Phones Google Pixel 2 / Google Pixel 2 XL

[5105973]

Pink shift and pink edges are the worst, I also had iPhone X screens like that and didn't keep them. Funny you mention PWM flicker has been better on your Pixel 2. It doesn't bother me at all but I notice it more on the Pixel than I do on my iPhone X.

Do you have the Pixel 2 standard or XL? I couldn't stand the standard Pixel 2 because it had horrible black crush and blotchiness when watching all video content. The only fix was to download a (really great) 3rd party app but it still made the blacks too bright for me. Tried this on several Pixel 2 devices, it is just how they are calibrated. I have no issue with my XL though.

I have the smaller Pixel 2 and the black crush is indeed horrible. If this were my only phone I’d definitely be upgrading but I can watch videos on my iPhone 8 Plus or Samsung.

My Pixel 2 is my little pocket-friendly get-things-done phone. I rely on it heavily for calls and the camera and Google Assistant. I don’t have social media or entertainment apps or games loaded on it. Those I reserve for my iPhone and Samsung, primarily.

I really wish I could put my main sim in it with my main phone number. It would be a fabulous daily driver. And then I would have the S9+ as my entertainment and multimedia phone. That would leave my iPhone 8 Plus as a backup phone and an ebook reader. The display is perfect for that. I also like it as a GPS. I live in a rural area and Apple Maps works well out here. So it’s great to keep around for that.

But I am enslaved into the ecosystem via iMessage. I’m counting the days I won’t need iMessage anymore. I’m gradually getting my contacts accustomed to me sharing photos and videos via links from Google photos instead of in iMessage texts.

I don’t actually hate iPhones. I think my 8 Plus is great, very powerful and fluid. And I do actually like iMessage. I think it’s great. I just don’t like to be led around by the nose. I don’t blame Apple for making a very exclusive and ensnaring ecosystem. But I do blame myself for becoming dependent or ensnared in it and forced to go their way or the highway when they raise prices higher than I think is palatable or do something else that’s not in my best interests.

It’s my responsibility to look out for my own needs not let myself get “entrenched” with no easy way out. Unfortunately in the USA iMessage is prevalent and it’s almost assumed by so many people that when you are texting them, you’re using iMessage.

If it were texts only, there’s not much of an issue anymore. But the sharing of videos and pictures in messages between Android and iPhones can cause problems.

I also have a series 2 and series 3 Apple Watch and a daughter has my stainless Series 0 that I’m going to reclaim. I do love those. I’m going to wear them until they don’t work anymore. I’m thinking they should last at least as long as my iPhone 8 Plus. I have no more interest in or plans to upgrade on iOS for 2018 and if they don’t bring Touch ID back then probably not 2019, either. My life without headphone jacks is still one of annoyances and aggravation. (Not thrilled with Google about that, either). Getting rid of Touch ID is the last straw for me. Face ID worked well for me but I feel it needs to be a supplementary option, not a replacement for Touch ID. I’m tired of Apple dictating the future to me without accounting for my present needs.

Siri is a nightmare. iOS 11 is in the process of being smoothed out. I love the 8 Plus form factor. For pocketability I can still throw my sim into my very capable IPhone SE. I’m done.

Pixel 2–I’ve got a great device with an amazing camera. I love the form factor. I am fine with the design, bezels and all. It works well, knock wood, has a capable processor and has a 2 year warranty. Wow. I’m set for the rest of 2018 and probably until the Pixel 4.

Samsung: I’ll decide if I’m going to settle down with the S9+ when I see it in a couple of days.
[doublepost=1520875483][/doublepost]

Not everybody does no

They certainly shouldn’t be if they cared about the lives of what’s around them

It depends on what people are unlocking it for. If it’s to text or check social media we should kick them. Hard.

