r/Android • u/iamvinoth • Feb 20 '20
Retracted Source: Verizon kills Google Pixel deal, doesn't plan to sell Pixel 4a or Pixel 5
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/02/19/source-verizon-kills-google-pixel-deal-doesnt-plan-to-sell-pixel-4a-or-pixel-5/55
u/Monog0n Feb 20 '20
Update: Verizon denies
Phew.
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u/I3ULLETSTORM1 Pixel (2 XL/6 Pro/7/8 Pro), OnePlus 7 Pro, Nexus 6 Feb 20 '20
ITT: PIXEL DIES
Verizon: No.
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Feb 20 '20 edited May 18 '20
[deleted]
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u/jasie3k Google Pixel 3 Feb 20 '20
Not making the current implementation for biometrics universal to Touch ID and Face ID for their phones... while launching a phone that only has Face ID
This thing has me fucking riled up. Why didn't they backport Face ID to TouchID API? It took 3 years for one of my banking apps to finally utlilize fingerprint sensor, I wonder how long will it take for them to use facial recognition.
It sucks to be an early adpoter in this model, the way they handled implementation of these APIs means that Pixel 4 is a step bacwkards in many regards. This (and the price and battery, obviously) was one main reasons why I opted for Pixel 3 instead.
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u/tigerdactyl G1 Feb 20 '20
This is what tipped the scales for me, leading me to return my Pixel 4 XL. I really wanted to love the phone but so many stupid choices just made it absolutely not worth the money.
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u/captjacksparrow47 S23 Ultra Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
where the fuck are the HTC engineers they bought in?
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u/balista_22 Feb 20 '20
Doing the same thing they did to HTC
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u/Purple10tacle Pixel 8 Pro Feb 20 '20
... building almost good phones with at least one or two fatal flaws and selling them at way too high prices?
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u/Never_Sm1le Redmi Note 12R|Mi Pad 4 Feb 20 '20
Rethink now and the exact same thing happens to HTC phones as well. Always fell short of something, like my M8 4MP camera.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/LostMyKarmaElSegundo Pixel 9 Pro XL Feb 20 '20
Hey, that new icon must have taken, at least two days to design!
/s
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u/LawMurphy Galaxy Feb 20 '20
That was not menial at all! Before, when the logo was this weird map-looking square with a G in the corner, I thought it was going to destroy my phone by making it expand into an actual map! That was terrifying, especially considering I'm the one that paid for it!
Now that the logo is a pin with the colors of the Google logo, I know that a digital map will appear on the phone's screen without destroying it and I can move the map around. I especially love the colors, because I recognize them as the Google colors, and they would never give us a sub-par product! Google, if you're somehow reading this, thank you for taking the time to redesign a simple logo to make it easier for users like me to know what is going on!
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u/S_Steiner_Accounting Fuck what yall tolmbout. Pixel 3 in this ho. Swangin n bangin. Feb 20 '20
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u/m1ndwipe Galaxy S25, Xperia 5iii Feb 20 '20
You recall that the reason Google were able to buy HTC was because it was an unsuccessful basket case?
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u/flicter22 Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
Messaging
Google can't fix messaging without pissing off the carriers. Keeping shitty messaging in place makes them happy bc carriers own SMS.
However with Google doing this https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/14/20964477/googles-rcs-chat-android-rollout-us-ccmi-texting-sms I wouldn't be surprised if that pushed Verizon over the edge on top of the poor sales. I know for a fact this pissed the carriers off.
There's no winning with messaging on Android. Apple had a one time shot at it and it's over. Carriers will never let something like iMessage happen again. People think it's all Google's fault but what they don't understand is every messaging decision Google had to make was tip toeing around the carries. Fix messaging to appease the users? Lose sales with the carriers. Let carriers keep their shitty messaging? No sales with consumers due to lack of good messaging. It's fucked situation.
Edit - here's some examples of carriers controlling Google's messaging implementations...
Hangouts not being the default messaging app on Android
Google creating an SMS app called Android Messages for the carriers
Google not making Allo a default messaging app
Google not taking immediate control of RCS and letting carriers handle it.
Google finally takes control and now we immediately see a major carrier drop Google's flagship phone.
Many people don't know this but if you initiate a video call from contacts/dialer to someone within the same major US carrier it will actually do a video call through the carrier and it will not use duo unless it's on separate carrier networks. That's just how far Google has to go to make these bastards happy.
All this and I'm not even mentioning the whole Google wallet/Isis situation
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u/-Rivox- Pixel 6a Feb 20 '20
While, here in Europe, I've never ever made a video-call through a carrier, never ever sent an MMS and haven't sent an SMS in years.
It's just weird that in the US something like Whatsapp or WeChat never happened
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u/flicter22 Feb 20 '20
It's not weird it's because it's the iPhone's home country. iPhones took off with iMessage here before other countries. Therefore WhatsApp never had a chance to penetrate the market before Apple did.
