It is not unusual for Google to provide early versions of their products. Google is especially terrible at keeping upcoming hardware goods a secret; after all, how long did we know about Pixel Fold leaks? 2024 hasn’t been any different, as the Pixel 8a, Pixel Fold 2, and, of course, the Pixel 9 series have already received a lot of attention. However, the majority of these handsets are expected to undergo significant hardware changes for the first time since 2021, so now is the ideal opportunity to find out how Android customers feel about Google’s efforts to provide the greatest Android phones available.
Not surprisingly, the Pixel 8a has seen the least number of design modifications when compared to its predecessors. It is mostly similar to the Pixel 8, except with a few minor changes to lower the price. That being said, given Google’s continued efforts to price itself out of the low-cost market, we’re probably in for a second year of more costly A-series devices.
Meanwhile, according to leaked renderings, the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro are wearing an entirely new design, replete with a floating camera bar reminiscent of the Pixel Fold and flat corners right out of Apple and Samsung’s playbook. Therefore, it stands to reason that the Pixel Fold 2 will ditch that camera design in favor of one more akin to the OnePlus Open. All three of these phones seem to be promising, and this autumn they should be available on Google’s revised Tensor G4 platform, which might provide even more AI-powered capabilities.
It’s not enough, however, to focus just on the rumors that are being spread; we also need to take into account Google’s activities behind the scenes, particularly with regard to software. Though it’s obvious that not all of its phones will get the same level of attention, the firm is becoming more and more focused on AI. Think back to this week’s revelation that the Pixel 8 will not get Google’s Gemini Nano LLM, ostensibly because of its 8GB of RAM. That probably places the Pixel 8a in a similar situation, but the smaller Pixel 9 is still up for debate.
Actually, the issue of pixel fragmentation is becoming to be far more serious than AI. Just think about how many features were exclusive to the Pixel 8 Pro at launch, such as cloud-based applications like Video Boost that the Pixel 8 will never get. Circle to Search will still not be available for the Pixel 7a or Pixel Fold, but it will be available for the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro in the meantime. Even with Google switching to a seven-year OS update strategy for its most recent handsets and likely future models, it seems that you will have to keep purchasing the newest models in order to have access to the newest software improvements.
Not to mention the reputation that Google’s phones have built up over the Tensor era. It’s becoming harder and harder to suggest Pixel to non-enthusiasts because of issues including poor reception, mediocre battery life, overheating, and a plethora of bugs. Thus, I’m interested. What is the audience of AP thinking about the present path that Google’s hardware portfolio is taking, especially with regard to its phone lineup? Despite conflicting signals from the software department, are you eager for new hardware, or will you have to wait for announcements about devices like the Pixel 9 before making a decision?.
