It’s like they don’t care if people buy their phones...
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Google Pixel 4/Pixel 4 XL
- Thread starter AustinIllini
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You say that jokingly but in a lot of ways I think that’s true. The Pixel is aimed at tech enthusiasts and stock android phones. Definitely not aimed at the masses. Their first shot at that market was the 3a line IMO.
I don't get unlimited original picture quality storage from Apple on my 11 pro max or from Samsung for my Note 10+
While the photo backup news is a bummer for me, its not a deal breaker. Even with the unlimited storage on my Pixel 2. I always kept a copy of the photos and did not allow the phone to delete the pictures after they backed up since I refer to them out in places where I don’t have cell service. Guess Ill just have to manually back them up periodically to retain the full resolution version.
Hey look, we are all here to complain and wait for you to post sample pics, so we can buy ours in a few weeks.
I know I am hoping competition pushes all these companies to step it up a bit. But, it's like they know that I'll buy anyway. Lol
I was impressed to see how many assistant functions are going to be carried out on the phone. Siri can be a problem if I don’t have connectivity in some buildings.
All in all I like the concept of this phone. I am dismayed at some of the shortcomings that have been mentioned on this thread. And I’m cautious as always about Google QC. I’m in the “cautiously optimistic waiting for a sale and reviews“ category.
But if it all comes up roses, I think it’s a nice phone. I don’t know though, that it can beat the Samsungs which are all on discounts now or coming up on discounts soon.
If they (Apple) don’t smash the bugs out of iOS soon, though, Jeez they could smack down the iPhones. And I say that as someone who absolutely loves my 11 Pro hardware. But I’m getting deja vu on the bug situation of the iPhone 7 days, I think it was.
All in all I like the concept of this phone. I am dismayed at some of the shortcomings that have been mentioned on this thread. And I’m cautious as always about Google QC. I’m in the “cautiously optimistic waiting for a sale and reviews“ category.
But if it all comes up roses, I think it’s a nice phone. I don’t know though, that it can beat the Samsungs which are all on discounts now or coming up on discounts soon.
If they (Apple) don’t smash the bugs out of iOS soon, though, Jeez they could smack down the iPhones. And I say that as someone who absolutely loves my 11 Pro hardware. But I’m getting deja vu on the bug situation of the iPhone 7 days, I think it was.
Sure but they offer their own benefits and features. Unlimited picture storage was always one of the features offered by Pixel. They’re removing something, not really adding anything new, and keeping the same price. It’s also annoying because it’s a transparent move. They’re clearly trying to force people into using their Google one storage plans that has so far been a flop.
The Orange came back into stock, so I pre ordered. lol Only 64gb but I still have 20gb free on my 3a XL since switching to online storage.
My point is that kind of thing got people in the door to take as many photos as you want to get you into the pixel line. Taking that away while really not adding much and no ultra wise? I don’t many reasons to buy the pixel given that Apple are better or as good or at worse on same level photo wise...
Camera was the big thing that would make people buy a pixel over a iPhone/Samsung etc but now that’s not really the case it’s hard to Justify buying these phones unless you love tech and just need to have stock android
90hz is good no doubt but can’t really say much else was too impressive
Properly why they won’t sell well again.
I don’t know. I started using it and £16 for a year of 100gb is pretty decent. Especially as they gave me a home mini which I sold for £21 profit.
Surprising Google didn't include an ultra-wide camera to go with their distortion-free computational photography.
https://people.csail.mit.edu/yichangshih/wide_angle_portrait/#paper
But maybe it's better to hold off and get it right rather than including a mediocre one like the iPhone 11 Pro with subpar quality and barrel distortion.
We’ve known for some time it wouldn’t be a continuous thing and would end. I’m not defending Google, just don’t see it as that big of a deal.
The Pixel 4 is overpriced by $100-$150. Hardware is very outdated looking. Software upgrades are gimmicks.
Nothing flagship about the device.
Nothing flagship about the device.
Thats pretty much the advice I give to anyone who isn’t rabid about ultra wide angle like I am. I’m bonkers for it even with the trade offs. And I admit there are trade offs. But I don’t care because right now the ultra wide is sort of a cool extra on the Note and S10 and the iPhones and LG’s.
The problem is the Pixel doesn’t have this at all to even play with. I can understand why they don’t. Their computational photography looks seriously meticulous.
I do dread seeing how bad video might still be. They didn’t discuss video at all. It’s 2019 and that is too important an area to ignore at this price level.
I liked the stage they used for their presentation. It was very much their aesthetic. But goodness overall this presentation fell down so hard. It started well and Rick Osterloh did a nice job. And then that woman with the monotone got up there and sucked all the energy out. And there’s still so much I don’t know about the Pixel 4 that I will have to look up.
Again, I’m just playing devil’s advocate here for the sake of discussion....😄
Yup, and almost none of them involve my smartphone. I absolutely looks like some serious potential innovation but wasted on a device designed to be used with my hands. As I mentioned in an earlier post, it needs to be in their hands-free products to truly shine.
Maybe but words and a demo in a presentation mean nothing to me. Apple says lots of things claiming it’s the best and then real world usage proves otherwise. I’ll past judgement when third parties actually use it.
Again, lot of words from a Google executive. I doubt them the least in this area because they’ve already proven their chops but there are things it simply cannot do compared to the competition as well...like take a wide angle shot that just about every other phone can now do. Let’s wait to discuss video later...👇
As I just mentioned in an earlier post...this isn’t limited to the Pixel phones. The Google Assistant is absolutely the best, IMO but it’s not unique to the Pixel.
