We Mostly Use Google Apps Anyway, Why Not Get the Google Pixel?

[daviddth]

Google's third-party keyboard on the iPhone <- Nope, I'm not

Google YouTube app, <- Yep I am

Google Chrome app rather than Apple's Safari <- Nope, tried it and pass

Google Maps over any other Map <- Nope, I use Apple Maps or Tom Tom, or Metroview

Google Play Music <- Nope, never

So 1 out of 5....

 

[eyoungren]

That excuse we used to use about being so invested in the Apple ecosystem...

We can't use that excuse anymore because we're already using Google's third-party keyboard on the iPhone.

We're already using the Google YouTube app, we're already using the Google Chrome app rather than Apple's Safari.

We use Google Maps over any other Map. Especially Apple's Maps.

We're using Google Play Music... while we delete the iPhone's Music app.

And now with Allo, Google beat them, one mo gain!

Google's apps are better than Apple's apps.

Now they have the perfect phone.

?????

Why are you assuming everyone is the same?

I don't use the Apple 'ecosystem' except for iMessage.

I use Google. Works perfect on a 2001 PowerMac G4, a 2003 17" PowerBook G4, a 2006 17" MacBook Pro and my iPhone 6s+.

I've used Google for just about everything since 2006. I only came to the iPhone in 2012.

I use the iPhone because I want to…not because of Apple's services. To hell with Apple's ecosystem! I have Google, Dropbox and jailbreaking.

Apple's ecosystem I couldn't use even if I wanted to. Really, Apple's ecosystem on PowerPC Macs and a Snow Leopard MBP? You're kidding me right?

Oh! And by the way! Google Play Music DOES NOT WORK on a PowerPC Mac! You need Flash and guess what the last version for Flash on a PowerPC Mac was? 10.x something.

Sooner or later they'll cut me off on my MBP too.

In short, your ASSUMPTIONS do NOT apply to me at all!

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Checking OP's posting history. No agenda here!

 

[Channan]

Really curious here: how does Allo beat iMessage?

It doesn't. Allo is garbage. Google should have stuck with Hangouts and just made it better.

 

[daviddth]

I'm trying to wake y'all up

Try coffee instead. It's way less annoying

 

[Radon87000]

Maybe because Google's apps on iOS are better than on Android.I admit that I use Google apps on my iPhone a lot but for some reason they are better in iOS than Android nowadays

 

[spinedoc77]

Uh-huh. Okay then.

I don't get it, what does this show? What point are you trying to make?

 

[eyoungren]

Try coffee instead. It's way less annoying

Might I suggest…

 

[Michael Goff]

I don't get it, what does this show? What point are you trying to make?

That the Pixel isn't the perfect phone, I'd guess.

 

[Mark316]

What is so great about iMessage anyways? Is it for the people who don't have unlimited texting plans or is there more to this?

 

[spinedoc77]

That the Pixel isn't the perfect phone, I'd guess.

Hmm, I was just confused as every review I've seen raves about how fast it is. I'm guessing it's that disconnect with reality between benchmarks and real life function. Note I'm not defending anything, just was confused what those benchmarks were meant to convey.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I'm a huge Google fan, more than I am an Apple Fan. I have an extensive Android background up to the Note 3 (I tested the Nexus 6 for 2 weeks late last year) where I rooted, beta tested developer roms, etc...

I refuse to pay for a phone that has adware period. That said, I have a very recent Samsung Tab S2 that I use to manage my Google Music family subscription (cuz you need Android for that). No way is it comparable to an iPad, not even CLOSE - the lag, the terrible screen, the horrid standby battery life - yet Samsung thinks they can charge near iPad prices.

That said, I use Google everything. Gmail, Google Drive, Google Music, Google Photos (90+GB), Google Chrome, Google Keep, Google Play Newstand, Google Maps & Waze, Google Calendar, Authenticator, Chromecast, Wallet, Hangouts, Google Plus. And yes, these apps are a LOT better on Apple's iOS than they are on Android. WAY better.

