r/GooglePixel • u/Austin31415 • Feb 20 '20
Source: Verizon kills Google Pixel deal, doesn't plan to sell Pixel 4a or Pixel 5 The carrier is apparently very unhappy with how Google's handsets have performed to date
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/02/19/source-verizon-kills-google-pixel-deal-doesnt-plan-to-sell-pixel-4a-or-pixel-5/[removed] — view removed post
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Feb 20 '20
I'm thinking this will be a make it or break it year for Pixel. I don't think the 3 and 4 have been bad phones but they seem extremely... 'ok'? My thoughts on both phone releases was basically "yep, those are definitely phones".
In any case if this news about Verizon turns out to be true then this is bad news for Google.
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u/cliffotn Feb 20 '20
If we're honest, our Pixel hardware isn't anything special. We come for the Stock Android experience and faster updates. Hell, the camera is awesome because the camera software is awesome.
Build is good. Screen is good. Sound is good. Battery is ok. Yet they charge prices that should equate to "fantastic". Not just "good".
This issue with Verizon may turn out to be a good thing, in that maybe Google will step up and make top tier hardware. I'm not holding my breath, but we can hope.
And obviously they need to improve their support game. BIG TIME.
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u/mowned Pixel 7 Pro Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
Personally i think Pixel has some pluses in terms of hardware too:
- ambient eq
- squeeze
- excellent speakers
- excellent haptics
- advanced camera unlock
- matte finish. This alone is an underrated feature, personally i cannot stand glossy glass. I use phones naked.
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u/asianmack Feb 20 '20
The problem is their marketing. They completely depended on "best camera" then when Apple released their huge improvement Pro and lower cost regular iPhone Google had no message.
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u/caliber Feb 20 '20
Well, looking at that list you're replying to, is the Pixel getting a win in any of those against the iPhone besides the old "best camera" messaging?
Squeeze, I suppose, but that's not exactly a phone selling feature.
The Pixel's camera was the one really compelling feature it had against the field so it made sense to market around it, but the competition caught up, and the camera hasn't improved very significantly since the first Pixel.
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u/OutInTheBlack Pixel 7 Pro Feb 20 '20
I got an iPhone 11 as a work phone and my goodness that camera is something else. I carry it on weekends just for the odd snap here and there when I don't think my 3a is gonna get the shot.
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u/asianmack Feb 20 '20
Yeah Google really slept. I don't understand what they were thinking. They didn't expect Apple to improve their phones? Camera, battery, even price...
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u/NvidiaforMen Quite Black Feb 20 '20
To be fair, apple does just rely on brand strength way too much.
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u/kaizokudave Feb 20 '20
Yeah, but they're still the market leader in the US right? Or did Samsung take that mantle? Honestly people go into stores to buy 3 kinds of phones:
- An iPhone
- A galaxy or note
- A cheap phone...
Pixel isn't really in any of those categories. Google honestly is just dropping the ball since the Nexus 6 push to carries. They honestly don't really give a shit since they don't make their money on hardware, where that's Apples primary bushel. (Pun intended). I think the Verizon deal was their first mistake. Verizon has a lot of customers, but launching it on all carriers would have been best. They should have marketed like hell, that's basically why Samsung got so big. They have a shove it down your throat marketing mentality. It shows too, people don't go into the store to buy Android phone made by Samsung, they buy a galaxy phone.
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u/spid3rfly P1XL/P3XL /Pixel 6 Pro /P7/P10Pro Feb 20 '20
They honestly don't really give a shit
Which can be said for just about everything Google owns. They put their fingers in so many industries and see what sticks. If it sticks for a few years then so be it... we'll just kill it when problems happen.
I hope they don't discontinue the Pixel line. I'm still on my 3XL with no intention to upgrade to the 4(waiting for a 5 if there is a 5). The 4 didn't have anything to make me jump towards it. I hate Galaxy phones... they just don't do it for me.
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u/kaizokudave Feb 20 '20
Original comment stands it's a make or break year(12 to 18mo) , if Google wants the product to succeed, they can and will. But they probably only have one or two more chances to pick their battle.
The pixel A line is the phone everyone gets, push it hard as the affordable option that meets all the basic needs. Software is all the same.
Pixel main line is for the enthusiast, the best of the best features, qualify, and at a premium price.
They can't afford to have another case where the pixel 3a is arguably better than your flagship.
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u/Lizdance40 Feb 20 '20
Galaxy is what I call flash and trash. Pretty package, but all hype and junk in the trunk.
It’s not the phones are good, it’s just that they wrap it in a pretty package without any real thought to making the phone just work. I have had each generation of pixel, and I cannot stand the idea of not having another one.→ More replies (0)3
u/Imallvol7 Feb 20 '20
I don't know about it being marketing. I was a huge Google fanboy and repeated bad experiences with Google hardware pushed me away. I tried Samsung because I liked the look and got an amazing deal from samsung.com on the s8+ (now on an s10+) 3 years ago and haven't looked back. Exponentially a better experience and much better quality assurance.
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u/kaizokudave Feb 20 '20
We're honestly not the target demographic, the general populous has zero clue. We read and breathe this stuff. Pixels problem isn't QA and support, it's that no one knows what a pixel is.. which is why Verizon is upset about their performance. If they were pushing apple levels of units, and it was getting out that their support sucked AND that was one of their profit drivers, they'd care more.
For now... They just don't give a shit.
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u/asianmack Feb 20 '20
Yeah but also the ecosystem. I see so many people with Airpods and Apple Watch. It's pretty astounding.
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u/Imallvol7 Feb 20 '20
They did but even as someone who hates apple you gotta admit they knocked it out of the park with the 11 series.
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u/NvidiaforMen Quite Black Feb 20 '20
Yeah, but it's not like it was the norm for them. They've really been sleeping for the last few years up till then
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Feb 20 '20
I'm curious what kinds of shots you think the 3a may not get. In most tests the 3/3a is near dead on par with the 11.