When my in-dash navigational system kept trying to force me to take swampy backroads last year and kept leading me back to them until I wanted to cuss and kill, I fired up my iPhone 7 Plus after pulling over safely, of course. I got my turn by turn directions from my iPhone and when it got to the part where I would have been forced into the creepy backwoods, I turned a different way and Apple Maps gracefully recalculated my route to a longer but safe one that wasn’t like something out of “Deliverance”. Then I did keep having to unlock it with my thumb when the screen would go dark and I couldn’t glance at the route map. I should have just gone into settings and made sure it wouldn’t turn off or lock, but I was pretty flustered and wasn’t thinking straight driving in the gloom and rain along the backwoods where some of the roads are barely paved.

 

[Harthag]

I have the smaller Pixel 2 and the black crush is indeed horrible. If this were my only phone I’d definitely be upgrading but I can watch videos on my iPhone 8 Plus or Samsung.

My Pixel 2 is my little pocket-friendly get-things-done phone. I rely on it heavily for calls and the camera and Google Assistant. I don’t have social media or entertainment apps or games loaded on it. Those I reserve for my iPhone and Samsung, primarily.

I really wish I could put my main sim in it with my main phone number. It would be a fabulous daily driver. And then I would have the S9+ as my entertainment and multimedia phone. That would leave my iPhone 8 Plus as a backup phone and an ebook reader. The display is perfect for that. I also like it as a GPS. I live in a rural area and Apple Maps works well out here. So it’s great to keep around for that.

But I am enslaved into the ecosystem via iMessage. I’m counting the days I won’t need iMessage anymore. I’m gradually getting my contacts accustomed to me sharing photos and videos via links from Google photos instead of in iMessage texts.

I don’t actually hate iPhones. I think my 8 Plus is great, very powerful and fluid. And I do actually like iMessage. I think it’s great. I just don’t like to be led around by the nose. I don’t blame Apple for making a very exclusive and ensnaring ecosystem. But I do blame myself for becoming dependent or ensnared in it and forced to go their way or the highway when they raise prices higher than I think is palatable or do something else that’s not in my best interests.

It’s my responsibility to look out for my own needs not let myself get “entrenched” with no easy way out. Unfortunately in the USA iMessage is prevalent and it’s almost assumed by so many people that when you are texting them, you’re using iMessage.

If it were texts only, there’s not much of an issue anymore. But the sharing of videos and pictures in messages between Android and iPhones can cause problems.

I also have a series 2 and series 3 Apple Watch and a daughter has my stainless Series 0 that I’m going to reclaim. I do love those. I’m going to wear them until they don’t work anymore. I’m thinking they should last at least as long as my iPhone 8 Plus. I have no more interest in or plans to upgrade on iOS for 2018 and if they don’t bring Touch ID back then probably not 2019, either. My life without headphone jacks is still one of annoyances and aggravation. (Not thrilled with Google about that, either). Getting rid of Touch ID is the last straw for me. Face ID worked well for me but I feel it needs to be a supplementary option, not a replacement for Touch ID. I’m tired of Apple dictating the future to me without accounting for my present needs.

Siri is a nightmare. iOS 11 is in the process of being smoothed out. I love the 8 Plus form factor. For pocketability I can still throw my sim into my very capable IPhone SE. I’m done.

Pixel 2–I’ve got a great device with an amazing camera. I love the form factor. I am fine with the design, bezels and all. It works well, knock wood, has a capable processor and has a 2 year warranty. Wow. I’m set for the rest of 2018 and probably until the Pixel 4.

Samsung: I’ll decide if I’m going to settle down with the S9+ when I see it in a couple of days.
[doublepost=1520875483][/doublepost]
It depends on what people are unlocking it for. If it’s to text or check social media we should kick them. Hard.

When my in-dash navigational system kept trying to force me to take swampy backroads last year and kept leading me back to them until I wanted to cuss and kill, I fired up my iPhone 7 Plus after pulling over safely, of course. I got my turn by turn directions from my iPhone and when it got to the part where I would have been forced into the creepy backwoods, I turned a different way and Apple Maps gracefully recalculated my route to a longer but safe one that wasn’t like something out of “Deliverance”. Then I did keep having to unlock it with my thumb when the screen would go dark and I couldn’t glance at the route map. I should have just gone into settings and made sure it wouldn’t turn off or lock, but I was pretty flustered and wasn’t thinking straight driving in the gloom and rain along the backwoods where some of the roads are barely paved.

