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

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

#71

Post by cholantesh »

adamweld wrote: post #29
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…

>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.

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

#72

Post by jaxondu »

eitally wrote: post #17
Ologn wrote: post #10

The bottom of the article says the phone is assembled by HTC. I suppose the difference between this and the Google Nexus phones is that Google is no longer doing hardware design in collaboration with outside manufacturers. However, collaboration in hardware assembly continues.

Yes It is moving from an ODM/JDM relationship to Google being the OEM and HTC being the EMS.

Curious to know what's the diff of using HTC and partnership with Huawei, LG for past Nexus. It appears to be the same arrangement as Nexus, except this time Google is able to place only their logo on the phone. If it is all deigned by Google, wouldn't it be cheaper for Google to get lower tier manufacturer such as Foxconn to produce?

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

#73

Post by jordonwii »

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!

Verizon Exclusive only in the US - they're selling it directly in other countries.

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

#75

Post by hyperbovine »

JshWright wrote: post #48
dudul wrote: post #11

Anyone knows if this is gonna be the "prime" phone of choice for Project Fi in replacement of the Nexus 6P and 5X?

It's going to be the only phone in replacement of the 6P and 5X. It seems they aren't interested in mid-range devices anymore.

That's crazy. $650 buy-in for what is for most people a somewhat risky wireless service proposition. Given their past track record of 86ing products this can't bode well.

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

#76

Post by jusben1369 »

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…

Given that we all know headlines are made for clicking, I think it's pretty clear why this time is very different vs the previous 10 years: "He notes that the company is now managing inventory, building relationships with carriers, sourcing components, making supply chain deals and managing distribution. Google is even making accessories, including cases and cables." This article isn't about the technical approach, it's more about the business/go to market approach.

That's _very_ different to how Google went to market prior. Is this going to materially impact the iPhone? I don't know. But it is different enough that it warrants some sort of "This is a new approach by Google to taking on the iPhone" headline.

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

#77

Post by robotresearcher »

adamweld wrote: post #29
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…

>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.

> Very minimal and aesthetically beautiful, but still powerful and customizable.

None of which is helpful when the battery is dead. The iPhone still wins on battery life. Maybe the new gen Androids will fix that. I hope so.

Edit: I added some data for battery tests in a comment below. Looks like my Android experience is out of date.

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

#78

Post by noobermin »

kogepathic wrote: post #65
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.

> 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. You can get AOSP on a lot of phones, you just have to be comfortable flashing a custom ROM. I don't understand why anyone would pay iPhone prices for an Android phone. Even if the hardware quality is similar (which it won't be,…

>(which it won't be, because Apple SoCs are at least a generation ahead of everyone else)

Can anyone confirm if this is true? I thought the general advantage for i[a-zA-Z0-9]\+ is a well defined small N number of targets, which allow great optimization. Generally, the parts on apple things are a bit older than the competition but they pull off more (at least in user's eyes) compared with Android due to that optimization.

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

#79

Post by eeeeeeeeeeeee »

wmeredith wrote: post #5

I'd like someone to save me from Apple's garbage cloud services, but I just can't get away from their hardware. It's just too good. So... Can anyone convince me that this thing is going to be different from the iPhone killers that are reported on every year in these regurgitated press releases?

I'm in the same spot. I tried to give Apple another shot with iCloud Desktop and Document syncing but that feature is extremely buggy and I've already had to restore from backups because the syncing success is intermittent at best.

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

#80

Post by wnevets »

hyperbovine wrote: post #68
wnevets wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Different business models for different companies.

Pretty sure most companies would aspire to the model where 94% of the rent accrues to you...

not when you can control 85% of the market and just want your software in front as many people as possible so you can sell them ads. Do you really think google cares that much about making profit on smartphone hardware?
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