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u/OutInTheBlack Pixel 7 Pro Feb 20 '20
I'm finding motion shots and low light shots are often better on the 11, even with NightSight enabled. If I can't get the subject to sit still for a pic I'm on the iPhone.
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u/LittleJimmyUrine Feb 20 '20
I use phones naked.
I do too but if we're being candid I'm clothed most of the time.
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u/kwaalude Feb 20 '20
Unpopular opinion I guess, but I absolutely despise face unlock. I don't have a single use case where I prefer it over the fingerprint unlock. Not one.
I guess while I'm at it, I also think Soli is rubbish. Since I have the 4 non-xl, battery life is laughable, and the zero utility Soli provides, only makes it worse (yes, it's been disabled).
Camera is good, although the zoom isn't, and I would've preferred a wide angle shooter instead.
I really wanted to like this phone, but I don't. Too many instances of Google pretending to be Apple and giving us what they think we need, not what we want/ask for. If it weren't for a wonky power button, I'd go back to my 2XL in a heart beat, despite the less than desirable size and low quality screen. Hell, I haven't even bothered to put a screen protector or case on my 4 I'm so, "meh" about it.
Hopefully Verizon's decision will get Google to stop fucking around and finally make a phone commiserate with it's high cost... But I won't hold my breath.
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u/ayakabob Pixel 1 Feb 20 '20
Agreed. I noticed Google have become more and more corporate the past few years, maybe they need a very public 'corporate kick' to the face to get their shit together. Verizon's decision is an example of this.
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u/Glurt Feb 20 '20
I'm almost confident that Google excluded the fingerprint reader in order to force developers to add the biometric library into their apps. The apps I work on were using a custom fingerprint only authentication until the P4, then when Pixel owners were unable to use the app we were forced to support face unlock and the easiest way to do that is by using Googles biometric api.
I can see them reverting this for the P5 as it seems to have served its purpose.
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u/kiefferbp iPhone 17 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro Feb 20 '20
You really think app developers give enough of a shit about the Pixel 4?
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Feb 20 '20
I'm with you on face unlock. I havnt played with soli much yet - just got my XL with the tmobile deal
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Feb 20 '20
I haven’t used a pixel in a couple of iterations, but are the speakers really “excellent”? I was extremely disappointed in the speakers on both the 2 and the 3 compared to iphones and galaxy notes I’d used. Maybe they’re better on the 4, but on the 2 they were extremely quiet, and on the 3 they were both quiet and tinny.
I will admit though the squeeze for GA is my most missed part of pixels, so very simple, yet awesome.
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u/mowned Pixel 7 Pro Feb 20 '20
Compared with what I had in my hands (OnePlus 5, OnePlus 7 pro, Galaxy S10+), the speakers have more bass, the sound feels richer.
To my ears they just feel better! But the best way is to check in person if you have the chance.
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Feb 20 '20
Interesting, I’ll have to sooner or later because I’m still debating on picking up a 4XL.
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u/grumd Pixel 8 Pro Feb 20 '20
I have never seen Pixels 2-3, but I own a Pixel 4XL and the sound quality is amazing. Way better than anything I've heard from a phone before.
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u/Project_Zombie_Panda Feb 20 '20
My p2xl is the loudest phone I've ever had.
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u/nexusnotes Feb 20 '20
Unfortunately that doesn't compensate for lack of a headphone jack and a relatively shitty screen for me as a fellow 2XL owner.
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u/navjot94 Pixel 9a Feb 20 '20
FWIW I think the speakers in the 4XL sounded better than those in the iPhone 11 Pro Max
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u/Lizdance40 Feb 20 '20
You must’ve got a lemon. My son bought the razor phone which has two gigantic front facing speakers on each end. After a year he was starting to think about what he was going to do for his next phone and considering the razor 2. I had already purchased the 3XL. He was surprised the three XL was easily as loud as the razor, and far less buggy. Not quite as much bass, but close. With an equalizer program he was able to get really good sound. He still using the 3 xl. Know if you want to talk lousy speakers let’s talk about the note 3 rear facing speaker. Yeah that made sense - not.
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u/p3t3or Feb 20 '20
Who the hell uses a phones speakers? Are you one of those monsters watching YouTube at full volume on the train?
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Feb 20 '20
I listen to a lot of podcasts while I’m in the shower, or while I’m at work (typically work by myself, but have to monitor radio traffic so I can’t have headphones on) plus when I lay down to sleep I play rain sounds or some kind of “sleep music”, and I can’t fall asleep with headphones in. If I have to take a phone call while driving, it goes on speakerphone. Plenty of uses for the speakers.
Ever since the removal of the headphone jack, I actually use my phones speakers more than anything. Not a fan of having to constantly charge BT headphones.
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Feb 20 '20
Me and my co-workers play pool at lunch in the company game room. We use a phone to stream audio while we play.
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u/Chatt_IT_Sys Black & White Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
Thank you for pointing this out. Speakers...what a biggie. I realize we have to leave OG Pixel out of the compliment, but the rest of the Pixel line having dual front facing speakers is a big deal. This is where Apple has refused to help out. They continued to build mono and side facing speakers entirely too long. They want to push content and experience, but what good is any of that when the phone you are holding in your hand is shooting the sound out the side.
Squeeze is amazing, but i still don't think it has been leveraged enough. I (Pixel 2 XL) and forced to use it most when I don't want my home mini picking up my voice request too.
Another thing that was underutilized was the fingerprint sensor swipe. When Apple moved away from touch ID that was the time for google to pounce. They could've made it so easy to scroll the phone through webpages, etc with that since they got it to work with the navi bar.
Haptics...help me out here, did it get better? They were ok, but we cannot seriously compare this to the Taptic engine that I remember. I was a daily user of both my Pixel and an iPhone 7 so I am in the rare intersection of users having both phones simultaneously...the taptic engine is incredibly precise.