That's the thing I hate about Apple, it is a giant pain to leave the ecosystem. I've never had more issues with messaging. I constantly have to tell people to make sure "send as SMS" is enabled in message settings. I've been happy with everything else on the Android side. Not letting the tail wag the dog / Apple dictate my tech life, people will just have to deal with me switching over to Android and lack of iMessage and FaceTime. Duo video calling has worked OK for me so far and it works on iOS too.

Android Auto also destroys CarPlay, for me. Google Maps and Waze on my car dashboard by default instead of Apple Maps is great. Looks like Apple Maps saved you, it makes mistakes for me more often than Google or Waze.

Re: headphone jack, I am over it. Android 8.0 has AptX HD and LDAC out of the box. At least on the Pixel. These are just as good as wired for me (I'm not an audiophile but like lossless music now and then), my headphones support both of these newer audio codecs as well as Apple AAC codec. I can't stand that Apple is pushing wireless technology very hard, yet iPhone still doesn't support AptX, AptX HD, or LDAC. Considering Qualcomm owns rights to the former two and Sony + Google own LDAC, the iPhone will never support these. Another reason why I am gradually moving away from Apple completely.

 

[5105973]

That's the thing I hate about Apple, it is a giant pain to leave the ecosystem. I've never had more issues with messaging. I constantly have to tell people to make sure "send as SMS" is enabled in message settings. I've been happy with everything else on the Android side. Not letting the tail wag the dog / Apple dictate my tech life, people will just have to deal with me switching over to Android and lack of iMessage and FaceTime. Duo video calling has worked OK for me so far and it works on iOS too.

Android Auto also destroys CarPlay, for me. Google Maps and Waze on my car dashboard by default instead of Apple Maps is great. Looks like Apple Maps saved you, it makes mistakes for me more often than Google or Waze.

Re: headphone jack, I am over it. Android 8.0 has AptX HD and LDAC out of the box. At least on the Pixel. These are just as good as wired for me (I'm not an audiophile but like lossless music now and then), my headphones support both of these newer audio codecs as well as Apple AAC codec. I can't stand that Apple is pushing wireless technology very hard, yet iPhone still doesn't support AptX, AptX HD, or LDAC. Considering Qualcomm owns rights to the former two and Sony + Google own LDAC, the iPhone will never support these. Another reason why I am gradually moving away from Apple completely.

I’m tired of being a casualty in Apple’s “war” with Qualcomm. I don’t want to get into it right now but Apple crippling their modems and messing around with Intel has made the last couple of years of trying to use my phone as a dang damned phone a complete misery.

Okay back on track:

The fact that there are different standards in Bluetooth devices and Apple doesn’t support the codec that most of my speakers and headphones have is a pain in my tail. I have an old Bluetooth speaker. It’s old and beat up and when playing via my iPhone it sounds bad. I thought it was because it was old. Then I paired it with my Pixel 2 and goodness, it sounded amazing.

I just know I have several wireless headphones and speakers and some sound better with the iPhone and some sound better with the Androids and I just want to pull my hair out matching them up so they don’t sound like crap. So I always feel a sense of relief when I can find the necessary dongles and the regular headphones I’ve had for decades and plug them in and everything sounds great. I’m so appreciative that Samsung has kept the 3.5 mm port in for now.

If everyone could get on the same page with the codecs THEN I would say “Apple is right, wireless is the future and it starts today.”

As it stands NOW, I say things that can’t be repeated here.

Oh yeah, one more thing...they all need to get on USB-C. Lightning and lightning accessories vs USB-C and USB-C accessories is another source of burn. I have a wonderful external mic that works perfectly for recording the speeches and performances at school. It’s lightning-only and can’t be used with my Androids.

Of course, somebody needs to ensure all of the USB-C accessories and phones can work more interchangeably with each other. I can’t blame Apple for not wading into this morass just yet.