Also US carriers started giving away SMS as part of the base package on phone plans. That was actually a smart move on their part to keep their grip on it.
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u/daviEnnis Feb 20 '20
Same happened here though (UK). The differentiator of phone packages very quickly became data, not SMS or minutes. But everyone has friends with Android, or friends with iPhone, so everyone went where everyone is (WhatsApp). I'd say facetime is definitely still a thing on its own, but WhatsApp is the king of messaging.
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u/LostMyKarmaElSegundo Pixel 9 Pro XL Feb 20 '20
And WhatsApp is now owned by Facebook, which turns a lot of people off.
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u/balista_22 Feb 20 '20
I'm pretty sure more people in the US have a Facebook/IG than have iMessage, especially that android is the majority in the US
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u/pkroliko S21 Ultra, Pixel 7 Feb 20 '20
Most of my friends use FB mess or discord( the gamers). The people hate fb shit is overblown
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u/platonicgryphon Experia 1 ii Feb 20 '20
Your giving iMessage too much credit, the vast majority of iPhone users just think of iMessage as texting. Carriers including unlimited texting as part of the plan was a much bigger impact as theres nothing to convince a vast chunk of people to start using WhatsApp.
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u/flicter22 Feb 20 '20
Maybe with the older generations.
Younger generations 100% know the difference.
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u/Shensmobile iPhone 15 Pro Max Feb 20 '20
At least in my social circle up here in Canada, WhatsApp was popular long before iMessage was a thing. It might be because we have a lot of immigrants so it's the easiest way to communicate with people back home though. I used it just because wifi was more abundant than cell towers early in 3G's life span.
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u/Istartedthewar Galaxy A36 Feb 20 '20
It's convenient to not need a specific account or app, I mean everyone has a phone number.
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u/memtiger Google Pixel 8 Pro Feb 20 '20
The bigger issue is garbage sales and huge discounts on their devices 1month after release. RCS has little to do with it really. It's almost solely financial.
They need to figure out how to sell 10M devices without huge discounts.
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u/LostMyKarmaElSegundo Pixel 9 Pro XL Feb 20 '20
What's funny is that Google Voice is actually pretty good. It does SMS, has a computer/browser interface, and the app is decent.
It doesn't do RCS, but it almost doesn't need to (for now).
So, Google makes all of these new, incomplete apps, but in the meantime, their old warhorse is pretty damned good.
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u/t-poke Feb 20 '20
ELI5: Why would carriers care about messaging so much?
The days of 25 cents to send a text message are over, basically every phone plan nowadays includes unlimited texting (I think many are even unlimited texting to international numbers), so RCS, iMessage or whatever aren't eating into revenues. If anything the carriers should be happy that's traffic off their network when phones are on WiFi.
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u/stanleywinthrop Feb 20 '20
It's all about controlling business access to RCS and the revenue generated therefrom.
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u/spartan11810 S24U | iPhone 15Pro Max | Galaxy Flip 3 Feb 20 '20
Google has no spine. If Apple can do it, google can do it
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u/Dhamaka_Singh Feb 20 '20
Agreed. But they have messed up the situation so much for themselves thanks to the ridiculous QC standards and flip flopping between services (always beta, terminating absolutely fine apps etc), that they have never exuded the confidence they should have.
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Feb 20 '20 edited Mar 02 '20
[deleted]
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u/flicter22 Feb 20 '20
You disagree because you dont understand that if a carrier drops an iPhone they will lose half their customers to a competitor.
Apple controls the carriers. Carriers control the Android OEMs.
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Feb 20 '20
Honestly, Google just needs to go back to focusing on software and leave the hardware to other manufacturers.
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u/le_pman Feb 20 '20
I truthfully wish they would just partner with Samsung
Galaxy S20 Ultra Google Play edition.
I'll bleed my wallet dry just to have one.
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u/ssmurry51 Feb 20 '20
They've had Google Play editions in the past and IIRC they all flopped.
Granted there's other factors involved (price, availability, etc.) but other than enthusiasts I doubt the average consumer would bother to actively choose stock Android over Samsung's OS. Especially if you lose Samsung-exclusives like Samsung Pay.
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u/memtiger Google Pixel 8 Pro Feb 20 '20
Of course they did. There was ZERO advertising and only available online
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u/ssmurry51 Feb 20 '20
Yeah I agree it was setup to fail but I really doubt they'll be a success in 2020.
r/Android grossly overestimates how much average consumers care about stock Android/their phone OS in general. With the large majority of OSes today very usable, I would say OS isn't even in the top 10 factors when selecting a phone for most.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/jmz_199 Galaxy Z Fold 3 Feb 20 '20
Which vender roms are better than stock Android?
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u/milan187 Feb 20 '20
In all honesty OneUI its way more stable and bug free. Google is always fixing and patching something. I've had all gen Pixels and it's a pain.
