Like them or not, Google's Pixel phones will be the iPhone competitor we've demanded for years

If the N6 never gets Nougat, which dropped less than two years after release, I would consider that pretty hard to forgive for a $650 flagship whose primary selling point is fast and pure software updates.

Most likely, it's just delayed due to Lenovo's incompetence or abandonment of drivers by component manufacturers. To be fair, the latter is a major systemic flaw with Android that Google should've started finding solutions to long ago.
 
I doubt you'll see Nougat for the Nexus 6 - as you stated, Lenovo has dropped the ball a few times, and Motorola, don't even get me started on how they've screwed over customers of their hardware over the years. I purchased the original Atrix on release and waited patiently for Ice Cream Sandwich and they got right up to the point to say "It's ready for release..." and then fucked everyone by not releasing it. Thankfully an engineer in their labs took pity on us owners and leaked their completed build so we did have it, just not officially. Motorola literally waited till the 11th hour then told Atrix owners "Sorry, you're screwed, if you want Ice Cream Sandwich go buy a new phone, here, have a $100 off coupon because we're generous..." or words to that effect.

Then they fucked over Photon owners in the same manner.

So no, I don't expect to see Nougat for the Nexus 6, but since it's a Nexus device the ROM community has it covered already and more than likely better than what Lenovo/Motorola would push out anyway. That's the only redeeming quality in my mind for the Nexus devices: the ability to do whatever you want with them because of their capability of unlocking the bootloader.

Now, contrast that with people talking about the Pixel devices and hoping that it'll be treated like another Nexus line but then at the same time hoping they'll be available from carriers - you can have one, or the other, but you can't have both. I personally think the Pixel devices will be sold as Nexus devices were, not locked to carriers or sold by them, and retaining that unlockable bootloader capability.

If they are sold by carriers, there goes the ability to do that because no carrier in the US is going to allow unlocked bootloaders on devices they sell themselves, it's just not going to happen.

But, I could be wrong on that and we'll know for sure in 24 hours or less.
 
I doubt you'll see Nougat for the Nexus 6 - as you stated, Lenovo has dropped the ball a few times, and Motorola, don't even get me started on how they've screwed over customers of their hardware over the years. I purchased the original Atrix on release and waited patiently for Ice Cream Sandwich and they got right up to the point to say "It's ready for release..." and then fucked everyone by not releasing it. Thankfully an engineer in their labs took pity on us owners and leaked their completed build so we did have it, just not officially. Motorola literally waited till the 11th hour then told Atrix owners "Sorry, you're screwed, if you want Ice Cream Sandwich go buy a new phone, here, have a $100 off coupon because we're generous..." or words to that effect.

Then they fucked over Photon owners in the same manner.

So no, I don't expect to see Nougat for the Nexus 6, but since it's a Nexus device the ROM community has it covered already and more than likely better than what Lenovo/Motorola would push out anyway. That's the only redeeming quality in my mind for the Nexus devices: the ability to do whatever you want with them because of their capability of unlocking the bootloader.

Now, contrast that with people talking about the Pixel devices and hoping that it'll be treated like another Nexus line but then at the same time hoping they'll be available from carriers - you can have one, or the other, but you can't have both. I personally think the Pixel devices will be sold as Nexus devices were, not locked to carriers or sold by them, and retaining that unlockable bootloader capability.

If they are sold by carriers, there goes the ability to do that because no carrier in the US is going to allow unlocked bootloaders on devices they sell themselves, it's just not going to happen.

But, I could be wrong on that and we'll know for sure in 24 hours or less.


Do the OEM's really have any input to the official ROM's for Nexus devices? I thought they were only involved with the hardware, and Google themselves handled the ROM's. They shouldn't need anything from Lenovo to release a Nougat ROM for the Nexus 6.
 
Do the OEM's really have any input to the official ROM's for Nexus devices? I thought they were only involved with the hardware, and Google themselves handled the ROM's. They shouldn't need anything from Lenovo to release a Nougat ROM for the Nexus 6.