Apple plays its own game on its own field. You’re either all in or you’re out as far as they are concerned. Fence straddlers like myself have to know what we are letting ourselves in for. I don’t blame Apple for any of this. I just want out of it.

And I can’t really articulate why. I guess it’s like being in a relationship with a really clingy friend. They will show you a great time and be there when you need them, but there’s this persistent feeling of restriction when you try to get out and interact with the world at large. They make it hard to enjoy your other friends at a party. But if they would just relax a bit and be confident in their own awesomeness, you would gravitate back to them of your own accord. As it is, the instinct is to flee.

As for Apple Maps, it’s really good in rural areas, so I’ve heard and experienced. I see their white vans all around the janky little roads around here, amongst the cows and chickens.

 

[THE JUICEMAN]

$100 credit for buying a XL between 3/1 and 3/17! I’m pulling the trigger!

 

[5105973]

$100 credit for buying a XL between 3/1 and 3/17! I’m pulling the trigger!

Good luck! Oh and thanks. I passed along the sales info to my husband.

 

[Harthag]

I’m tired of being a casualty in Apple’s “war” with Qualcomm. I don’t want to get into it right now but Apple crippling their modems and messing around with Intel has made the last couple of years of trying to use my phone as a dang damned phone a complete misery.

Okay back on track:

The fact that there are different standards in Bluetooth devices and Apple doesn’t support the codec that most of my speakers and headphones have is a pain in my tail. I have an old Bluetooth speaker. It’s old and beat up and when playing via my iPhone it sounds bad. I thought it was because it was old. Then I paired it with my Pixel 2 and goodness, it sounded amazing.

I just know I have several wireless headphones and speakers and some sound better with the iPhone and some sound better with the Androids and I just want to pull my hair out matching them up so they don’t sound like crap. So I always feel a sense of relief when I can find the necessary dongles and the regular headphones I’ve had for decades and plug them in and everything sounds great. I’m so appreciative that Samsung has kept the 3.5 mm port in for now.

If everyone could get on the same page with the codecs THEN I would say “Apple is right, wireless is the future and it starts today.”

As it stands NOW, I say things that can’t be repeated here.

Oh yeah, one more thing...they all need to get on USB-C. Lightning and lightning accessories vs USB-C and USB-C accessories is another source of burn. I have a wonderful external mic that works perfectly for recording the speeches and performances at school. It’s lightning-only and can’t be used with my Androids.

Of course, somebody needs to ensure all of the USB-C accessories and phones can work more interchangeably with each other. I can’t blame Apple for not wading into this morass just yet.

Apple plays its own game on its own field. You’re either all in or you’re out as far as they are concerned. Fence straddlers like myself have to know what we are letting ourselves in for. I don’t blame Apple for any of this. I just want out of it.

And I can’t really articulate why. I guess it’s like being in a relationship with a really clingy friend. They will show you a great time and be there when you need them, but there’s this persistent feeling of restriction when you try to get out and interact with the world at large. They make it hard to enjoy your other friends at a party. But if they would just relax a bit and be confident in their own awesomeness, you would gravitate back to them of your own accord. As it is, the instinct is to flee.

As for Apple Maps, it’s really good in rural areas, so I’ve heard and experienced. I see their white vans all around the janky little roads around here, amongst the cows and chickens.

Good points, agree 100%. Lightning has to die just like the larger iPhone / iPod port died before it. That's all I'll say because the whole Apple / USB-C issue is just too ridiculous to even discuss further.
[doublepost=1520882615][/doublepost]

$100 credit for buying a XL between 3/1 and 3/17! I’m pulling the trigger!

Come on over to the dark side. You'll soon discover that Apple is in fact, the evil Empire.

/s

 

[Cryates]

Random question, but, do any of you ever get a fingerprint rejection with the Pixel when your fingers are wet? Seems like a notorious problem I used to have with the iPhone that I have not noticed with the Pixel.

 

[Harthag]

Random question, but, do any of you ever get a fingerprint rejection with the Pixel when your fingers are wet? Seems like a notorious problem I used to have with the iPhone that I have not noticed with the Pixel.