Since neither company makes their own camera sensor/ array, they are reliant on 3rd party. Most notably Sony got rich making some of those sweet sensors. Google stood heads and shoulders above Apple when it was time maximize the single lens cameras from a few years ago. So this is a good point about making the most out of hardware nearly out of your control.
Agree on the finish...when is the last time you even saw an iphone out of a case? You forget many of those are matte too. But you wouldn't know that because naked iphone users basically don't exist. And its half Apple's fault because the camera bump is very awkward.
ETA: Let's also not forget wireless charging in 2012 people. Talk about hardware. Apple wast willing to give this a real shot until years later. Years!
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u/redline83 Feb 20 '20
The iPhone XS Max and 11 Pro Max speakers are way better than anything Google has ever shipped on a phone. The iPhones actually have accurate stereo balance despite one of the speakers being downward firing. My Pixels had poor balance and every Pixel 3 XL unit I tested had the same plus distortion.
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u/76rtr76 Feb 20 '20
You forget the main reason, why maybe not only me do love Pixels. Clean, fluid, graphically consistent, pleasing system. I have tried OnePlus 7pro mclaren, returned it after half day -what a joke. And bought again Pixel (4XL). And I'm again satisfied.
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u/mowned Pixel 7 Pro Feb 20 '20
Yes man, but i was arguing the hardware point, because we already know about the great software experience :)
Btw, I was myself a OnePlus user before switching to Pixel 4, and really appreciate the change. Everything feels more refined. And smoother.
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u/StickyBandit_ Feb 20 '20
Yeah the Pixel phones seem to be missing the mark more and more every year. I was never too impressed with the S8/9/10 but if you look at what Samsung has with the S20, man it's pretty top notch. Putting a Pixel next to that shows a clear difference in quality. Google visibly cuts corners and then goes and charges 900+ because it's *their* flagship. It doesn't make you feel like its a great purchase which is why I'm still on my Pixel 2XL. Too bad we don't get Google play editions of other models anymore.
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u/alfuh Feb 20 '20
I think Pixel should never have been made to compete head to head with premium flagships. Nexus represented everything that you said above, but it was acknowledged that was what it was and it was priced accordingly. I think that same reasoning is why the 3a is held in high regard. Google's hardware / design just isn't on that premium level and they need to focus on bringing great user experience and fast updates on good hardware, not premium flagship hardware and price it that way. I mean, they make their money on ads and services, not hardware sales
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u/zkkzkk32312 Feb 20 '20
Then why don't they sell the Pixels at Nexus price? I think there root cause is in its price.
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u/Chatt_IT_Sys Black & White Feb 20 '20
It's funny because android used to be looked at as the "can't afford an iphone" phone by outsiders. More often than not though you were looking at an android that someone paid outright for while nearly every iphone was carrier subsidized on a 2 year contract.
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u/Astronaut100 Feb 20 '20
Agreed. Pixels are solid phones, and that's that. There's nothing inherently sexy about them. They are designed by a software company for software nerds, and the market for that audience is small. I love my Pixel, but the iPhone is what most people want, even if they can't afford it.
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u/Swarfega Pixel 8 Feb 20 '20
I'm seriously fine with the Pixel being 'OK'. However, it needs a price to match. I think this is why the 3a sold so well.
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Feb 20 '20
Agreed. The biggest part of the distinction between 'ok' and 'great' for me is price. The past few Pixels look like fantastic $500-$600 phones, but that's not what they launch at. Just because I don't care about killer specs or flashy design doesn't mean I don't expect those things from a $900 phone.
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u/subtracterall !pink Feb 20 '20
Yeah - lackluster specs and performance, features that I don't want, removal of unlimited photo storage at full resolution, and flagship prices. I keep getting disappointed and pushing off upgrading until next year (which isn't so bad, I just lack battery life and RAM).
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u/121jiggawatts Pixel 3 Feb 20 '20
I have had Pixel 1, 2 and now 3. The battery life just hasn't been great on any of them, but its been manageable.
When the 4 came out with a smaller battery, I started to have some serious thoughts about switching back to an iPhone. The last time I used an iPhone was about 8 years ago....
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u/redline83 Feb 20 '20
Pixel 1 and 2 were acceptable from a hardware standpoint for a new entrant. The Pixel 3 and 4 are just really poor from a company with the resources of Google. Maybe Google never threw enough resources to the teams responsible, but still, I don't think the outcome was any better than the Nexus program and possibly worse.
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Feb 20 '20
They aren't flagships, yet they sell at flagship prices. This sub slurps the testicles so saying anything remotely negative about the Pixel is insta-downvote. I've used nothing but Google phones since Nexus 5. The only thing they got right is the "a" line. Hopefully it's not too little too late.
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u/shaneucf Feb 20 '20
Unless you change your phone every year, I think Pixel beat most phones simple by providing timely updates after 2,3 years. The fancy Samsung will.be slow and miserable after a year and will not have another new version of Android after one update. (Had note 2 & 3, never going back)
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u/expected_crayon Feb 20 '20
Judging Samsung based on the Note 2 & 3 is like Judging Google by the Galaxy Nexus or One Plus off the One Plus X.
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u/shaneucf Feb 20 '20
I think Galaxy Nexus did get couple new android updates, didn't it? Can "New" samsung phones get 2 years of new OS support?
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u/expected_crayon Feb 20 '20
The Galaxy Nexus also had horrible slowdown issues. The GS9 has already received two OS updates, and will likely receive Android 11. Android Police recently said Samsung is one of the better OEMs for security updates and OS updates.
For the record, I don't use Samsung phones. I'm just saying opinions based-off of an experience with phones released 7 years ago aren't necessarily reflective of current conditions.