Drivers. Google FOSSes the OS....but the OS is nothing without CPU and GPU and touchscreen and audio and modem drivers. In Shamu's case, we (the Shamu dev'ing community) strongly suspect modem drivers and blobs are to blame for the stallout on getting Shamu Nougat-ized. Certain carriers in Nougat have no LTE-service on AOSP Shamu (specifically the CDMA carriers).

It was why a while ago Torvalds himself told Android to shove it and pulled the Android-related commits from the Kernel Mainline. All that Android code was useless without drivers. Drivers that Google nor anyone ever open sourced, and TBH they never will.
 
Looks like Nougat is rolling out for N6 now. About time for Google to inspire some confidence in the Nexus/Pixel program after the past few weeks.
 
I doubt you'll see Nougat for the Nexus 6 - as you stated, Lenovo has dropped the ball a few times, and Motorola, don't even get me started on how they've screwed over customers of their hardware over the years. I purchased the original Atrix on release and waited patiently for Ice Cream Sandwich and they got right up to the point to say "It's ready for release..." and then fucked everyone by not releasing it. Thankfully an engineer in their labs took pity on us owners and leaked their completed build so we did have it, just not officially. Motorola literally waited till the 11th hour then told Atrix owners "Sorry, you're screwed, if you want Ice Cream Sandwich go buy a new phone, here, have a $100 off coupon because we're generous..." or words to that effect.

Then they fucked over Photon owners in the same manner.

So no, I don't expect to see Nougat for the Nexus 6, but since it's a Nexus device the ROM community has it covered already and more than likely better than what Lenovo/Motorola would push out anyway. That's the only redeeming quality in my mind for the Nexus devices: the ability to do whatever you want with them because of their capability of unlocking the bootloader.

Now, contrast that with people talking about the Pixel devices and hoping that it'll be treated like another Nexus line but then at the same time hoping they'll be available from carriers - you can have one, or the other, but you can't have both. I personally think the Pixel devices will be sold as Nexus devices were, not locked to carriers or sold by them, and retaining that unlockable bootloader capability.

If they are sold by carriers, there goes the ability to do that because no carrier in the US is going to allow unlocked bootloaders on devices they sell themselves, it's just not going to happen.

But, I could be wrong on that and we'll know for sure in 24 hours or less.


[Finally] Nexus 6 gets official Android 7.0 Nougat with October 5th security patch

[Finally] Nexus 6 gets official Android 7.0 Nougat with October 5th security patch
 
As others will probably say, it's about damned time. :D

I was expecting Lenovo to delay it even further but, as it's a Nexus device then Google handles the distribution as expected.
 
Verizon and @evleaks reveal even more of the Pixel and Pixel XL, show off Really Blue and "Google Magic"

Holy Christ, this phone is over $800 !!!!! WTF Google ?

And then to help out and subsidize it, they put it in Verizon stores only ( The Nazi carrier and New World Order carrier THE WORST ) Where's the T-Mobile, Sprint, and ATT option ?


If you're gonna put it on carriers, put it on all four major carriers, not a Verizon exclusive only.

If this all turns out to be true F OFF Google, I am done with Nexus device, and I have owned and loved every single of one of them ( except the Nexus 5, didn't buy it due to the small crap battery ) dating back to the Nexus-One.

R.I.P. Nexus phones, I will miss you :(
 
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I'm having a hard time swallowing the idea that Google is legitimately stupid enough to make this a Verizon exclusive. If they legitimately are that dumb, then the exclusivity combined with how utterly boring and generic these devices look (spec and feature wise) basically kills any aspirations they had to compete with Samsung or Apple at the top of the mountain.
 
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It looks like they decided to copy Apple's bezels.... That's something they shouldn't have done.
 
Will really blow if this is the Galaxy Nexus launch from 2011 all over again. That phone was launched at full retail flagship pricing, and Google had it as an exclusive on Verizon only, no other carriers, and Verizon fucked the phone around with slow updates, etc...

