• TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
  • Follow
    • Follow
    • facebook
    • twitter
    • google+
    • instagram
    • youtube
Hearst Corporation
  • TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
Forums
  • Register
  • Login
  • Forums
  • Gadgets
  • Mobile Phones
Google Pixel (Nexus) phones unveiled on 4th October
<<
<
12 of 22
>>
>
Faust
13-10-2016
Originally Posted by ceepan:
“Even if this was a Nexus phone I don't think it would have proved more exciting. If it had Nexus pricing levels I think there would have been less negativity. I think we are at a point that it is more difficult to bring features that make people go wow to smart phones.”

There's an article about this doing the rounds which says much the same thing. We have got that used to phones having what are quite complex features to implement that all we do now is say "so what, is that it". Read THIS
Richard_T
13-10-2016
In my opinion Iphones have always been overpriced, and it would appear so are these pixel phones.
At the moment my venerable Nexus 5 will soldier on a little longer, until i can find a phone reasonably priced with timely updates
Gigabit
13-10-2016
Well I've ordered a Pixel. I actually think it looks good
CheshireBumpkin
13-10-2016
Originally Posted by Gigabit:
“Well I've ordered a Pixel. I actually think it looks good”

Cool. Will be interesting to hear how you get on with it.
Faust
13-10-2016
Originally Posted by Gigabit:
“Well I've ordered a Pixel. I actually think it looks good”

I too think it looks quite handsome. Actually not dissimilar to my Z3C which I really like. I certainly think it looks more attractive than Samsung's current phones which I'm not overly keen on.
Gigabit
13-10-2016
People are saying it is expensive but honestly if it had an Apple on it would they be saying the same thing? There's nothing for me that's not premium.
Richard_T
13-10-2016
However with apple you also get a good official support network, will you be able to take your Pixel to a Google store to have it looked at/repaired?
Gigabit
13-10-2016
No but they'll ship you a next day replacement.
Cloudane
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by Gigabit:
“People are saying it is expensive but honestly if it had an Apple on it would they be saying the same thing?”

I would now, I wouldn't have previously. But Apple are very good at convincing you that it's worth it.


In the long term, we'll see. If something is actually worth it (and I do like the concept of a Google Phone) I will pay the difference. I save up for things, and a £400 phone every 2 years is £16.67/month. A £600 phone is £25/month. 8 quid is a couple of pints these days, so by comparison, it's not much.
My problem is probably drinking beer.
jonmorris
14-10-2016
The one big thing, besides VR, on the Pixel is Assistant and that's already been ported to the Nexus (and other Android 7 devices).

I'm not actually that bothered about Assistant but might add it, given it's a pretty simple procedure that doesn't require rooting.

I did think it a bit cheeky that the night mode function that was in Nougat throughout the beta (and can be enabled now if you know how) was officially removed due to issues, but is apparently on the Pixel. Seems like Google removed some things from 7.0 for the Nexus deliberately to put it on the Pixel.

Another thing was the 5X and 6P was meant to have free original quality uploading to Photos, which also got axed and made the Pixel.

As I've said before, I hope Google isn't going to take OS features and keep them from other handset manufacturers going forward.
Cloudane
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by jonmorris:
“I'm not actually that bothered about Assistant but might add it, given it's a pretty simple procedure that doesn't require rooting.”

It doesn't require rooting if you use the adb pull / adb push method on build.prop, but as I learned when I tried, you still need to unlock the bootloader and use custom recovery (the built-in recovery only enables adb for sideloading an OTA update). Which means wiping your data if it's never been unlocked before, so I thought "screw that" and will wait for the official release.

Quote:
“Another thing was the 5X and 6P was meant to have free original quality uploading to Photos, which also got axed and made the Pixel.”

Has this actually been removed? As last I saw you can still have it upload original quality. The choice is either infinite storage at optimised quality, or it counts out of your Drive storage at original quality. The difference with the Pixel is they effectively give you a free package of unlimited storage (I'd guess that it may be for x months, like the free storage when I bought my Nexus 7)
jonmorris
14-10-2016
Sorry, I wrote that wrong. I meant it was stated in the spring that the 5X and 6P would offer original quality uploads without using your allowance.

Yes, it does allow original quality, but using your allowance.

Google obviously decided at some point to hold back from doing this on a phone already on sale, using it as a unique feature on the Pixel.

Personally, I'm happy with images in high resolution mode and video at 1080p 30/60fps. If I want a 4K video saved, I will upload it to my Drive and use the allowance.

I do wish there was a way to select already uploaded photos to recompress and give me back some of my allowance. I have so many photos that I now exceed my allowance on a legacy plan that's some ten times cheaper than the new rates, meaning I'd sooner reduce my usage than have to pay LOADS more for a few extra GBs!
Faust
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by Cloudane:
“I would now, I wouldn't have previously. But Apple are very good at convincing you that it's worth it.


In the long term, we'll see. If something is actually worth it (and I do like the concept of a Google Phone) I will pay the difference. I save up for things, and a £400 phone every 2 years is £16.67/month. A £600 phone is £25/month. 8 quid is a couple of pints these days, so by comparison, it's not much.
My problem is probably drinking beer.”

One of the things that drives me to distraction with the iPhone is the OS always looks the same. How long has that 'home screen' remained static for now - almost 10 years? Why you can't customise the home screen like Android I just do not know. Also why can't you get rid of apps permanently that you no longer want or use?
Faust
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by jonmorris:
“
As I've said before, I hope Google isn't going to take OS features and keep them from other handset manufacturers going forward.”