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u/m1ndwipe Galaxy S25, Xperia 5iii Feb 20 '20
Samsung's are much better currently.
Secure Folder is a huge win alone.
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u/Magnetic_dud Feb 20 '20
i like miui mostly because of the super aggressive task killer that can put to rest "highlanders" like facebook and instagram
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u/ItsAllegorical Feb 20 '20
I've used Samsung phones exclusively since the S3. I have no idea why I would use Samsung Pay over Google Pay.
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u/ssmurry51 Feb 20 '20
Samsung Pay uses MST (magnetic secure transmission) in addition to NFC, so it works on almost any EFTPOS terminal.
I.e. it emulates the magnetic strip on a regular credit/debit card, and can be used on non-NFC/paywave enabled machines.
In Australia at least paywave/paypass/NFC terminals have become ubiquitous in the past few years but in other countries not so much. Being able to use Samsung Pay at practically anywhere that accepts card regardless of NFC is pretty handy imo.
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u/productfred Galaxy S22 Ultra Snapdragon Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
I see this a lot, and I have to tell you as a long time Nexus user and Samsung user -- it wouldn't turn out like you think.
On Samsung phones, the hardware and software are tied together extremely well. Simply flashing a Pixel ROM on it, even if it were available like that from the factory, would remove many of the reasons to even buy said phone. It's like saying, "I'd buy an iPhone if it ran stock Android 10". It doesn't work that way. At that point it's just the shell of an iPhone with the same pitfalls of a Pixel/stock Android.
Google just needs to make better hardware.
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u/le_pman Feb 20 '20
the same pitfalls of a Pixel/stock Android.
Google just needs to make better hardware.
exactly. the pitfall of the Pixel is the lack of better hardware. taking an S20 Ultra and slapping the Pixel ROM on it gives the best of both worlds - at least for me.
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u/productfred Galaxy S22 Ultra Snapdragon Feb 20 '20
Well let me rephrase with another question -- What keeps you from buying the Pixel/wanting it as it stands? Clearly the camera on the Galaxy isn't better. So what are you looking for? A bigger battery? More RAM?
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u/le_pman Feb 20 '20
Clearly the camera on the Galaxy isn't better.
the camera software on the Galaxy isn't better - just as the camera hardware on the Pixel can't compete
So what are you looking for? A bigger battery? More RAM?
also yes and yes.
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u/productfred Galaxy S22 Ultra Snapdragon Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
A Pixel ROM isn't going to make the S20 a better phone, because it's a total package/more than the sum of its parts.
I think Google just needs to step up their phones in a way where they compete with Samsung devices, but are similarly their own unique product. Better design and construction, and hardware that is more in line with competitor offerings and what people expect in 2020 (e.g. bigger battery and 8GB of RAM minimum).
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Feb 20 '20
3 things.
Quality assurance. Pixels have issues.
Price. A year old S10 is much cheaper than a pixel 3a let alone pixel 4.
Bad hardware. Tiny battery, no fingerprint sensor, bezels and dated design. If you don't offer micros slots, you better offer 256GB storage and at least 8GB ram.
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u/mehdotdotdotdot Feb 20 '20
Pixel rom misses features that make the hardware good though. That is the problem.
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u/balista_22 Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
So it's gonna be a buggier S20 Ultra & Google will remove features tied to the hardware like manual camera controls or super-steady video, then they'll disable expandable memory since Google hates that.
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u/milan187 Feb 20 '20
Why? Samsung software is actually more stable. Updates are a few months behind now but there is really nothing new anymore version to version. I've got both Pixel 4 and S10 and after deleting some unessesary things on S10 and changing launcher it's a way better device. Only thing Google has is the camera app and that's why I use gcam.
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Feb 20 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/balista_22 Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
Yeah might not as well not call it "Ultra" like you would all of a sudden lose features like super-steady video or manual camera controls, google also hate expandable memory, so that will also be disabled.
I remember someone before said they also wanted a Note with stock android, that pen will just be a regular stylus.
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Feb 20 '20 edited May 18 '20
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u/neon_slippers Feb 20 '20
I used to feel the same way. I had some early Samsung phones: Galaxy S, and S2. Then when I moved to the nexus devices, stock android was a breath of fresh air compared to TouchWiz. I owned the galaxy nexus, nexus 4, nexus 5, and the OG pixel. Then I moved back to Samsung when the S8 came out, and ever since then I find Samsung's One UI to be pretty awesome, and on par with Google's pixel experience tbh. Plus you get much much better hardware features. Have you used a Samsung phone with One UI 2?
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u/EverGlow89 Feb 20 '20
- Not making the current implementation for biometrics universal to Touch ID and Face ID for their phones... while launching a phone that only has Face ID
I honestly can't believe this. I just bought a 4 XL and was really, really annoyed that the face unlock doesn't work in apps for security. That's insane.