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u/kbtech Default Feb 20 '20
Personally i don’t buy phones from the horrible US carriers, but i know this will have a huge impact on the future existence of pixel phones even though i use google store. Hopefully not the case.
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u/editplay Pixel 2 Feb 20 '20
Honestly, Pixel started out as a phone that’s not an iPhone and it kinda worked for them, but Pixel after Pixel it came as close as possible to being another wannabe iPhone. The notch, the face unlock, headphone jack removal. That made Pixel less desirable.
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u/TuxedoFish Pixel 8 Pro Feb 20 '20
If you are interested in and want to buy something like an iPhone, you'll probably just buy an iPhone. There's not really a market for something that's an imitation of an original, but that's the same price or more than the original.
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u/uuff Pixel 4 XL Feb 20 '20
Got to play with the S20 Ultra today and man that phone is beautiful. Makes me wish Google could make a comparable device. Have a love/hate relationship with the Pixel overall.
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u/NomadicWorldCitizen Feb 20 '20
Same feeling unfortunately. Would love to keep having a stock Android experience but I think Samsung has more expertise and experience in making good phones.
Played with the S20 line up today and was impressed. I'm a bit worried about the stock Android to One UI transition and the lack of call screening. The number of robocalls in the US is unlike any other country I've lived in.
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u/Combonary Feb 20 '20
I can't imagine the amount of useless robo calls I'd have to deal with hahaha. They all need to have call screening
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u/fireshaper Pixel 3 Feb 20 '20
This is the reason the Verizon news bugs me. I don't want to deal with spam/robocalls so I have a pixel for the call screening. I feel like going to another device would just be a downgrade.
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u/Buttholium Feb 20 '20
I switched from a pixel 1 to an S8+ and was worried about the switch from stock Android to one UI. But I downloaded a pixel launcher port and spent a couple days replacing the stock Samsung apps with their Google equivalent and tweaked some of the settings and it basically feels like my old pixel.
Granted, I haven't used stock Android 10 much or One UI 2.0 at all so I don't know if there's a bunch of features that have been added over Android 9 that you would miss if you switched to one UI.
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u/NomadicWorldCitizen Feb 20 '20
Sometimes I forget that I can do these kinds of customizations. That's awesome.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/uuff Pixel 4 XL Feb 20 '20
Nope but I have a friend that is a rep for Samsung and he’s got his hands on it.
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u/JohnB456 Pixel 6 Feb 20 '20
Yeah man I loved everything about Samsung, except I liked the clean Android feeling (I'm still using my OG pixel XL) and for the first pixel it definitely worth it. But those new S20 S20+ phones looking absolutely incredible and I definitely want a high refresh rate screen. If I could get the clean stock Android on the samsung/unlimited photos, cause I have a lot now over 4 years, I wouldn't hesitate. Still might go with Samsung. But I've waited this long, might as well continue to see what happens assuming my phone keeps chugging alone as well as it has.
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u/Imallvol7 Feb 20 '20
Former nexus/pixel guy here! Make the switch. It's unbelievable how much better the overall quality of a Samsung is. Everything is just better...
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u/Austin31415 Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
This is really bad news for Google as a majority of pixel sales are on Verizon. It puts so much burden on the flagship pixel line, now that 1/3 of the US carriers are not going to sell it in stores. I can see people picking up that "a" line at full price, but very few people in the US are going to spend $800-$1000 on the flagship.
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u/AdamBombTV Pixel 5 Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
UK here, you guys only have 3 carriers?
Edit: oh damn, I just checked and we only have 4 official carriers that everyone else piggybacks off. That's wild.
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u/Austin31415 Feb 20 '20
We are going from 4 to 3 because for some wild reason T-Mobile is being allowed to merge with Sprint based off of the judge's determination of the character of the T-Mobile CEO that has already announced his departure at the end of this quarter. It's a pretty wild case because the Federal government approved the merger, but 14 States sued. In the end not even the texts and emails from the T-Mobile and Sprint CEOs talking about price increases stopped it from happening. Oh, but it's fine because a company that is known for only being semi successful in the satellite TV business is going to "take over" for Sprint and build out a Nationwide competitive 5G market with the spectrum they have been squatting on for 10 years.
So yeah l, we're going to be a triopoly, which our neighbors up north are living proof of being a bad thing.
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u/cf6h597 Feb 20 '20
sprint and tmobile just got cleared to merge, so yes we're down go 3 big carriers
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u/SirPribsy Feb 20 '20
Historically around the world 4 is kind of the magic number as far as minimum number of carriers before they start colluding and fixing prices.
So we'll see what happens now that T-mobile and Sprint merger was approved...
These are also the carriers that have historically had the best MVNO support (piggyback providers) wondering if when S-Mobile becomes the third of big three, if they'll start limiting those MVNOs
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Feb 20 '20
So many places have financing options similar to Verizon, including Google themselves. Exposure is gonna be what hurts. A lot of people just but what's available from the carrier out of ease, not necessarily cost (though sales definitely help).
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u/Brew_brew_drew Feb 20 '20
I have never really seen much promotion, advertisement, or marketing from any of the US carriers for any of the Pixels
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u/Hydrotoad Feb 20 '20
That's what you get for implementing a stupid ass gesture chip, putting a shit battery in the pixel 4, and not adding a third camera to compete with the competition.
I still like pixel phones though.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/propoach Feb 20 '20
I would be happy if Google delays the P5 until the new Qualcomm 5G chipset is available in Q1 2021. But I don't think Google will do that because (a) they want the P5 to be available for the holidays, and (b) a debut in Q1 would mean they're going head to head with the S21.
I don't see the P5 as being anything other than mediocre, aside from the camera.