But the point of it being on carriers, like T-Mobile for example I'm on the JoD program ( Jump on Demand ) I can walk in, pay $0 nothing down, pick up a brand new flagship phone, and get billed $19/Month for that phone. And I can do that three times in 18 months, on any new flagship phone, I just return my current phone, pay nothing, and pick up the newest smartphone I'm interested in.

Otherwise when paying full price for a phone, I'd just as soon get a OnePlus Three for $350, with pretty close to similar specs as the Pixel XL, but is half the price. And that begs the question, how can OPO make a OnePlus Three back in Spring of 2016 with pretty much current flagship specs for the time, maybe not 100% flagship spec'd, but very close, and sell it for $350. Whereas Google, a HUGE company worth BILLION$ can't make a OnePlus competitor ? I'd love to see a Nexus for the OPO pricing, and I'd be fine with a 1080p screen, and a few other spec's notched down, I just want a 5.5" screen, and like a 3,500mAh battery with the SD820 + 4GB RAM, and I'd be cool.
 
Verizon and @evleaks reveal even more of the Pixel and Pixel XL, show off Really Blue and "Google Magic"

Holy Christ, this phone is over $800 !!!!! WTF Google ?

And then to help out and subsidize it, they put it in Verizon stores only ( The Nazi carrier and New World Order carrier THE WORST ) Where's the T-Mobile, Sprint, and ATT option ?


If you're gonna put it on carriers, put it on all four major carriers, not a Verizon exclusive only.

If this all turns out to be true F OFF Google, I am done with Nexus device, and I have owned and loved every single of one of them ( except the Nexus 5, didn't buy it due to the small crap battery ) dating back to the Nexus-One.

R.I.P. Nexus phones, I will miss you :(


As mentioned above, Google would love to be with all carriers. It's not Google making this not happen. It's the carriers.

Google probably wants no carrier branding (physical or on screen) no preinstalled carrier apps, no carrier control over/validation of ROM images etc. etc. just like Apple with the iPhone

T-Mobile and sprint probably said yes. AT&T probably and Verizon definitely said "well, that's going to cost you".

Verizon probably demanded exclusivity for a year or so in exchange for this. AT&T maybe something similar, so they had to pick one of the big two.

So, I would argue that you should be saying "fuck Verizon" not "Fuck Google". Carriers need to just sit in their corner and be quiet compliant dumb mobile internet providera with no say in handsets software or how they are used.

The silver lining probably will be that you can still buy it unlocked at full price - possibly even financed - from the Google Store. I doubt Google was willing to give that up in their negotiations.

It's not ideal, but it's what they have to do in today's shitty market where the dumb mobile ISP's have delusions of grandeur.

With a little luck, after the exclusivity deal with Verizon is up, Pixel will be a demonstrated fully Google branded success, and the rest of the carriers with cave to their demands, and Pixel phones will be a true competitor to Apple devices from a software control and update perspective.

They just need to do what they need to do to break into the market.

Anyway, it's still all speculation and rumor, at least for another half an hour or so. Let's wait and see what the official word is!
 
As mentioned above, Google would love to be with all carriers. It's not Google making this not happen. It's the carriers.

Google probably wants no carrier branding (physical or on screen) no preinstalled carrier apps, no carrier control over/validation of ROM images etc. etc. just like Apple with the iPhone

T-Mobile and sprint probably said yes. AT&T probably and Verizon definitely said "well, that's going to cost you".

Verizon probably demanded exclusivity for a year or so in exchange for this. AT&T maybe something similar, so they had to pick one of the big two.

So, I would argue that you should be saying "fuck Verizon" not "Fuck Google". Carriers need to just sit in their corner and be quiet compliant dumb mobile internet providera with no say in handsets software or how they are used.

The silver lining probably will be that you can still buy it unlocked at full price - possibly even financed - from the Google Store. I doubt Google was willing to give that up in their negotiations.

It's not ideal, but it's what they have to do in today's shitty market where the dumb mobile ISP's have delusions of grandeur.