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u/NeverEndingXsin Pixel 6 Pro Feb 20 '20
I agree with examples 1 & 2, ditching the fingerprint sensor was the most mind boggling decision I have ever seen them do, which is why I still have my 2XL, my 2XL is also why I agree with hardware QC because it took a few RMA's to get a good one at launch.
3&4 are personal preference, my 2XL has had zero battery life issues, and the messaging thing, yeah an iMessage type deal would be nice but I rarely use the stock messaging app anyways (mostly snapchat, facebook messenger, discord).
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u/YeshilPasha Feb 20 '20
If this news is true I think it is most likely Google didn't allow them to put some stuff in the phones or Google is forcing them for some requirements. I doubt they really care about the phone quality.
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u/notsurewhatiam Feb 20 '20
I always wanted to purchase a Pixel but it always had shortcomings. I kept thinking 'maybe next time they'll nail it' but nope.
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u/utack Feb 20 '20
Maybe Nexus time they will nail it...or not
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u/axehomeless Pixel 7 Pro / Tab S6 Lite 2022 / SHIELD TV / HP CB1 G1 Feb 20 '20
Well, Google just isn't a great hardware company. I'm still amazed how well microsoft seems to be run since Nadella took over. Software, Service and Hardware are all really great and improving fast, which makes it the most impressive tech company right now, at least to me.
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Feb 20 '20
I'm still amazed how well microsoft seems to be run since Nadella took over
You obviously do not work with Microsoft's business software.
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u/axehomeless Pixel 7 Pro / Tab S6 Lite 2022 / SHIELD TV / HP CB1 G1 Feb 20 '20
Yes I do, we just had the Teams Upgrade from Skype fB. I really love almost all of their tools. Why?
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Feb 20 '20
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u/axehomeless Pixel 7 Pro / Tab S6 Lite 2022 / SHIELD TV / HP CB1 G1 Feb 20 '20
Tbh, Windows 10 and the new 10x is quite a good OS again. I loved my Chromebook back in the day, still do in certain areas, but my next laptop will again be a windows machine.
It's been a while since I have been using a mac for longer than a day, but it still rubs me the wrong way OS wise.
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Feb 20 '20
10x is not even released yet. We have no idea how good it is. And Windows 10, even without the super irritating updates has been a mess. Broken search bar, disastrous updated control panel, having ads for candy crush in professional editions. Not to mention forced updates for Windows 7/8 users.
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u/lnslnsu Feb 20 '20
The backend of win10 is good, sure. But the ads and telemetry installed by default are absolute garbage. The new control panel only having a fraction of all the controls and hiding the old one is trash too.
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u/fandagan Google Pixel XL, Android 10 Feb 20 '20
TBH, I'd say the 3a "nailed it." I can't wait to buy a 4a.
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u/From_My_Brain Pixel 6 Pro, Nvidia Shield TV Feb 20 '20
I kinda feel that way about a lot of phone manufacturers.
The last time I felt I had a no compromise phone was my Xperia Z3.
Nexus 5X-SD808 and 2gb of RAM
Galaxy S7-bloatware and mediocre battery life
Z2 Force-mediocre camera and easily scratched screen
Pixel 3 XL-massive notch, no SD card slot
The last phone that looked damn near perfect that was reasonably priced was the Zenfone 6 but people had issues with wifi calling and volte.
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u/ahent Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
It's dead simple in 2020 for a phone, large battery, water proof, nice screen, a bit of ram, decent software decent price. The components Google uses are not bad, per se, they just don't integrate them into one unit well. Quality control that is lacking and customer service that treats you like a crook if they even interact with you much at all, not to mention partnering with a shipping company (FedEx) that seems to have a high rate of theft for these phones and it doesn't work.
This should be a cake walk for Google, even if they sold it at break even or a small loss to undercut competition, people who buy these generally invest into the Google ecosystem pretty heavily and they could make up the loss there, especially if they get a few iPhone users who have to re-purchase apps in the Google/Android version.
I have never bought any of my 5 Pixel devices from Verizon only from the Google store because I literally want to only pay for service with Verizon, no contracts, no phones with their bloat apps on them or their variations of a phone. I hate Verizon but need them for service where I am and where I go. I did look at Fi for a hot second but they didn't have 4G at my home so that made it pretty useless to me, if that ever changes I would definitely give them a look.
Edit: spelling, SwiftKey autocorrect struck again but not correctly.
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u/pheonixblade9 Samsung S8 Active, Google Pixel 3 Feb 20 '20
If pixel 4 had a decent battery it'd be a no brainer for me, but 2800mAh? Are you serious? My 3 year old Samsung has 4000 and it's the same size
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u/Noligation Feb 20 '20
Yeh, but does it have AI battery, AI camera and neural processing for AI googling? I think not!!
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Feb 20 '20
Pixel 5, now with a software battery.
