[anon(9408097)]

Am I crazy to think that pixel isn't no where near where Samsung is at?

Waterproofing.
Wireless charging.
Curved display.
Design and aesthetics (sleeker and futuristic)
Tons and tons of features.

Compared to a good looking design which could have been the best design in 2012.

But thinking about leaving a 2016 Samsung phone to go to a Pixel seems like an awesome downgrade.

Samsung and Google are going in two opposite directions it seems. While Apple has started to compete with Samsung by stepping up their game, Google is trying to start a new game; taking Android back to square one.

What does a Samsung fan have to say about the Pixels now that it is out and all reviewed?

[nndlb123]

100% agree. I am one of the unlucky people who had to make a decision on what to get since my Note 7 was recalled. I looked at every option and the ONLY thing I could see that is better with the Pixel is faster updates but after spending years flashing phones to get very little change I don't see that as huge and I get a new phone every 12 months so the next major upgrade I get with new hardware anyway. The Pixel to me is ugly (objective I know) and is missing things like SD support, wireless charging (Google should be ashamed) and waterproofing. That doesn't even being too mention Samsung's software which whole is far from perfect has its benefits like Samsung Pay and secure folders.

[Robert Boerescu]

Samsung's hardware is the best, the problem is the software, not updating a perfectly good phone is very frustrating.

[ToddK]

I couldn't live without water-resistance and wireless charging.

[ToddK]

The phone manufacturers are geniuses....

here we are in 2016 replacing 6 and $700 devices every year....

wow. First world problems, indeed. :-)

[Gray Area]

The phone manufacturers are geniuses....

here we are in 2016 replacing 6 and $700 devices every year....

wow. First world problems, indeed. :-)

Agreed

[popkurn611]

I couldn't live without water-resistance and wireless charging.

Water resistance is a good peace of mind, but wireless charging is the biggest gimmick I have ever seen for a mobile device. It doesn't charge as fast as direct USB connection and what is the actual advantage to the user???

I think what is drawing people to the pixel is their software. It is stock android that makes way better usage of the battery than a Samsung device. I used a oneplus 3 for two weeks that has 3000mah battery vs the 3600 on the S7E and the oneplus battery lasted me longer than the S7E.

[ToddK]

I like the convenience...drop it in the charger by the bed, it's ready to go when I get up. Put another charger in the car, drop it in, to keep it topped off while using navigation etc. Can easily grab it if I need to...

I've never actually plugged in my GS7e in all the time I've had it.

[buzzy3970]

Although fast wireless charging isn't as fast as a wired connection it's not like it's twice as slow. Still a pretty good speed not to mention the heat reduction associated with wireless charging(also forgot about the wear and tear that it takes away from your charging port). We live in an age where we think everything should be faster and faster. Sometimes we have to learn to appreciate the technology that we are blessed to have today because less than a decade ago most of the features we have were only dreams 😀

[keepnitreel]

Wireless charging was a great feature that I used in my car. Place the phone on the charger and push to start the car! No way to forget to charge your phone in the car and no annoyance of plugging in and unplugging for multiple short trips when your phone needs a quick charge

[naturalguy]

All those features plus Samsung Pay, it's a game changer

[mavrrick]

I have actually kind of got this itch earlier. They both have pros and cons. I really like the ip68 weather proofing, the wireless charging, and samsung pay. What intrigues me about pixel is daydream and Google assistant.

Just look at what you do with your s7e and see if the pixel can at least replace everything.

[ToddK]

The next software update will add many of those feature...

I'm very happy with my GS7e

I sleep for about 5-6 hours a night, it sits on the wireless charger all night, fully charged, and cool as a cucumber, I grab it and go...

I never care about rain anymore, just keep talking,
...tried to answer a call while doing dishes last week, yup, into the sink it went... I had a moment of panic, and started thinking, "do I have any rice?"... Then remembered, laughed, picked it up, shook it off, and returned the call.

That's worth everything right there. 🤓

[merlinskw]

It happens in all manufacturing, People buy things based largely on media, what some cool dude on YouTube says, all other net reviews, Companies just slop together some shinny skins, and pay people to say it's the best...Slam a big price tag on it, then laugh all the way to the bank. It's kinda our fault when we continue to pay for junk. Sorry for format, tired and now I need coffee. 😊

[anon(9408097)]

I have actually kind of got this itch earlier. They both have pros and cons. I really like the ip68 weather proofing, the wireless charging, and samsung pay. What intrigues me about pixel is daydream and Google assistant.

Just look at what you do with your s7e and see if the pixel can at least replace everything.

Yes I think both have their pros and cons.

But think about it. You can get a taste of Google's assistant on allo. And yes, day dream would be nice to have. Especially with that price tag.

But is a faster and smoother software enough for a Samsung user to switch? Considering that the software on the S7 edge isn't all that bad. I actually quite like it (with a lot of tweaks).

BUT HERE IS THE FOLLOWUP QUESTION: Is Google competing with Samsung at all? If yes, then how does this Pixel make sense? And if no, why not?

