Made by Google - October 6th 10am ET - Pixel 7, 7 Pro, Pixel Watch and Pixel Tablet!

[Senzelian]

5 hours ago, dizmo said:

There were some rumours that Google put a lot of work into the battery life for this gen. It's a shame they didn't seem to seed them to reviewers so that we could get some reviews when they launch. There is a world where I consider the Pixel 7 Pro for my next phone, given battery life improvements.

 

The Pixel watch is....interesting, but somewhat disappointing. A larger screen would have been preferable, and not having to buy an accessory to protect it from the slightest of bumps would have been pretty nice as well. Exposed curved glass like that is only going to play nicely if you live in an office environment, and take it off during any even remotely vigorous activity. There's also the Fitbit partnership; so, from what I gathered, a large amount of the data that it collects will be locked behind a paywall? Pretty weak.

 

The VPN idea made me chuckle. Yes, let's give the info that you don't want your ISP to have directly to an advertising company

Why do you want reviews if you make such hasty conclusions anyway? I would say your concerns are justified, but let's wait until there are actual reviews of the products. You'll definitely hear from me about the P7Pro and PW as I've already pre-ordered them.

 

Here are a few channels who's reviews I can recommend and I'll be looking out for:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMrMobile

https://www.youtube.com/c/mobiletechreview

and of course LTT lul

[dizmo]

11 hours ago, Senzelian said:

Why do you want reviews if you make such hasty conclusions anyway? I would say your concerns are justified, but let's wait until there are actual reviews of the products. You'll definitely hear from me about the P7Pro and PW as I've already pre-ordered them.

 

Here are a few channels who's reviews I can recommend and I'll be looking out for:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMrMobile

https://www.youtube.com/c/mobiletechreview

and of course LTT lul

So that I can see how it performs? Why else would I want reviews? They have launch promotions, but I'm not going to buy without seeing reviews, so I'm left waiting until Black Friday, and if a comparable device is more deeply discounted, then I'll probably just buy that instead, meaning Google misses out on what could have been a sale.

 

Hasty conclusions in what regard? Nothing I said was jumping to conclusions.

[porina]

On 10/6/2022 at 1:43 PM, Arika S said:

It's funny. I always here people say "I've had nothing but trouble with <Android phone brand>. Next time I'm just going to get a pixel"

 

But on the other hand I've never heard anyone actually recommend a pixel phone or have ever heard anyone having a good experience with them .

Only just found this thread, so I'll jump in here. As background, I'm currently using a Pixel 3a in parallel with a Xiaomi Mate 10 Pro. Pixel 3a is showing its age a bit but has far better camera and OS interface. Think both are similar price class. On that note, I've kinda always bought personal phones in the lower mid range. While it was before the Pixel naming, I also had a Nexus 4, and loved that too. When I went off Google, things started having problems in different ways. I had a Xiaomi Mi A1, which at least was pure Android, but the camera sucked as well as being a lower end device than I'd use. My work phone around that time was a Samsung Galaxy S6. Nice hardware, decent camera, horrific OS. Most manufacturers want to stamp their identity into the UI and I have yet to see one succeed over stock Android. I even had a work iPhone 8 Plus to try the other side. Again great hardware but iOS sucks, and I'm still using a personal iPad mini so I've not escaped it yet.

 

On that last note, I do wonder what the new tablet will be like. I've long debated replacing my iPad mini with either the current Air or Tab S8. Neither is a clear winner so I haven't bitten either way. Part of the problem is hardware outside Apple is lagging. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 seems ok but the Pixel 7 seems a generation behind that on the cores.

[Bombastinator]

If I had to get an android phone it would be a pixel phone simply because google maintains the security of the things with updates for longer.

[dizmo]

33 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

If I had to get an android phone it would be a pixel phone simply because google maintains the security of the things with updates for longer.

Samsung supports their S phones for longer than Google. 

[Bombastinator]

9 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Samsung supports their S phones for longer than Google. 

Do they…. That is interesting.  For how long?

[dizmo]

17 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

Do they…. That is interesting.  For how long?

IIRC 4 years OS 5 years security, and Google is 3 years OS and 4 years security.

[Quackers101]

11 minutes ago, dizmo said:

IIRC 4 years OS 5 years security, and Google is 3 years OS and 4 years security.

more or less, google did have a screw up with one of the pixel lineup. Where support was dropped early.

But both have their issues, I think you might get more OS support with pixel though, as in you might be able to upgrade to a new OS.

[Bombastinator]

17 minutes ago, Quackers101 said:

more or less, google did have a screw up with one of the pixel lineup. Where support was dropped early.