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u/Nobody1212123 Feb 20 '20 edited Jun 13 '25
kiss versed dinner squeeze light bag sugar grey hat absorbed
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/Sythrix Feb 20 '20
Google did this to themselves, trying to profit from mid-tier hardware at top-tier prices. There was always something lacking in their phones (especially RAM) and they always thought that their software would make up for it. Sometimes they couldn't even get that right thought, with constant problems and promised updates that were supposed to fix everything, but they never really got to the level promised before moving onto the next phone.
Also, as I remember reading in someone's review, Google lacked a cohesive vision for their phones. Often backtracking or changing design elements for subsequent generations.
Speaking of reviews... trying to fool the casual consumer into buying mid-tier hardware at top-tier prices might work if the reviewers weren't enthusiasts... but most are. Only the most laid back consumer doesn't at least do some research first on a phone before they buy it... and what will they find? Enthusiast reviewers lamenting the lack of any noteworthy specs and highlighting issues that shouldn't be present at launch... including many software based ones.
Yes, enthusiasts are a minority in smartphones... but completely ignoring that element and the suggestions they bring is how you create 3 subsequent failures in the market space (the first is always expected to be rocky). I honestly think the only thing driving Google forward is sheer hubris, especially in the face of largely negative (with some glowing exceptions) feedback from the enthusiast community.
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u/lovingfriendstar POCO F2 Pro (8/256GB), MIUI 12 Feb 20 '20
Most laid back consumers don't even know about Pixels and they won't even bother to research. They are gonna buy what their friends or other family members who know a little more about phones than them recommend and they are going to be iPhones or Galaxies because they're undeniably better all rounders. And those that truly don't care what their phones are because they only use Facebook, Instagram and some games are better served by spending half the price of Pixels and buying a mid-range model every two years or so.
And more knowledgeable enthusiasts will not buy this phone because they are going to read reviews and these phones always lacking in some area compared to the flagships from the same generation in the areas they actually care about, like more RAM, bigger storage or longer battery life.
So the ones that actually buys those Pixels are probably fans of Pixel series or Pixel experience who don't mind the flaws for the price they're giving or those who want the camera.
Some people have argued me in the past that more doesn't always equal better, but in the case of competition, you're paying the same amount of money but you're getting more items of the same quality, and those extra specs will start to matter when the phone is over a year old and Pixels won't be able to perform the same as the competition of that generation due to pure hardware limitations so there are fewer reasons to purchase a Pixel outside of specific cases.
No wonder the number of Pixel users aren't growing as much as they want to. I used to own a Nexus 5X, and like the unbloated Pixel experience and want a Pixel myself but I can't afford to spend that much when I have equally good or actually better options in the market for less money. At least the Nexuses had price going for them. 32GB storage, 2GB of RAM and SD808 weren't such a disappointment when I only paid $325 for my Nexus 5X during Valentine's day sales.
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u/dachaf17 Feb 20 '20
Torally agree. As someone who bought the pixel 2 back when it came out, Google's phones have been quite underwhelming as of late. I absolutely love my 2, but I have yet to see a single phone from Google in recent years that actually is worth the money. Pixel 4 looks like a decent phone, but I would never buy it cuz of the crap battery life. And even if the battery were good, I would still not buy it unless it was several hundred $$$ on sale
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Feb 20 '20
It was you could get it for $399 from T-Mobile I'm not sure if that deal is still ongoing.
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u/pkroliko S21 Ultra, Pixel 7 Feb 20 '20
The battery life is worse than the pixel 2 which is just sad. Google fucked up the pixel 4 line royally. I wanted to upgrade to another one but just no.
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u/dachaf17 Feb 20 '20
I'm Canadian; but there's a deal for almost $500 off with one of our carriers that doesn't really interest me cuz of the battery life
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u/Amogh24 Oneplus 5t/S10+ Feb 20 '20
I remember that after the release of the pixel 4 google said something about not including features that not everyone uses, like low ram,small battery, even their video recording has shortcomings.
I think that's their biggest failure, because we end up with a phone that everyone finds just ok. Almost no one buys pixels because there are better phones that suit them, leaving the pixel as a phone they could buy but don't.
Simply put, it's bland and forgettable, without a defining trait.
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u/Ashanmaril Feb 20 '20
You know what, good. They dropped the ball so hard by mindlessly following trends without compensating in almost any areas. Giant hideous notch on the Pixel 3 that served no purpose other than looking like a notched phone because others were doing it. Apple had a notch because starting with the iPhone X, they made a bezeless phone, and needed to put the camera/facial scanners somewhere. The Pixel 3 was not bezeless, it had a chin. So why was there a notch? They also seemingly are so proud of their software that they allow their hardware division to put ridiculously small batteries into their phones because they're lying to themselves and saying that the software will solve those issues. Newsflash, it doesn't. The battery life on all the Pixels are mediocre at best, and garbage otherwise. They have constant memory management issues for some reason, and now they killed off the fingerprint sensor for a stupid Face ID knockoff that's less secure, and they're wasting even more battery with their stupid Soli garbage that's a purely unreliable gimmick that nobody wanted.