From what I have read that is exactly what is likely to happen. Google are now gearing themselves up to be a big Android hardware/software/services company. If you had control of Android would you share every last 'goody' with your competitors?
jonmorris
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by Faust:
“From what I have read that is exactly what is likely to happen. Google are now gearing themselves up to be a big Android hardware/software/services company. If you had control of Android would you share every last 'goody' with your competitors?”

Depends if you were confident enough to see a future where it's a few iPhone models and a few Pixel models, with all the other players forced out or having to just go native Android, losing key apps, maybe even the Play store.

Then Samsung will be vindicated for having tried to break away before with Bada and Tizen. Two flawed ans hugely unsuccessful attempts, of course.

Obviously Google would really like this outcome if it was selling pretty much all Android devices itself, although who would make them then? Would Google actually start to make its own hardware?
Faust
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by jonmorris:
“Depends if you were confident enough to see a future where it's a few iPhone models and a few Pixel models, with all the other players forced out or having to just go native Android, losing key apps, maybe even the Play store.

Then Samsung will be vindicated for having tried to break away before with Bada and Tizen. Two flawed ans hugely unsuccessful attempts, of course.

Obviously Google would really like this outcome if it was selling pretty much all Android devices itself, although who would make them then? Would Google actually start to make its own hardware?”

The link I posted 269 yesterday was saying very similar things regarding Google's ambitions and Samsung. Did you get chance to read it?
jonmorris
14-10-2016
Vlad has been very busy with his opinion pieces of late.

I think most people think the same way, and I guess Google can benefit a bit from Samsung's problems - but I would have thought in the UK at least it won't help Google much.

People in the UK weren't buying Note's anyway (not in large numbers) and the S7 edge is going to be the phone shop staff steer people towards just as they always have, with a range of incentives.

If Samsung is smart, it will up those incentives to retailers right now.
Cloudane
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by jonmorris:
“Sorry, I wrote that wrong. I meant it was stated in the spring that the 5X and 6P would offer original quality uploads without using your allowance.”

Ah I see, didn't know they were planning on doing that. Shame they've backtracked and kept it for the Pixel, but it doesn't bother me too much as I can understand it at the same level as the free storage I got way-back-when, as a bundle deal with a new device. Leaving Assistant out bothered me more, but consensus now seems to be that it won't be forever (and you can hack it on already)

Originally Posted by Faust:
“One of the things that drives me to distraction with the iPhone is the OS always looks the same. How long has that 'home screen' remained static for now - almost 10 years? Why you can't customise the home screen like Android I just do not know. Also why can't you get rid of apps permanently that you no longer want or use?”

Yeah I'm not a fan of the home screen being an icon dump either. For some reason they're absolutely stubborn as mules about keeping it that way. (Though they were stubborn about screen sizes for far too long as well and caved eventually, so there's hope).

I believe you can finally get rid of Stocks in iOS 10.
Faust
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by jonmorris:
“Vlad has been very busy with his opinion pieces of late.

I think most people think the same way, and I guess Google can benefit a bit from Samsung's problems - but I would have thought in the UK at least it won't help Google much.

People in the UK weren't buying Note's anyway (not in large numbers) and the S7 edge is going to be the phone shop staff steer people towards just as they always have, with a range of incentives.

If Samsung is smart, it will up those incentives to retailers right now.”

What I don't understand with posters reticence on Google Pixel pricing is this - the price of the Pixel (smaller version) is more or less the same as the Galaxy S7. These are two similarly matched phones so why are users happy to buy the S7 (not Edge) in their droves and yet won't be willing to pay a similar price for a premium Google experience?

Given the choice of TouchWiz or pure Android with the Pixel getting regular updates I would have thought the Pixel is a most attractive option.
daveh75
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by Faust:
“What I don't understand with posters reticence on Google Pixel pricing...”

Because they've been conditioned by Google's Nexus pricing and are unable to see beyond it...
Gigabit
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by daveh75:
“Because they've been conditioned by Google's Nexus pricing and are unable to see beyond it...”

The thing is, the public didn't know about the Nexus phones anyway. There's no conditioning here.

In fact, most people will probably go, Google make a phone? And then the marketing (which I think is pretty good), will get them to buy it. They'll see the price and it won't matter very much.

The problem is the Internet is full of tech people and they are a terrible representation of the average consumer.
Gigabit
14-10-2016
Oh dear.

https://twitter.com/EE/status/786239759597338624
Faust
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by Gigabit:
“Oh dear.

https://twitter.com/EE/status/786239759597338624”

Well let's be honest if you are still buying a phone on contract then I don't have much sympathy. Far cheaper to buy outright and go SIM only with a company that won't be dealing with updates.
daveh75
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by Gigabit:
“The thing is, the public didn't know about the Nexus phones anyway. There's no conditioning here.
”

We're not talking about the general public though. We're talking about posters to this thread...
Gigabit
14-10-2016
Originally Posted by daveh75:
“We're not talking about the general public though. We're talking about posters to this thread...”

Who aren't very representative, that's my point
<<
<
12 of 22
>>
>
VIEW DESKTOP SITE TOP

JOIN US HERE

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Hearst Corporation

Hearst Corporation

DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK

© 2015 Hearst Magazines UK is the trading name of the National Magazine Company Ltd, 72 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 9EP. Registered in England 112955. All rights reserved.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Complaints
  • Site Map