Allo ? Really? It was fun playing with it, but it is not multi platformed, not accessible on my PC. Google had the resources to make that a powerful communication tool but limiting it to cellular is terrible imo.

Now the Pixel is cool - no adware, but I'm bothered that Verizon is in control of updates because I've had Verizon for a long time and they suck bad when it comes to Android updates. So if I am to learn anything from history, I don't trust Verizon. My problem with the Pixel? It's flagship iPhone priced. I respected the Nexus line because it was half as expensive as a flagship phone.

That said, I've always wanted to go back to Android when I left for iOS. But the reasons to move over are becoming less and less, and the price of the Pixel phone kinda killed the last incentive for me.

 

[s2mike]

What is so great about iMessage anyways? Is it for the people who don't have unlimited texting plans or is there more to this?

It's literally the only thing keeping me from leaving Apple.

90% of my contacts have iPhones, and iMessage is just a lot faster and handles large photos, videos, etc much better than regular SMS. If there's no cellular data, iMessage works on WiFi with no problem. There are fun, silly full screen effects, stickers, etc if you're into that. It also displays links within the chat window, making it possible to watch a YouTube video right from the chat thread.

More importantly, iMessage allows me to message with my parents - both of who have iPads - which is super easy and convenient. My parents aren't going to bother using non-stock iOS apps, so being able to communicate with me through the stock Message app is a huge plus for us.

Also, I absolutely love the ability to send voice memos back and forth to friends via iMessage...as well as seeing when they're typing a response.

I don't use Facebook or any other messaging app...iMessage is just perfect and I have no desire to use anything else. And because 90% of the people I know use iPhones, they all use iMessage too. It's just the easiest way to communicate iPhone to iPhone.

 

[Radon87000]

Uh-huh. Okay then.

Beyond a certain point,it becomes pointless.What apps on the App Store need that much power?Between the two the real life differences are likely to be slim

 

[Mark316]

It's literally the only thing keeping me from leaving Apple.

90% of my contacts have iPhones, and iMessage is just a lot faster and handles large photos, videos, etc much better than regular SMS. If there's no cellular data, iMessage works on WiFi with no problem. There are fun, silly full screen effects, stickers, etc if you're into that. It also displays links within the chat window, making it possible to watch a YouTube video right from the chat thread.

More importantly, iMessage allows me to message with my parents - both of who have iPads - which is super easy and convenient. My parents aren't going to bother using non-stock iOS apps, so being able to communicate with me through the stock Message app is a huge plus for us.

Also, I absolutely love the ability to send voice memos back and forth to friends via iMessage...as well as seeing when they're typing a response.

I don't use Facebook or any other messaging app...iMessage is just perfect and I have no desire to use anything else. And because 90% of the people I know use iPhones, they all use iMessage too. It's just the easiest way to communicate iPhone to iPhone.

Fair enough then. I think Google is missing the mark with Allo, if they want it to have any sort of success they need to make it the mandatory default messaging app across every Android device. Just having it preinstalled isn't enough, because every manufacturer uses their own messaging app anyways and Allo just looks like bloatware.

 

[Michael Goff]

Hmm, I was just confused as every review I've seen raves about how fast it is. I'm guessing it's that disconnect with reality between benchmarks and real life function. Note I'm not defending anything, just was confused what those benchmarks were meant to convey.

Oh, pure Android is really smooth these days and doesn't need to muscle through bad code. I'm not saying the performance is disappointing. I'm saying I'm disappointed in Qualcomm lately and that I think the guy was trying to use geekbench to show some problem with the chip.

Did I mention that I'm disappointed in Qualcomm?

 

[aneftp]

Maybe because Google's apps on iOS are better than on Android.I admit that I use Google apps on my iPhone a lot but for some reason they are better in iOS than Android nowadays

Yup. Google does make better iOS apps!

http://www.theverge.com/platform/am...n-stills-gboard-search-hangouts?client=safari

 

[s2mike]

I'm actually considering the Pixel, after being a loyal iPhone user for the past 8 years.

