Major Internal Turmoil at Google over the Pixel 4

[robtani]

This is exactly why I returned it within a week of trying the Pixel 4. The battery life was simply the worst of any smartphone I had ever owned and was a total deal breaker. It seems that the whole division chief of Pixel had been equally pissed about the poor battery life.. wonder why he didn't take a more proactive approach before the phone was made.,,,

https://www.phonearena.com/news/google-pixel-4-sales-key-executives-quit_id124608
https://www.droid-life.com/2020/05/13/pixel-4-launch-sounds-like-a-massive-disaster-for-google/

 

[dmxjago]

I can't speak for the p4 but th 4 xl's battery has been exceptional and I'm getting on average 6-6.5 hrs of SOT. Love the phone and totally happy with it. As for the executives leaving that's what people do they come and go and I'm not worried. If the next pixel sucks then I'll just get something else but I hope there aren't issued bc I love the stock pixel experience.

 

[mustang7757]

Happy on my pixel 4xl , won't get the 5 . But this happens in any bug company, Samsung, Apple , Google etc..

 

[elvee68]

Maybe if they listened to their user base....
Look I have the 3XL and I love it but let's be real, compared to other flagships, the Pixel always feels like a year behind, the battery, the Ram Management and in the Pixel 4 especially, No wide angle camera. I'm just being honest here. I saw no reason to get the 4. Now the 5 is supposed to have a midrange chip and that's fine but don't expect me to pay flagship price for it.

 

[dmxjago]

Maybe if they listened to their user base....
Look I have the 3XL and I love it but let's be real, compared to other flagships, the Pixel always feels like a year behind, the battery, the Ram Management and in the Pixel 4 especially, No wide angle camera. I'm just being honest here. I saw no reason to get the 4. Now the 5 is supposed to have a midrange chip and that's fine but don't expect me to pay flagship price for it.

All those issues were solved with the p4 such as RAM management. Only thing missing is the ultra wide angle. I'm just going to see what they actually do with the p5 and maybe this time around instead of preordering actually wait for the reviews first.

 

[elvee68]

All those issues were solved with the p4 such as RAM management. Only thing missing is the ultra wide angle. I'm just going to see what they actually do with the p5 and maybe this time around instead of preordering actually wait for the reviews first.

Speaking of reviews...yes some issues have been fixed but the Pixel line is still not flagship to the units they are compared to and reviewers are quick to point this out. I think many people are influenced by these reviews.

 

[Bkdodger1]

I have to say I love my Pixel 4 XL..that said I would not pay the initial price on it ...at $600 is the right range for me ...it will be interesting to see how the change in team Pixel plays out ...some of the concerns about the phone were there from what I'm reading before it was released ...

 

[robtani]

In particular, the P4 was the problem as the larger battery in the XL version made it more usable. I'm a total phone junkie and talk to tons of technical/non-technical people about their phones and never met anyone who had the P4 and was able to get through an entire day with moderate use due to the incredibly poor battery life. Also, a guy at the local Verizon store in Chicago was telling me how it's been "the most returned" he's ever seen!

 

[anon(40376)]

No problems with my 4XL at all. Battery life had been great, phone is perfect size. Only thing I have problem with are the slide gestures but have the option to go back to the standard buttons at the bottom of the screen; and I might.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

No problems with my 4XL at all. Battery life had been great, phone is perfect size. Only thing I have problem with are the slide gestures but have the option to go back to the standard buttons at the bottom of the screen; and I might.

You can use the 3 buttons on the Pixel 4XL. Under navigation.

 

[anon(40376)]

You can use the 3 buttons on the Pixel 4XL. Under navigation.

Thanks. Basically, what I had already stated!

"... but have the option to go back to the standard buttons at the bottom of the screen; and I might...."

 

[Elky64]

In particular, the P4 was the problem as the larger battery in the XL version made it more usable. I'm a total phone junkie and talk to tons of technical/non-technical people about their phones and never met anyone who had the P4 and was able to get through an entire day with moderate use due to the incredibly poor battery life. Also, a guy at the local Verizon store in Chicago was telling me how it's been "the most returned" he's ever seen!

Never understood Googles lack of battery progression, or their indecisiveness in which direction to go with it. One of the main reasons I've never considered the regular pixel's looking like the 4a (if it's still a go), won't be a consideration either.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Not surprised at the internal turmoil. Though I don't think it's all horrible.

1. Marc Levoy leaving I don't think is a huge problem. He joined Google, steered the Pixel team into computational photography (which no doubt worked out well for them) and now he's left the organisation after 6 years, which isn't an unusual tenure for people in tech. I think the Pixel camera team have a very strong basis to work off, so I don't think Levoy leaving is detrimental to Google.

