Brand loyalty among Google Pixel users has dropped 18.8% from 84% in 2019 to 65.2% in 2021

[I Can Be Your Hero]

https://www.sellcell.com/blog/cell-phone-brand-loyalty-2021/

"GOOGLE USERS We asked Google users whether they intend to stay with their current brand or switch to a different one the next time they upgrade, and we found out that:

65.2% of current Google Pixel users intend to stick with the brand the next time they upgrade, which is down 18.8% from 84% in the 2019 survey
But 34.8% said they plan to switch to a different brand"

Not surprised. The Pixel line has no direction and the competition just zooms past it with Google seemingly living in a bubble and not understanding that there are excellent products out on the market at better prices.

The Pixel phones don't sell well at all, and with brand loyalty dropping, they're going to sell even worse.

 

[Daveya]

That doesn't reflect those coming to Google from other brands, which I did, because the Pixel 5 is perfect for me

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

That doesn't reflect those coming to Google from other brands, which I did, because the Pixel 5 is perfect for me

Article talks about moving from phones.

"46% of iPhone defectors would switch to a Samsung handset, while 35% would instead get a Google Pixel device."
"A majority of Samsung defectors (53%) would get an iPhone, while 24% would instead get a Google Pixel device."

So seems like most consumers would consider moving from their phone would consider either an iPhone or Galaxy before a Pixel phone.

 

[Daveya]

I bet the new owners like me would be very loyal though

Not great news for Google admittedly, but the Pixel 5 is the phone I've been waiting for for years

 

[dmxjago]

What's sellcell i never even heard of this blog site before.

 

[hub1]

Looks like an Apple centric site....just saying

 

[straygator]

It seems like months since readers of this forum were treated to the latest in your long line of diatribes against Pixel phones. But I trust that some here haven't forgotten your legacy of posts relentlessly denigrating each of Google's devices in succession based on a litany of perceived flaws. No doubt, it's been frustrating for you to see such consistently positive reviews of the Pixel 5 from satisfied owners and impressed experts -- especially after you made such a show of claiming here to have purchased one and then promptly rejected it as deficient in virtually every respect.

Finally, though, it seems you've found a blog article that can be shared here as authority lending support to your negative bias against Pixel phones. Congratulations! Your persistence is admirable. Your objectivity and credibility, however, not so much.

I don't know why you are so intensely motivated to criticize Pixel phones, but I hope this article indicating that some portion of former owners are choosing to buy other brands will be comforting to you. I haven't seen anyone here argue that Pixel phones are perfect for everyone. But you are the only poster I've seen here who has continuously urged for years now that all Pixel phones are inferior to other brands. If calling that out gets me banned from further participation in this forum, so be it. I believe that people who come here in good faith to seek information but aren't familiar with that history deserve to know so that they can put your criticism in the proper perspective.

 

[dmxjago]

Have you guys seen the pixel4a sales? They are through the roof so I'm confused why would the percent drop lol if it has been blooming all of 2020.

#justsaying

 

[cyndie1030]

No bloatware, timely updates and just a clean Android experience makes me one of the 65%. My son went from an iPhone to the P2 and then to the P4. I don't think he has any plans of switching either.

 

[mustang7757]

I've always had pixel since 2xl,3xl,4xl and 5 and I'll continue with pixel brand going forward.

 

[swebb]

The article that spurred this thread is just a poll. No hard data with actual numbers. No mention of how they solicited the participants. We do remember how "accurate" polls are, right?

Not saying that there isn't some truth here, however the recent success of the Pixel 3a, Pixel 4a, and Pixel 5 seem to contradict the conclusions of the article. This would be a lot clearer if there was data from actual sales which included the buyers previous phone.

 

[bhatech]

Is Pixel brand strong? Probably not since sales are no where near Samsung or Apple and never will be.

Are Pixel phones great? It's great for me and that's all it matters. I'll continue to buy the latest Pixel every year.

Is this survey good? It's crap ... I never trust these kind of surveys anyway irrespective they paint a good or bad picture.

 

[Smokeaire01]

12 years ago I was a Blackberry Curve user. I loved that phone. Then along came the HTC Nexus One. Something about it caused me to switch to it and Android. 5 6 years ago I went back to Blackberry with the Passport, then with the Blackberry Key series Android phones.
Now I'm sporting the Pixel 4a and loving it, especially all the unique features Google brings only to the Pixel line. The camera is the best I've ever had on a smart phone.
Now I'm sold on #TeamPixel and I sincerely doubt I'll leave said team. The Pixel line brings the best bang for the buck, especially the Pixel 4a, imo.
I'm here to stay.

