Pixel 3/Pixel 3 XL

[jamezr]

That's always been my issue with the pixel line. Google are charging premium prices and yeah the camera is good, but otherwise it's hardware doesn't warrant the price.

That my thoughts as well. Google does a lot of things very well. But hardware on mobile phones is not one of them going back tot he Nexus line.
I had to go through 4 Pixel 2 XLs before I got an acceptable one due to hardware issues.
But to their credit there never questioned any of my returns.

 

[JaySoul]

October 4th seems like the announcement date.

 

[epicrayban]

When did the Pixel 2 begin shipping after last year's oct 4th announcement?

 

[Cryates]

When did the Pixel 2 begin shipping after last year's oct 4th announcement?

Last week of October

 

[epicrayban]

Edit:
If you read the article on Android Central about Pixel 3 only allowing gestures, you'll see an editor's note clarifying they meant that gestures will be on by default, and not as the only option.




Don't like the new Android P "gestures" but want a Pixel 3?

Too bad:
https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/...re-navigation-no-option-standard-nav-buttons/

I've never seen Google make such a string of bad decisions as they have with the Pixel 3. It's laughable.

The gestures are terrible.

 

[Cryates]

At this point I don’t think Google has a roadmap for their hardware business. I can understand some growing pains with the early years of mass manufacturing, and while the Pixel 3 looks fine, the XL looks atrocious, and that’s the likely higher seller of the two. Couple that with a crippling carrier deal and I don’t think the story ends well for Google. Although, this is Google. They don’t need crazy sales to be alright, they just need a niche market. The problem is they can’t even do the niche market right.

Toss in the news of forcing half-baked gestures onto folks and you can make a case they are losing ground in software as well (looking at you OnePlus). I don’t know, any confidence I had in Google earlier in the year has just been completely torn down over recent months.

 

[slitherjef]

Wtf Google!? Are you seriously trying to copy apple? This gesture only option is a major deal breaker for me. At least do pie controls (no pun intended here)

I'm about 75% sure I'm going to pass on the 3.

But who am I kidding? This is the future of Android I suspect and handset manufacturers are probably going to to eventually be forced to comply.

I'm really not liking the direction igoogle is taking...

 

[epicrayban]

It really feels like the twilight zone or something, where Google just keeps making all the wrong decisions.

BTW, when you pull down your notification shade on Android P, notice how thick the notification bar at the top gets. And it's all blacked out. Look at the spacing of the clock and other icons. This is to accommodate the deep notch. Google will just have a thick notification bar on the 3 XL.

Android P continues it's ugliness.

 

[jamezr]

It really feels like the twilight zone or something, where Google just keeps making all the wrong decisions.

BTW, when you pull down your notification shade on Android P, notice how thick the notification bar at the top gets. And it's all blacked out. Look at the spacing of the clock and other icons. This is to accommodate the deep notch. Google will just have a thick notification bar on the 3 XL.

Android P continues it's ugliness.

and people wonder why some phone makers skin their phones......

 

[epicrayban]

I'm really not sure Google deserves my money this fall. I'm just one customer so it won't really matter and we still haven't seen the true final product but we've got plenty to go on. And I don't know if I can reward so many bad decisions...

I guess I didn't pay that much attention to Android P as it was being previewed. It's hideous in real use. And the gestures, they looked bad before in video but I wanted to withhold final judgement until I tried them myself. And they're worse than I could've imagined!
[doublepost=1533601951][/doublepost]

and people wonder why some phone makers skin their phones......

I seriously wonder what Samsung is going to do. Will they come up with their own gestures like OnePlus did?

They'll at least leave the 3 button traditional layout as an option, I predict. Unlike Google, Samsung is more consumer-friendly.


[doublepost=1533603473][/doublepost]If you read the article on Android Central about Pixel 3 only allowing gestures, you'll see an editor's note clarifying they meant that gestures will be on by default, and not as the only option.

Thank goodness.

But the article also says Google considers the gestures the official navigation method of Android going forward. It's here to stay.

 

[tbayrgs]

I'm really not sure Google deserves my money this fall. I'm just one customer so it won't really matter and we still haven't seen the true final product but we've got plenty to go on. And I don't know if I can reward so many bad decisions...

I guess I didn't pay that much attention to Android P as it was being previewed. It's hideous in real use. And the gestures, they looked bad before in video but I wanted to withhold final judgement until I tried them myself. And they're worse than I could've imagined!
[doublepost=1533601951][/doublepost]

I seriously wonder what Samsung is going to do. Will they come up with their own gestures like OnePlus did?

They'll at least leave the 3 button traditional layout as an option, I predict. Unlike Google, Samsung is more consumer-friendly.


[doublepost=1533603473][/doublepost]If you read the article on Android Central about Pixel 3 only allowing gestures, you'll see an editor's note clarifying they meant that gestures will be on by default, and not as the only option.

Thank goodness.

But the article also says Google considers the gestures the official navigation method of Android going forward. It's here to stay.

Yup. I mentioned it at the original release of the P beta that people better get used to them because if Google was including them front and center, that's likely the future navigation paradigm.

