The cost of the Pixel/Pixel XL

[Bearcats98]

But that's why they're great. They do you no harm (you're paying premium price anyway) and some of us love them. It's like saying most of the apps in playstore should be removed because you don't like them so they ruin app store.

Some love them; true. But since I stream all my music I have no need for FM. And if I wish for FM I find the local station on IHeart radio. I have no need for IR all my equipment is IR-RF-IR so its a non-consideration for me.

Each person buys a phone for their own reasons. Opinions are most certainly going to come into conflict. To me when you just add something "because" the money of the project has to come from somewhere.

 

[cbreze]

I 've always thought a sealed, non removable battery makes for a tighter overall phone. I recall phones of yesteryear that the battery doors would loosen up over time and start to creak and wiggle. I prefer a nice tight sealed up phone. I think faster charging. wireless charging and better battery optimization is the better way to go. Never keep a phone beyond 2 years tops and have never had a battery go bad. I can't imagine a slim phone like the pixel having a removable backside being a good idea and would be a turn off selling point to me. IR blasters are totally old school and meh, 8-track analogy is a good comparison and could care less about them.

 

[recDNA]

Some love them; true. But since I stream all my music I have no need for FM. And if I wish for FM I find the local station on IHeart radio. I have no need for IR all my equipment is IR-RF-IR so its a non-consideration for me.

Each person buys a phone for their own reasons. Opinions are most certainly going to come into conflict. To me when you just add something "because" the money of the project has to come from somewhere.

I also use ir blaster in work, bars, hotels, restaurants etc. I always ask first. Never was told not to. You can't listen to local mlb nor local nfl games by streaming on i heart radio and other options cost money.

Rf is becoming more popular but WAY more real devices still in use today use ir.

 

[Aquila]

Ir blaster and fm radio and empty sd card slot use no power when not in use so do no harm. Removable battery is more practical since batteries lose capacity over time. Both of us could be pleased. Saying their presence hurts the phone sounds silly unless you can cite how.

I've made the argument in many places over the years, but it's all about opportunity cost. The inclusion of these four features, all of which I consider to be either useless, degrading the user experience or just superfluous comes at the expense of other priorities, either directly or merely as a result of the cost of adding the feature (money, time, resources). Three of them take up physical space, all of them entail extra code for support, three of them come with design compromises, etc, etc.

There are some features that I think ought to be included in phones, some that ought not and some that it doesn't really matter. In the foremost, I'd say a camera, NFC, display, battery of sufficient size, etc ought to be included in devices. Things that ought not to be included might include, a removable battery, sd card slot, slot to hold an extra house key, mouse taming ultra high frequency sound emitter, analog display brightness knob, etc, etc. For the doesn't really matter category, we could include on screen or off screen buttons, a headphone jack, etc.

Three of your wishlist items, to me,so in my opinion, shouldn't be included at all on any device and the other one doesn't matter.

 

[cbreze]

I also use ir blaster in work, bars, hotels, restaurants etc. I always ask first. Never was told not to. You can't listen to local mlb nor local nfl games by streaming on i heart radio and other options cost money.

Your changing the tv channel in these places with your phone?

 

[Bearcats98]

I also use ir blaster in work, bars, hotels, restaurants etc. I always ask first. Never was told not to. You can't listen to local mlb nor local nfl games by streaming on i heart radio and other options cost money.

Rf is becoming more popular but WAY more real devices still in use today use ir.

Sounds like you need an FM radio in your phone and the Pixel isn't for you then. I don't so the Pixel is certainly and option for me.

EDIT: To respond to your ninja edit. All my devices are IR....I have an IR to RF convertor so I have a floating media center and no wires or cable boxes or anything to mess with. IR does nothing for me and my very real devices.

 

[recDNA]

You haven't cited a single way their inclusion degrades your experience. They cost virtually nothing to include and you are paying more for a phone with no features than most phones including those features.