Damp no problems. Soaking wet, it won't recognize mine.

 

[Aneres11]

So 24 hours in (nearly) with XL.
I love the screen. As in the size and the amount of content you get on there. It's also a really solid screen too which I feel lucky for but guess they are improving them. Typing is a doddle on it - something I struggled with on the regular sized Pixel 2 for a while.

I do wish it was smaller. But now I have used this I think to the smaller Pixel and I wonder if I could go back to that now with the bezels and smaller screen.

I'm very happy with it already though.
Funnily enough, battery life is about the same as what I got on the smaller Pixel 2. Before the problems that is.

 

[mjschabow]

So 24 hours in (nearly) with XL.
I love the screen. As in the size and the amount of content you get on there. It's also a really solid screen too which I feel lucky for but guess they are improving them. Typing is a doddle on it - something I struggled with on the regular sized Pixel 2 for a while.

I do wish it was smaller. But now I have used this I think to the smaller Pixel and I wonder if I could go back to that now with the bezels and smaller screen.

I'm very happy with it already though.
Funnily enough, battery life is about the same as what I got on the smaller Pixel 2. Before the problems that is.

Good to hear. That's the tough thing. Like I said earlier, I'm starting to hate big clunky phones but the real estate you get is really nice. I actually found someone local on Craigslist (though I'm very wary of Craigslist) selling it for $650 which is very reasonable but I'm still leaning towards the smaller one.

Question though, how was typing bad on the smaller on and did you use swipe typing on gboard? That's generally how I type so I wanted to check with you on that.

 

[Aneres11]

Good to hear. That's the tough thing. Like I said earlier, I'm starting to hate big clunky phones but the real estate you get is really nice. I actually found someone local on Craigslist (though I'm very wary of Craigslist) selling it for $650 which is very reasonable but I'm still leaning towards the smaller one.

Question though, how was typing bad on the smaller on and did you use swipe typing on gboard? That's generally how I type so I wanted to check with you on that.

Noooo don't use swipe typing.
Never been a fan of that.

It was annoying to type on just because of the narrow screen I think. Everything just felt a bit cramped and it took me ages to adjust to the keyboard. But I did eventually.

 

[Blaze4G]

Random question, but, do any of you ever get a fingerprint rejection with the Pixel when your fingers are wet? Seems like a notorious problem I used to have with the iPhone that I have not noticed with the Pixel.

Don't have a pixel but I've had other androids with rear finger print scanner and they all seem to not have much issues reading my finger print when my finger is damp or 'messy'. The iPhone seems like it needed a perfectly clean finger. That's why when I see people who loves face ID and look down on FP scanner because of fail attempts I usually think it's because they only use iPhones FP scanner.

 

[jamezr]

Random question, but, do any of you ever get a fingerprint rejection with the Pixel when your fingers are wet? Seems like a notorious problem I used to have with the iPhone that I have not noticed with the Pixel.

I do every now and then on my P2 XL

 

[5105973]

Random question, but, do any of you ever get a fingerprint rejection with the Pixel when your fingers are wet? Seems like a notorious problem I used to have with the iPhone that I have not noticed with the Pixel.

No, I’ve yet to have any problems or consistent failures with the Pixel 2 fingerprint reader. The one on my 8 Plus just suddenly stopped working several days ago and I had to re-register my prints. Face ID did that, too, on the X so I think there’s something in the OS that goes awry over time but I don’t know what it could be.

The one on my S8+ hardly ever works anymore.

I’m not surprised the Pixel 2 sensor works so well. The one on my HTC 10 was fantastic, too.

 

[nviz22]

$450 for a new Pixel 2 a good deal?

 

[mjschabow]

$450 for a new Pixel 2 a good deal?

Absolutely! Where? Swappa?

 

[nviz22]

Absolutely! Where? Swappa?

eBay. It was listed as new other. If it doesn't have the two year warranty, I absolutely have to return it though. I will take forever to get used to a smaller screen though.