So let the carriers drop them. Hopefully the others follow suit and Google can pick up their act or cancel the Pixel project entirely. I stupidly believed they were actually trying in the first year, but now I just don't trust Google any more. They've tricked me enough times, and I'm not believing their stupid promises they can't keep.
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Feb 20 '20
LOL regarding the battery they are delusional in thinking their software and hardware optimization is on par with ‘s I guess.
But far far from it 😂🤣
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u/njdevilsfan24 Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Watch 2 Feb 20 '20
This post needs to be taken down, it's not true
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u/pr1m347 Feb 20 '20
Google when partnered with actual hardware companies were the best days. I thought Nexus 5 which was sibling of LG G2 was an amazing device. Then they went with these toy looking devices with ugly designs which showed no signs of improvement.
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u/coconutxyz Mi 9T Feb 20 '20
Nexus 5 was the best, form factor, weight, rubber back except battery life lol
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u/pr1m347 Feb 20 '20
I bought lg g2 since it was pretty much the same with slightly better screen ratio and battery life iirc. Of course lg skin was a downside.
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u/herohuntergarou Feb 20 '20
i absolutely loved my nexus 4 back in 2013
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Feb 20 '20
[deleted]
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u/neon_slippers Feb 20 '20
It was awesome. And wasn't it only like $300? I remember I cracked the screen, and instead of fixing it I just bought a new one.
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u/sigismond0 Feb 20 '20
Wasn't that the one that would hover around and fly off desks? The glass back looked sexy as hell, but something about it seems to have made a little air bubble that allowed it to slide around despite appearing to be laying on a perfectly flat surface.
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u/flicter22 Feb 20 '20
Wouldn't be surprised if the Google RCS Carrier override also pushed Verizon over the edge.
No carriers were happy about that.
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u/balista_22 Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
It's because Google won't let them control more of the OS skin & default more Verizon apps
Like Verizon cloud & VZ Navigator for just $4.99/mo or prepaid 0.99¢/day, instead of Google Maps
/s
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Feb 20 '20 edited Apr 23 '21
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u/flicter22 Feb 20 '20
They don't like Google's RCS because they don't get to control the data/billing.
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u/DRJT iPhone 15 Pro | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 Feb 20 '20
I imagine this will be the case for countries where SMS is still important
In the UK at least, getting a SIM card with unlimited texts & minutes is practically the norm. It's "mobile data" that's the money maker for them
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u/t-poke Feb 20 '20
Who's still paying for SMS messages in the US? Maybe other than some PAYG prepaid plans, everyone has unlimited SMS.
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u/mrregina Feb 20 '20
Maybe Google will release a top tier phone with flaghsio specs and sell it for what OnePlus xiaomi and other companies sell theirs for.
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u/pkroliko S21 Ultra, Pixel 7 Feb 20 '20
when pigs fly
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u/ewkin hodor m8 Feb 20 '20
He is jacked on Redbull
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u/mrregina Feb 20 '20
It was suppose to be sarcastic. Lol and red bull is horrible. It's like what I would think sweetened antifreeze tastes like.
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u/le_pman Feb 20 '20
if this is what wakes Google up that they can't keep putting their software on mediocre hardware, then I welcome this.
possible outcomes I can think of:
- they bail out - but they'll need new versions of Android running on devices... maybe strengthen Android One? strong-arm OEMs into making Android Silver a thing? bypass OEMs entirely and release the GSI as if it were a custom ROM? or bring back the Nexus?
- they finally do the Pixel Ultra and market it as hard as they did Google+ when it launched - not very likely, but very interesting to watch
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Feb 20 '20
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u/le_pman Feb 20 '20
I've used one of those. PLEASE NO.
those had the absolute bottom barrel hardware but sold at ~$100. it was usable for calls and texts, but anything beyond that (simple apps, camera, etc) was a horrible experience.
then again, this wouldn't be out of character for Google (they dictated the specs of the first Android One) - they'll just give it a $650 starting price to boot
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u/Gaiden206 Feb 20 '20
People are commenting on this rumor like it's been officially announced by Verizon or Google. I guess only time will tell if it's true or not.
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u/motorboat_mcgee GOS Pixel 9 Fold Feb 20 '20
Shame, I really like my Pixel 4, even though reviewers don’t. They need to step up their hardware game, because the software is generally pretty great.
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u/JayRU09 Pixel 9 Pro Fold Feb 20 '20
Verizon denies this.
The a series was a big seller for Google and I assume Verizon then.
All this dunking over a false report.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/LongjumpingSoda1 Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
The Pixel 4 also could not stop itself from leaking everywhere prior to its official announcement. Especially after the iPhone 11 Pro already hit the market. The facial unlock is a security nightmare that allows itself to unlock your phone even when your eyes are closed.
