Does anybody have interest in these 3a Pixels?

[Tsepz_GP]

Oh I agree completely, I don't miss my pixel at all and I much prefer the performance and very useful customization options of the 6T. I also think monthly updates are overrated too. I'll take quarterly updates that are more stable.

As for the camera, the 6T can be very good in most conditions, it just takes a little practice.

People tend to overly excuse Google for the Public Beta that the Nexus/Pixel program is, lol. I would rather have updates that are thoroughly tested and executed, rather than some Beta crap that breaks stuff. But anyway, that's just us, most people seem to put priority on having the latest and greatest version number of anything despite the lack of any real benefit I guess.

It's weird, I never thought Android would find itself in such a weird space, but here we are. People will prioritize meaninglessness software versions over excellent hardware.

 

[Mike Dee]

People tend to overly excuse Google for the Public Beta that the Nexus/Pixel program is, lol. I would rather have updates that are thoroughly tested and executed, rather than some Beta crap that breaks stuff. But anyway, that's just us, most people seem to put priority on having the latest and greatest version number of anything despite the lack of any real benefit I guess.

It's weird, I never thought Android would find itself in such a weird space, but here we are. People will prioritize meaninglessness software versions over excellent hardware.

The fact that certain things are meaningless to you doesn't make them meaningless. That's something that someone here enlightened to a few years ago when I was being dismissive of timely security updates. As far as a Public Beta, the regular releases are no where near beta. That's somewhat true of the actual beta program and developer previews that some insist on trying and there are many that jump in there that shouldn't, especially those with only one device. As far as buggy updates, I've found no real difference in smart devices out of any of the brands I've used since the original Droid. That includes Moto, L.G., Nexus, Pixel, Samsung and Iphone. The last three of which I'm currently and actively using.

 

[Almeuit]

People tend to overly excuse Google for the Public Beta that the Nexus/Pixel program is, lol. I would rather have updates that are thoroughly tested and executed, rather than some Beta crap that breaks stuff. But anyway, that's just us, most people seem to put priority on having the latest and greatest version number of anything despite the lack of any real benefit I guess.

It's weird, I never thought Android would find itself in such a weird space, but here we are. People will prioritize meaninglessness software versions over excellent hardware.

So if someone values updates it's meaningless but you valuing hardware is all knowing? Dang didn't know we had the king decider of all outcomes here.. my bad Mr. King. You are right.

 

[Golurk]

People tend to overly excuse Google for the Public Beta that the Nexus/Pixel program is, lol. I would rather have updates that are thoroughly tested and executed, rather than some Beta crap that breaks stuff. But anyway, that's just us, most people seem to put priority on having the latest and greatest version number of anything despite the lack of any real benefit I guess.

It's weird, I never thought Android would find itself in such a weird space, but here we are. People will prioritize meaninglessness software versions over excellent hardware.

The whole point of the Beta test version is to allow people a glimpse of how future Android versions MIGHT turn out to be and are being worked on...at their own risk. Nobody is forced to use the beta, it’s just there.

While I agree with you that good hardware is incredibly important, so is the software side. Software updates aren’t meaningless...compare Android 6 to Android 9 Pie and quite a lot has changed within 2/3 years.

An example of hardware and software is Huawei...a few years back (and until recently) they made comparatively good devices compared to other companies but for some reason their software experience wasn’t as good.

Thing is, software updates have a direct effect on user experience. What’s the point in having a phone with excellent cameras when it’s such a hassle to use them because of the software? It’s like trying to eat great pasta without cutlery (not the best analogy, I know).

How smooth and clean software/UIs are also has a direct impact on phone performance as well. Even a Snapdragon 845 will noticeably lag if the software it’s using is bloated, buggy and unrefined enough.

Also, that last sentence is mass generalisation.

 

[Tsepz_GP]

The whole point of the Beta test version is to allow people a glimpse of how future Android versions MIGHT turn out to be and are being worked on...at their own risk. Nobody is forced to use the beta, it’s just there.

While I agree with you that good hardware is incredibly important, so is the software side. Software updates aren’t meaningless...compare Android 6 to Android 9 Pie and quite a lot has changed within 2/3 years.

An example of hardware and software is Huawei...a few years back (and until recently) they made comparatively good devices compared to other companies but for some reason their software experience wasn’t as good.