 

[mjschabow]

eBay. It was listed as new other. If it doesn't have the two year warranty, I absolutely have to return it though. I will take forever to get used to a smaller screen though.

Nice! I actually have a Pixel XL that I might purchase on Craigslist for $650. He let me verify the esn too. I’m still not sure if I want to go with the XL over the regular version though.

 

[nviz22]

Nice! I actually have a Pixel XL that I might purchase on Craigslist for $650. He let me verify the esn too. I’m still not sure if I want to go with the XL over the regular version though.

I am not spending $200 myself more to get a XL right now. I rather go smaller to save $, but let's see if I can get used to typing on it and how the battery is. I read about some issues with the Feb software.

 

[Michael Goff]

You guys can chant all you want.
We will NEVER change.

I think I found my own personal cure for my phone switching addiction.
[doublepost=1520917086][/doublepost]

Not everybody does no

They certainly shouldn’t be if they cared about the lives of what’s around them

That’s always bugged me, when people say everyone does something. It’s always a way to make themselves feel better for making a bad decision.

 

[Aneres11]

Just checked my Pixel 2 XL build date and it's January 9th 2018.
So maybe these newer ones do have better screens or I just got lucky as this one is pretty good indeed.

 

[LukinLedbetter]

So I bought an iPhone X back at launch and after the initial hardware awe wore off, I was bored and promptly returned it and went back to my Pixel 2 XL.

This past week I got the itch again for an iPhone and bought another X. And here I am again....four days later and bored with same ole iOS and considering returning it and going back to my Pixel 2 XL yet again. Outside of the convenience of iMessage, there’s really nothing that compels me to keep and use the X over the Pixel 2 XL.

I suppose I’m slow to learn my lesson.

 

[tbayrgs]

So I bought an iPhone X back at launch and after the initial hardware awe wore off, I was bored and promptly returned it and went back to my Pixel 2 XL.

This past week I got the itch again for an iPhone and bought another X. And here I am again....four days later and bored with same ole iOS and considering returning it and going back to my Pixel 2 XL yet again. Outside of the convenience of iMessage, there’s really nothing that compels me to keep and use the X over the Pixel 2 XL.

I suppose I’m slow to learn my lesson.

Nah, we all get the recurring itch to play with different tech. I’m in the same boat regarding the Pixel 2 XL. While I use mostly Apple hardware, I also live quite predominantly in the Google ecosystem (gmail, using my Google account to sync much of my content, Google Play Music/YouTube Red subscription for the family, Nvidia Shield TV, Google WiFi, Chromecast audio and Google Home devices scattered around the house) and often think I would benefit more from using a Pixel.

However, when I stop to actually think about it, I realize that none of the issues I had during my previous Pixel XL and Pixel 2 XL ownership have changed so I’ll most likely be just as frustrated.

Still doesn’t completely curb that urge to jump back in though.

 

[Aneres11]

We all go through that torture that we subject ourselves to. Like me now.

This XL is working really nicely for me and I'm having a great time with the bigger screen for typing and just overall content.
I still have the itch for my smaller Pixel 2 again though but I do wonder if I swapped back out for that would I feel as content with the smaller screen and cramped keyboard now that I have seemingly adjusted.

Why couldn't Google just make the smaller one with less bezels and a 5.2 screen?! It'd be near damn perfect!!

 

[Cryates]

https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/13/17099184/galaxy-s9-pixel-2-camera-photo-comparison

Nonetheless, the Pixel 2 still feels like the phone capable of getting me the best possible photo. In simple terms, the Galaxy S9 Plus has a lower image quality ceiling that you can hit more regularly, while the Pixel 2 — thanks to its untouchable dynamic range and gorgeous color reproduction — offers greater potential but lower consistency.

Very impressive results here. The Pixel 2 though looks like it snaps the best shots to my eye. Warmish tone compared to the white balance of the S9, but the detail it retains and the dynamic range are remarkable. Imagine what a Pixel 3 could potentially do with a dual lens setup. Holy crap.