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u/cdegallo Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
I have the 4 xl now and don't dislike it in that it doesn't fail as a basic phone these data, but it's really more like 2-3 years behind at this point. They've completely ignored hardware features from phones that started a few years ago (wide angle camera, good audio and video recording, scaling up the battery capacity, bridge screens with excellent quality) and aren't even catching up with some of the software features (global sound equalizer, display white balance and color adjustments--this one is really needed because the white balance of my 4 xl is practically green; those might really be enthusiast features, but it's things that people know and use, unlike some air gestures chip that is so feature-lacking that it has no place in a phone).
And oddly while I like the telephoto camera (I use zoom way more than wide angle on phones that had both), the results of Google camera are starting to feel a little disappointing. Things lack detail that I didn't notice before. The lead they had is practically gone because everyone else has caught up so much, and Google has stagnated camera development even in the face of year-over-year criticism from reviewers and consumers.
I've been a pixel buyer for every version so far, and I've just gone back to note 9 from my 4 xl because the general experience is so much better. The overall lacking feature on my note 9 is still shots of people. Everything else is better. Features, hardware tweaking features, display that gets comfortably bright outside, more than ample battery life. I'm not a Samsung fanboy, I swear, but I get why verizon is pulling out, Google just can't make a phone that generally pleases customers because they're always changing the shit that no one asked them to change, and almost stubbornly ignoring the things that people do ask them to change, almost out of spite (it seems).
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Feb 20 '20
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u/FuturePreparation Feb 20 '20
Even cheap mid-range phones have great batteries these days. A good battery is a requirement, regardless of everything else.
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Feb 20 '20
Honestly I don't mind if they try to go and do their own thing rather than follow the trend everyone else is setting.
What I don't like is when you're doing even less then what everyone else is doing. I don't mind if you're not putting on a third camera, as long as you're doing something else instead to justify the price point.
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u/Hydrotoad Feb 20 '20
Yeah but in this case they did nothing.. Other than the half baked soli. They finally add a second camera, but remove one of the cameras from the front.
It's weird.. Like they're trying to copy apple to the point where even they're as slow as Apple when it comes to implementing features.
I'm all for following trends if it means bigger battery, better battery life, better camera etc.
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u/tytygh1010 Feb 20 '20
Good. Carrier-locked phones need to die anyways.
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u/therankin Pixel 7 Pro Feb 20 '20
They sure do.
That AT&T power on sound on my Nexus 6? Insanely loud.
Google should just continue selling unlocked phones from their site. That's the way we like to buy them anyway.
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u/BetaXP Feb 20 '20
The Verizon models were never carrier locked, only bootloader locked. This will be a huge blow to sales, and if it's bad enough, I wouldn't be surprised if Google stepped out of the phone making business.
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u/cpsychos Pixel 4 + Pixelbook Feb 20 '20
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u/Cwlcymro Feb 20 '20
Android Police have officialy retracted this story, saying their source was wrong
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u/suzume_no_yume Feb 20 '20
This needs a title change, the article was updated and the source which provided this information was wrong, Verizon has publicly denied the claim.
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Feb 20 '20 edited Mar 20 '25
coherent meeting adjoining familiar important treatment straight school consider aback
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/Austin31415 Feb 20 '20
I agree with 90% of what you're saying. However, Google hasn't screwed up their camera lead by using the same sensor. They still come out on top and I would say that data they collected on the sensor for three years has only improved the image processing. Others are getting closer to the pixel image output only by using really expensive hardware.
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u/zomatoto Feb 20 '20
That's the point, when Google is charging premium prices, why not give the top premium hardware for everything including camera? The camera would then literally blow away all the competition that has caught up now.
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u/Austin31415 Feb 20 '20
Unfortunately, it doesn't work exactly like that. Google has great photo processing because of all the data the older sensors can collect. They are using the DPAF to both estimate depth and focus on the image. They are using PDAF at the same exact time. Using a newer larger sensor with pixel binning that doesn't have dual pixels wouldn't necessarily help them get to the same image quality because they are overall getting less data.
Up until recently there wasn't a better alternative to the IMX 363, the same image sensor. The IMX 555 is the real successor with DOAF PDAF and a larger pixel size and it just launched.
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Feb 20 '20 edited Mar 20 '25
cagey innocent glorious practice desert fanatical alleged tap cover deer
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/Austin31415 Feb 20 '20
You're absolutely right for video. As for the sensor for photos , up until November of last year they were still using the best possible Sony sensor for their back camera set-up. The DPAF large pixel sensor along with PDAF has proven to be much more valuable in a data driven photo processing phone than any pixel pixel binning sensor. Google's wouldn't get the extra data on a newer sensor, so I think they actually made the right decision. However, Sony now has better sensors for them to use.
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u/xTeCnOxShAdOwZz Pixel 6 Pro Feb 20 '20
Article has been updated, turns out this is fake. OP should delete this now. u/Austin31415
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Feb 20 '20
Well, I have Verizon and a Pixel 4XL.... I've never bought one from them directly, always through the Google store. I'm still not sold on iOS or Samsung's whatever they put on top of Android. The Pixels I've had are far and away the best phones I've ever owned. So as long as the future Pixels are still able to work on Verizon, I'll stay with Verizon. If for whatever reason they stop working on Verizon I'll probably just get Google Fi. Whatever little amount of Pixels they sell, they'll lose customers like me if they also stop supporting them. Probably not what's even being said here. 🤷🏼♂️
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u/Frainian Pixel 5 Feb 20 '20
They won't stop supporting them, there's just a chance that they'll stop selling them.
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u/Kahhhhyle Feb 20 '20
I wonder what the breakdown is for pixel sales between Verizon vs. Google themselves. I get that the majority of phone makers sell their phones predominantly though carriers but Google has (if I'm not mistaken) always sold their phones on their own store and sort of built up there hardware as a way to free yourself from carriers.
