Previously on Lemmy:

Past Discussions:

Sorry for the delay for the weekly. Server’s not that stable right now, maybe we should start the thread on Sundays instead.

I always like to switch things up once in a while because it’s fun. So, let’s get back to the brand discussion this week for the Google Pixel. We’ll do a discussion on repairability next week. Again, ideas are always welcome here.

I’ve never used a Pixel, but people around here should know that I’ve been very critical of Google’s product decisions over the years, and the Pixel is no exception. In my point of view, discontinuing the Nexus series, buying out the talents from the remains of HTC and starting an official “made by Google” phone is the equivalent of reddit buying out Alien Blue to make the official reddit app. I think it’s the event that scared big Android manufacturers like Samsung enough to start making their own ecosystem away from Google, as they are concerned that Google may start locking software features to their own phones instead of improving Android overall (rightfully so, I might add).

It really makes no business sense at all to turn your manufacturing partners into your competitors, but then again, it’s Google.

With that being said, the first years of the Pixels has been marred with growing pains. Whereas the Nexus line has always been barebones, no frills development devices, it seemed to me that the people who made Pixels don’t even use Android and are insistent on turning Pixel into iPhones, removing the headphone jack on the Pixel 2 despite the antagonistic ad from the original Pixel, Pixel exclusive software features like Google camera that necessitating the need of rom mods, as well as the quality issues that seems to be inherited from the Nexus days just really soured me from considering Pixels, as I think it’s against the spirit of openness that made Android great.

But it seems like in recent years, they finally figured out that a large percentage of people who bought Androids not because they can’t afford iPhones, but because they like Android, and I see the introduction of the “a” series as progress. The recent Pixel ad campaign also made me think that they finally figuring it out: people want different things, trying to turn Android into worse versions of iPhones was not going to work, so they should be trying to make the best Android for Android users instead.

(It’s also the reason I think all the previous reddit clones failed, but Lemmy will be the one that finally succeeds.)

  • Southern WolfAEnglish
    5·
    1 year ago

    I love my Pixel 6 Pro! I run a De-Googled ROM (CalyxOS) on mine, but even with that, basically every Pixel feature still works as expected. Google Camera is fantastic (doubly so on CalyxOS since I can firewall it from the internet), the AI features in the photos app works exactly as expected (and firewalled too), the camera itself is fantastic as well. Beautiful screen, great speakers, absolutely wonderful and beautiful form factor for a phone.

    Only real complaint is battery life isn’t the best it could be, compared to the top-tier iphones or Samsung Galaxy devices, but it’s hardly “terrible” either, as some have made it out to seem. It does seem like running a De-Googled ROM may help that some (and I’ve had fewer bug issues than it seems stock Pixel Android users have dealt with, which is weird given CalyxOS is built on AOSP).

    Overall though, I love my Pixel 6 Pro and absolutely intend to stick with it well into the future, and likely consider another Pixel when the time comes.

      • Southern WolfAEnglish
        3·
        1 year ago

        Yeah, I chose CalyxOS over Graphene because it seems to me that CalyxOS focuses a lot more on usability (thanks to it’s MicroG support) than Graphene does. Graphene has likely improved on that front thanks to their sandboxing GSF approach, but it used to be slower to open apps and overall a bit less snappy due to the security features it enables. Plus, the team behind CalyxOS is fantastic, great guys who believe in what they are doing. Meanwhile, the leader of GrapheneOS is a bit… Psychotic, although he did recently step down after Louis Rossman called him out.

        For ProtonAOSP, that’s basic just stock android. However, I’m unaware of it comes with either MicroG or Google Services installed. If it doesn’t, then you’re gonna have to figure out how to get support for apps either by flashing MicroG along with it, or be stuck with Foss app only. If it comes with Google Services, then it’s basically no different than stock Pixel Android at that point, which you might as well stick with to gain the full benefit of the Pixel device.

          • Southern WolfAEnglish
            1·
            1 year ago

            Yeah, Nick Merrill is an awesome guy, and I really like what he’s done with CalyxOS as well. Community is great too, if you need any help, just ask and someone will definitely be able to help out.