[lammy8]

Water resistance is a good peace of mind, but wireless charging is the biggest gimmick I have ever seen for a mobile device. It doesn't charge as fast as direct USB connection and what is the actual advantage to the user???

I think what is drawing people to the pixel is their software. It is stock android that makes way better usage of the battery than a Samsung device. I used a oneplus 3 for two weeks that has 3000mah battery vs the 3600 on the S7E and the oneplus battery lasted me longer than the S7E.

It's super useful if your charging port breaks

Apple's latest iPhone has one port for everything. Or a single point of failure. My USB port could fail and I can still charge my phone wirelessly.

Plus I find it less finicky to just stick it on a dock at work than plug in and out multiple times a day

[T48]

BUT HERE IS THE FOLLOWUP QUESTION: Is Google competing with Samsung at all? If yes, then how does this Pixel make sense? And if no, why not?

Yes they are. But maybe that is why Google did not push to meet all the hardware specs Samsung has & instead is relying on software? Google has to be careful not to push the other OEM's out.

That aside, saw this last night. The Pixel survived 30 min in water. Though am sure if I purchased one, it'd fail in a light rain.

[anon(9408097)]

But do you think Software is enough of a reason? And we're talking about a software which with a little work become almost exactly the same. If you use pixel launcher on both there will be little to no differences left between the two.

Of course the Google assistant is the key feature.
But Google Assistant? How many people talk to there phone?

And TLD did a water test for the Pixel and it survived an hour.

[T48]

I do not upgrade often. That said, have searched & tried to find a device that checks every box. Am not totally sold on the edge screen as would rather have a 5.5" flat screen. The iP7 has its selling points, but can't stand itunes or the lack of LED notifications. Have never spent much time looking at LG or Moto variants.

So in the case of the Pixel or S7 variants. Think instead of comparing spec for spec. It will be a choice of trying something new (as the Pixel is more mainstream than the Nexus line) or sticking with the devil they know in the Samsung line. For me, am waiting for Black Friday holiday sales & see what pops up with that given it is only 5 weeks away.

[Lfsnz67]

I love my S7E, but free storage of 4K videos is huge to me...

[Android Optimizer]

To me the biggest draw of the S7 edge (and previously Note7) is the screen to body ratio and screen quality. Fast charging and additional storage space (sd card slot) come in next on my list of key features. Next to that is the physical sleek glassy look of the phone, handling, and weight of the phone.

Of course the Google assistant is the key feature.
But Google Assistant? How many people talk to there phone?
.

What intrigues me about pixel is daydream and Google assistant.

Google Assistant doesn't strike me as very useful. Is it really much different from "ok, Google"/Google Now. Seems like you can do pretty much all the same things with "ok, google". To me it seems like the Google Assistant targets old people who are new to smart phones, and people who aren't tech savvy.
DayDream seems pretty much the same as Gear VR (aside from a small remote that looks like it may come with the DayDream system). Can you really do anything on DayDream you couldn't do on Gear VR?

But do you think Software is enough of a reason? And we're talking about a software which with a little work become almost exactly the same. If you use pixel launcher on both there will be little to no differences left between the two.
.

I didn't know there was a Pixel launcher. Maybe I'll check it out when my replacement S7edge arrives.As long as apps load fast, transition smooth (the last can be easily tweaked with animation settings in most cases), and the apps don't crash then the rest of the software isn't that significant as most of the software things can be altered with settings or using a different app.

I love my S7E, but free storage of 4K videos is huge to me...

If you read the * you'll see it "backup" of video and pictures, and not directly accessible files. You'd have to restore them before you'd be able to view/use them.

100% agree. I am one of the unlucky people who had to make a decision on what to get since my Note 7 was recalled. I looked at every option and the ONLY thing I could see that is better with the Pixel is faster updates but after spending years flashing phones to get very little change I don't see that as huge. The Pixel to me is ugly (objective I know) and is missing things like SD support, wireless charging (Google should be ashamed) and waterproofing. That doesn't even being too mention Samsung's software which whole is far from perfect has its benefits like Samsung Pay and secure folders.

Like you I have to replace my Note7, and I looked at features and pictures of the Pixel before making my decision. Like you I find the look of the Pixel ugly (the mix of glass and metal on the back, the bezels and edges, and the layout of the home screen. This last one fixable by changing the launcher, and the first one you could conceal with a case, but the bezels and screen edges you can't do anything about).

I couldn't live without water-resistance and wireless charging.

The water-resistance isn't more than a minor safeguard in my mind. All phones these days handle rain pretty well. I don't take my phone is the pool, ocean, shower or anywhere else that it would be submerged in water. I bought a wireless charger not too long after the first Note7 recall was announced, and I didn't use it much opting for a full and faster wired charge most of the time.

All those features plus Samsung Pay, it's a game changer

I used Samsung Pay after getting my Note7, and earned the $20 off, but I was never able to redeem it anywhere. I'd tried to redeem it at places that accept Samsung Pay: Vons, McDonalds, ****'s Sporting Goods, but all of them failed to take it. The Samsung Pay using my credit card worked fine, but proved worthless when it came to redeeming Samsung Pay credit. I could just as easily and quickly pull a credit card out of my wallet and use that instead.