Pixel 3: Looking Ahead

[I Can Be Your Hero]

It does serve a purpose... It's a widow for the various radios in use. If you go with a metal bodied phone, you have two choices; antenna lines, or have non metal body panels. Google decided to keep the glass window as a distinctive, and functional design feature. I expected (hope?) they maintain that next year.

Count me as another that does not equate glass with premium. It's the worst possible material to make a phone out of. It's fragile, FEELS fragile, hard to keep clean, slippery... I would be disappointed if Google went with an all glass body next fall.

But I'm a function over form kind of dude, so Samsungs will never be my thing. All that premium hardware is being driven by substandard software and sold by a company with an aversion to post-sale support.

First off, antenna lines are all around the phone, not just housed on the glass window region. The Pixel 2/2XL still have antenna lines, they've just covered over it with the paint they've used which gives it a plastic feeling. Similar to what LG did with the G5 which they were criticized for, but for some reason Google gets a pass. Google could have achieved the same no-antenna lines look and not have the glass window with using their paint coating on the device, so the glass window really doesn't serve any purpose. Personally, I'd rather have visible antenna lines, with no coating so the metal phone actually *feels* metal over a metal phone with a coating that makes it feel like plastic. Don't understand the logic there.

And for all this talk of glass being fragile, I don't see the the Pixel 2 faring any better. I'd wager that the paint coating of the Pixel 2 would get damaged/scratched faster than glass. Glass has a higher density than the coating so keys or other objects would scratch the P2 back easier than galas phones would get scratched. Also it seems Google used a pretty weak metal as you can see it being bent on jerryrigeverything videos.

But aside from the lower quality parts the Pixel 2 uses, what irks me is that you get the Galaxy S9, AKG headphones, wireless charger and 8" tablet here at a cheaper price than you get the Pixel 2 which includes nothing. They're too cheap to even bundle headphones with the phone and that's after removing the headphone jack.

 

[LeoRex]

And for all this talk of glass being fragile.

Glass is glass. It has been and still is a poor choice for a phone body.

 

[anon(1733)]

Glass is glass. It has been and still is a poor choice for a phone body.

For you maybe. But I happen to like glass. I like the way it feels in the hand compared to metal. I'd rather have plastic but it seems those days are gone. But I'll take glass over metal any day.

 

[dov1978]

Can't agree more about glass being the worst choice for a phone. It's only nice to look at after you've cleaned it then it's a fingerprint covered mess the rest of the time, way too vulnerable and fragile to use naked so you lose the aesthetic to a case anyway. Polycarbonate/high quality plastics are still the best choice in my book. Nokia Lumia's were rock solid, looked awesome and still keeps the wireless charging etc

 

[LeoRex]

For you maybe. But I happen to like glass. I like the way it feels in the hand compared to metal. I'd rather have plastic but it seems those days are gone. But I'll take glass over metal any day.

Maybe I needed to clarify... It's a poor engineering choice. But in full disclosure, I'm an engineer, so I'm a bit jaded against marketing decisions that run against engineering principles.

 

[anon(1733)]

Maybe I needed to clarify... It's a poor engineering choice. But in full disclosure, I'm an engineer, so I'm a bit jaded against marketing decisions that run against engineering principles.

Won't argue that one. It definitely makes the phone less durable than a metal device without a doubt.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Glass is glass. It has been and still is a poor choice for a phone body.

Sure glass is glass and is prone to cracking. But if we're talking about light damage, the coating on the P2 will definitely scuff and scratch up more than glass will. Keys, coins etc will scuff up the plastic coating on the P2, but won't scratch glass.

Also to the other points I made - the glass window on the Pixel 2 serves no purpose whereas the glass back on other phones actually serves a purpose with wireless charging. Your point about antenna lines is not correct as the phone has antenna lines all around the body, but just hidden with the plastic-feeling coating, defeating the purpose of making a metal phone. The rear glass window doesn't avoid the necessity for antenna lines, nor does the glass window allow for wireless charging. Google just decided to put (in your words) a 'poor choice' with glass on the back and put it there for no beneficial reason. Really don't understand their decision making there.

I'm not going to argue whether a glass back or metal back is better- they both have purposes, though glass offers more utility in the form of wireless charging. However I will argue that a glass back is much better than a coated metal back that makes it feel like a plastic phone. If it's glass or a coated, plastic-feeling phone, I'll take the glass thanks.

 

[LeoRex]

Sure glass is glass and is prone to cracking. But if we're talking about light damage, the coating on the P2 will definitely scuff and scratch up more than glass will. Keys, coins etc will scuff up the plastic coating on the P2, but won't scratch glass.

Well, there sure seems to be plenty of people out there with S9's with scratched up backs... Pretty much every mobile team over at MWC remarked at how quickly their units got fouled... Became a punchline.

It is what it is...

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

The p2xl coating doesn't make it feel like plastic. Unless I've totally forgotten what plastic feels like.

 

[LeoRex]

The p2xl coating doesn't make it feel like plastic. Unless I've totally forgotten what plastic feels like.

Agreed.. feels like powder coated metal. I've held plastic bodied phones with similar finishes and by no stretch of the imagination do they feel the same.

