The Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL were pretty divisive phones; a lot of people really didn’t like them, called them boring and expensive, and kinda wished Google had just continued its Nexus thing.
I understand this perspective as well; I have used every Nexus phone since the Nexus One (even the awful Nexus 6). And while the Nexus 5 Cult is is still alive and breathing, any hopes of a move back to how Google used to do things is now all but impossible.
Still, I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing. The Android space NEEDS an iPhone-like device, a device that gets updates on the button, features the best software, and a few USPs thrown in for good measure. And the Pixel phones are just that.
The original handsets weren’t perfect, but I used the Pixel XL for 12 months straight, in between test units, and I have very few complaints about my time with it. The battery life has held up, the camera is still great, and the screen is still a beauty to behold.
Yes, it does look about as interesting as a 2008 Toyota, but that’s never really been one of my MAJOR concerns; I’d take solid battery life, solid updates, and a solid camera over a shiny exterior any day of the week.
The only other phone I’m looking at right now is the LG V30. I love that phone; the way it looks, and the specs and hardware LG has implemented inside it are all, in my view, top notch. But there is one thing stopping me from getting it…
I don’t want to be stuck on Android Oreo for the rest of my life…er, ok, the phone’s life. And this is a very real possibility when you’re using Android phones not made by Google.
This is also the main, deciding factor that has pushed me towards the Google Pixel 2 XL – it will get Android updates for THREE years (yup, Google’s extended its usual promise of two years up by another year this time) and, best of all, it will get them like an iPhone gets iOS updates.
The camera looks to have been improved considerably too, which is quite a big deal. Ditto the internal specs and overall design of the handset, which benefits from LG’s expert eye for detail.
“You can also take high-quality portrait shots with the perfect background blurs, from both the front and back camera. New motion photos capture a few seconds of video around the shot so you can relive the moment around the picture. The Pixel 2 camera is powered by our computational photography and machine learning (ML) capabilities which make all these great features easy, fun and fast for you to use,” said Google.
It added, “We’ve made video capture better too by combining both optical and electronic video stabilization to give you remarkably smooth video, even when you’re on the move. All of these great features mean you can take the best photos and videos with Pixel 2. And don’t just take our word for it—independent camera experts DxOMark have rated the Pixel 2 camera as the best camera of any smartphone, with an unprecedented score of 98. To top it off, we’re once again providing free unlimited storage for all of the photos and videos taken on your Pixel.”
I like what Google has done with the display (it’s now a 6in P-OLED panel with an INSANE pixel density), it features a larger battery than the Pixel XL, 4GB of RAM, and better storage options in the form of 64GB and 128GB.
My only REAL issue with the Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2 XL is that Google, after making such a song and dance about the iPhone 7’s lack of a headphone jack, has done a complete 180º and removed it from its new phones.
That, to me, was kind of silly. But it does appear to be the direction things are going in more generally, for better or worse.
So, yeah… after a good bit of deliberation, I think I have now found the phone I will be using for the next 12 months.
All units are guaranteed for delivery on October 25.
Check out the Price of the New Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL in Ghana: Pixel 2 – Ghana Price, date and best features on new Google smartphone.