Most don't want to here it but I think Google is quite envious of Apple's hardware business model and would love to replicate it in regards to their hardware business. They'd love to have an ecosystem of devices (phones, tablets/chromebooks, smart devices, etc) of their own where they control the entire stack. As much as Apple relies on the iPhone for the bulk of their revenue/profits and has been working to diversify (i.e. their increased focus on services revenue), Google has an even greater reliance on their ad revenue and a viable hardware ecosystem of their own, where they control every aspect, would go a long ways to mitigate their risk should ad revenue take a nose dive. I also think they see it as a potential way to help remedy their ongoing issues with the EU. The evidence over the past couple of years points to this desire and their approach to their own Android hardware just reaffirms it, IMO.

The problem is, they just continuously show they have little clue how to do this. As a genuine fan of many of the services Google provides, it’s incredibly frustrating to watch them bungle things up year after year.

 

[Cryates]

Google Pixel 3 XL leak appears to show production hardware and wired USB-C Pixel Buds

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...t=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Google Pixel 3 XL leak appears to show production hardware and wired USB-C Pixel Buds

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...t=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

I really can't believe that is really how it is going to look. Notches don't really bother me, but this one seems unusually large, and only 4 GB of ram. Might be the first pixel that I skip.

 

[Cryates]

https://twitter.com/venyageskin1/status/1027191952893198336?s=21

Live images of the Pixel 3 XL. Looks like a turquoise power button on the white version. I don't know, the notch is deep but it doesn't look absolutely atrocious to me or anything, but not ideal by any means. I've got to assume the notch is that deep to keep the stereo speakers.

 

[epicrayban]

As predicted, the notification bar is thicker to accommodate and match the deep notch. Ugly software design to match the ugly hardware design.

And USB C earbuds? Finally, these should have been included in the Pixel 2 to begin with. Wonder how much they'll cost as a separate accessory.

 

[jamezr]

As predicted, the notification bar is thicker to accommodate and match the deep notch. Ugly software design to match the ugly hardware design.

And USB C earbuds? Finally, these should have been included in the Pixel 2 to begin with. Wonder how much they'll cost as a separate accessory.

I wouldn't mind having a pair of those earbuds too

 

[epicrayban]

I'm in disbelief at how consistent Google designs ugly phones.

The OG Pixel wasn't much to look at with their big bezels, but at least nothing overly offensive.

Pixel 2 got even bigger bezels somehow! And the 2 XL also had oddly thick bezels. As I described it, it's like a first gen attempt at a bezel-less screen made years ago.

And now, the Pixel 3 XL, which is on it's way to take the crown of ugliest modern flagship smartphone ever with its deep notch and imbalanced chin/bezel.

Three generations of ugly and counting...

 

[nviz22]

Chances are the X+ will have a better design than the Pixel 3 XL.

Idk why Google refuses to implement a simple and consistent design? I know for sure I wouldn't buy a 3 XL now knowing it has only 4gb RAM and an ugly design.

I am 99% certain I will go iPhone 2018 over the Pixel 3, but let's see what that device looks like now.

 

[Michael Goff]

Google really wants to push that 4gb is enough.

 

[Klyster]

Oh that notch is hideous!

 

[Aneres11]

@epicrayban Dude you really are like disgusted with the Pixel 3 XL aren't you?! Jeez!


I know it's not looking good for it from the leaks and stuff but I'm still hopeful they will have a few tricks up their sleeve with it come reveal.

 

[chagla]

that god awful notch... going for Galaxy Note 9 then. such beast of a phone with everything i need - sdcard, headphone jack.

 

[epicrayban]

@epicrayban Dude you really are like disgusted with the Pixel 3 XL aren't you?! Jeez!

Yes, yes I am. And Google deserves no less.

There are just too many offenses in this design, compounded upon years of bad design and decision making in general. There should be no end to how much we ridicule Google for their missteps with the Pixel 3 XL.
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Google really wants to push that 4gb is enough.

This is seriously cheap of Google. And a mistake.

I'm all for software optimizations, but clearly hardware helps. Ask MKBHD and other Pixel 2 XL users who have experienced slow down and apps refreshing.

I also never understood people's argument that RAM has nothing to do with "speed." If an app has to refresh or reload because 4GB of RAM wasn't enough to keep it open and ready to go when I switch to it, then that absolutely is related to speed. Instead of being able to act on an app right away, I have to wait for it. MKBHD said so himself, there was a real world difference in regards to RAM.

It doesn't have to be only about optimization. Google can do both, they just choose not to.

And that's why I'm hard on them. We all should be, especially with our wallets. They just continue to make poor decisions that hurt the consumer, from removing the headphone jack without providing USB-C earphones to cheaping out on [affordable] RAM in a premium priced flagship.

 

[fjd726]

Oneplus seems to be a much better phone all around now compared to the Pixel line.

 

[Aneres11]

I do still think people are blowing this out of proportion.
For real world useage, 4gb of ram should surely be enough for the average user?
I am using a Pixel 1 at the moment which runs Android P and it is absolutely brilliant as if it were a 2018 flagship. I have zero issues with open apps being kept open and switching back to them.

The camera is also still astoundingly good.

I do agree that Google could do more from the leaks we have seen and I've said that ever since it looked like we were only getting very minimal 'upgrades'. But software is still everything and for every phone I've used that seemingly beats a Pixel on paper, I've always maintained that Google's offering is better all round.

And I'll say it again. One Plus can only dream of getting anywhere near the Pixel camera. And that's too important for me personally to even throw that phone in the mix. But if y'all want high amounts of ram to feel like youre getting what you think you deserve in 2018 then absolutely vote with your wallet and go elsewhere.

Choice, eh?