 

[Mike Dee]

First off, antenna lines are all around the phone, not just housed on the glass window region. The Pixel 2/2XL still have antenna lines, they've just covered over it with the paint they've used which gives it a plastic feeling. Similar to what LG did with the G5 which they were criticized for, but for some reason Google gets a pass. Google could have achieved the same no-antenna lines look and not have the glass window with using their paint coating on the device, so the glass window really doesn't serve any purpose. Personally, I'd rather have visible antenna lines, with no coating so the metal phone actually *feels* metal over a metal phone with a coating that makes it feel like plastic. Don't understand the logic there.

And for all this talk of glass being fragile, I don't see the the Pixel 2 faring any better. I'd wager that the paint coating of the Pixel 2 would get damaged/scratched faster than glass. Glass has a higher density than the coating so keys or other objects would scratch the P2 back easier than galas phones would get scratched. Also it seems Google used a pretty weak metal as you can see it being bent on jerryrigeverything videos.

But aside from the lower quality parts the Pixel 2 uses, what irks me is that you get the Galaxy S9, AKG headphones, wireless charger and 8" tablet here at a cheaper price than you get the Pixel 2 which includes nothing. They're too cheap to even bundle headphones with the phone and that's after removing the headphone jack.

I think most people are worried about glass breaking not comparing which is more scratch resistant.

 

[Mike Dee]

Agreed.. feels like powder coated metal. I've held plastic bodied phones with similar finishes and by no stretch of the imagination do they feel the same.

There is no way the Pixel feels like plastic. As far as the coating being the same as the G5 I believe the G5 had a thicker coating and used a different process to add it to the metal.

 

[Morty2264]

There is no way the Pixel feels like plastic. As far as the coating being the same as the G5 I believe the G5 had a thicker coating and used a different process to add it to the metal.

The display units I've held have felt really great; as well as my friend's 2XL. Never got a cheap or overly-plastic-y feeling about them.

 

[cbreze]

Love the feel. Never thought it felt anything but metalish. Very grippy which is a big plus for naked users. Beats the holy heck outta glass. I'll never get the logic behind having a glass backside. Only benefit is to the repairers when it breaks. Slippery, smudgy, bad idea.

 

[anon(8532178)]

I hope that the 3XL isn't manufactured by LG.

 

[osubeavs728]

First off, antenna lines are all around the phone, not just housed on the glass window region. The Pixel 2/2XL still have antenna lines, they've just covered over it with the paint they've used which gives it a plastic feeling. Similar to what LG did with the G5 which they were criticized for, but for some reason Google gets a pass. Google could have achieved the same no-antenna lines look and not have the glass window with using their paint coating on the device, so the glass window really doesn't serve any purpose. Personally, I'd rather have visible antenna lines, with no coating so the metal phone actually *feels* metal over a metal phone with a coating that makes it feel like plastic. Don't understand the logic there.

And for all this talk of glass being fragile, I don't see the the Pixel 2 faring any better. I'd wager that the paint coating of the Pixel 2 would get damaged/scratched faster than glass. Glass has a higher density than the coating so keys or other objects would scratch the P2 back easier than galas phones would get scratched. Also it seems Google used a pretty weak metal as you can see it being bent on jerryrigeverything videos.

But aside from the lower quality parts the Pixel 2 uses, what irks me is that you get the Galaxy S9, AKG headphones, wireless charger and 8" tablet here at a cheaper price than you get the Pixel 2 which includes nothing. They're too cheap to even bundle headphones with the phone and that's after removing the headphone jack.

We get it. You didn't do your research before buying the phone. And are mad you didn't get some crazy bundle deal.

Also, I'd like to see where you got your info from that indicates there are antenna lines "all over the body" that are hidden by the paint.

 

[Mike Dee]

I hope that the 3XL isn't manufactured by LG.

Since the 2XL is fine I'm OK with a 3XL made by LG.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

We get it. You didn't do your research before buying the phone. And are mad you didn't get some crazy bundle deal.

Also, I'd like to see where you got your info from that indicates there are antenna lines "all over the body" that are hidden by the paint.

I did research, I knew what I was getting into with the 2XL, but U didn't expect the screen to be as far behind the others. And yeah, for the price the Pixel 2/2XL are, there's no reason why they can't bundle headphones or something else with the phone. As mentioned the S9 was bundled with two additional items along with good headphones. The Pixel 2 XL comes bundled with a dongle.

And sure, here are the antenna lines: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Google+Pixel+2+XL+Teardown/98093

Specifically this image: https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/o4nlthrjAKA6FHh2.huge

The yellow highlighted areas are the antenna lines. All around the body, top and bottom, just as every other phone has them. So again, the glass window serves no purpose, doesn't help avoid antenna lines nor has any functional use. Google just painted over the antenna lines with the plastic coating, which to me, is not a nice feeling at all and makes a metal phone feel like a plastic one.

I don't know why this antenna line discussion is even going on. The 2016 Pixel & Pixel XL both had the glass windows on the back and both had visible antenna lines around the body. People forgetting that already?

 

[anon(661246)]

Yeah the screen isn't the best. My OnePlus 5t is much better.

I hope they bump the ram up to 6gb and include support for tmobiles 600mhz band

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Yeah the screen isn't the best. My OnePlus 5t is much better.

I hope they bump the ram up to 6gb and include support for tmobiles 600mhz band

lol