With whom is Google competing with the Pixel 4?

[Mr MnmlEngr]

A lot of the discussion I've seen around these forums surround the unknown pricing of the Px4, and how Google tends to charge Samsung/Apple prices for what some people think is an underspec'ed phone.
On the other hand, you see Google taking pages out of OnePlus's playbook with things like the themeing of the UI, and such...but again, the purported pricing doesn't put the Px4 into the same category as the OP7/7t.

So I figured I'd pour some more fuel on this fire and ask the community who you all think the Pixel 4 is competing with? Is it in a league of it's own?

 

[Mike Dee]

A lot of the discussion I've seen around these forums surround the unknown pricing of the Px4, and how Google tends to charge Samsung/Apple prices for what some people think is an underspec'ed phone.
On the other hand, you see Google taking pages out of OnePlus's playbook with things like the themeing of the UI, and such...but again, the purported pricing doesn't put the Px4 into the same category as the OP7/7t.

So I figured I'd pour some more fuel on this fire and ask the community who you all think the Pixel 4 is competing with? Is it in a league of it's own?

I sometimes get the impression that they are not competing but I think their target is Apple and Samung since they have the largest amount of customers to siphon off of.

 

[Jeremy8000]

A lot of the discussion I've seen around these forums surround the unknown pricing of the Px4, and how Google tends to charge Samsung/Apple prices for what some people think is an underspec'ed phone.
On the other hand, you see Google taking pages out of OnePlus's playbook with things like the themeing of the UI, and such...but again, the purported pricing doesn't put the Px4 into the same category as the OP7/7t.

So I figured I'd pour some more fuel on this fire and ask the community who you all think the Pixel 4 is competing with? Is it in a league of it's own?

I'd be willing to bet if Google could sell 'x' number of Pixels to people coming from any other android phone, or 1/2 of that number to people coming from iPhone, they'd opt for the latter (taking from Samsung, etc, doesn't increase their OS dominance and provides relatively little new data for Google vs taking from Apple).

As to which specific models, till actual pricing is known it's tough to say (the leaked pricing is amusing, suggesting that some 4 models will be substantially lower in price than their 3 counterparts, and some excessively higher - and with people failing to take VAT and other factors into account). I'm confident iPhones will be a target, one they'll have a much better chance of swaying any market share if they introduce the 'a' variants this Fall as well.

 

[Mr MnmlEngr]

I'd be willing to bet if Google could sell 'x' number of Pixels to people coming from any other android phone, or 1/2 of that number to people coming from iPhone, they'd opt for the latter (taking from Samsung, etc, doesn't increase their OS dominance and provides relatively little new data for Google vs taking from Apple).

As to which specific models, till actual pricing is known it's tough to say (the leaked pricing is amusing, suggesting that some 4 models will be substantially lower in price than their 3 counterparts, and some excessively higher - and with people failing to take VAT and other factors into account). I'm confident iPhones will be a target, one they'll have a much better chance of swaying any market share if they introduce the 'a' variants this Fall as well.

That's a good point. I could definitely see them more interested in Apple customers than other Android OEMs.

And I don't mean to make this sound like a complaint about specs because really, most of the experience on their Pixel phones are great! But if they put their selves in their customers' shoes, they'd realize they appeal mostly to the enthusiast market; and those consumers at least consider specs.
It just seems crazy to me that they don't realize that they're asking people to pay premium prices for devices that don't match the competition in terms of hardware. And I get that that's not the point but then why isn't their marketing emphasizing that they're paying for an experience and not a list of specs?

 

[Golurk]

A lot of the discussion I've seen around these forums surround the unknown pricing of the Px4, and how Google tends to charge Samsung/Apple prices for what some people think is an underspec'ed phone.
On the other hand, you see Google taking pages out of OnePlus's playbook with things like the themeing of the UI, and such...but again, the purported pricing doesn't put the Px4 into the same category as the OP7/7t.

So I figured I'd pour some more fuel on this fire and ask the community who you all think the Pixel 4 is competing with? Is it in a league of it's own?

Google can afford to do whatever it likes with the Pixel phones, even if they don’t sell well. But in consumers’ eyes, the Pixel 4 will be competing with the S10/S11, iPhone 11, P30 Pro etc

 

[anon(10092459)]

I think they are primarily targeting the borderline iPhone user. More specifically those that are coming into their upgrade cycle. The user with one or two Apple hardware products that uses third party software services like Google or Microsoft.

 

[Jeremy8000]

The average consumer is going to look at a given product and compare it to those that are close in price (i.e., looking at a $700 phone, they're going to look at phones ± about $100 max), not at relative position within a brand's product family vs relative position to another (i.e., looking at an iPhone 11, they're not going to automatically look at the entry level for other brands, such as a Pixel 4a, unless it falls within a close price range). After that, they'll compare value of features (some will be aware enough to recognize that value is not exclusively defined by a brand name + specs formula).

When the actual 4 pricing comes out, it will most likely be priced within $100 of the iPhone 11, etc., with the only way I see Google pricing it higher being that they are simultaneously (or very shortly thereafter) releasing a 4a model so that those who might want to look to bang for the buck will have a compelling offering available from Google.

iPhone 11 is an outstanding value vs iPhones of the past, much like the Pixel 3a and 3aXL were for Google and its Pixel line (and of course, pretty much every OnePlus phone ever released vs the general flagship market). Nice to see phones that, while not turning the world upside down, are definitely helping to steer pricing downward for great phones that don't offer most or every feature under the sun in premium rendition but get close enough for almost everyone's needs.

 

[anon(10092459)]

When the actual 4 pricing comes out, it will most likely be priced within $100 of the iPhone 11, etc.,

So that would be $799 or "flat" from the Pixel 3, then?

