Google takes on Apple's ecosystem with Pixel 7, Pixel Watch, and Pixel Tablet

[iMore.com]

Google has officially unveiled the details of the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel Watch, and Pixel Tablet. Full story from the iMore Blog...

 

[Up_And_Away]

No where does this article say “IPhone Killer”. Too bad, that’s been a regularly released entertainment for each new Pixel that comes out (to some extent other brands too).

But I’m glad Google is focusing on an ecosystem. It validates the ecosystem model that so many non Apple fans have issue with. Plus it means Google eco pushes Apple to do better. Google will come up with features, some wacky and worthless but certainly some good. That pushes Apple to match it or do it better. That’s good for us consumers, it’s good for Apple to get competitive push.
I don’t know how successful it will be in getting Android users to buy more Google devices to get eco benefits. It’s probably no secret I’d never buy any of it — I’m finicky about granular details of my life being recorded every day — but some will. Maybe it pushes Google sales up. And while there is a chance there could be the entertainment bonus of tech channels saying ‘Apple Ecosystem Killer’ , back on planet earth it just can’t be good for Samsung. That’s who will most lose customers to.

 

[FFR]

I think before google focuses on tablets and watches (likely to get axed in a year or two) they should focus on selling more than 1.125 million pixels a quarter.

4.5 million pixels sold globally per year is an incredibly tiny number, for perspective Sony sells about 3.9 million a year and Sony Xperia phones are considered incredibly niche.

 

[Up_And_Away]

I think before google focuses on tablets and watches (likely to get axed in a year or two) they should focus on selling more than 1.125 million pixels a quarter.

4.5 million pixels sold globally per year is an incredibly tiny number, for perspective Sony sells about 3.9 million a year and Sony Xperia phones are considered incredibly niche.

Other point of reference, Apple sells about 200 million per year, Samsung about 225 million.

Google has the media and that could always help. Remember last year Google’s custom tensor SOC? It was just like Apple’s bionic SOC. Analogy: Google bought a pizza with half pepperoni on one side and half sausage on the other side, they then put some of the pepperoni onto the other half and called it a homemade pizza. Congrats to Google though, the entire media said it was custom like Apple (kudos to Anandtech for questioning the ‘custom’ of Tensor). Pixels also have Google YouTube techie channels that have their annual love fest of the new Pixel.
It seems surprising given all that that they can’t sell a lot more pixels.

 

[FFR]

Other point of reference, Apple sells about 200 million per year, Samsung about 225 million.

Google has the media and that could always help. Remember last year Google’s custom tensor SOC? It was just like Apple’s bionic SOC. Analogy: Google bought a pizza with half pepperoni on one side and half sausage on the other side, they then put some of the pepperoni onto the other half and called it a homemade pizza. Congrats to Google though, the entire media said it was custom like Apple (kudos to Anandtech for questioning the ‘custom’ of Tensor). Pixels also have Google YouTube techie channels that have their annual love fest of the new Pixel.
It seems surprising given all that that they can’t sell a lot more pixels.

The tensor isn’t a custom chip, it is a rebranded Samsung exynos chip with a Samsung modem. It’s the primary reason pixel 6 and 6 pro had so many issues and why Qualcomm switched to tsmc from Samsung during the second half of the year.

I wouldn’t take YouTubers seriously. Those tech tubers all have an iPhone 14 pro max and MacBook for their workflows.

Even the android specific ones all have and use an iPhone. It’s ridiculous.

https://youtu.be/rMpe_hqSQUs

 

[Up_And_Away]

The tensor isn’t a custom chip, it is a rebranded Samsung exynos chip with a Samsung modem. It’s the primary reason pixel 6 and 6 pro had so many issues and why Qualcomm switched to tsmc from Samsung during the second half of the year.

I wouldn’t take YouTubers seriously. Those tech tubers all have an iPhone 14 pro max and MacBook for their workflows.