I prefer Google’s version of Android (really isn’t ‘stock’ anymore) and buy their phones for the software/update experience they provide as well but is it really the advantage it’s historically been? Everywhere I turn online and listen in podcasts, I‘m now consistently hearing/reading that OnePlus really is the new champ in this area, that Oxygen OS is a better user experience with more features/control and better performance. And OP updates barely trail those from Google anymore. And as is preached so often on these fora, customization is an Android hallmark. I don’t need a Pixel to get all of those customization options. In fact, plenty here constantly remind us that the Pixel’s version of Android is far more limited.
Now lets add on the areas where the Pixel is falling short of its competition:
Google simply sucks at video and there is nothing on the spec sheet, nor in that presentation to indicate that’s changed. The Pixel can’t output at 4K/60 fps on any of it’s camera and is limited to 1080P/30 on the front. It also can’t match slo-mo with any of it’s flagship competitors. These are basic, everyday, functional limitations.
It’s falling short in regards to RAM/Storage/battery, all while implementing 90hrz refresh on a display (big props here on adding this feature though). Hell, they put a smaller battery in the 4 vs. the 3, a phone with abysmal battery performance. What good is all of the new tech when your phone is dying even quicker than before. Apple, the ultimate champion of device thinness...even Apple listened to their customers and added a whole bunch of extra battery, made their device thicker, and consequently added hours of extra battery life.
No wifi 6 support. Again, even the lagard Apple added this to the iPhone.
Like I said, Google’s phones, with only rare exceptions, are and have been my Android device of choice. But I can’t honestly claim that their Pixel phones are the most technologically advanced smartphones when they aren’t keeping up with the competition in so many areas. And that includes their cameras.
All that being said, if I was buying a new Android phone today, it would almost certainly be a Pixel 4XL. 😜😜
Yup, and almost none of them involve my smartphone. I absolutely looks like some serious potential innovation but wasted on a device designed to be used with my hands. As I mentioned in an earlier post, it needs to be in their hands-free products to truly shine.
Maybe but words and a demo in a presentation mean nothing to me. Apple says lots of things claiming it’s the best and then real world usage proves otherwise. I’ll past judgement when third parties actually use it.
Again, lot of words from a Google executive. I doubt them the least in this area because they’ve already proven their chops but there are things it simply cannot do compared to the competition as well...like take a wide angle shot that just about every other phone can now do. Let’s wait to discuss video later...👇
As I just mentioned in an earlier post...this isn’t limited to the Pixel phones. The Google Assistant is absolutely the best, IMO but it’s not unique to the Pixel.
I prefer Google’s version of Android (really isn’t ‘stock’ anymore) and buy their phones for the software/update experience they provide as well but is it really the advantage it’s historically been? Everywhere I turn online and listen in podcasts, I‘m now consistently hearing/reading that OnePlus really is the new champ in this area, that Oxygen OS is a better user experience with more features/control and better performance. And OP updates barely trail those from Google anymore. And as is preached so often on these fora, customization is an Android hallmark. I don’t need a Pixel to get all of those customization options. In fact, plenty here constantly remind us that the Pixel’s version of Android is far more limited.
Now lets add on the areas where the Pixel is falling short of its competition:
Google simply sucks at video and there is nothing on the spec sheet, nor in that presentation to indicate that’s changed. The Pixel can’t output at 4K/60 fps on any of it’s camera and is limited to 1080P/30 on the front. It also can’t match slo-mo with any of it’s flagship competitors. These are basic, everyday, functional limitations.
It’s falling short in regards to RAM/Storage/battery, all while implementing 90hrz refresh on a display (big props here on adding this feature though). Hell, they put a smaller battery in the 4 vs. the 3, a phone with abysmal battery performance. What good is all of the new tech when your phone is dying even quicker than before. Apple, the ultimate champion of device thinness...even Apple listened to their customers and added a whole bunch of extra battery, made their device thicker, and consequently added hours of extra battery life.
No wifi 6 support. Again, even the lagard Apple added this to the iPhone.
Like I said, Google’s phones, with only rare exceptions, are and have been my Android device of choice. But I can’t honestly claim that their Pixel phones are the most technologically advanced smartphones when they aren’t keeping up with the competition in so many areas. And that includes their cameras.
All that being said, if I was buying a new Android phone today, it would almost certainly be a Pixel 4XL. 😜😜
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Agree, but it's little things like the unlimited storage that has offset the hardware concerns that I usually have with the Pixel line.
If they start taking those pieces away, then I'll stop grading on a curve. I'm probably not alone there.
But that video showed correcting the distortion with software. Adding new software after launch is easy, but adding a camera isn't.
Then maybe we saw different presentations? Yep...that tech is on a Pixel.....not sure what phone you were talking about but my focus was the Pixel 4....
Then in my experiences.......the Google Assistant just works better on a Pixel phone.It doesn't have the impediments of an Android skin....
Some other confirmations...
UFS 2.1 and not 3.0. No headphones in case. No 4k@60. Only 2x optical zoom. Gorilla glass 5 not 6.
Looks like google hasn’t learned any lessons and continues to cut corners. If I leave my iPhone and go back to android, I really can’t see why I should choose the Pixel over the Note 10 at this point. Fast updates and a slightly better camera just aren’t enough.
UFS 2.1 and not 3.0. No headphones in case. No 4k@60. Only 2x optical zoom. Gorilla glass 5 not 6.
Looks like google hasn’t learned any lessons and continues to cut corners. If I leave my iPhone and go back to android, I really can’t see why I should choose the Pixel over the Note 10 at this point. Fast updates and a slightly better camera just aren’t enough.
Software correction for still photos is easier but don't forget video which requires dedicated hardware image processor for real time correction.
My first impression is that the Pixel 4a is going to be a steal again next year.