With a little luck, after the exclusivity deal with Verizon is up, Pixel will be a demonstrated fully Google branded success, and the rest of the carriers with cave to their demands, and Pixel phones will be a true competitor to Apple devices from a software control and update perspective.

They just need to do what they need to do to break into the market.

Anyway, it's still all speculation and rumor, at least for another half an hour or so. Let's wait and see what the official word is!


I don't know, this sounds just like the failed launch of the Galaxy Nexus back in 2011 that had a Verizon exclusive. How'd that do for the popularity of the Nexus brand ? I don't think anyone even knew that phone was out, except us diehard nerds. And if you weren't on Verizon, you had to pay full flagship retail pricing for the phone.

And of all the major U.S. carriers, Verizon is the worst, just total tool bag Nazi company, why would Google think another Nexus device would be good to be exclusively on Verizon ? Whereas T-Mobile is the friendliest carriers to developers and cool with unlocked bootloaders, and they don't put a ton of crapware on their phones. Actually T-Mobile has the longest relationship with Nexus phones, they sold and stocked the Nexus-One, the Nexus-S, the Nexus 4, and the Nexus 6. No other carrier supported Nexus phones like T-Mobile.
 
I don't know, this sounds just like the failed launch of the Galaxy Nexus back in 2011 that had a Verizon exclusive. How'd that do for the popularity of the Nexus brand ? I don't think anyone even knew that phone was out, except us diehard nerds. And if you weren't on Verizon, you had to pay full flagship retail pricing for the phone.

And of all the major U.S. carriers, Verizon is the worst, just total tool bag Nazi company, why would Google think another Nexus device would be good to be exclusively on Verizon ? Whereas T-Mobile is the friendliest carriers to developers and cool with unlocked bootloaders, and they don't put a ton of crapware on their phones. Actually T-Mobile has the longest relationship with Nexus phones, they sold and stocked the Nexus-One, the Nexus-S, the Nexus 4, and the Nexus 6. No other carrier supported Nexus phones like T-Mobile.


Volume. Verizon and AT&T are the largest depending on who you ask and what day it is they trade first and second places on a regular basis.


Tmobile is nice and all, but if they can't bring the volume...

Verizon is shitty to deal with, locking down everything and delaying software updates, but they still have unparalleled coverage. I finally got fed up with them and went Fi, but for someone who doesnt care about all that, there really isn't a substitute. No other carrier has as universal coverage throughout the U.S. And that's why they are the largest volume, despite their high prices and shitty locked down slow update behavior.
 
Anyway, the Google presentation thus far is highly "Assistant" centric. That blows. I don't want to talk to my phone. I never used "Now" and I have no desire to use an assistant/siri like thing. I want my phone to behave like a small PC with phonecalls, that fits in my pocket. Nothing more, nothing less. No cloud, no AI, No assistant.

I want to have all the control. not some automation I can't trust.

I want to minimize any background automated processes. If I can't see the inner workings, I don't trust it. I cant trust the answer an "assistant" provides if I don't know exactly what search terms it used, and which pages it mined the data it is presenting me from.

I do not need nor want image or voice recognition, regardless of how good it is.
 
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Wow, another dumb Verizon exclusive like the Galaxy Nexus back in 2011. WTF Google ? Either put it on all the major carriers, or none at all. I hate Verizon with a passion, total Nazi company, that F's with the updates, and isn't the same as the pure version bought directly from Google. Would love to have seen the Pixel XL on T-Mobiles JoD ( Jump on Demand ) program.

Oh well, there's no way in hell I'll pay $800+ for this thing. That's just so anti-Nexus. I was very comfortable buying my Nexus 6P for $499 64GB model, great phone for a great price. But not a chance spend $800 on the Pixel. Hell no.

This phone will be the major sales flop of 2016.
 
What I took away from the announcement is that it's an iPhone 7 with a headphone jack, a bunch of gimmicky features, and a bloated version of Android. Yawn.


I'll repost my take from the other thread...