Even the android specific ones all have and use an iPhone. It’s ridiculous.

https://youtu.be/rMpe_hqSQUs

I do enjoy a few tech channels, though, unfortunately, they seem to be getting fewer. But here’s a shout out to those that remain worthy IMHO: Rene Ritchie has been an absolute standout (though the jury, for me, is still out if his Google employment will change that). Snazzy Labs. He gets off the beaten path sometimes but he is a long time user of Apple tech (if he uses something he doesn’t like from Apple he isn’t afraid to say it). And kudos to a new and good (primarily audio testing) is Aaron Loud and Proud. He’s someone who you don’t hear parroting ‘know nothing clickbait’.
But like it or not, tech channels do create chatter amongst a small but loud and influential group. My view of it is that chatter matters a lot more to Android than Apple (if enough tech channels starting yapping away on something is needed or must have, you’ll likely very soon see it on Android phones regardless of how potentially useless and unneeded it is). Apple much less so but isn’t immune. Nevertheless, Google got A LOT of free up->upselling advertising with “Tensor is a custom SOC like Apple’s bionic”. That is incredibly and blatantly untrue but potentially millions walk away believing it is true. So, Unfortunately, tech channels do have sway and I believe that sway is ever increasingly not good for users.

 

[FFR]

I don’t believe YouTubers are as influential as some might perceive. The majority of consumers simply do not pay any attention to them and the proof is in the market.

Nexus, lg mobile, galaxy note, windows phone, Nokia, essential, surface duo, and htc all crashed and burned as consumers ignored the paid shills.

The chatter doesn’t seem to have much affect with consumers after reports have come out stating that google only sells 4.5 million pixels a year.

As the mobile market consolidates further with premium android sales crumbling, resulting in less and less premium android models being released I would expect the number of tech YouTubers will continue to dwindle.

As pointed out in another thread the fanatical android YouTubers are quite hypocritical in their claimed preference for android while actually using an iPhone and Apple Watch personally, that will have an impact on their influence as their audience continue to take notice.

 

[Travons]

I think before google focuses on tablets and watches (likely to get axed in a year or two) they should focus on selling more than 1.125 million pixels a quarter.

4.5 million pixels sold globally per year is an incredibly tiny number, for perspective Sony sells about 3.9 million a year and Sony Xperia phones are considered incredibly niche.

Google already has their own version of buds.

They're kinda usually the last to the show.

 

[imwjl]

In managing around 200 mobile devices, my assistant does Android personally, I do Apple. We both have late model first tier laptops. In my case Windows and a M type MacBook Air. As improved as the Pixel product are, Apple is still ahead in the mobile and desktop OS integration. On top of that, nothing close in price or form factor matches M battery life and zippy performance. Thus, these Pixel improvements still seem more catchup than competition. The phone by itself has great camera specs.

Apple has also become a really good enterprise player and still has great fast all over device repair. That's really important for "ecosystem". We can get or our hundreds of employees can get fast Apple repair like nothing any of our Android stuff can get.

Full disclosure: I own somewhat equal amounts of Alphabet and Apple stock. I'm happy with any success they both have. A better ecosystem will be nice for a non-Apple customer.

 

[Annie_M]

No where does this article say “IPhone Killer”. Too bad, that’s been a regularly released entertainment for each new Pixel that comes out (to some extent other brands too).

But I’m glad Google is focusing on an ecosystem. It validates the ecosystem model that so many non Apple fans have issue with. Plus it means Google eco pushes Apple to do better. Google will come up with features, some wacky and worthless but certainly some good. That pushes Apple to match it or do it better. That’s good for us consumers, it’s good for Apple to get competitive push.
I don’t know how successful it will be in getting Android users to buy more Google devices to get eco benefits. It’s probably no secret I’d never buy any of it — I’m finicky about granular details of my life being recorded every day — but some will. Maybe it pushes Google sales up. And while there is a chance there could be the entertainment bonus of tech channels saying ‘Apple Ecosystem Killer’ , back on planet earth it just can’t be good for Samsung. That’s who will most lose customers to.

This is a good way to look at it, and I completely agree!