But both have their issues, I think you might get more OS support with pixel though, as in you might be able to upgrade to a new OS.

A new OS comes out every year I understand.  I was under the impression pixels got a lot more OS upgrades though, each adding a year to that number.  This is how apple does it.  I don’t know how long their security updates go for, but my memory is the 6s was able to update to 13.  I don't know about 14.  I don’t know how or if this applies to watches though.  There are fewer versions of watches than there are of iPhones and the OS they use is different.

Edited October 7, 2022 by Bombastinator

[Lightwreather]

7 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

I don't know about 14

I think support was only dropped in the version announced this year at WWDC. But not too sure.

[suicidalfranco]

9 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

If I had to get an android phone it would be a pixel phone simply because google maintains the security of the things with updates for longer.

not true

its 5 years of OS upgrades and security updates on the Pixel for all devices released after the Pixel 6

while Samsung does 4 years of OS Upgrades and 5 years of security updates

 

the excuse that Google supports their phone for far longer is a pipe dream, was never true, and unlike other manufacturer, inexcusable since they don't get to blame qualcomm for not giving them the drivers blobs of old chips on new Android versions, since they have their own in house silicon

[Senzelian]

1 hour ago, suicidalfranco said:

not true

its 5 years of OS upgrades and security updates on the Pixel for all devices released after the Pixel 6

while Samsung does 4 years of OS Upgrades and 5 years of security updates

 

the excuse that Google supports their phone for far longer is a pipe dream, was never true, and unlike other manufacturer, inexcusable since they don't get to blame qualcomm for not giving them the drivers blobs of old chips on new Android versions, since they have their own in house silicon

 

9 hours ago, dizmo said:

IIRC 4 years OS 5 years security, and Google is 3 years OS and 4 years security.

 

10 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

If I had to get an android phone it would be a pixel phone simply because google maintains the security of the things with updates for longer.

 

Since there is clearly some confusion with how long Pixel devices are supported, I will link you guys to the only reliable source of information, as this has been something that even a lot of news outlets got wrong in recent years:

 

https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/4457705?hl=en#zippy=%2Cpixel-later-pixel-phones

 

 

"Pixel Updates" does not include Android updates. Each current Pixel device will receive 3 years worth of Android updates, which means the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will receive Android 15 as their last Android update. Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will receive Android 16 as their last Android update.

 

The smaller "a" versions typically get one extra year of Android updates, as they were also released one year after their larger models.

 

 

14 hours ago, dizmo said:

So that I can see how it performs? Why else would I want reviews?

duh... I meant, when it comes to performance you wait for reviews, but when it comes to their new VPN, the durabillity of the smartwatch or Fitbit Premium, you immediately jump to conclusions. That's what I don't get.

[Dracarris]

1 hour ago, Senzelian said:

"Pixel Updates" does not include Android updates. Each current Pixel device will receive 3 years worth of Android updates, which means the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will receive Android 15 as their last Android update. Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will receive Android 16 as their last Android update.

Kinda an important detail, although 5 years of (at least) security updates is rather good for an Android phone.

[porina]

Just looked at my two current phones:

Pixel 3a released May 2019, support ended May 2022. Three years from launch. Shipped with Android 9, updated to Android 12.

Xiaomi Note 10 Pro released March 2021, support expected until March 2024. Three years from launch. Shipped with Android 11, updated to Android 12. Doesn't look like 13+ is going to be offered.

 

Guess it's time to retire the 3a from normal use, but may keep it around as a backup. For most apps that let you install on more than one device, I like to have backup access. The battery life on it is noticeably shorter than it used to be.

 

Pixel 7 would be a nice upgrade, but I'm not sure I need it that much. Maybe I'll wait for the 8 or 9 even.

[dizmo]

5 hours ago, Senzelian said:

duh... I meant, when it comes to performance you wait for reviews, but when it comes to their new VPN, the durabillity of the smartwatch or Fitbit Premium, you immediately jump to conclusions. That's what I don't get.

You mean assuming that having glass that curves over the side of the phone is more fragile then a metal design? That's simply fact. Especially if they're marketing the Ringle accessory, which I haven't seen any of the other manufacturers do. 

 

Fitbit Premium is already a thing, and it costs money. They said in the reveal that features of the watch require it. There's no hasty conclusions there, simply facts. 

[Senzelian]

4 hours ago, dizmo said:

You mean assuming that having glass that curves over the side of the phone is more fragile then a metal design? That's simply fact.

But that's not what you said, isn't it? I quote you:

"and not having to buy an accessory to protect it from the slightest of bumps"

 

You're almost making the assumption it will immediately fall apart as if it's made out of porcelain. And that's why I'm saying, why don't you wait and see? There will be tests made, I'm sure. 

