Google 'Pixel' Phones (and other Google event stuff)

Francie Barrett wrote: »

HTC build quality is just useless, especially after a year.

What nonsense. The HTC10 is arguably the best built Android phone at the moment. Read the reviews.

So did the Pixel or Pixel XL ever pop up on the Irish store ?
What's the estimated price of the Pixel XL 128GB ?
Anyone know anything about the Snapdragon 821 and the audio package. Headphone audio has always been pants on google devices.

Francie Barrett wrote: »

I paid €450 for my Nexus 5x at launch and at the time I remember thinking, this is the absolute limit I think a Nexus is worth. Disappointed at the prices, I will be moving to a new brand. Has anyone got suggestions on the most Nexus like experience you can get for €400?

The Moto X line hits in the €350-450 range for a pretty kickass phone running almost stock Android.

Beyond baffled at the price point of these, really.

I get that google want to go premium but the average consumer doesn't even know they make their own phones so why would they possibly get one at the same price as their trusted iPhone or more expensive than an S7?

I'm sure they'll be great phones, they certainly look insanely quick in the videos so far, but I can't see them selling well at all.

Venom wrote: »

Going premium requires not only killer hardware but putting some real effort into the product like a really cool design, a fancy curved screen or being fully waterproof. Google charging the best part of a grand for a boring generic looking phone that's lacking micro SD support (a must have on any Android device) and lacking any sort of wow factor, is delusional.

Curious as to why you say microSD is a must? They now provide unlimited cloud backup for all your photos and video, 128GB is a lot of space for everything else. My current device is 64GB but I've never needed more than 32GB and I carry a lot of movies and shows around on my device at all times.

Really don't know what the point of these phones are.

Nexus programme has been closed down, what's the idea with the pixel branding?

Google have their head stuck in the sand the last few years with an inability to create successful products which customers want. Not just in hardware. Slowly turning into Microsoft.

I was hoping that they would announce a 7-8" tablet. Looking for Nexus 2013 replacement.

Probably more an XDA post but I'll pose it here. Nexus phones were designed to show off and promote innovation in android. A relatively cheap well spec'd phone that you could easily root and test customs roms with. With this change of focus might the pixels be more locked down, less mod-friendly phone?

At the very least with the premium prices I doubt many custom ROM developers have both the time and disposable income to justify pixels (or recent Nexus's either) as their base device. I'm wondering what impact this might have on android development. A move away from a common development device could from lead to fragmented development.

Hardly end of the world stuff but generally not a positive step.

As for the phone I did have a chuckle at the 3.5mm jack reference. But nothing there to justify it over say an op3 with neither having the many of the things my current 3 year old phone offers (expandable storage, FM radio and removable battery) in a palm-friendly size.

Will be interesting to see which screen size sells more. I know Sony offer their compact devices but off the top of my head I can't think of any of the big players releasing such similar devices at the same time. The only difference being screen real estate. If I had to choose it'd be the smaller of the 2.

Surely only worth it if Google assistant will do the shopping, walk the dog and collect the kids. I'll wait for version 2.0 and the optional lawnmower adaptor.

I'd echo what people are saying about Googles branding, vision, etc...

I bought a nexus 6p and have always used Android but I'm getting annoyed with a lot of things. Way too many messaging apps, now there's too many launchers, complications with google now and google assistant, play podcasts still not available in Ireland.

If they want to be so badly like an iphone, take a page out of their book and keep it clean and simple. The only thing keeping me with Nexus was the pure Android which this now apparently won't be, if only other manufacturers could have updates released at the same time as Google.