Saying you wouldn't use them is fine. I don't use nfc. Saying they ruin your user experience is simply not true. Like there could be an fm radio chip in there that isn't activated and you never know is there. That ruins your experience? Please.

 

[Bearcats98]

Your changing the tv channel in these places with your phone?

Exactly. ;-)

 

[recDNA]

Your changing the tv channel in these places with your phone?

Yup. Ask them at Chateau Restaurant in Andover MA. Do it all the time. Multiple tvs and remotes disappear or are stolen.

Often I just mute it or turn it up or turn on cc.

 

[Bearcats98]

You haven't cited a single way their inclusion degrades your experience. They cost virtually nothing to include and you are paying more for a phone with no features than most phones including those features.

Saying you wouldn't use them is fine. I don't use nfc. Saying they ruin your user experience is simply not true. Like there could be an fm radio chip in there that isn't activated and you never know is there. That ruins your experience? Please.

Cost nothing? You have to plan to have the hardware on the device (board layout design costs). Then you need to have the parts (most likely pennies to small dollars) and then you have to include the software and the support necessary. How does any of this equal virtually nothing?

Like I admitted...this phone and its cost isn't for you. There are other Android phones out there that support your desires and are most likely cheaper which is a double win for you.

I like what I see with the phone and will purchase one in late November/early December.

 

[recDNA]

Sounds like you need an FM radio in your phone and the Pixel isn't for you then. I don't so the Pixel is certainly and option for me.

EDIT: To respond to your ninja edit. All my devices are IR....I have an IR to RF convertor so I have a floating media center and no wires or cable boxes or anything to mess with. IR does nothing for me and my very real devices.

But it COULD at home and elsewhere.

 

[Aquila]

It's like saying most of the apps in playstore should be removed because you don't like them so they ruin app store.

This isn't like that argument at all. I didn't say that those features shouldn't exist on any devices anywhere, I said I'd be less interested in buying a device that had those features. So with the Play Store example, my argument would be that I'm simply not going to download 99% of the apps - because they are garbage - and not that they should be removed from the store.

Now, if I were buying the Play Store itself, as in take over the rights, cost and expense from Google - I would then have to make a decision about how much resource I am willing to devote to supporting all those garbage apps; and the answer might be not very much, but that's not the situation we're talking about. I don't think other people should give up their preferences to get in line with mine - and that goes both directions.

 

[Bearcats98]

But it COULD at home and elsewhere.

No.

 

[recDNA]

Cost nothing? You have to plan to have the hardware on the device (board layout design costs). Then you need to have the parts (most likely pennies to small dollars) and then you have to include the software and the support necessary. How does any of this equal virtually nothing?

Like I admitted...this phone and its cost isn't for you. There are other Android phones out there that support your desires and are most likely cheaper which is a double win for you.

I like what I see with the phone and will purchase one in late November/early December.

What are you paying $800 for - bigger bezels and Android Assistant? I am saying what I would like in the phone. None of them would hurt your user experience. You're attacking me only because they are lacking. If ir blaster and fm radio and card slot were included how many would say oh those old features suck so I'll buy a Moto instead?

 

[dpham00]

another "old man" pricing or maybe gouging rant:
It is crazy what kind of crap they(Verizon) will pull to let people think they are getting a deal. They had me thinking about the $199 upgrade for a 2 year contract and "save" money over full price. The $480 + the $200 for the "discounted" Pixel = $680 in my math book. Cash price is $649! There is no justification or reason for that matter to charge an extra $20/mo for the 24 months as line access fee. Then the gal in store I chatted with said there would be a one time upgrade fee of $20 to "throw the switch" as she put it, to start service on the Pixel. I said I can install my own existing sim so I wouldn't be needing that and her reply was "I can't guarantee that would work". "We need to take care of that here in store". Apparently the sim in the Pixel is a "special" Pixel sim and is needed for that reason. What a load of BS. Anyway, I left without one and won't be back. Full price thru the mail is the only way to buy a phone any more. Just to aggravating otherwise.