 

4 hours ago, dizmo said:

Especially if they're marketing the Ringle accessory, which I haven't seen any of the other manufacturers do. 

They're not marketing it. It's not even made by Google. This was something I added in, as it was released before the event even started. It's also mention in my op that it's not made by Google and sold on Amazon. 

 

4 hours ago, dizmo said:

Fitbit Premium is already a thing, and it costs money. They said in the reveal that features of the watch require it. There's no hasty conclusions there, simply facts. 

You didn't sound all that sure about that last time:
"from what I gathered, a large amount of the data that it collects will be locked behind a paywall?"

 

If I'd ask you right now to list the features that are behind a paywall and the ones that aren't, you wouldn't even know them. Unfortunately since this is a forum, you'll have plenty of time to look that up now. And yes, some features are locked behind a paywall. Did you compare them to the competition? No. Explain, how is it weak then? Right, you can't.

 

In some way this is worse than pre-oredering. You're sorta "pre-arguiing". I guess that's what I'd call that. Arguing something before you even know it's true or not. Pretty weak.

[Bombastinator]

On 10/8/2022 at 1:07 PM, Senzelian said:

But that's not what you said, isn't it? I quote you:

"and not having to buy an accessory to protect it from the slightest of bumps"

 

You're almost making the assumption it will immediately fall apart as if it's made out of porcelain. And that's why I'm saying, why don't you wait and see? There will be tests made, I'm sure. 

 

They're not marketing it. It's not even made by Google. This was something I added in, as it was released before the event even started. It's also mention in my op that it's not made by Google and sold on Amazon. 

 

You didn't sound all that sure about that last time:
"from what I gathered, a large amount of the data that it collects will be locked behind a paywall?"

 

If I'd ask you right now to list the features that are behind a paywall and the ones that aren't, you wouldn't even know them. Unfortunately since this is a forum, you'll have plenty of time to look that up now. And yes, some features are locked behind a paywall. Did you compare them to the competition? No. Explain, how is it weak then? Right, you can't.

 

In some way this is worse than pre-oredering. You're sorta "pre-arguiing". I guess that's what I'd call that. Arguing something before you even know it's true or not. Pretty weak.

Iirc he said that data was held behind a paywall not apps.  I’m not sure that’s totally correct either because what they offer behind their paywall isn’t the specific data, but data about the data.  “These ip addresses seem interested in X” generally, and then they sell you advertising time on those IPs.  The problem of course is these can be combined to create searches for people vulnerable to a particular thing.  Say “old homeowners with Alzheimer’s” or “wealthy fat people not merely interested in losing weight but absolutely desperate and will try anything” or “people who believe the earth is flat and are not ultra religious (which is a particular kind of argumentative fallacy) and may therefore be susceptible to other similar fallacies”, or some such.  So it isn’t, but it also sort of is.  Who you don’t target can be as important as who you do, because you can present flawed arguments that wouldn’t work on everyone but are likely to work on the potential victims.

[SeriousDad69]

On 10/7/2022 at 5:21 PM, Bombastinator said:

A new OS comes out every year I understand.  I was under the impression pixels got a lot more OS upgrades though, each adding a year to that number.  This is how apple does it.  I don’t know how long their security updates go for, but my memory is the 6s was able to update to 13.  I don't know about 14.  I don’t know how or if this applies to watches though.  There are fewer versions of watches than there are of iPhones and the OS they use is different.

Apple security updates go for ages. The iPhone 6 just got what is probably its last update on August 31st. That's just a couple weeks shy of 8 years of updates. That's why I just have to buy iPhones, I can keep them in use for much longer. Even when I upgrade phones, I can always give my old phone away as a hand-me-down after replacing the battery.

Would love to switch to Android someday though, but there isn't enough there for me to justify taking a 2-4 year hit on updates.

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, SeriousDad69 said:

Apple security updates go for ages. The iPhone 6 just got what is probably its last update on August 31st. That's just a couple weeks shy of 8 years of updates. That's why I just have to buy iPhones, I can keep them in use for much longer. Even when I upgrade phones, I can always give my old phone away as a hand-me-down after replacing the battery.

Would love to switch to Android someday though, but there isn't enough there for me to justify taking a 2-4 year hit on updates.

I thought that was just the 6s.  No matter.  I actually didn’t really know about the update thing when I switched.  I went to apple because Google’s data mining policies appalled me. The app I most need didn’t run on iPhone though it did on android.  I had to switch apps which was actually more difficult than switching OSes.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Bombastinator