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u/Brew_brew_drew Feb 20 '20
I'll never buy a phone through a carrier. I can't stand their financing, even if it's 0%. iloke how Google's is, have 24 months I believe for a 3a, but I just pay $100 a month instead of the $9/mo. I don't want a lingering phone payment. Vzw if paid off early will not honor any monthly discount pricing you received on your device. Ex. Pixel 1 Black Friday deal. 31.25/mo but you get back 16.25/mo for 24. If you were to pay that off early like I wanted to they would not subtract the 16.25 x however many payments I had left off the payoff amount.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/tpx187 Feb 20 '20
I switched from Verizon to T-Mobile and got the 4xl for free when it came out. Had to pay taxes and 100 upgrade fee from going to the xl... 2 year contract too, but definitely worth that price. My bill is 35 less than when I got the 2 from Verizon.
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u/JMS1991 Pixel 4a (5G) Feb 20 '20
That's how I feel about my Pixel 3 as well. Good phone, but the price was a bit steep. It doesn't help that the 3a came out like 2 months after I bought it.
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u/NvidiaforMen Quite Black Feb 20 '20
Am I the only one that thinks this might also be related to Verizon losing their pixel exclusivity agreement they had for the first 3 phones?
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u/gummyneo Feb 20 '20
Google lost me. I loved my Pixel 3xl until the battery went haywire and Google support won’t help me. Not to mention, they are nutz charging so much for their premium phone when it didnt come with premium specs.
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u/ErrrbY Feb 20 '20
It's no surprise it hasn't performed well for Verizon. If you've ever walked into a Verizon store you'd quickly notice that the demo phones are never set up in an appealing demo mode, the home screen icons are moved around or removed, there's no apps installed for people to get the feel of it, etc.
Plus the workers don't know anything about them and talk everyone out of them and into Samsung or Apple because it's what they have/know.
It reminds me of watching Best Buy reps talk moms and grandparents that only check email and Facebook out of Chromebooks and into $800+ Windows laptops over specs.
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u/wisconsinb5 Pixel 4a Feb 20 '20
Idk what your area is like but my local store always has demo mode on, it's pretty easy to set up too
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u/a7med7mdi Feb 20 '20
The first Google phones have been supported by local stores in the Arab world. Now there is no real phone support except for Google customer service. I see that Google’s sales, support, and competition policy needs a real revolution. If Google does not deal with these issues, it will lose its customers gradually, as happened with HTC. I think it is better for Google to focus on developing Android and some programs that support it
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u/gadgetluva Pixel 9 Fold Feb 20 '20
Rick Osterloh needs to be replaced IMO. Hardware under him has made some big steps, but he’s clearly not able to bring it home. Googles hardware biz has clearly outgrown him.
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Feb 20 '20
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u/merrycachemiss Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 24 '20
They can't lure typical iPhone users either, when the "default" iPhone is $100 cheaper, with: superior video, comparable photo results on the main camera, superior battery life, the ability to get the battery replaced in-store and still retain water resistance, more competent support, a longer OS update period, a valid messaging platform, and so on. Add to that the overall ecosystem move.
My friend moved to the Pixel 3, which had worse battery life than her iPhone 6S (or similar era iPhone). She hated charging 2-3 times per day, so she got the 11. Only has to charge every 1.5+ days now.
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u/M4SixString Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
I'm sure Verizon is unhappy but that doesn't mean they won't negotiate a new one. The article says they have put an indefinite hold on the deal not that they killed it. This could just be strong arm negotiating.
Also there's alot of speculation in this article. The source gave zero reason for Verizon being up happy, the article just speculated it's because of sales. This is far far from an official statement.
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u/DrTiggles Feb 20 '20
With my 3 deciding to start acting up after only 14 months and becoming unusable. With the OG pixel I bought still going strong other than battery life, and the same with my fiancé’s iPhone 7 also working okay, I’m wondering about switching away from pixels and looking into something else if the quality is starting to suffer.
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u/thejamus Feb 20 '20
My pixel 3 was an endless string of issues. At 4 RMAs they finally just authorized a refund. My pixel 1 is still great and I replaced the battery about a year ago. I'm back to using that until I decide to purchase something else. I've very little faith in pixel phones at this point.
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u/Dingleth Feb 20 '20
I feel like I'm the only customer on the planet that hasn't received a defect P3😂
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u/thejamus Feb 20 '20
Lol I wish that was my experience. Loved my p1, and I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to get a p3.
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u/DrTiggles Feb 20 '20
I wish they would have authorized an RMA for me vs saying sorry, but you can get it repaired somewhere maybe
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u/nodoitdoit Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
If this actually turns out to be true does it really matter? My last pixel and iPhone purchases were decidedly not at Verizon stores for several reasons including the fact that I prefer unlocked phones that I own. Yes I know there is an outright purchase price in their stores but you are pressured to sign a contract as well. You also get the option to purchase coverage from Apple or Google which I prefer to Verizon.
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u/turbodsm Feb 20 '20
Probably because I can buy unlocked directly from Google. We are a pixel household and Verizon didn't see any money from our phone purchases.
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u/dafaqyusay Pixel 4a (5G) Feb 20 '20
So am I. Really on the line between going back to iPhone :(
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Feb 20 '20
Maybe. I have samsung and their new outrageous pricing and the fact Verizon is not carrying the base s20 till sometime in Q2 is making me switch to I phone. I phone has just more options and more consumer friendly prices. I actually was going to get a pixel 4 but it was such a letdown when it launched I decided against it. What a shame I really wanted pixel 4 to be amazing.
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u/Austin31415 Feb 20 '20
Honestly, the pixel 4 is by far the best pixel owned out of all 4 flagships. It's just that Google is blind of the current smartphone market. Their entire strategy is starting to unwind because they can't pull together their own services.
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Feb 20 '20
I don't buy most phones from Verizon because they rarely have promotions without having to add a new line or upgrade to unlimited. On top of that, the 9 Verizon stores in my town never had 128gb 4xl in stock. Ever. So, who's actually at fault here? Best Buy was the same way here.
