The camera hardware is just ok. The benefits come from the built-in automatic image manipulation / improvement in the Pixel camera app. Download a generic camera app (like Open Camera or SimpleCamera before the takeover) and see the difference in pictures compared to the Pixel Camera (which, by the way, you can download from Aurora).
They missed out on many things too. While the Pixel Pro has an LTPO display, the base model doesn’t. They only ship with UFS 3.1 storage despite UFS 4.0 being available. Charger is still not bundled.
Heck, give anything except for AI.(144Hz screen anyone? Motorola has them). I never used Assistant and after trying Gemini out for some time, disabled it as well.
All else aside, what the heck do you need to waste battery power for on a 144hz phone screen? There’s no reason. Heck, I have a 120hz screen and turned it down to 60.
It would be possible, but it would be a lot slower and use up a lot more power. By my limited understanding, AI chips work by being able to do a lot of imprecise math at once, instead of normal chips designed to do precise math and not a lot at once.
The companies stopped giving chargers so they can sell them later to customers as an extra accessory and make more money. This wouldn’t be a problem if there was a uniform standard. But USB PD isn’t used by majority of manufacturers. My 33W charger can’t charge my Samsung device fast which only draws maximum of 25W because previous is based on VOOC thing.
I always used to jump models, going back all the way to the first Nexus. This’ll be the first time I don’t. Unfortunately I know the Pixel 7 I have now will have its battery life mysteriously go to shit about three months before it’s paid off.
I just upgraded to a Pixel 7 Pro recently. Previously I had a Galaxy S8 that worked fine for about 7 years. It was really just showing its age. It still holds a charge halfway decently.
Might try installing GrapheneOS on it at some point.
It feels fairly high quality though and I’m hoping I’ll be able to get 7 years out of it like the Galaxy.
They just completely alienate their core audience. Don’t think I’ll ever go back to them
Pixel A series is still a reasonably priced good phone with a great camera, no?
The camera hardware is just ok. The benefits come from the built-in automatic image manipulation / improvement in the Pixel camera app. Download a generic camera app (like Open Camera or SimpleCamera before the takeover) and see the difference in pictures compared to the Pixel Camera (which, by the way, you can download from Aurora).
They missed out on many things too. While the Pixel Pro has an LTPO display, the base model doesn’t. They only ship with UFS 3.1 storage despite UFS 4.0 being available. Charger is still not bundled.
Heck, give anything except for AI.(144Hz screen anyone? Motorola has them). I never used Assistant and after trying Gemini out for some time, disabled it as well.
All else aside, what the heck do you need to waste battery power for on a 144hz phone screen? There’s no reason. Heck, I have a 120hz screen and turned it down to 60.
I just meant, that having a higher powered refresh rate screen that can easily be toggled on/off is more refreshing than more on device AI, IMO.
The ai stuff you can do with pictures on the pixel 9 is actually pretty nifty. I could see using that a lot more than a high refresh rate.
I have a noob question, is backporting any of these camera features possible for Google to older Pixel phones or is there a technical limitation?
I do agree about diminishing returns on high refresh rates. I have my current phone turned to 120 Hz and it gobbles up battery quite much.
It would be possible, but it would be a lot slower and use up a lot more power. By my limited understanding, AI chips work by being able to do a lot of imprecise math at once, instead of normal chips designed to do precise math and not a lot at once.
That is an absolute pro argument though. Who needs yet another charger?
The companies stopped giving chargers so they can sell them later to customers as an extra accessory and make more money. This wouldn’t be a problem if there was a uniform standard. But USB PD isn’t used by majority of manufacturers. My 33W charger can’t charge my Samsung device fast which only draws maximum of 25W because previous is based on VOOC thing.
I always used to jump models, going back all the way to the first Nexus. This’ll be the first time I don’t. Unfortunately I know the Pixel 7 I have now will have its battery life mysteriously go to shit about three months before it’s paid off.
They’ve also always had poor quality hardware, just like Apples iPhone offerings.
These companies use advertising to make their phones seem great, then they have severe issues (E.g. speaker issues on pixel, overheating on iPhone’s).
It’s all garbage, and it’s bad for ya.
Tbh I went through a lot of Pixels that broke on some way:
The Pixel 6 is the first one that held up long term, but my next phone will probably be a fairphone
The pixel 7 pro is the first phone that im happy with after dozens of Samsung, Redmi, Xiaomi, HTC, Sony garbage phones. Especially Samsung is trash.
The last good phone before that was my Motorola Droid.
I’m almost done with smartphones and most of the internet anyway. It’s all corporate owned bullshit.
I just upgraded to a Pixel 7 Pro recently. Previously I had a Galaxy S8 that worked fine for about 7 years. It was really just showing its age. It still holds a charge halfway decently.
Might try installing GrapheneOS on it at some point.
It feels fairly high quality though and I’m hoping I’ll be able to get 7 years out of it like the Galaxy.
it’s still the only rootable flagship in the usa unfortunately. or else I’d use Samsung.
Wait, you cannot root a Samsung? Since when?
not the usa models. see here…
https://omnicorex.com/blog/flagship-battle-2024