 

[Mike Dee]

The average consumer is going to look at a given product and compare it to those that are close in price (i.e., looking at a $700 phone, they're going to look at phones ± about $100 max), not at relative position within a brand's product family vs relative position to another (i.e., looking at an iPhone 11, they're not going to automatically look at the entry level for other brands, such as a Pixel 4a, unless it falls within a close price range). After that, they'll compare value of features (some will be aware enough to recognize that value is not exclusively defined by a brand name + specs formula).

When the actual 4 pricing comes out, it will most likely be priced within $100 of the iPhone 11, etc., with the only way I see Google pricing it higher being that they are simultaneously (or very shortly thereafter) releasing a 4a model so that those who might want to look to bang for the buck will have a compelling offering available from Google.

iPhone 11 is an outstanding value vs iPhones of the past, much like the Pixel 3a and 3aXL were for Google and its Pixel line (and of course, pretty much every OnePlus phone ever released vs the general flagship market). Nice to see phones that, while not turning the world upside down, are definitely helping to steer pricing downward for great phones that don't offer most or every feature under the sun in premium rendition but get close enough for almost everyone's needs.

I'm hoping we see happen what happened to the Desktop and Laptop PCs. There were expensive for years but eventually the market came down. Its overdue in the cellular device arena.

 

[Jeremy8000]

So that would be $799 or "flat" from the Pixel 3, then?

It's sheer conjecture but I would expect $799 at the highest for the 4 base model. Google may have been intending a modest price bump, but pricing actions by others - particularly Apple - will leave them in an even tougher battle to compete if they do.

I believe this is sorted by the fact that Apple is acknowledging consumer awareness of the price gouging oem's have been levying on consumers eating into their sales. Lowering the admittance to the new model to make it available to a wider range of budgets, and less unpalatable to upgrade, will save them from a more daunting task of retaining customers who have kept a device much longer and might be more open to considering alternative brands.

 

[EMGSM]

I sometimes get the impression that they are not competing but I think their target is Apple and Samung since they have the largest amount of customers to siphon off of.

This is how I feel too^^^

 

[Mike Dee]

This is how I feel too^^^

Their product design reminds me of certain car brands that prefer functionality over form...somewhat pragmatic. Of course some may disagree because they don't like the Pixel's functionality or form. Google seems to contribute to that perception due to some of their design decisions.

 

[Torisen1]

Their product design reminds me of certain car brands that prefer functionality over form...somewhat pragmatic. Of course some may disagree because they don't like the Pixel's functionality or form. Google seems to contribute to that perception due to some of their design decisions.

I've always liked the Pixel's design going back to the 6P (not technically a Pixel). Maybe I'm just weird. Bring on the Pumpkin Pixel!

 

[Mr MnmlEngr]

The average consumer is going to look at a given product and compare it to those that are close in price (i.e., looking at a $700 phone, they're going to look at phones ± about $100 max), not at relative position within a brand's product family vs relative position to another (i.e., looking at an iPhone 11, they're not going to automatically look at the entry level for other brands, such as a Pixel 4a, unless it falls within a close price range). After that, they'll compare value of features (some will be aware enough to recognize that value is not exclusively defined by a brand name + specs formula).

When the actual 4 pricing comes out, it will most likely be priced within $100 of the iPhone 11, etc., with the only way I see Google pricing it higher being that they are simultaneously (or very shortly thereafter) releasing a 4a model so that those who might want to look to bang for the buck will have a compelling offering available from Google.

iPhone 11 is an outstanding value vs iPhones of the past, much like the Pixel 3a and 3aXL were for Google and its Pixel line (and of course, pretty much every OnePlus phone ever released vs the general flagship market). Nice to see phones that, while not turning the world upside down, are definitely helping to steer pricing downward for great phones that don't offer most or every feature under the sun in premium rendition but get close enough for almost everyone's needs.

Would you then expect the fully loaded XL to be priced more in the 11 Pro territory? I'd be ok with that

 

[ezdoit]

I've always liked the Pixel's design going back to the 6P (not technically a Pixel). Maybe I'm just weird. Bring on the Pumpkin Pixel!

Got my wallpaper all set

 

[Mr MnmlEngr]

I've always liked the Pixel's design going back to the 6P (not technically a Pixel). Maybe I'm just weird. Bring on the Pumpkin Pixel!

Pumpkin Spice Pixel?

 

[Jeremy8000]

Would you then expect the fully loaded XL to be priced more in the 11 Pro territory? I'd be ok with that

I can easily see the entry 4XL being at most the same as the 11 Pro (with the same 64GB RAM) - I will be very surprised if they push the entry to that model north of $999 USD.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

I'm hoping we see happen what happened to the Desktop and Laptop PCs. There were expensive for years but eventually the market came down. Its overdue in the cellular device arena.

I feel the phone industry has already did what the pc industry has. There are plenty of solid budget options, great mid rangers, and premium phones for those who want the best. I've been using laptops for around 15 years, a good laptop isn't much cheaper now than it was then.

 

[EMGSM]

Their product design reminds me of certain car brands that prefer functionality over form...somewhat pragmatic. Of course some may disagree because they don't like the Pixel's functionality or form. Google seems to contribute to that perception due to some of their design decisions.

Yeah I was one of those who didn't care too much about the Pixel and it's design. Then I saw some of the pictures people were posting up. So I gave it a try. The Pixel 2Xl was my first Pixel. Since then I learned to look past the form.

 

[Mr MnmlEngr]

Yeah I was one of those who didn't care too much about the Pixel and it's design. Then I saw some of the pictures people were posting up. So I gave it a try. The Pixel 2Xl was my first Pixel. Since then I learned to look past the form.

I've always thought of the Pixel design to be more of a refined look. I think reviews were harsh in them saying boring, but that could just me.