News Google still can't get the basics right on Pixels

[AC News]

Google's Pixel 9 devices are now official, and they share a lot of the same frustrations as their predecessors.

Google still can't get the basics right on Pixels : Read more

 

[Mac58]

To make sure I'm understanding this article, Google can't get the basics right because
1) it's offering more RAM than it's competitors at the same base price and same storage configuration but because it's trade in values are lower than Samsung it's therefore it can't get right
2)the tensor g4 is being used and without any real world evidence from you but simply because of this choice this means it's automatically going to throttle and overheat.
3)it's not offering wifi 7 globally (I could agree with this point as a standalone but the s24+ base also doesn't have wifi 7 and if you are saying these are the basics and the other "flagship" doesn't offer it well it can't be the basics
4) feature gating. Again if agree with this as well if it wasn't under the title of basics. Not all flagships even have this feature.

Just reads as a click bait title with no actual factual reasons why the 9 series isn't getting the basics right. Basics for the average consumer are battery life, camera performance, hardware, charging, you know the simple things that every company needs to nail jot some list of arbitrary features the average consumer won't even care about. Respectfully, I disagree and hope you will do better next time.

 

[Isaiah Armstead]

To make sure I'm understanding this article, Google can't get the basics right because
1) it's offering more RAM than it's competitors at the same base price and same storage configuration but because it's trade in values are lower than Samsung it's therefore it can't get right
2)the tensor g4 is being used and without any real world evidence from you but simply because of this choice this means it's automatically going to throttle and overheat.
3)it's not offering wifi 7 globally (I could agree with this point as a standalone but the s24+ base also doesn't have wifi 7 and if you are saying these are the basics and the other "flagship" doesn't offer it well it can't be the basics
4) feature gating. Again if agree with this as well if it wasn't under the title of basics. Not all flagships even have this feature.

Just reads as a click bait title with no actual factual reasons why the 9 series isn't getting the basics right. Basics for the average consumer are battery life, camera performance, hardware, charging, you know the simple things that every company needs to nail jot some list of arbitrary features the average consumer won't even care about. Respectfully, I disagree and hope you will do better next time.

Spot on!!!! This article reads like a hit piece with a bunch of inaccurate information. He claims they did nothing for thermals, yet they included vapor chamber cooling as well as efficiency gains with both the processor and modem. Like how is it that even good journalism to just trash something not even out yet, that you clearly know nothing about?

 

[politebat2001]

Wow, the phone has been out for less than 24 hours and we get this already. How about you wait a week before you start chucking grenades? Every other reviewer I've read has said these phones are amazing, so I'm not sure about this. I hope you have a similar hit piece for Samsung with all the crazy stuff they do.

 

[taino211]

This article is just pure filler. Must be a slow news day. I kept searching for "the basics that Google can't get right with the Pixels" and I'm still searching for that part of the article. While the author seems to have had various hardware issues with Pixels, many have not. I have had a couple of instances where I've had to send a Pixel/Nexus for warranty exchange but not moreso than any other manufacturer. I've sent Samsung devices as well. I wasted 5 minutes of my life reading/commenting on this article that I'll never get back.

 

[notforhire]

I don't really have a problem with the article. I'm a Samsung guy. And the reason is that I once was a Google guy. I no longer have a dog in the fight. Also, it's silly to fight over phone brands, imho. I will say that with every new Pixel launch, I wait to see what bugs/issues come with the rollout. Google is big enough that if they were serious about making Apple/Samsung level hardware, they would. again...my observations.

 

[Raxcental]

What do you mean "Google doesn't do any meaningful thermal management — even on the Pixel 9 generation — and that makes these devices prone to throttling and overheating."

They literally showed off their new vapor chamber. The Tensor G4 also comes with a significantly more efficient modem. You even bring up the new modem indirectly by mentioning WiFi 7 support. To say that Google has done nothing to help with thermals is an absolute lie. Did you even watch the event yesterday? Because it looks like you're just making a bunch of assumptions and pairing it with misleading information.

Article just seems like its written all for the sake of hating on pixel before these phones have even had a chance yet.

 

[JudasD]

google has the pixel just right or else we wouldn't be buying it. this article reads like google needs to make their tires even rounder than the competition. sigh.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Yeah, I have to agree with others, I don't think this article does a good job at calling out Google for their very real shortcomings.

We all know Google hardware is still catching up to the competition, and we all know their software is sometimes buggy (I call Pixel owners beta-users since they get the first batch of bugs along with that first software update), and these are all great things to call Google out on given the years of bugs we've seen on Pixel devices, but this article is click-bait and grasping at straws. Not a good look for AC.

