because there is some validity in the line of questioning. If the Pixel 4 goes that way, why buy a Pixel phone at all?
There are actually a couple of reasons for this:
- It is exactly what I want in a phone.
- 1st party hardware has added perks.
- 3rd party hardware has added drawbacks.
As seen above, the first, and simplest point is that the Pixel 3 (non-XL) is actually the perfect phone for me. It literally hits the remaining check boxes left unchecked by the Pixel 2. So, it isn't exactly like I'd even be compromising. About the only reason I'm not jumping ship right now lines up (I suspect) with the reasons even Apple's sales are starting to fall. New phones don't offer enough to justify the upgrades most times.
On paper, the Pixel 3 is a tough sell to a Pixel 2 owner. Same RAM, incremental processor upgrades, incremental camera upgrades. There is some software upgrades which won't make it back to the Pixel 2, some for hardware reasons and some for marketing reasons.
The biggest of the missing boxes it ticks however is the wireless charging. This remains the one point that continues to push me to want to buy it anyway. My Nexus 6P's charge port started flaking out at the end. My wife already has issues with her charge port on occasions. She has the extended protection from Google though, so she at least has some recourse if it goes too far. And it does this while retaining all of the other features I like.
But, the reality is simple. Wireless charging is not worth $1000CAD. So, I've decided to try and wait another generation of devices before I upgrade and only replace along the way if my phone breaks or starts having problems.
The next point is the perks of 1st party hardware. I've lived too long in the Windows Phone/Nokia world and now the Android Pixel/Nexus world. I've tried other devices. I get timely security updates. I get timely feature updates. My phone is almost devoid of clutter. When there is a serious problem, it gets fixed. And that sort of support lasts YEARS.
The final point is really just the other half of that. 3rd party device manufacturers may sell more phones, and offer more variety. But, that variety comes at a cost. The phones are rarely updated. They override the core experience with things you can't change. There are often apps which can't be removed. And the support length is arbitrary. A lower end device may be DoA from a support standpoint. A flagship may be supported for a few months or a few years.
If you really want supportability and a 3rd party device, you really only have 1 option. Samsung's Galaxy phones. They are generally good on support. They lag a bit behind on updates and the likes. But, you still get stuck with certain Samsung branded software and design decisions.
The argument is simple, 1st party hardware makers have a lot of reason to provide exemplary products and services. And so, as long as I'm with Android I'll be buying Nexus or Pixel devices. I'll buy older ones and save some cash if newer ones offend until the old models are no longer viable. The original Pixel devices are still reasonably competitive even with the Pixel 3. So, I have no reason to believe I'd totally screwed by grabbing a Pixel 3 when the 4's are released.
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