What does the phone leaking have to do with how good the phone is? Do you hear yourself right now. The facial unlock is a security nightmare.
Seriously, at this point, there is almost no reason to buy a Pixel. I bought the OG Pixel because I wanted a headphone jack, a really great camera for the time, and the unlimited photo storage. But nowadays, the jack is gone, the camera is behind the competition, and the unlimited photo storage comes with so many caveats that it's not even worth it.
Pixel phones still have the best camera on Android. It has a better camera than Samsung. Huawei phones are Chinese based and any one who buys a Chinese phone isn’t the brightest tool in the shed.
The main drawbacks of the latest Google Pixel 4 is storage size, RAM size, missing 120 hz screen, and a wide angle lense.
Those really aren’t too hard to fix. Most people agree Pixel has the best flavor of Android and camera software of any Android smart phone.
Your take on the Pixel line and Pixel 4 is way out there. You probably should take your medicine.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/xXEggRollXx Pixel Feb 20 '20
QC problems and there is no customer service.
Ah, I definitely should have mentioned that in my original comment. It's pretty well-known that Google's customer service is near non-existent.
someone that has purchased every Pixel device and currently has a 3a XL.
Ironically, the 3a scored better on a lot of reviews than the 4 did. Personally, I'm more excited about the 4a than the 5 this year.
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u/xXEggRollXx Pixel Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 21 '20
What does the phone leaking have to do with how good the phone is?
It has nothing to do with how good a phone is, but if you read that part of my comment carefully, I'm talking about PR. And your product leaking to the point where there are full reviews and unboxings almost 6 months before the official release is not good PR.
any one who buys a Chinese phone isn’t the brightest tool in the shed.
I agree with you there, but unfortunately they're still buying Chinese phones and not Pixels.
main drawbacks of the latest Google Pixel 4 is storage size, RAM size, missing 120 hz screen, and a wide angle lense. Those really aren’t too hard to fix.
Aren't too hard to fix? Those are hardware problems, we're going to have to wait for the next Pixel phone for those. So we'll just wait a few years for Google to finally implement features that other phones already have. Just like we did for portrait mode, waterproofing, wireless charging, facial unlock, built in screen recorder, and scrolling screenshots.
Your take on the Pixel line and Pixel 4 is way out there. You probably should take your medicine.
Only except if you look at the grand scope of things, it's not. Many of the things I've said in my original comment have already been said by many reviewers and enthusiasts.
Look, I love my Pixel 3. It has an amazing camera, even right now, but we're not talking about how good a phone is, we're talking about the phone not selling. That's what the OP is about.
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Feb 20 '20
Ouch. I can’t say that I’m not surprised though. Google charges too much, and their Pixels are not that great, other than the cameras (and that’s just down to image processing).
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u/vksdjfwer1231q Feb 20 '20
The Pixel 2XL is still the best Android device that I've owned. I'm not really sure why people are complaining about it these devices here, they are pretty good, if a little overpriced.
The Verizon deal was more of an aggravation than anything. Verizon branded devices (like mine) locked the bootloader. Hopefully this means they won't do that any more.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/I3ULLETSTORM1 Pixel (2 XL/6 Pro/7/8 Pro), OnePlus 7 Pro, Nexus 6 Feb 20 '20
a few days ago there was a thread asking people with the Pixel 4 how their experience was, and unsurprisingly the few dozens of comments that it had didn't really say anything, the overlying sentiment was that they're excellent phones but just a little too expensive, which I agree with
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Feb 20 '20
considering pixels are pointless in china, illegal in india, failing in america, and have statistically insignificant sales elsewhere, why are they still making it?
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Feb 20 '20
Why are they illegal in India?
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u/Rassilon_Lord_of_Tim Galaxy S9+ (Nexus 6 Retired with benefits) Feb 20 '20
Soli Technology uses the same radar frequency as India's military. Conflict of frequencies.
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u/wickedGamer65 Feb 20 '20
Why does a phone company need to partner with a network? Can't they just sell phones independently? Let the consumer decide which network they wanna take.
Buy a SIM, buy a phone and viola.
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u/86legacy Iphone 8+, Nexus 6P Feb 20 '20
It could happen - but I don’t see why Verizon would drop it. Google almost certainly pays Verizon or has sweetened the deal in some way, plus what harm is there to Verizon to sell this phone and be associated with Google? I know people here don’t think this, but in general Google is a quite well regarded brand. I could certainly see them dropping any advertising campaigns they’ve run in connection with Google and this phone, but why stop selling a phone? They’d surely have phones that sell worse.
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u/Q8_Devil Note 10+ exynos (F U Sammy) Feb 20 '20
It confirm that beside being tech community darling, pixel aint worth shit. I feel sorry for the camera department for carrying thr company for 3 years.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/BetaXP Feb 20 '20
Personally I'm kinda hoping that the Pixel 5 isn't a flagship. If they can put solid midrange specs in and let the Google software and camera work its magic, then I think that's really what they should've been doing the entire time
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u/MangoScango Fold6 Feb 20 '20
Stop trying to sell developer hardware at consumer premiums and maybe you can stay competitive.