You can blame T-Mobile... They were the first ones to remove the subsidized charge out of the line access charge. Everyone else followed. By doing so, the monthly charges are less but if you want a phone then you have to finance it. Verizon gives you the option to do two year contract for those who prefer it... But in the end you are paying about the same price. I know many people hate two year contracts so, but some like them. Personally I just pick whatever ends up the best Deal. Like in picked up a few z Play Droid for $20 after promotions and no contract...

The $20 charge to get the phone everyone charges but calls it something slightly different. They don't apply to all situations depending on carrier

 

[recDNA]

This isn't like that argument at all. I didn't say that those features shouldn't exist on any devices anywhere, I said I'd be less interested in buying a device that had those features. So with the Play Store example, my argument would be that I'm simply not going to download 99% of the apps - because they are garbage - and not that they should be removed from the store.

Now, if I were buying the Play Store itself, as in take over the rights, cost and expense from Google - I would then have to make a decision about how much resource I am willing to devote to supporting all those garbage apps; and the answer might be not very much, but that's not the situation we're talking about. I don't think other people should give up their preferences to get in line with mine - and that goes both directions.

So if Pixel cost the same but had fm chip, ir blaster, and card slot... In all other ways the same... You would say the device sucks and buy another brand?

 

[Bearcats98]

What are you paying $800 for - bigger bezels and Android Assistant? I am saying what I would like in the phone. None of them would hurt your user experience. You're attacking me only because they are lacking. If ir blaster and fm radio and card slot were included how many would say oh those old features suck so I'll buy a Moto instead?

I know what I am paying for. There is so much more to a phone than hardware. You need your hardware to co-exist and enhance your software.

And I am not attacking you. I am saying I don't care about those items that you hold dear and that would not be a reason for me to not buy the phone. The items you list are not tick boxes on my shopping list. You are stating that its a reason you would not buy a phone. I am fine with that because you spend your way and I spend my way.

EDIT: And from what I see the S7 and Edge and Note 7 don't have it either. So to me it looks like a dying feature such the same as removable batteries Some still have it but the options limit your chassis.

 

[raqball]

I know what I am paying for. There is so much more to a phone than hardware. You need your hardware to co-exist and enhance your software.

And I am not attacking you. I am saying I don't care about those items that you hold dear and that would not be a reason for me to not buy the phone. The items you list are not tick boxes on my shopping list. You are stating that its a reason you would not buy a phone. I am fine with that because you spend your way and I spend my way.

EDIT: And from what I see the S7 and Edge and Note 7 don't have it either. So to me it looks like a dying feature such the same as removable batteries Some still have it but the options limit your chassis.

I don't think many people give a hoot about an IR blaster or FM radio. Some want SD cards but I can care less about them along with having zero interest in an IR blaster or an FM radio...

There is a dude on YouTube that does reviews and he cracks me up every time he goes on a no IR blaster in a phone rant.. It's comical...

 

[recDNA]

No device offers what I want. What I would like is a Pixel that includes some of those things due to its high price. Again. At the same price would you decline to buy a Pixel merely because it included those features?

 

[popkurn611]

If you want duplicate features, bloat and gimmicks then Samsung has a lot to offer....

Their hardware is nice but not much else..

Couldn't agree with you more. I had to have the s7 edge when it came out. It had a curved edge (which I hated) had Samsung pay (which I will miss), waterproofing, always on display, wireless charging, SD card expansion. These features are all nice to have, but when you have horrible software and lag all the timethat makes all these extras not very fun.

The wireless charging is a complete gimmick in my opinion. Waterproofing gives me peace of mind but not a must have.

Like majority of people are saying, the smoothness and ease of this OS is what makes the Pixel such a great phone. Along with the camera, battery and display its a very premium device