Pixel Hardware in the future

[Law2138]

Without a doubt, the Pixel and Pixel XL is a well designed and manufactured device. Made by Google, (with the tremendous help from HTC) the Pixel isn't the best looking device, but it has certainly grown on some. Is it safe to say that this is the signature Pixel look for the next few years?

Would you say its likely that Google would only implement minor, if any, changes to the look next year? Just as the iPhone has a distinctive look that has remained, I think that Google wants a Pixel to be recognizable without turning it on. IMO, the glass back near the top is here for a while and the bevels will remain.

 

[bhatech]

Google got very less time to design this, think they took most inputs from HTC and designed a good phone in 9 months. For next year phone they would have had more time and could influence more of their inputs into the design. Don't know if there will be drastic changes but won't be surprised because both Samsung and Apple are rumored to come up with radical changes. So if Google has to play at that price point they got to keep up with them.

 

[I800C0LLECT]

Or... Instead of keeping up they could simply play it safe and try to scoop up those customers that don't like change

 

[Go0gle]

I don't think anything is safe to say at this point, though I would expect a similar design, they might ditch the glass or some other less significant aesthetic.

I also read HTC had a 3-year deal with Google for future Pixels but I am not 100% sure of the reliability of that rumor.

I think it's a reasonable assumption that they got most of the big design decisions out of the way, and might have time to focus more on details like IP68 water proofing for next year.

Right now the Pixel is pretty much perfect for me in terms of size, design, weight, etc. so hopefully they don't change too much. I would like the dual front facing speakers back but I don't think that will ever happen. Shame, because they are working with HTC who has plenty of experience making the best of them.

The iPhone has changed pretty significantly between the 3, 4, and 6 (not so much 5 and 7 other than size). I wouldn't expect changes much mores significant than those, but what do I know.

 

[Cant Miss]

There are a number of indications that the Pixel isn't much more than a phone that was pretty much already built and designed by HTC and handed off to Google to make as many suggestions as possible given a limited time frame. I expect the next Pixel to be way different.

 

[shaunps33]

I agree that they'll want to keep a familiar design language from year to year, but I think there are two important things to remember:

Like it's been said, the Pixel was completed in 9 months after a supposed deal with Huawei fell through, thank God. (Sidebar: I loved my 6P as much as the next dude, but to think back on the superlatives I, and a lot of us lavished on that phone seems so laughable now. It's just nowhere near as refined... think plastic antenna butt (mine shipped slightly warped), plastic edge between screen and body.) They should just stick with HTC, hell, buy them. (They have a promising VR program)

But, secondly, and more importantly, the Pixel is supposed to compete with the iPhone, this year, next year, every year. No matter how much praise is heaped on the first Pixel, there will be tremendous pressure for an even stronger follow up next year. This means fixing things like waterproofing and speakers, but it also means anticipating whatever Apple has in the works for their 10th Anniversary iPhone.

Will we see a thoughtful implementation of a curved display? How low does Apple see a reasonable screen/body ratio?

These are questions no doubt Osterloh and his team are already well on their way to answering. If the answer is conservative, say they want to see Apples hand first, they could be panned as boring. This is already a common gripe with the Pixel's design language. If the answer is aggressive, then we might see a very exciting, competitive phone, or a spectacular sophomore fail.

 

[Ry]

I'm hoping for the exact same body but with added water resistance (up from just "splash").

 

[Torisen1]

I'd like to see the light bar from the other pixels added to the back of the phone, that would be neat.

 

[Tf407]

Google got very less time to design this, think they took most inputs from HTC and designed a good phone in 9 months. For next year phone they would have had more time and could influence more of their inputs into the design. Don't know if there will be drastic changes but won't be surprised because both Samsung and Apple are rumored to come up with radical changes. So if Google has to play at that price point they got to keep up with them.

Apple is rumored for radical changes every year

I expect Google to change the look a little as it has gotten some very average reviews saying it looks boring by many different sites

 

[Richard Servello]

I wouldn't expect crazy, fashionable pixel phones. If you've ever seen/used a pixel c, you will know it's a very simple design. I love it, but I hate logo covered fashion devices.

 

[Richard Servello]

That's the biggest omission.

 

[Saneless]

I don't care what they do as long as they keep making 5" versions