Google has done a lot of things very well. And Android - flaws and all - is bar none a more cutting-edge and functional platform than iOS. That's why, year after year, Apple continues to adopt features that Android has had for years. iOS 11 will boast "batch notifications" for the first time and Apple aficionados will ooh and ahh.
Price is a big deal - and as I stated before, there's no reason why Google couldn't undercut the price of its competition by $100 given the lack of expandable storage and IP 67+ certification.
However, their business model with the Pixel is baffling. For all of the advertisements and bold promises, we're looking at a Verizon exclusive. It's not being sold directly from the four other major U.S. carriers and already at an insurmountable disadvantage. Google aficionados eager for quick access to the latest Google has to offer will be bogged down by Verizon's bloatware and software update delays. This is no different than any other experience Google has offered previously. It's just a different name being backed by millions of dollars.
Google has not addressed the baffling problems of carrier bloatware, fragmentation, and app optimization that have crippled an otherwise fantastic OS. And Google has both the clout and the bandwidth to solve all of these problems - at least on flagship Android devices that go toe-to-toe with the best Apple has to offer.
I expect the best from Google because I believe that their platform is the best. But the Pixel line and strategy are not the best. A lot of promise, but it falls flat. That on top of Samsung's present fiasco, and it's a difficult time to be an Android fan.