I like the idea of having my Google services baked into the OS - having apps like Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive, YouTube, etc all be *DEFAULT* apps is very, very appealing to me.

I find Siri to be unusable, and having a baked in Google Assistant is also very appealing to me.

Being able to customize my phone is very appealing to me - I can arrange icons how I'd like, set default apps, and get into some deep customization that Apple would never allow.

I spent a good 10 hours reading and watching Pixel reviews yesterday, and Android 7.1 looks extremely fast, responsive, and smooth on the Pixel phones. Just watching those videos makes my iPhone feel slow and laggy.

Even though I'm heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iMac, Apple TV, iPods), I still want a Pixel. Or I want to at least try it out for a week.


All that said, I can't see myself ever leaving iMessage.

Sucks.

 

[\-V-/]

Because I can't use Apple stuff on Google

Pretty much this. That and I prefer the iOS version of apps compared to Android. When I had a Nexus I kept missing the way iOS handles applications, memory, etc. Things just seem more stable and fluid on iOS. That's not to say apps weren't quick on Android, but just the whole experience in general feels better to me on iOS. I eventually switched back. There was a time when micromanaging a device was fun and interesting, but I just want my device to work out of the box without having to tweak much.

Having said all that, if you use a lot of Google services, the Nexus (and now Pixel) integrates them all extremely well and I do miss that a bit, but I still prefer iOS. And Google's voice service works a thousand times better than Siri. Coming back to Siri was dreadful.

 

[apolloa]

Uh-huh. Okay then.

And yet the iPhone struggles to multi task like Android does... in real world use the apparent performance of the iPhone 7 will make ZERO difference to using the Pixel XL. Plus I bet the Pixel phones don't hiss when under stress!!

 

[hevaKmaI]

As someone who has had pretty much every iPhone, I would give the Pixel a serious look. I actually find their ecosystem to be more open than Apple's. Apple just tries to lock you in when they should be confident enough in their hardware to open their ecosystem up like Google.

I don't buy any books on iBooks because they would only work on Apple products. I buy them on Amazon so they work everywhere. The same goes for movies, shows, etc. I may have a lot of apple products, but I don't want to be locked in.

$35 for a chrome cast audio is an awesome way to get multi-room synchronized audio (with 24bit flac support and optical out too), and one of the main reasons I haven't tried Apple Music again (due to lack of support). Google Play Music, Spotify, Plex all support it though. Apple has nothing like this.

NVidia's Shield TV is the best streaming box you can buy right now, direct plays any video you throw at it and supports 4K at 60Hz and HDR. It bitstreams all the most popular audio formats too (DTS-HD MA, DD, etc). It also streams live channels from an HDHomeRun tv tuner like a champ, with the built in android guide and everything. Apple has nothing like that, and I can't play any iTunes movies on it unless I rip the DRM away.

Say what you want about google, at least their ecosystem is far more open than Apple. Apple's media services would probably do better if they weren't tied only to Apple's products.

 

[masotime]

I spent a good 10 hours reading and watching Pixel reviews yesterday, and Android 7.1 looks extremely fast, responsive, and smooth on the Pixel phones. Just watching those videos makes my iPhone feel slow and laggy.

What iPhone on what version of iOS are you using that you find laggy???

 

[s2mike]

What iPhone on what version of iOS are you using that you find laggy???

I'm using iOS 10.1 on my iPhone 7.

And I'm only saying that Android 7.1 *looks* much smoother and faster than iOS 10.1 does on my phone.

 

[Michael Goff]

What iPhone on what version of iOS are you using that you find laggy???

I think he said "feel laggy" as in by comparison. Apple is throwing up slow animations that makes things feel worse than it is.

 

[freepomme]

People WERE ALREADY LEAVING IMESSAGE. Apple just updated iMessage to compete!