Thing is, software updates have a direct effect on user experience. What’s the point in having a phone with excellent cameras when it’s such a hassle to use them because of the software? It’s like trying to eat great pasta without cutlery (not the best analogy, I know).

How smooth and clean software/UIs are also has a direct impact on phone performance as well. Even a Snapdragon 845 will noticeably lag if the software it’s using is bloated, buggy and unrefined enough.

Also, that last sentence is mass generalisation.

When I said Beta I was talking about stable releases that go out to the public that tend to be filled with bugs, not the actual Beta firmware.

You make great points though.

 

[Golurk]

Thanks for the compliment...

...unfortunately, most first releases that get out to the public have a bug or two, but usually it only affects a small but substantial amount of users. Personally I didn’t experience a single bug on my Android 8 Oreo version 1 until 6 months after I installed it.

Personally I think (and have thought for a long time) that Android can only get better, unless Google suddenly goes bankrupt, sells it to LG or whatever.

 

[Ten Four]

If only the 3a was water resistant! I spend a lot of time around the water being in the boating industry and it is critical to me. The funny thing is the worst test of my Pixel 2 came when my daughter knocked over a huge glass of water in a restaurant, completely flooding my phone sitting on the table. It was great to be able to just shake off the water and continue with no problems. In my own family my wife and daughter have lost several older phones due to water problems. Just walking in the rain can do one in. Water resistance is a huge feature IMHO.

 

[Morty2264]

If only the 3a was water resistant! I spend a lot of time around the water being in the boating industry and it is critical to me. The funny thing is the worst test of my Pixel 2 came when my daughter knocked over a huge glass of water in a restaurant, completely flooding my phone sitting on the table. It was great to be able to just shake off the water and continue with no problems. In my own family my wife and daughter have lost several older phones due to water problems. Just walking in the rain can do one in. Water resistance is a huge feature IMHO.

Oh wow, I still would've panicked, even owning a Pixel 2 (I'm very afraid of water damage)! So glad everything worked out! You're right though, water resistance ratings really are significant - to many users I suppose, but I guess some are more willing to sacrifice it. I have realized that I am not, though! My husband and I go up to his family's cottage a lot and so the beach, water, etc are all in the vicinity... So I'd rather have a phone with an IP 68 rating, just in case.

 

[mogelijk]

If only the 3a was water resistant! I spend a lot of time around the water being in the boating industry and it is critical to me. The funny thing is the worst test of my Pixel 2 came when my daughter knocked over a huge glass of water in a restaurant, completely flooding my phone sitting on the table. It was great to be able to just shake off the water and continue with no problems. In my own family my wife and daughter have lost several older phones due to water problems. Just walking in the rain can do one in. Water resistance is a huge feature IMHO.

The water resistance is a tough issue. Too add water resistance would have increased the cost of the phone, and that appears to have been one of the areas Google felt they could keep costs down. Additionally, chances are that to make the phone water resistance, they likely would not have included a headphone jack. While you can add a headphone jack and make the phone water resistance (as Samsung has done), it does give water a way into the phone and makes it much harder to protect the interior components. This is one reason why companies are no longer adding headphone jacks into phones.

Hopefully we will see a company make a waterproof case for the 3A -- particularly since I'm sure there are people that will want that type of protection for their Pixel.

 

[Jeremy8000]

My husband and I go up to his family's cottage a lot and so the beach, water, etc are all in the vicinity... So I'd rather have a phone with an IP 68 rating, just in case.

Just a PSA... IP68 certification on a device does not account for (and therefore does not apply when there are) chemicals it other contaminants in the water, such as chlorine, fluoride, or salt water. Those can damage the gaskets and seals which provide the ingress protection.

While you would probably be fine with a submersion in such a few times, I would definitely recommend a similar level of caution as you would exert if your phone had no such rating when taking it to the pool, lake, beach, etc.

As to the 3a, 3a XL, they do not have a rating but I suspect they have some level of ingress protection, regardless of it's lack of an IP rating. Google may have simply abstained from certifying it to keep costs down.

 

[mustang7757]

Just a PSA... IP68 certification on a device does not account for (and therefore does not apply when there are) chemicals it other contaminants in the water, such as chlorine, fluoride, or salt water. Those can damage the gaskets and seals which provide the ingress protection.

