TLDR; Are y’all excited about the Pixel line? I’m kind of bored and I breakdown what I like but mostly what I don’t like about some of their devices.
Just wondering what other people think about the Pixel line? Are y'all excited about the upcoming 11 series and other devices or don't give a rat's ass?
I've had my P9PXL for nearly two years. Recently I've been craving a new phone because I've never gone longer than two years without swapping out for a new handset. However, the P9PXL was my first flagship phone and I paid full retail for it. So I had told myself I'd use the phone for three to five years to justify the high price I paid. (Plus I paid an extra hundred bucks to get the 256Gb model.)
Prior to my Pixel I had always used budget to mid-tier phones. But I was jealous of my spouse's Apple ecosystem experience. (I'm in a mixed marriage - I'm Android, they're Apple.) So I went all-in during 2024 and not only bought the P9PXL but I swapped my Galaxy 5 watch for a 45mm Pixel Watch 3 and bought my first pair of non-budget earbuds in the form of the Pixel Buds Pro 2.
After nearly two years with these devices I'm satisfied but bored. The phone is fine but could be improved. When I bought it the only color they had in-stock was Obsidian and I didn't want to wait a week for another color phone to be mailed to me. However, the color choices for the P9PXL were pretty dull across the board. I would have chosen Porcelain if I had the chance but, alas, I got stuck with yet another boring black phone.
The battery life on the 9 XL is not great. It's never been fantastic but it seems to have gotten really worse this second year. (Battery health is at 91%.) Prior to this Pixel I'd had Motos more than any other brand and they typically have phenomenal battery life, so I was spoiled.
And, lastly, my other complaint about my P9PXL is that the monthly updates that were touted as a big selling point have become painful, as they unleash new bugs every month! I've gotten to where I dread them. It's nice being first in line for new Android (and Wear) OS updates but the monthly phone updates always seem to unleash at least one annoying issue that doesn't get fixed again for one to two more months, only to then be replaced by some other issue.
On the plus side I find my Pixel to be very reliable. It syncs well with all my accessories. The camera is the crown jewel. It takes beautiful photos, which I use to promote myself online for my line of work. And I use a lot of the AI editing features that are built into Photos, some of which are exclusive to Pixel, is my understanding. I like that my Pixel didn't have any bloatware - not counting the overabundance of Google apps that come preloaded.
I think one of my issues with my P9PXL is that I'm bored with standard slab phones. I'm glad I got the XL but it always seemed a bit too big and definitely too bulky and heavy. I bought my adult daughter a refurbished Samsung Z Flip 5 for Christmas and played with it for three weeks before giving it to her. I was shocked at how well I liked the flip design with the flex window on the outside! It's like two devices in one and so compact when closed.
And one of my best friends got an iPhone Air, despite my advising against it because of the compromises with some of the specs. However, he's retired and has an old work-related hand injury and wanted the Air because it's so much lighter. He doesn't know a thing about technology so I'm the one that has to set everything up and 'fix' the phone when he's accidentally deleted an app icon. (Uh. No. You don't need to make an appointment to visit the Apple store for that.)
Anyway, I was double shocked by how much I liked handling the iPhone Air! I've always been an Android user but I've actually toyed with the idea of switching to Apple just for the Air, especially if the Air 2 closes the gap with the spec limitations of the first generation model. Plus, after actually playing with the phone, I didn't think the reduced specs were that big of a deal for the Air and that it's ultra thin lightweight design offset any spec downgrades.
Btw, I love the Pixel Buds Pro 2. They're amazing. I actually sleep with them every single night and they are phenomenally comfortable. I think the sound quality, ANC, and battery life are all great and I adore the design of both the buds and their case. I will likely stick with the Pixel Buds Pro series from now on.
I like my Pixel Watch 3 (45mm) and think that the Pixel watch line is the most elegant smartwatch design. I find them extremely visually and tactilely appealing and to be perfectly good watches. However, unless I stay all-in on the entire Pixel line I'll probably go back to Samsung watches if I switch my phone to a manufacturer other than Google. (I definitely will if I wind up with a Samsung phone in the future.)
Even though I like the look of the Pixel Watch I do not like the placement of the crown. I do a daily exercise routine that includes 25 push-ups and the crown pushes against the back of my hand and triggers the power menu every single time. I actually developed a minor red callous on the back of my my hand that I had to scrub off in the shower and then treat with hand lotion.
Also, I find the Pixel Watches to feel more delicate to me than Samsungs because of the crown and its placement, and that the entirety of the watchface, top and sides, is exposed Gorilla Glass 5, which is significantly weaker than contemporary Samsung watches which utilize Sapphire Crystal.
I find the traditional Samsung Galaxy Watch design to be more practical, especially if fitness is your primary goal for a smartwatch. Oh! And Samsung watches come with a whole array of fitness features fully available, whereas Pixel wants you to subscribe to Fitbit to unlock all its features. No thanks.
I am getting a little bit excited about the upcoming Pixel 11 series though. I like the colors that have leaked. A friend of mine who has been with Pixel since it was Nexus has been waiting for a fuchsia phone and it looks like the base Pixel 11 is going to finally deliver that for him. I was personally really into the Canyon/Dune color, which looks to be an orange-y pink that'll be available for the Pro models. It reminds me of sunset.
What do y'all think? Are you bored by Pixel or excited about future releases? I personally just wish Pixel would offer more options besides slab and full-sized fold phones. I'd nab either a flip or an ultra thin model! But I'm not inspired by the Pixel slabs or traditional folds, which are way too big for my interests. I want to see more design innovations instead of gimmick-y additional features, like the glow light they're touting with the 11 series, which is replacing the gimmick-y temperature sensor.
And I'd like to see some variation with the watches too. I would love to see the glass quality improved, two flush side buttons, the crown ditched and replaced by a digital bezel for navigation! That would look even sleeker than the watch already looks! (And don't get me started on how Google has dropped the ball on tablets!)
Because Google will have stopped issuing OS updates to my 6a, I look forward to the 11a (with at least 256 GB storage), but not the likely pricing. If the 11a has a better modem or better battery life, that will help.
I recently went from a 6a to a 10a. Previously went from 2 or 3 (can’t remember) to 6a. I generally skip a few generations and get a phone when I’m like “Hey, I should get a new phone.”
I used to get excited by phones. Now I try to use it as little as possible, but also want something that works well when I do. The 6a to 10a was essentially the same sized phone, so that excited me, not having to get used to a larger phone.