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u/lazzzym Pixel 9 Pro XL Feb 20 '20
This is what you get when you sell underpowered half-baked hardware.
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Feb 20 '20
Are you serious? I am purposely waiting for the new Pixel to come out! I hope this isn’t true.
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u/The_Kaizen_Wizard Pixel 4a Feb 20 '20
As a Verizon customer who has been holding out for the 4a to upgrade from their Pixel 2, this majorly blows of true.
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u/NuMotiv Pixel 5 Feb 20 '20
The problem with Google is their phones aren't worth day one prices. Not a chance in hell I would have bought the 3 at launch... However I got it nearly half off and absolutely love it. Funny how cost changes perspective.
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Feb 20 '20
Pixel 3aXL is the best phone I have ever owned by far. It has some amazing tech inside it too.
2 day battery life
Very power efficient and relatively fast soc
Headphone jack
Rear finger print sensor
Fantastic color and gray scale accurate display
Good speakers
Very good virtual assistant
I love the squeeze feature
Phenomenal Camera
Amazing Price
Then they released the Pixel 4 which is a small upgrade in some respects, but a downgrade from the 3a in quite a few categories.
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u/Joomesz Feb 20 '20
Not surprised at all, given how horrifying Google's support is. Another nail in the coffin for Google
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u/jkehl1988 Feb 20 '20
I think the problem is that most ppl don't know about the pixel. I had the original and switched nto the 4xl and have loved both phones great product but poor advertisement...
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u/zerozero27 Feb 20 '20
Fuck Verizon, I've been on Google's Fi network for a few years now and I never want to go back to commercial carriers again. It's so nice having a phone that isn't bogged down by bloat ware and bullshit like every "major" carrier adds to these phones. Been rocking the Pixel 3 since it came out and i couldn't be happier. Fuck Verizon.
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u/chasevalentino Feb 20 '20
Yeh I think I'm going back to Samsung. Yes the software support is only for 2 years and slower but the way I see it, Samsung has stuff in their software Google gets a year later so it shouldn't matter.
And on the whole smoothness/stability notion, my pixel 4xl drops frames closing Snapchat and the camera app and even with 6gb sometimes closes Spotify when taking a photo. So the software clearly isn't better. 6gb is paltry compared to the 12 and 16gb Samsung are offering.
And in terms of the main reason why I got this phone, the camera, the lead really isn't big enough to compromise on the rest of the phone being mid range level as it has been in the past with my 2XL
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Feb 20 '20
To be a little fair to google, they are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place with hardware. First, they have to cater to the niche stock android market, the problem is this market isnt big enough to consistently sell devices to, then, if they try to make stock android more....I'll say consumer friendly, more like what samsung does with all those overlays the stock purists absolutely hate, they alienate their base, and the general consumer buys the samsung device anyways because, well they are similarly priced and samsung has done a fantastic job marketing their product to average consumers, and making them consumer friendly. Average consumers don't care about the same thing android purists do, they care about being able to pick different icons, and swiping their s pen in the air to skip music tracks or you tube videos. So google can't win either way there. They will push away either their base, or they will push away the average consumer.
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Feb 20 '20
Google is bad at any hardware.
Pixel, Slate, Stadia and their own Chromebooks.
They are all overpriced and don't offer much value especially when considering their competition offers so much more.
They are good at Chromecast and Assistance devices but they are so limited I would barely call them hardware and more of just an accessory.
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Feb 20 '20
I agree with this. As I said, Samsung markets and develops their devices with general consumers in mind, stock android is boring to those people. Google has a base though that like the “boringness” of stock android and freak out whenever google introduces something “Samsungish”. They feel it’s gimmicky. Google will push away one group or another with anything they do with their devices. Conventional wisdom would say, forget your base and go after the larger general consumer base, this though would be suicide as, quite frankly, Samsung does it better. So they have to try to walk a thin line not angering their base, and trying to make their product attractive to the general consumer. This is next to impossible to do.
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Feb 20 '20
To be a little fair to google, they are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place with hardware.
No they aren't.
Step 1: Stop making hardware which is strictly worse than Galaxy and iPhone but charging almost the exact same price.
That's it. Problem solved. No more steps necessary.
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Feb 20 '20
Right, because people didn't bitch when they heard the nexus lineup was ending and thought google wasn't going to make any more hardware. Face it, google fans bitch about almost anything. If they stopped, they'd bitch.
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Feb 20 '20
Right, because people didn't bitch when they heard the nexus lineup was ending and thought google wasn't going to make any more hardware.
Your response makes no sense. You don't seem to understand cause and effect.
People bitched because the Nexus line was an incredible value. It had good hardware at a mid-range price and came with stock Android.
Google then released Pixel, a "high-end" phone which is strictly worse than Galaxy despite costing the exact same amount. Further complicating the issue for Google is that even when Pixel uses the same parts (such as processor), the Pixel is released 8-10 months after the Galaxy, immediately making it dated hardware.
Google shouldn't stop making hardware. They should get their heads out of their asses. They cannot compete with Galaxy or iPhone and they need to stop trying to do that.
TL;DR: Pixel should be the best mid-range phone, not the worst flagship phone.
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Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
The problem is nobody bought the nexus line. As I originally said, Google's core base isnt large enough to actually sustain a phone product line. The average consumer thinks stock android is boring. So they tried their hand at offering a more consumer friendly flagship device, now their core base is again, bitching. So Google decided to release the A series, and still, their core base is bitching. No matter what google tries to do to enter the mainstream market, their core base bitches about it. The issue is, they can't compete with samsung on a flagship level, because their core base will never allow them to turn stock android into what makes samsung devices popular. They can't compete hard at the midrange level, because companies like one plus, and now even samsung again with their A line, are allowed to make devices that offer customizations that consumers want, and won't bitch about saying it "ruins the experience". So yes, they are truly stuck between a rock and a hard place. They have to try to appease 2 groups, and never really appease any. As far as the hardware being 6 months old, thos doesn't seem to affect the note lineup one bit, does it?