While you would probably be fine with a submersion in such a few times, I would definitely recommend a similar level of caution as you would exert if your phone had no such rating when taking it to the pool, lake, beach, etc.

As to the 3a, 3a XL, they do not have a rating but I suspect they have some level of ingress protection, regardless of it's lack of an IP rating. Google may have simply abstained from certifying it to keep costs down.

According to this video by ifixit , dont look like it.

https://youtu.be/anoFNPXo2yA

 

[chanchan05]

If only the 3a was water resistant! I spend a lot of time around the water being in the boating industry and it is critical to me. The funny thing is the worst test of my Pixel 2 came when my daughter knocked over a huge glass of water in a restaurant, completely flooding my phone sitting on the table. It was great to be able to just shake off the water and continue with no problems. In my own family my wife and daughter have lost several older phones due to water problems. Just walking in the rain can do one in. Water resistance is a huge feature IMHO.

To be honest I'm actually mad at Samsung for removing the water resistance in the A series. I mean at least being there it might have eventually compelled other manufacturers to have midrange IP rated devices. As of now I think there are none at that price range.
They only did it for like a year. You'd wonder if they kept at it longer maybe we'd have seen 300USD IP68 devices from Google and Huawei.

 

[mustang7757]

To be honest I'm actually mad at Samsung for removing the water resistance in the A series. I mean at least being there it might have eventually compelled other manufacturers to have midrange IP rated devices. As of now I think there are none at that price range.
They only did it for like a year. You'd wonder if they kept at it longer maybe we'd have seen 300USD IP68 devices from Google and Huawei.

I like what they done with the M40 and A70

 

[Golurk]

Personally I think the 6.7 inch screen and 20:9 aspect ratio is too large and bordering on stupid for the A70...I prefer the older better designs like on the A8 (2018). If the A8 last year had a better processor it would’ve definitely been very popular. Even the A9 from last year looked better than this year’s A series.

 

[Ten Four]

As to the 3a, 3a XL, they do not have a rating but I suspect they have some level of ingress protection, regardless of it's lack of an IP rating. Google may have simply abstained from certifying it to keep costs down.

The problem is no matter how careful you are, stuff happens. My wife killed a phone when she was walking the dog, got caught in a rainstorm so put her phone in the rain jacket pocket, which leaked and filled with water! Thinking back, I would guess I have experienced a water event with my phones about once a year. Even at only $400 those can be costly events.

 

[Zendroid1]

It's crazy how far we've come though with these phones. It doesn't seem like that long ago where phones had almost no water resistance rating and we all got along fine for the most part. I never had a water issues on any of my phones going back 10 years or more. Can't wait to see where we are in another 10 years.

 

[Ten Four]

I never had a water issues on any of my phones going back 10 years or more.

Ten years ago I had a feature phone or a flip phone that cost like $59, had a replaceable battery, and wouldn't make me cry if it died. In fact, I still have some of those phones around and if I charge them up they turn on and would probably work fine if I could find a 2G network to hook them up to. Phones like the old Nokias could survive just about everything, and often could be revived after a dunking by just drying them out. Today's smartphones with glass backs, no bezels, curved screens, sealed batteries, etc. are pretty delicate little toys in comparison. But, yes, you are right, water resistance is improving, which is a big step in the right direction.

 

[chanchan05]

It's crazy how far we've come though with these phones. It doesn't seem like that long ago where phones had almost no water resistance rating and we all got along fine for the most part. I never had a water issues on any of my phones going back 10 years or more. Can't wait to see where we are in another 10 years.

Today's phones won't survive these though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zM6lUpMMHU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnk1UYBblq0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWYqtDNrLkY

 

[PRIVuser2018]

Am I really the only one happy to see a plastic back? Glass is glass, and glass breaks. While the 3a doesn't have wireless charging, plastic backs can support (e.g. BlackBerry PRIV) it.

 

[B. Diddy]

I've never been one to pooh-pooh plastic backs, as long as they have a nice texture that makes the phone less slippery. Glass is slippery and cracks easily, while metal is usually quite slippery as well.

The only caveat is that soft-touch or rubberized plastic can sometimes deteriorate over a few years, where it starts to feel overly sticky.