My Pixel 4 XL sale story. Pretty sad for pixel reputation

[vhl71]

I've loved my Pixel 4 XL and now bought the new pixel 5. Tried to sell my 4 XL on the local classifieds. I hardly got any response for more than a month and then one guy wanted to trade it for a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. Since it wasn't selling anyway i ended up trading it. Couldn't even stand that Samsung UI for more than 15 mins and put the ad on the same classifieds site. Sold it within a day. So many offers.

People are crazy about Samsung phones. For me i cannot stand it even for a day. Not sure why Pixel doesn't interest any Android users. It's puzzling. If not for pixel, I'll be using only iPhones.

Sad state of affairs for Google pixel.

 

[debsawyer]

I have a Note 10,and a Pixel 4XL. I love both. I can't get away from Samsung, but I wanted both. If Samsung did away with the Note series I will probably go straight Google.

 

[Morty2264]

It's true that iPhone and Samsung dominate the market in many respects. People go with what they see others using; what's in the store; what they see being marketed; what their friends are using... But for a lot of us phone geeks, Pixel is still pretty high up there on our list! Sorry to hear about your sad resale experience!

 

[Ragnarianrok]

Is anyone trading in their Pixel 4 XL for the S21 models?

I'm willing to give the S21+ a shot.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

I've loved my Pixel 4 XL and now bought the new pixel 5. Tried to sell my 4 XL on the local classifieds. I hardly got any response for more than a month and then one guy wanted to trade it for a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. Since it wasn't selling anyway i ended up trading it. Couldn't even stand that Samsung UI for more than 15 mins and put the ad on the same classifieds site. Sold it within a day. So many offers.

People are crazy about Samsung phones. For me i cannot stand it even for a day. Not sure why Pixel doesn't interest any Android users. It's puzzling. If not for pixel, I'll be using only iPhones.

Sad state of affairs for Google pixel.

Replace Samsung and Pixel and I feel the exact same way. I can't possibly understand why anyone would want or use a Pixel over a Galaxy.

To each their own I guess.

 

[Theot]

People buy what is heavily marked and what the carriers are paid to promote. That's mostly apple and Samsung. They're the flashiest, and most people are like a moth to the flame. I have a friend who needs a phone right now that is only thinking about what Samsung phone is supposed to be the best. Not because he needs it, he just wants a big screen and battery that makes calls. He doesn't play games, hell he doesn't even have a google account or email so he never updates any apps. But he wants to spend $1200 for the top end phone. Makes no sense to me. Not my money.

Is anyone trading in their Pixel 4 XL for the S21 models?

I'm willing to give the S21+ a shot.

I thought about it, it's beautiful hardware but I gave the S20 a shot last summer and just didn't like the software at all.

Replace Samsung and Pixel and I feel the exact same way. I can't possibly understand why anyone would want or use a Pixel over a Galaxy.

To each their own I guess.

Samsung has never felt like a seamless experience to me and I've had several. Great hardware, but there is just to much going on in the software. I suppose if you aren't using Google services then maybe that's why a Pixel doesn't make sense but if you do, the Pixel works incredibly well in that system and is far more fluid and seamless than Samsung's software has ever felt to me. Samsung just feels like they are trying to get my attention all the time. And now they are putting ads in their apps, on the ones that are part of the OS.

 

[Morty2264]

People buy what is heavily marked and what the carriers are paid to promote. That's mostly apple and Samsung. They're the flashiest, and most people are like a moth to the flame. I have a friend who needs a phone right now that is only thinking about what Samsung phone is supposed to be the best. Not because he needs it, he just wants a big screen and battery that makes calls. He doesn't play games, hell he doesn't even have a google account or email so he never updates any apps. But he wants to spend $1200 for the top end phone. Makes no sense to me. Not my money. I thought about it, it's beautiful hardware but I gave the S20 a shot last summer and just didn't like the software at all. Samsung has never felt like a seamless experience to me and I've had several. Great hardware, but there is just to much going on in the software. I suppose if you aren't using Google services then maybe that's why a Pixel doesn't make sense but if you do, the Pixel works incredibly well in that system and is far more fluid and seamless than Samsung's software has ever felt to me. Samsung just feels like they are trying to get my attention all the time. And now they are putting ads in their apps, on the ones that are part of the OS.

I too think it's sad that many users just go for "what's in" and don't really want to know what a phone DOES per se - they just want what's flashiest. However, you draw up a good point with the whole "not my money" bit.

Having used both Pixel and Samsung, I've loved both OS experiences. It'll be hard to choose between them again when I upgrade, because now I'm heavily immersed into Samsung's UI.

 

[Ragnarianrok]

People buy what is heavily marked and what the carriers are paid to promote. That's mostly apple and Samsung. They're the flashiest, and most people are like a moth to the flame. I have a friend who needs a phone right now that is only thinking about what Samsung phone is supposed to be the best. Not because he needs it, he just wants a big screen and battery that makes calls. He doesn't play games, hell he doesn't even have a google account or email so he never updates any apps. But he wants to spend $1200 for the top end phone. Makes no sense to me. Not my money. I thought about it, it's beautiful hardware but I gave the S20 a shot last summer and just didn't like the software at all. Samsung has never felt like a seamless experience to me and I've had several. Great hardware, but there is just to much going on in the software. I suppose if you aren't using Google services then maybe that's why a Pixel doesn't make sense but if you do, the Pixel works incredibly well in that system and is far more fluid and seamless than Samsung's software has ever felt to me. Samsung just feels like they are trying to get my attention all the time. And now they are putting ads in their apps, on the ones that are part of the OS.