 

[Joshua Luther2]

I like to phone swap. I had the 4xl and the S9 and LG G6 and G4 before that. I’m now on the iPhone 12 Pro and am probably going to return to Android in the fall when half of my phone is paid off. I’m just probably going to wait to see what the S22 or the Pixel 6 is like before I make the decision. Samsung has a record of having the best looking screens and I would have considered them a year ago but I’m underwhelmed by the S21 and trying to compete with Apple by removing features. If OnePlus phones were easier to finance then I’d be willing to try them.

iOS has been good from the 6 months I’ve been on it. I just don’t want to get trapped in the ecosystem. I will say this phone is predictable and works as it should. But it’s just not as fun to use or look at. I find myself more and more annoyed by the notch when viewing videos or games at full screen. But it’s slightly better than the huge bezels on the 4xl that I had.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Doesn't help they fail to deliver a flagship and have been stagnant on the camera for several years. Like it or not but their algorithms can't compete with the superior hardware in a Galaxy or iPhone right now.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I loved the Pixel 2xl so much. Best phone I owned until the S10+ which I adore for other reasons. But I have now got a Pixel 4a 5G and it has everything I loved about the 2xl with an extra lens. I didn't like face ID on the 4xl, but my husband loves the phone and moved to it from the 2xl. He was always a Galaxy Note person until the Note 4 which he kept for 4 years until it died. Then he moved to the 2xl and has been Google all the way since then. He loves the 4xl because it has no hole punch or notch and is really happy with the phone.

In the end some people just love the clean interface, the speediness and the cameras. Since using the S10+ I missed the fabulous pictures I got from my 2xl. And now I am getting top notch photos again.

Look at these I took of Snerd this morning. I was centimetres away and yet they are beautiful portraits.

 

[straygator]

Doesn't help they fail to deliver a flagship and have been stagnant on the camera for several years. Like it or not but their algorithms can't compete with the superior hardware in a Galaxy or iPhone right now.

Without question, those who feel that such "superior hardware" makes a device worth the additional cost should continue to purchase and enjoy the products of Samsung or Apple or other manufacturers which provide them satisfaction. I presume that most Pixel phone users here would join me in saying to those folks, "more power to you" -- no pun intended -- in getting what they want. For people like me whose ordinary user experience is not enhanced in any way by "superior hardware," however, Pixel phones seem to be perfectly fine. Pixel phones may not boast impressive specs; but for those of us who have chosen them, they fulfill our needs and desires by performing the functions we want from such a device effortlessly and with near-flawless reliability. And from our perspective, Pixel phones are, when measured against the current market, a great value.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Have you guys seen the pixel4a sales? They are through the roof so I'm confused why would the percent drop lol if it has been blooming all of 2020.

#justsaying

What are the sales though? I don't think Google release sales numbers. What does 'through the roof' mean? 10,000 units?

And even if the sales were good in comparison to other Pixel phones, it suggests that a large portion of customers (more than 1/3 of those polled) aren't satisfied with the phone and will be looking elsewhere for their next one.

 

[dmxjago]

What are the sales though? I don't think Google release sales numbers. What does 'through the roof' mean? 10,000 units?

And even if the sales were good in comparison to other Pixel phones, it suggests that a large portion of customers (more than 1/3 of those polled) aren't satisfied with the phone and will be looking elsewhere for their next one.

LOL but a survey like that is reliable? Frankly I don't l know the #'s except that sales for pixel phones in general are much higher than ever so sorry of I don't take a survey as reliable evidence.

I'm not going to debate this with you let's move along.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Doesn't help they fail to deliver a flagship and have been stagnant on the camera for several years. Like it or not but their algorithms can't compete with the superior hardware in a Galaxy or iPhone right now.

Yeah pretty much. The 4a and 5a 5G I can understand as they're cheap phones, but it's hard to justify the Pixel 5 when it's essentially the same hardware but with a higher price. A consumer looking at the Pixel 5 would likely compare it to the Galaxy S20 FE or an iPhone 11 or something - which are clearly better value propositions than the Pixel 5.

I think it might be better for Google to scrap the mainline series and just stick with the 'a' phones. They seem to sell better, make more sense and are a better value proposition.

Not surprising at all that brand loyalty to the Pixel would be dropping.

LOL but a survey like that is reliable? Frankly I don't l ow the #'s except that sales for pixel phones in general are much higher than ever so sorry of I don't take a survey as reliable evidence.

I'm not going to debate this with you let's move along.

I didn't create the survey, but they said they polled US customers who have the phones. Unless there legitimate reason to believe this has been falsified or methods of polling are inappropriate, I'll take what they say.

And if we don't know what the sales of the Pixel phones are, then you can't really claim sales are 'through the roof'. It might sell more than other Pixel phones, but that's not a high bar to begin with.

Even with the higher sales - the poll suggests that more than 1/3 would still consider moving to another brand. So just because sales may be (relatively) high, seems like retention may not be, which is a far bigger concern. Apple does so well because they have returning customers as well as attracting new ones. Google may attract new ones with cheap 4a phones, but will they return?