I'm all for calling Google out, but this doesn't do it, and actually obfuscates the real challenges and issues Google has.

 

[Ardrid]

There are plenty of other garbage websites out there if I wanted to subject myself to clickbait articles. I expect better from AC.

 

[jpalo]

Sometimes the problem isn't in the devices.

 

[leev]

The bottom end phone is trash lol camera does nothing new, at the most you get a new battery no new features and a new design nobody will notice the ppi doesn't change from around 442.. and the OLED is cool when you get it..

What Happened.. I wanted and Ordered the Pixel 9 then Cancelled it after receiving 400$ off and a 100$ trade in for my pixel 7... It's just my pixel 7 it's paid off The camera is better then what's in the Pixel 9 seeing that the camera is paid off and close enough .. rounded edges and a new front camera and software thats exclusive because they want it to be seems like a scam.. You can use Ai writing service for free why would I need gemini.. it just 50MP rear and the same the FPS theyve saved all the good stuff for the Pro model and that's dumb and why are they giving such big discounts and Amazon gift cards it's obvious the phone sucks..

 

[onthecouchagain]

I think the crux of the matter is, what defines "basics"?

Pixel 9 series is offering 20% more battery, better and brighter screens, better modems, more RAM for not just AI but multi-tasking and future-proofing, premium design (aesthetics is relative, but this is definitely flagship level material and look), two size options for the Pro model, decent color options, major upgrade to selfie camera, ultra-sonic FPS, some decent software features for phone calls (like transcribing notes)... To me, these are the basics.

Google is stepping up their game on these fronts. Will they hit it out of the park? Let's see. Only time will tell. We've been here before where Google releases new hardware and then we see a litany of bugs and/or hardware issues shortly after release. And while we know stuff like this isn't exclusive to Google's hardware only, it has been a rather big point of contention for the past couple of years.

So yes, Google can improve, and yes, we should call them out on this, but this specific article does not accomplish this.

If anything, it seems like the Pixel 9 series is poised to get exactly the basics right.

 

[kiniku]

Click bait.

 

[Xenofastiq]

The whole problem with the storage argument though is that flagships that are sold with 256GB as the lowest option are sold at the 256GB PRICE. So having the phone start at 256GB isn't going to do anything other than keep devices even more expensive. Samsung devices that start at 256GB were sold at 256GB prices, as have Apple devices. It's to NO benefit to the consumer other than feeling good that you bought a 256GB device.

 

[Daelos]

My only beef with the Pixel 9 is that it's gone up another $100 since the last version and that went up another $100 since the one before that. I was happy to pay $600/$700 for a better phone than a midranger but now it's the same price as all the top enders, I've lost interest. I don't need speed or a phone that's 99% off the best around. I want a solid workhorse with great reliability and a commitment to years and years of updates. Pixel seem to have fallen into the same trap as all the other super high enders. First time in 12 years I might go down to a midranger on my next phone.

 

[Warren Green1]

This article is simply a frivolous attempt to be negative and draw attention to their site. You haven't even used the phone enough, yet you're claiming that Google "failed to nail the basics."
Wi-Fi 7 is a new protocol that not many routers support yet.
You're ignoring the new vapor chamber just to increase your negative points.
How can you say 16 GB of RAM is unnecessary when you haven't used the phone? Google explained that this is to assist with on-device AI.
You're bringing up past shortcomings (out of context) just to be negative, while refusing to acknowledge the improvements Google has made.
Use the phone and then come back. A few minutes of hands-on impressions after the event don't count as actually using the phone.

 

[neil74]

Given how the interweb works I get the clickbait nature of the headline, thought the article was mostly ok I thought.

The thermals is an interesting one, I was hoping that that the 9 would not be a hand warmer like the 8 (and 7 and 6) so if this issue remains, I won't be buying one. Time will tell if the modem issues will remain too.

I think pricing is the biggest issue though, the Pixel 9 is effectively below flagship specs for flagship money. I have used a lot of droids and but for the cameras something like the Nothing phone 2 offers a just as satisyfing day-to-day experience as a Pixel, and the Oneplus 12 has it nailed on specs and price (£799 for the 512gb OP12 right now in blighty)

 

[aniruddh]

So 16 GB RAM is over but not having 8K in certain model is the problem and thermal is the issue. All contradicting to each other as if I want 8K then high thermal would be a bio product of that 8K video process and having 16 GB RAM means better and faster 8K processing on device and better thermal temprature compared to less RAM device try to process the same 8K video!!

 

[Jasop]

Quick question, will the 128gb pixel 9 pro xl be able to utilize all 8k video options? Coming from an iPhone that forced me to buy the 256gb to use some video recording features.