2. I don't get how Rick Osterloh is upset about the battery life here. I mean he's the head of Google's hardware division - did he have no involvement in the Pixel 4 design? Was the phone designed completely without his involvement, then they threw him a prototype/test device and he found the battery sucked? I don't understand why he's upset at the team, when the buck stops with him doesn't it? Maybe if he's so detached from the Pixel phone hardware team and doesn't know what they're doing - maybe he should be leaving too?

3. Mario Queiroz leaving is a long time coming. Pixel phones have been a market flop. This guy would have been the one making decision on bone-headed features like Soli which is nothing but a disaster, small batteries, camera hardware that is always a year or two behind the competition etc. It's all led to sales dropping year on year with the Pixel 4 selling dismally.

It's not surprising at all - Google are not making compelling phone products. The competition keeps making better and better products offering great value for money, but Google seem to be stuck in neutral. They're not making a high-end enough product to demand a high end price, but they're stubbornly not selling the device at a reasonable price to consumers. What's really bad for Google is that (from my understanding) the Pixel 2/2XL were the best selling Pixel phones, but it seems the Pixel 3 and 4 lines weren't strong enough for those Pixel 2 owners to become Pixel 3 or Pixel 4 owners. Seems like a lot of them moved on to greener pastures with competing products.

So with all these departures and turmoil, who know what the next few phones from Google will turn out to be. Seems like there's no direction, no focus, no idea what they're doing. If they're not serious and dedicated to the product, then just cut it off.

 

[mustang7757]

Not surprised at the internal turmoil. Though I don't think it's all horrible.

1. Marc Levoy leaving I don't think is a huge problem. He joined Google, steered the Pixel team into computational photography (which no doubt worked out well for them) and now he's left the organisation after 6 years, which isn't an unusual tenure for people in tech. I think the Pixel camera team have a very strong basis to work off, so I don't think Levoy leaving is detrimental to Google.

2. I don't get how Rick Osterloh is upset about the battery life here. I mean he's the head of Google's hardware division - did he have no involvement in the Pixel 4 design? Was the phone designed completely without his involvement, then they threw him a prototype/test device and he found the battery sucked? I don't understand why he's upset at the team, when the buck stops with him doesn't it? Maybe if he's so detached from the Pixel phone hardware team and doesn't know what they're doing - maybe he should be leaving too?

3. Mario Queiroz leaving is a long time coming. Pixel phones have been a market flop. This guy would have been the one making decision on bone-headed features like Soli which is nothing but a disaster, small batteries, camera hardware that is always a year or two behind the competition etc. It's all led to sales dropping year on year with the Pixel 4 selling dismally.

It's not surprising at all - Google are not making compelling phone products. The competition keeps making better and better products offering great value for money, but Google seem to be stuck in neutral. They're not making a high-end enough product to demand a high end price, but they're stubbornly not selling the device at a reasonable price to consumers. What's really bad for Google is that (from my understanding) the Pixel 2/2XL were the best selling Pixel phones, but it seems the Pixel 3 and 4 lines weren't strong enough for those Pixel 2 owners to become Pixel 3 or Pixel 4 owners. Seems like a lot of them moved on to greener pastures with competing products.

So with all these departures and turmoil, who know what the next few phones from Google will turn out to be. Seems like there's no direction, no focus, no idea what they're doing. If they're not serious and dedicated to the product, then just cut it off.

They need little house cleaning, the pixel line not going disappear anytime soon , Google a giant and will back this phone regardless of sales , it will take some time to get where they want so not worried.

 

[mgbosshogg]

Mediocre devices with outstanding camera software at ludicrous prices is the pixel line M.O.

Can't see it changing with the 5. But we can hope.
As usual it comes down to price. They should subsidise them more to get their software out in the wild. Maybe a little in house shake up is a good thing.

 

[bhatech]

As if people will stop complaining about price !!!

They want everything but priced at $200

 

[the_boon]

They want everything but priced at $200

And with a trade-in value of $180 for a Galaxy S5 please

 

[mustang7757]

As if people will stop complaining about price !!!

They want everything but priced at $200

Yeah not going happen

 

[mgbosshogg]

Ha, if only.

The 2XL , 3XL and 4XL respectively have been priced more then their counterpart Notes ( 8,9,10) here on release!

As if people will stop complaining about price !!!

They want everything but priced at $200

 

[mustang7757]

Ha, if only.

The 2XL , 3XL and 4XL respectively have been priced more then their counterpart Notes ( 8,9,10) here on release!

3xl was only one I paid full price