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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

#741

Post by nvarsj »

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,…

> Google will drop support for after 2 years

I agree with this as an Android user. The lack of device support from Google is appalling. And all my nexus devices (4, 7) have had major hardware flaws that never get fixed - once you're past the warranty, you're SOL. The 7 had many touch screen problems, and a very flimsy charger port (which broke under warranty, then broke again after - so I can't charge it anymore :|).

If you want decent hardware on Android, you have to go with Samsung. But their support for devices is even worse than Google - my Tab S just got Marshmallow. And touchwiz really hurts the Android experience.

Compare to Apple - I still have a first generation iPad that my kids use, and it's still going strong. It's a bit dented, but that thing is a tank.

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

#742

Post by lagadu »

notatoad wrote: post #639
tw04 wrote: post #527

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More memory, faster CPU, better GPU, and most important to me - best camera on the market. The Oneplus 3 is four times the size, the firmware running on it tends to be buggy, and the battery life is nothing close to the same. I get it - if you're on a budget you can probably do better with the Oneplus 3. But there are a MILLION options in the budget space. Pixel is about showcasing a high end Android phone WITHOUT al…

It has 2GB less ram, and the same processor (slightly higher clock speed) and same gpu, vs the oneplus 3

> the same processor (slightly higher clock speed)

So... not the same. Also the GPU is faster too.

I'll agree with you that it's silly that they're still trying to pass a 1080p screen and lack of SD card as high end though.

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

#743

Post by webjunkie »

neals wrote: post #208

I don't like Google because they're gonna use my data against me. I don't like Apple because it's a walled garden and millions other reasons. I don't like Samsung because they bloat Android. I don't like Huawei because I don't trust the Chinese government to not do stuff to it. I don't like LG and HTC because the smartphone market is slipping away from them. Am I just getting old?

    I don't like Samsung because they bloat Android.
Out of your points, this might be the easiest one to solve. I got a Samsung after being a Nexus owner, and it's not so bad! You can change to the Google now launcher, Google keyboard and so on, and Samsung does not actually get in my way.

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

#744

Post by pmontra »

The first reaction of a friend of mine, Android developer, was like "Maybe I'm buying an iPhone 7 on leasing, because the Nexus are dead and the Pixel costs so much". Then he realized that the iPhone costs even more. He's not buying anything at the moment. He's got plenty of phones after all.

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

#745

Post by lagadu »

hammock wrote: post #444
notatoad wrote: post #309

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The Pixel is a premium 5" phone, not a budget one. what makes it premium other than the fact that they're charging lots of money for it? i can't find a real differentiator over something like the oneplus 3, which costs half as much. i agree with you that it's better than the 5X, but comparing it to this year's competition, it doesn't look so good.

Oneplus 3 not available on verizon

That's a problem for you, not for most people; therefore not google's problem.

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

#746

Post by trymas »

That price though.. :(

If pixel is completely replacing nexus, then it's a complete bummer, as one of nexus' best points were very good hardware in reasonably good package for half the price as flagship competition (galaxy, iphone). OTOH, it's maybe a good business move if they manage to take galaxy users to buy pixel, Google will make a good buck for it.

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

#747

Post by lagadu »

sorenjan wrote: post #654
puzzle wrote: post #612

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you really think that last year's Nexus 6P was designed by Huawei?

I'm not saying that Google didn't have any input, I'm sure they do the exterior design to some degree and choose which components are in the phones. And while they're not exactly identical, the 6P does have some similarities with the Huawei P8, like the black band on the back. Not as many as the Pixel have with the HTC 10 though.

> Not as many as the Pixel have with the HTC 10 though.

The pixel's similarities are towards the htc one A9, not the htc 10.

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

#748

Post by anonred »

izacus wrote: post #725
interpol_p wrote: post #653

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The huge difference here is that on iOS you don't have random files lying around your home screen. The springboard is for apps, with a dock for the most common ones to persist between screens. On Windows (and macOS) the desktop is fundamentally different, used differently, and is often obscured by your windowed content.

No, instead you had unremovable "useful" apps like "Apple Watch" instead. Luckly they managed to at least let users hide that in iOS10, but it's still a cesspool of rarely used apps.

If by cesspool you mean a single folder on a hidden home page containing unused default apps, then yes, I suppose you're correct.

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

#749

Post by pmontra »

mhomde wrote: post #478
erikpukinskis wrote: post #367

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, in terms of staff UI design cred Android is in better place than iOS right now. With the Sidekick, PalmOS, and then Material Design, Matías Duarte has been consistently at the forefront of mobile UI design. Jony Ive is probably the most brilliant consumer electronics hardware designer in the world, but I have yet to see any indication that he has any idea how to lead a platform UI design project. I had issu…

iOS is in a tough position, the road of incremental changes is coming to an end. The icon-based home screen is showing it's age and will need a revolution rather than an evolution. You can kinda see Apple dipping it toes into the widget arena with the notifications area, yet they're probably hesitant to remake the whole home screen and risk alienating their current users. Tech savvy people won't mind a new home scree…

The problems I have with the iPhone are 1) lack of a back button, so I have to learn every single screen of every single application and 2) the app store.

I had to help a friend to find a qrcode app on Sunday. Look for qrcode in the store, 842 found. Wow... None of them has a review or stars. How do you trust them? We kept scrolling for a while, nothing. Compare that with the Google store. It doesn't tell me how many qrcode apps are there but it gives me a rating for every single one. Then it's the usual hunt for the app with no ads and least permissions, but that's the same on the iPhone.

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

#750

Post by MichaelMoser123 »

tluyben2 wrote: post #390
cableshaft wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No message search in hangouts makes me angry to no end. I had message search on my old Windows Phone and got so used to it I don't ever want to go without it again, especially when my girlfriend and I talk about something and then want to refresh my memory later (We discuss ideas we have, preferences, etc. and I used to be able to search for them again, now I can't).

I find the search capabilities in most messenger apps appalling. I have to remember to copy/paste important things to somewhere else because a week later I cannot find them anymore. Whatsapp seems a good exception.

>I find the search capabilities in most messenger apps appalling

with whatsapp you can have better search that on the desktop:

https://web.whatsapp.com/ - allows you to setup the client for the web; here it is easier to search for messages.

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