I hear ya. Having used the Pixel 3 and then the 4 XL for the past few years, I really do enjoy those devices and all they offer.

I just feel I'm ready for more features and better hardware. The Pixel 5 wasn't an appealing upgrade for me in any significant way.

I'm hoping the S21 camera is about on par with the Pixel so that I can finally start enjoying the strengths and extra features that Samsung devices come with. It's beginning to feel like the best still photography alone isn't enough to keep me on a Pixel since competition has finally more or less caught up to Google, especially when you factor in overall camera experience with video recording.

As for software, that remains to be seen for me if I'll appreciate the samsung experience. One UI is looking rather clean and impressive. I'm still a little confused by the ads... I hear people who have said they've never seen an ad in their life using a samsung device, that you're able to opt out of it. Not sure why others are seeing it but some aren't...

I feel confident with a little tweaking, I can make the S21 software experience feel right. All phones take a little tweaking at the start, even Pixel devices. It's part of the fun of setting up and customizing ??????

There's always the chance I'll run back to my Pixel 4 XL, but I feel this is a solid year to give Samsung a shot. The Pixel lineup just isn't doing enough to keep me locked in. Maybe when the 6 comes around and Google gets a little more serious about hardware and better video capture capabilities. I definitely understand the appeal of Pixel devices for the things they do well, but I'm ready to try for more.

 

[Ragnarianrok]

I too think it's sad that many users just go for "what's in" and don't really want to know what a phone DOES per se - they just want what's flashiest. However, you draw up a good point with the whole "not my money" bit.

Having used both Pixel and Samsung, I've loved both OS experiences. It'll be hard to choose between them again when I upgrade, because now I'm heavily immersed into Samsung's UI.

Seeing where One UI is, I'm feeling optimistic it will be a good experience. We'll see if this is the year I finally go over to Samsung. All the signs are looking promising with the S21+.

It also didn't help that the Pixel 5 just wasn't an appealing upgrade for me from the Pixel 4 XL in any significant way. Google is just moving way too slow for me, both hardware and software-wise. And with the loss of unlimited Photos back up at original quality, it just seems harder and harder to commit to Google, as much as I want to.

 

[Morty2264]

Seeing where One UI is, I'm feeling optimistic it will be a good experience. We'll see if this is the year I finally go over to Samsung. All the signs are looking promising with the S21+.

It also didn't help that the Pixel 5 just wasn't an appealing upgrade for me from the Pixel 4 XL in any significant way. Google is just moving way too slow for me, both hardware and software-wise. And with the loss of unlimited Photos back up at original quality, it just seems harder and harder to commit to Google, as much as I want to.

You're right about the S21 looking really promising. I, too, was disgruntled when they got rid of the unlimited Photo back-up feature. Have you seen the reviews of the S21 yet? There is a thread decidated to it on here! Apparently, GSM Arena has done a review on it, as well.

 

[Theot]

I hear ya. Having used the Pixel 3 and then the 4 XL for the past few years, I really do enjoy those devices and all they offer.

I just feel I'm ready for more features and better hardware. The Pixel 5 wasn't an appealing upgrade for me in any significant way.

I'm hoping the S21 camera is about on par with the Pixel so that I can finally start enjoying the strengths and extra features that Samsung devices come with. It's beginning to feel like the best still photography alone isn't enough to keep me on a Pixel since competition has finally more or less caught up to Google, especially when you factor in overall camera experience with video recording.

As for software, that remains to be seen for me if I'll appreciate the samsung experience. One UI is looking rather clean and impressive. I'm still a little confused by the ads... I hear people who have said they've never seen an ad in their life using a samsung device, that you're able to opt out of it. Not sure why others are seeing it but some aren't...

I feel confident with a little tweaking, I can make the S21 software experience feel right. All phones take a little tweaking at the start, even Pixel devices. It's part of the fun of setting up and customizing ������

There's always the chance I'll run back to my Pixel 4 XL, but I feel this is a solid year to give Samsung a shot. The Pixel lineup just isn't doing enough to keep me locked in. Maybe when the 6 comes around and Google gets a little more serious about hardware and better video capture capabilities. I definitely understand the appeal of Pixel devices for the things they do well, but I'm ready to try for more.

I had an S20 for a couple months last summer. I never had any ads, but I also had the unlocked model. My guess is the ones with ads are carrier models.

Biggest problem I had with one UI was the launcher. I love using Google's gesture navigation but the square icons and horizontal app drawer just drive me nuts but the gestures don't play well with third party launchers so I dumped it.

I actually really liked the camera though. Very versatile and great video, something the pixel lacks.

 

[Ragnarianrok]

I had an S20 for a couple months last summer. I never had any ads, but I also had the unlocked model. My guess is the ones with ads are carrier models.

Biggest problem I had with one UI was the launcher. I love using Google's gesture navigation but the square icons and horizontal app drawer just drive me nuts but the gestures don't play well with third party launchers so I dumped it.

I actually really liked the camera though. Very versatile and great video, something the pixel lacks.

The app drawer in Samsung devices being paginated annoys me, too. I'm guessing it's to emulate the iPhone :T

Yknow what's funny about ads? I see them on my Pixel 4 XL... when I'm in Photos, I'll see a small ad about buying prints through Google. Not terribly obtrusive, but they show up every now and then. Even in the Photos app on the Chrome desktop, at the top sometimes, you'll see a small note saying there's an offer to buy prints, and you have to X it away.