I’m a big Pixel fan. I’ve owned both the Pixel XL, the Pixel 2 XL and, my current daily driver, the Google Pixel 2. The idea behind these phones is solid enough: make an iPhone-like device for the Android space.
On paper, the plan is going OK too; Google’s sold a bunch and most reviews are positive. However, there are some pretty BIG issues that Google needs to take care of in 2018. And nearly all of them are quality control (QC) issues which shouldn’t have been allowed to happen in the first place.
I was a big fan of the Pixel 2 XL, having used it for around six months. The phone, when it was on form, was brilliant; the camera was excellent, ditto battery life, and it performed tasks with ease. All good, right?
Yeah, not really. You see I’ve had multiple issues in my time with the Pixel 2 XL. So many, in fact, that I actually switched to the smaller Pixel 2, which seems to be a lot more stable than its bigger brother.
First, my USB Type C port crapped out, annoying when you don’t have a headphone jack, then I had a ton of issues with the software, which kept crashing, and then, finally, it just wouldn’t charge and has been dead ever since, though this is likely linked to the squiffy USB Type C port.
Who Made The Pixel 2 XL?
LG did. The handset was designed by Google, but LG did all the manufacturing which makes all the quirks with the handset all the more alarming. LG’s usually great in this respect. But the handset definitely has some hardware/software issues that have been widely reported.
I’m not sure who’s building the Pixel 3 for Google. The most likely candidate is HTC, which is now part of Google – at least its phone division is, anyway. Finger’s crossed this will mean better continuity with hardware across the board.
Specs-wise, there isn’t really much room for improvement, save for the usual bumps in imaging, CPU, and memory. This means the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will likely be incremental updates, though hopefully with an emphasis on design – a new, sexier design language.
I’ll always buy Pixel phones, but this year’s Pixel 2 XL made me second guess my decision. And that hasn’t happened before. Not with my Nexus purchases, and not with the first generation of Pixel phones.
Finger’s crossed Google’s QC is a bit tighter this time around for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, which are due to launch in a matter of months alongside Android P (AKA Android Pie).
Google Pixel 3 Rumoured Specs - Quick Overview
- Snapdragon 845 CPU
- 6GB of RAM
- X20 LTE Modem
- 64/128GB Storage
- OLED QHD Panel
- Updated Camera Sensor
Might There Be A Cheaper Pixel 3 Model?
It’s possible. Word on the street suggests that Apple is struggling to convince customers that it is perfectly OK to pay £1000 for a phone. Sales have been strong, but they “should” have been better for the iPhone X, apparently.
For this reason, it’s unlikely we’ll see Google follow Apple down the pricing-rabbit-hole and charge a larger fee for the Pixel 3 phones. It just wouldn’t make sense given Google’s place in the market right now.
What “might” make more sense, however, is a cheaper Pixel model – something along the lines of the OnePlus 5T-pricing. This would prove very popular with consumers and would definitely help get the Pixel brand out in more hands during 2018/19.
Plus, Google can probably take the hit as well – it’s not short of cash.
In this theoretical setting, where there is a cheaper model, we could be looking at three distinct models: two as usual, and a cheaper, entry model Pixel handset aimed at the masses.
Nothing’s confirmed yet, but if I worked in Google’s Pixel division this is definitely something I’d be pushing for!
