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Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

bloomberg.com

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Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#111

Post by ajross »

ljf wrote: post #34
spankalee wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To turn this around: why did the old phones insist that the hardware buttons take up valuable face space that could be used for more screen, where the buttons could be dynamically drawn and repositioned based on the content and orientation of the phone.

But is the giant black bar across the bottom of this screen a good use of screen> https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/d1FGcK-lOXmwvt9UR7OYJwaOSTg... ?

Not in all cases. Which is why apps have an API where they can turn it off if they want to reclaim that space for their own use.

Interestingly, no on ever figured out how to implement this trick when apps wanted to use their hardware buttons for extra screen space. I suspect this is a big reason for this particular compromise.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#112

Post by mikestew »

noobermin wrote: post #22
mikestew wrote: post #13

And yet not a single hard detail in the article as to why the headline might be true. For going on ten years we've seen the "iPhone killers" come and go, and this article does nothing to tell me why this time it will be different. Perhaps because it won't be. Of what very few details the article outlines, they just go on about nifty hardware. Have we not learned by now that cool hardware still sucks when hamstrung by…

Probably a case of the editor providing a clickbait headline. Remember, the title author and the article authors are often not the same person. PS Plus, it's Bloomberg. Not really expecting much in the way of technical details from them.

Ya know, I don't know why I can't remember that. She writes an article with a working title "First Preview of Google Pixel Phone", subtitled "Light on Details, but Here's What We Know" and we end up with this instead.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#113

Post by qntty »

gstn wrote: post #82

Whether it's a nice phone or not, I'm not tempted. I left Android due to an inability to get o/s updates. Android depends on the cell carrier (Bell Canada, in my case) for o/s updates, a model that doesn't work well, in my opinion. With Apple the o/s is always up to date.

Google phones are updated by Google, the same way Apple phones are updated by Apple.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#114

Post by Unklejoe »

cholantesh wrote: post #83
baggachipz wrote: post #69

I'm sorry, I just don't trust Google hardware efforts anymore. Nothing they've done indicates that they won't completely abandon this in a year and a half. It would probably end up in my Google Graveyard sooner rather than later, right next to my Google TV and Galaxy Nexus with Google Voice.

Iphones are released at pretty much the same clip as Nexus devices, so I don't understand that particular complaint.

iPhones receive OS updates for like 4 years after release where as most Android phones seem to be forgotten as soon as the next model comes out. As an Android user, this is one thing that I have to admit Apple wins at.

Not to mention the fact that Google seems to have a habit of deprecating their own apps for seemingly no apparent reason.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#115

Post by gknapp »

tf2manu994 wrote: post #21

I realise that not everyone is in the US, but Verizon Exclusive, really? Edit: Ah, I was mistaken. Contract exclusive, still outright. Oops!

This line from their product announcement page indicates that even though they're teaming up to have the phone available in Verizon stores, they're also selling unlocked directly from the Google Play store:

> We’re also offering Pixel unlocked on the Google Store and, for you Project Fi fans out there, you'll be happy to know that Pixel is the latest device to work on the Fi network.

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#116

Post by soylentcola »

cholantesh wrote: post #71
adamweld wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Now, Google is no Samsung, but they're a long way from Apple or even Microsoft on the UX front. Not sure I agree with this. I've been on android for a while, so I'm sure I'm biased, but stock AOSP Android is pretty much perfect for me. Very minimal and aesthetically beautiful, but still powerful and customizable.

Agreed, and I personally like Cyanogenmod and OxygenOS a lot, too. In fact, I think Touchwiz is the only (major) Android iteration that I haven't enjoyed using. Frankly, I don't get all the hype about iOS' user experience - every time I've had to use an Apple device, I've found just about every task much more cumbersome.

Having used both extensively (but Android more so), I find them both pretty straightforward to use for most common tasks. Both still have their more granular settings hidden behind menus but that seems to be the tradeoff for surface simplicity and aesthetics.

That said, every so often there's something I need to do or want to do that's a little bit outside of the default setup. Little things that matter to me nonetheless. Things like keyboard layout, default apps, home screen layout, icon spacing, etc.

On iOS the keyboard thing seems to be solved now with addon keyboards but even those other minor preferences or layout tweaks are often limited or impossible on iOS (unless you manage to jailbreak your device). On Android they're usually just a setting change, app install, or (rarely) an APK install from an independent developer away.

This isn't meant so much as a critique of the Apple way of doing things. I'm well aware that my needs and wants aren't necessarily the norm or in line with the majority. Spending efforts addressing every possible use can cause just as much harm as good in a final product.

That said, once I have multiple options that both "succeed" well, I start to choose based on which one "fails" better (ie: which one makes it easier for me to change or fix the rare thing that doesn't just work the way I want it to).

Re: Behind the Pixel: Google’s First Real Threat to Apple’s iPhone

#118

Post by thrill »

criddell wrote: post #57
thrill wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is three times the market cap of Verizon. I think I know how to solve this.

Since Verizon seems to be transitioning to an advertising company, I doubt regulators would let Google buy it.

You're probably right - look at the value such regulatory concern (in its infinite wisdom) brought to Yahoo shareholders by complicating concerns of Microsoft's (non)acquisition of Yahoo oh-so-long-ago.
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