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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

#771

Post by sangnoir »

erikpukinskis wrote: post #367
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.

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…

> In my opinion, force click, Siri, 3D wallpapers, etc, have not been major coups in terms of UI finesse.

I wouldn't say force click is a coup... it's like Android's menu button in the way it hides functionality and non-standard UX. Heaven knows what's going to happen if I trigger it random app. Google was wise enough to drop the Menu button in Android

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

#772

Post by 72deluxe »

Theodores wrote: post #388
djhworld wrote: post #210

The price makes me a bit sad tbh One of the best things about the Nexus range was they offered the Google vision of android at a reasonable price. The Nexus 4, 5 and 6 were affordable. I purchased my Nexus 5 for a shade below £300 when it came out, which I thought was excellent value for money in comparison to how much I had paid for a Samsung previously. This Pixel line seems to have abandoned that ideal to compete…

I don't think that the aim is to compete with the iphone directly. I am already a Pixel owner - the laptop variant - and I see 'Pixel DNA' in this phone product. The Google Pixel laptop was there to further Google's own thing, not compete with the MacBook. The laptop has better hardware than the Apple or PC offerings - a 3:2 touchscreen in super-hi-res, amazing speakers under the keyboard, the nicest feeling keyboard…

No offence intended but I think "better" is subjective. I find the keyboard and trackpad on my MacBook Pro absolutely perfect, and the aluminium case could be argued to be "gorgeous" too. I do not need a touchscreen on a laptop if I have the finest of trackpads.

I would argue that with 32GB SSD storage and only the ability to browse webpages that the Pixel laptop is basically useless as a "normal" use machine (ie for people that like to create stuff locally on a microcomputer without being tethered to a mainframe, or devs, eg compile C++ on it, or store any normal amount of data on it) so does come across as an extremely overpriced terminal.

But as for this phone - I am not sure who the target market is myself. I know I am not their market, that's for sure!

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

#773

Post by 72deluxe »

AaronFriel wrote: post #506

I'm saddened by the continued fragmentation. "Google Assistant" replaces the Google search bar... but only on the Pixel? So this is yet another Android device that behaves differently from every other. The exclusive carrier is Verizon. Why not Google Fi? The default video app is Duo. Why not Hangouts? Does "Google Now On Tap" get replaced by the assistant for the Pixel? Is that just for the Pixel? I don't get it. I d…

I see this too. And I have stopped watching I/O yearly due to the incessant changes of UI every year, undoing what the recommended the previous year (position of buttons, menus, slide out menus). It is wearying. Nobody would accept that kind of stunt on other platforms, eg. PC.

They are in a difficult situation though - if they don't announce new stuff, the short-sighted industry will think they are stagnating, instead of being robust and reliable and having mature APIs that you can count on not to change.

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

#774

Post by finishingmove »

From the pricing, and the fact that the blue version is available only in the US, this seems to be an "iPhone for Muricans that don't want an iPhone" (for whatever hissy fit). Now they have a choice, exactly like between Republicans and Democrats. Enjoy your HTC Pixels.

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

#775

Post by 72deluxe »

macandcheese wrote: post #200
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?

Google is just trying to get you to switch to their own cloud service - "Say goodbye to those “storage is full” notifications." It's not a differentiator from the iPhone it's a marketing bite. Not a lot to pull me into this phone either.

Do they say how long this infinite capacity will continue for? Given their past track record I can envision them pulling the plug on it in a couple of years as they would technically be incapable of offering infinite storage.

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

#776

Post by 72deluxe »

Unklejoe wrote: post #114
cholantesh wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

The hardware deprecation doesn't upset me so much (I bought a Wileyfox and can get ROMs from cyanogen for it so can update it as I see fit) but the deprecation of their apps for no obvious reason is the one that angers me the most. I know I am a freeloader and don't pay a penny to use their apps but it is frustrating.

Take Google Chat / Talk / Hangouts / Duo / whatever is next. They must surely see how many people are using those apps before they decide to rewrite it for no obvious reason??

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

#777

Post by tigershark »

TheLilHipster wrote: post #651
asdf333 wrote: post #441

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think UI is the issue. Coming from someone who WANTS to love android for philosophical reasons and bought the google nexus, google nexus 5x. I always went back to iphone. The biggest issue is the device is not very good in comparison to the current gen iphone. It feels 1-2 gen behind in performance.

Eh? I still use a first generation Nexus 5. SNES/N64/PSP emulators run like a dream. Apps open/transition instantly. What performance metric are you even using?

You must have a lot of nightmares then. My old iphone 4 lasted happily for 4 years and after I gave it to my sister in law. I couldn't force myself to use the awful nexus 5 for even two years. And I really went close to throw that piece of crap against the wall. Apparently the "new" nexus 5x is even slower than that for some reason that is beyond human comprehension. You really have very low performance standard, like my friend that enjoys his Nexus 5x even if it feels like a slo-mo fest compared to my iphone. Good for you, but please don't even try to convince anyone of the super performance of your favourite phone.

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

#778

Post by rimantas »

hesarenu wrote: post #703
stouset wrote: post #694

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Out of curiosity, why Android-first? Pretty much all the data indicated that iOS users will readily pay for apps and content, while far fewer Android owners do. Attribute this to whatever reason you want, but it seems foolish to chase after a market that costs more to develop for (due to fragmentation), more to maintain for (due to ancient versions of Android), and won't actually net you as much revenue.

You need to target based on you end customers. In my country more then 90% users are on Android. So going Android first is no brainer. We recently launched a App using react native, getting positive reviews.

What if 90% of users are dumbphone users? Would it be a nobrainer to target them? My point is: the marketshare of Android does not tell the whole story. A lot of Android phones are lower end phones which are never used as a real smartphones, just some feature phone, which happens to run Android. I think that part should be excluded from your potentional market to see the more realistic picture.

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

#779

Post by rimantas »

1_2__3 wrote: post #649
rayalez wrote: post #402

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, come on! A new good looking android phone with a cool camera, vr, and super advanced AI assistant is not good enough for you? How revolutionary was the last project that you have developed? What qualifies as "new technology" by your high standards? Do you expect it to be able to mine uranium while giving you a blowjob? I'm pretty sure it'll be able to do the later thing when new cool VR apps come around =) Creati…

It looks like every other apple phone, the camera quality is table stakes, come off with that "super advanced" ridiculous hyperbole (it's just Google Now rebranded), and... wait that was all? I'm supposed to be leaping around in excitement over that?

Not every other Apple phone, just 6, 6S and 7 :) (And some HTC phone which had the same design even before iPhone).

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

#780

Post by B1FF_PSUVM »

mikeryan wrote: post #484
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…

Matías Duarte has been consistently at the forefront of mobile UI design. This is a pretty subjective statement. It seems that a lot of Duarte's designs are somewhat derivative. Material extends MS's Flat design. I'm also not sure how much of that is Duarte, its a pretty open secret that Google makes use of some pretty high end digital agencies who aren't allowed to let folks know what they're working on. WebOS was p…

> Material extends MS's Flat design.

Don't see much credit for that original work being passed around, but I haven't dug up the facts.

I liked the WindowsPhone 8 instance, pity that's being flushed away. Hope it will be stolen and resold to the public.

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