| Captain_Yuri said: Meh, I saw the press conference and the price tag doesn't justify it for me. The on time software updates doesn't justify the price for me cause the Galaxy S7 will still get those features at a later time and it already has features that the stock android is just now getting. (Such as Multi-Window and VR). Yea touchwiz but virtually everyone agrees that the S7 has the least amount of bloat compared to any previous Samsung phone and people can always put launchers on them + Goodlock to make it more stock android. What software won't change is the hardware abilities and the OS upgrades only have a 2 year guarantee. Heck the Nexus 6 just now got Android N and its a month late. |
I think you are not putting a fair evaluation between these. (only using the 5" variants of any phone)
1) Google's camera is top of the industry. Specs suggest this is true and we'll have to wait for the inevitable comparisons to come soon. All past 'blind tests' have solidly proven Galaxy line has better cameras than iPhone (and others). I think this will especially be true in low-light scenarios.
2) Display is definitely right there with Galaxy S7 and both are better than iPhones, especially true in the XL variants. (comparing ppi)
3) CPU/GPU has Pixel in the lead with pure hardware specs, but there is more here than raw power anyways. iPhone's hardware is more than efficient for its OS and runs, generally, very well. Fast and responsive. However, Samsung's Touchwiz is a bloated whale. This is a very good reason why even Nexus phones of the past ran better than their much more over-powered Galaxy cousins. Vanilla Android is more efficient and thus requires less hardware. But in the case of Pixel, you have both.
You really underplayed the benefits of Nexus and to a similar extent Motorola's OS experience has been as compared to Touchwiz. I have a Moto X (2nd edition) 2014 model phone. My wife has the Galaxy S6 2015 model phone. Her phone is significantly more powerful than mine. Yet, mine runs circles around hers as Motorola X's were redefined by the short time Google owned them. They run an nearly vanilla Android OS. Fact is, you can tout multi-window or other features all you want, but the experience and useage of the OS is predominate as that is what you do 100% of the time, use it. Galaxy S phones are more sluggish, last to be updated and have the largest storage space footprint of any OS. Buy a 32GB iPhone and you have 27GB free out the box. Pixel has 24GB (due to Android 7's duplicity for seamless updates) and Galaxy S7 has 23GB without Androud 7's new seamless update feature which uses about 2GB. Turning that feature off, if possible, would put Pixel around 26 GB free space out-the-box. Then you add a new launcher to be better than touchwhiz and you lose even more space. Seems silly to attempt to argue Samsung is doing this the right way.
4) Software updates are a huge thing. When Samsung users have to take a wait-and-see approach to getting the latest features and if noted as coming to them, then wait 6 months or longer, is a big difference. Especially if you consider security or defect fixes a big issue. This has always been the big win for iPhone and Nexus devices. Shit breaks or is demonstrated as unsecure, bam update is quickly put out. Everyone else will see it at best 3 months later or worst never.
5) Price is not $100 more for a Pixel based on how people normally buy phones. At retail the iPhone 7 and Pixel 5" (ish) 32GB models are $650 from Apple and Google respectively. The 32GB S7 is at best ($550 to $650) on Amazon (the "international version - no warranty" was the cheap-o) or more based on my looking at Verizon ($672) and AT&T ($694), which is where people buy their phones primarily... at their carrier. People rarely buy retail and at the carrier the prices are pretty much the same. Basically, the price is a not a vital part of the decision making process in this scenario.
6) Water resistance. Yes Pixel has none. It is a benefit that is missed and becoming common on the high-end devices. Not a deal breaker, but a missed benefit.
7) Wireless charging is overrated and slow. All three have fast-charging functionality which is what people actually use.
8) Connections. Pixel has USB-C which is far faster and replacing micro-usb. By next year all new phones will be USB-C. This will enable fast charging with more than the proprietary cable that came with your phone too.
9) Micro-SD card is also overrated. I haven't bought an SD card to expand any phone in over 10 years. Plus Google offers unlimited back up of anything with its services. I've actually lived with 16GB phones for quite some time now. My phone auto-backs up all of my photos/videos and the only time I've ran into issue has been apps. But very rarely... moving to 32GB will be perfect for me. Moving to 128GB is likely perfect for just about anyone.
Have you ever asked yourself why iPhones and Nexus phones haven't ever had expandable SD card slots? Because it creates latency in software and impacts user experience. It also adds a weak point to your setup as SD cards can lose data. I'd always choose to spend a little bit more on larger internal memory phone than extend with an SD card.
10) Other features... these are really nonsense. Heart monitors in your phone can't possible be that accurate. You want something for fitness, then spend $50 and buy a real monitor. Really all that is different here is the specific OS niceties each company will provide. I prefer the seamless integration of Google's services, especially Google Now (partially renamed as Assistant), over any bells and whistles Samsung has added (especially considering the tax on the hardware those come with). With Pixel only little things I'll miss is Motorola's gesture based functionality, including its touchless sensors. (which is why I am tossing the idea of getting the Moto Z instead... but the physical look/case is risk on that one)
When all is said and done, the only things this doesn't do as compared to other high-end competitors is water resistance and bloat the shit out of your experience.