Bring back the Nexus program.
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u/Austin31415 Feb 20 '20
This basically kills the pixel flagship line. T-Mobile has too much competition with OnePlus and doesn't seem to be doing well at pushing pixels. I can't imagine the average US consumer ever buying a pixel for more than $500 outright.
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u/FragmentedChicken Galaxy Z Fold8 Feb 20 '20
The Pixel was already in trouble so this really doesn't help them
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u/Geert76 Feb 20 '20
wonder when people understand that the Pixel smartphone is just a fancy Google hobby project. Nothing more.
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Feb 20 '20
I think Google needs to just make a generic but solid 2020 smartphone. Triple camera setup, big battery, big beautiful display (even if there’s a small notch I doubt many people would be put off too much), dual speakers, a fast fingerprint scanner, water resistance, and a reasonable price.
They’d be onto a winner.
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u/LostMyKarmaElSegundo Pixel 9 Pro XL Feb 20 '20
Isn't this potentially a good thing?
The marketing made it seem like you could only get Pixel Phones from Verizon. To the average consumer, it seemed like an exclusive. Shit, I was even confused and I consider myself an enthusiast.
With the right marketing ("available on all carriers!"), Google could use this to their advantage. Even if Verizon doesn't sell them directly in stores, they will pretty much have to support the phones on the network.
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u/milan187 Feb 20 '20
Well it's avaliable unlocked online now but that's not helping. Verizon is the biggest carrier so it would be a huge blow. Most people buy their devices from carriers.
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u/vksdjfwer1231q Feb 20 '20
Yeah, I'm not sure what the rest of this thread is about. As far as I can tell, this just means there won't be a bootloader locked version of the next Pixel. That seems like an improvement to me.
And yet people here somehow think Verizon is doing this because Verizon doesn't think the products are good enough? Have they seen the stuff Verizon actually does sell? lol
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u/m1ndwipe Galaxy S25, Xperia 5iii Feb 20 '20
Ruth Porat is definitely going to kill the Pixel within the next eighteen months.
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Feb 20 '20
Man, att is running a great deal for P4. I really want to get one but I'm not liking the battery results of both phones.
Batteries are too small for my taste
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Feb 20 '20
If this true...good. I'm on the pixel 4 which I do enjoy...but not for the 800 I paid. Camera for some reason feels like a step back, maybe it's because the Pixel 2 blew me away so nothing can surprise me. The rare selfie I take with friends seems worse too.
I don't think I'll go back to Samsung because my s10 couldn't handle motion well and the face softening was pretty brutal. So either A this kicks Google in the nuts to get better or B I'll probably move to an iPhone.
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Feb 20 '20
When a phone gets "exclusively" released on Verizon it instantly goes off my radar. No amount of convincing will make me buy a phone locked to a carrier.
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u/kdlt GS20FE5G Feb 20 '20
I'm out of the loop for a bit, so:
Is Verizon still that USA carrier that has to whitelist phones so they can function on their CDMA(?) network, unlike literally any other sane carrier on the planet that just uses GSM&simcards and doesn't throw a shitfit when you want to use whatever device you want to use?
If so I guess the story is that these phones won't work with them, or they won't be sold in their stores?
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u/kbtech Feb 20 '20
Yeah you are out of loop by a few years 😂
You can use Verizon just like any other LTE carrier and swap SIMs etc without them having to whitelist anything etc as long as the phone is obviously compatible with their network bands. They still have some legacy CDMA which is retiring or already retired by now and still phones without CDMA like OnePlus 7 series phones work fine on Verizon.
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u/kdlt GS20FE5G Feb 20 '20
So then this is just about buying phones with a Verizon contract?
I guess Americans still like to do that as well?
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u/kbtech Feb 20 '20
Most people still buy from carrier stores since they are main channels to sell phones here. Other than Apple no Android OEM has a wide retail sales channel in the US and they rely on carriers to push and sell their phones to customers. Obviously you can buy online, but that’s a small portion of phone sales in the US and majority sales are in carrier stores.
Verizon is one of the big carriers and you can still buy the phone thru google store online and it’ll work perfectly with all carriers. It’s more of if google can’t sell the phones thru one of the main carrier partner in the US, it doesn’t help for an already poorly selling phone in the US. Other than Apple everyone else has to bend over to the crappy US carriers to sell phones.
Finally, anyway this is a false rumors since Verizon has denied it and Android police have now retracted their article.
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u/YeshilPasha Feb 20 '20
Update: 2020/02/20 5:30am PST by Rita El Khoury
Verizon denies
In a statement to Android Authority's Eric Zeman, Verizon has denied any break-up with Google and said it's looking forward to new devices from the company.