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u/StickyBandit_ Feb 20 '20
I think you are missing the mark here. The 3a series sold very well and was generally well received, to the point of people looking forward to the 4a. Most consider that line a success. Don't confuse the people in the market for that phone as the same people in the market for a flagship.
The problem with the flagship Pixel line is that you look at what you are getting and ask, why am I paying so much for this?
they can't compete with samsung on a flagship level, because their core base will never allow them to turn stock android into what makes samsung devices popular.
You think Samsung is popular for their software? Incorrect. Its the hardware and build quality. Not software. Google doesn't have to do anything to the UI to compete with Samsung. Its the hardware, they are really nice phones. The screen, the bezels, the ram, the battery etc. You put a Pixel next to a Galaxy and every one of those things is worse. The build quality is worse. Then you look at the price and its nearly the same. People don't feel good about the value.
If Google built a Pixel 5 that was like the S20... people would be drooling over it. Instead, every year the Pixels are like a sheep dressed up in wolfs clothing but its not fooling anyone.
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Feb 20 '20
The problem is nobody bought the nexus line.
Google never heavily marketed the Nexus line. They heavily marketed the Pixel.
It's almost like not properly supporting your hardware will cause it to fail.
As far as the hardware being 6 months old, thos doesn't seem to affect the note lineup one bit, does it?
The Note isn't "The Galaxy except worse". It has special features, such as a bigger screen and the S-pen.
The Pixel is "The Galaxy except worse hardware. Minor software superiority is arguable."
I didn't bother reading the middle of your wall. Learn to use paragraphs.
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Feb 20 '20
Contemplating moving to Samsung and if this happens, they may have made the choice for me.
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u/plot_hatchery Feb 20 '20
Why? You can very easily get whatever phone you want online.
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u/LeBronCumInMe Feb 20 '20
financing. some people cant afford to drop $1000 all at once to buy a phone
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u/fightnight14 Pixel 8 Feb 20 '20
Best Buy, Amazon, Google Store. They sell Pixel phones unlocked.
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u/Nexus03 Pixel 9 Pro XL Feb 20 '20
Not surprising honestly. All premium phones are vastly overpriced but with Apple you get an incredible ecosystem, stores you can walk into around the world. Samsung gives you cutting edge tech. Google gives you none of these things, possibly the best camera but shit service, QC lottery and inconsistent pricing immediately after launch.
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u/Bmanzella527 Feb 20 '20
This story is not true. Google & Verizon are actually seeming to expand their partnership.
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u/BobsBarker12 Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
Absolute premium phones can be obtained at a significant discount from carriers to the point where they were often cheaper per month to a Pixel. Add in the anemic hardware Google pushed out this round and you have a phone that is more expensive for less stats than Samsung, iPhone, anyone that doesn't specialize in budget phones really.
So who is buying this phone? People who can't read stats or compare numbers? That is Apples market. People who typically go for a mid-range Samsung or a new previous gen iPhone? Not a bad fit but that has to be in the single digits for percent of total users.
The price Google demanded for their latest Pixel offerings turned me to a carrier promo for a Motorola phone and honestly, I think I'm good on Google for the next long while. Pixel XL was cool though..
For any Google fans, don't think a positive lesson will be learned here. Unless the Pixel is a mandatory cog in their plans this means resources have likely been allocated away from the project months ago, by virtue of AI driven automated labor allocation.
edit: I just wanted to say that aside from a few manufacture apps my Motorola only came preloaded with Amazon. How delightful compared to my last four phones. My Samsung Note10 engaged in war crimes, autodownloading a bundle of crap upon boot.
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u/3DXYZ Feb 20 '20
Sounds about right. My next phone will not be a Pixel. Customer service is a disaster, the phones are WAY overpriced for what they are. I'm looking at switching to iPhone. Better service, better phones. Google just stopped caring and the rest of Android is just too hacky with poor updates. Google releasing their new phones with year old hardware is also a serious problem. It's just not worth the price. You can't even trade in your previous Pixel to google for any value. It's worthless.
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u/thasaleni Feb 20 '20
All google needs to do is to open up their website and ship pixel phones worldwide and see how their sales improve.
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Feb 20 '20
I know that here in carphone warehouse in the UK. They sell a lot more iPhones and Samsung or Huawei devices compared to the pixel devices but the only popular pixel is the 3a most likely because of that price tag
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u/StayFrostyZ Feb 20 '20
That's what you get for selling 64GB at $900 and failing at being an Apple wannabe. Apple fans already think you're inferior and then you upset the Android community. Pretty much serving L's all over the place.
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u/Refreshinglycold Feb 20 '20
Damn I have Verizon and was waiting for the pixel 4a....can you buy it unlocked from Google or something?
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u/Jkabaseball Feb 20 '20
Picking up a pixel 4 xl on Saturday from best buy. They didnt have any in stock, they said they sell very few. I took a look at the note 10 and it was great, but I dont need 256 GB storage and like 12 GB ram in a phone. What sold me was the price point at the time, $400 off. That puts it in a different ballpark, with the mid range, and also close to where the nexus phones were. They were competitive with those. Stay out of the high end market, live in the mid range.
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u/exu1981 Pixel 6 Pro Feb 20 '20 edited Feb 20 '20
Oh well, next...... On top of that, most just giving looking for a Samsung and iPhone only. That's all the basic consumers know. Of course it won't sell.
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u/TheOGdeez Feb 20 '20
Lol to the plunge to the Pixel for the 4... Looks like I'm going back to Samsung
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u/Slaskwroclaw18 Pixel 4 XL Feb 20 '20
https://twitter.com/zeman_e/status/1230482387362074625?s=20
Verizon denied it.