Things I Like:
  • Fast Snapdragon 821 CPU
  • 4GB RAM
  • Fast charging
  • Retains 3.5mm jack

Things I Don't Care About:
  • Games
  • VR
  • Fancy Camera (I'll get better pics from my SLR when I need them. My phone cam just needs to be basic)
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • 128GB option. (I don't use much storage. I've never filled a phone in my life, and I've had only 8GB, 16GB and 32GB models. Luckily there's a 32GB model)

Things I Don't Like
  • No SD card slot
  • Non-removable battery
  • Round icons
  • G logo
  • Primary colors on white color scheme
  • Price
  • Large Eyebrow and chin bezels
  • Not a basic Android ROM

Things I Hate:
  • AI and photo interpreting BS
  • Assistant BS
  • Cloud Integration including photo storage (I want no cloud ever in any device or computer)
  • Google Photos. (Please for the love of God just give me a basic Gallery folder browser back. I don't want any of this over-complicated database based Photo application crap.)

I might still get one.

I wish they would offer an alternative basic Nexus-like Nougat image. Would be awesome if someone could alter the Nexus 5x image with drivers for the Pixel, yet still retain OTA security updates.

Did anyone catch if the boot loader is unlocked?


As far as the rest of the stuff, no. I won't be getting google WiFi, google hub, a chrome-cast or anything else they annoyance.

I wish companies would stop trying to offer entire eco systems, so it would be easier to implement a "best in class" for each device that plays nice together. I hate eco-systems.
 
Verizon exclusive premium priced phone from a company with some questionable hardware support issues in the past? This thing is dead on arrival.
 
This phone will be a monumental sales fail. Absolutely no way they gonna sells millions of these, with the starting price of $769.00 for the base model, LOL, not gonna happen.

And then just put it out on one carrier only, and probably the worst evil carrier out there in Verizon. Plus you know it will just sit in some back dark corner in the Verizon store, with none of the sales staff pushing it over the iPhone 7 or Galaxy 7's.

Even Best Buy never actually carries the Nexus phone at those little kiosk displays, you still need to order it online only through bestbuy.com. And I don't see Best Buy truly promoting this phone, and actually having it in stock to pick up and hold and purchase right there on the spot ? Nope.

I'll be shocked if the Pixel XL sells more units than the Motorola Nexus 6, which was a pretty big sales flop itself.

I am no iPhone guy, but this new Pixel phone launch is pissing me off, and I'm sad to see the Nexus line disappear. I may just go with a 7 Plus on JoD @ T-Mobile, and try out iOS 10. At least Apple supports their phone properly.
 
Did anyone catch if the boot loader is unlocked?


As far as the rest of the stuff, no. I won't be getting google WiFi, google hub, a chrome-cast or anything else they annoyance.

Quotes from "insiders" on Twitter say Verizon's bootloader is locked. Google's isn't. I have a feeling even root will be a problem on this device.
 
I am no iPhone guy, but this new Pixel phone launch is pissing me off, and I'm sad to see the Nexus line disappear. I may just go with a 7 Plus on JoD @ T-Mobile, and try out iOS 10. At least Apple supports their phone properly.

I have a Verizon 7 Plus 128 on order, the last upgrade before we cancel my wife's service. Going to try getting used to an iPhone, worst case I'll sell it and get a Pixel instead. I'm NOT wowed by the Pixel, aside from the camera. This should have been $200 cheaper.
 
Blue is already sold out and it looks like the 128gb versions are selling out as well.
 
I wonder if Verizon paid money for the exclusivity at the stores. Or is this the only way that Google could get it at a single carrier store. I also wonder if Google made deals with BestBuy (etc) to sell the unlocked phones.
 
You can order the unlocked version directly from google. No reason to get the Verizon shovelware version at all.
 
I was really interested in this phone.
Now? Not so much. I think they are setting up for failure with the pricing.

So... since there is no more Nexus with true pure Android, is there any other way to get a pure Android experience but still get the OTA/wifi updates?

I really want to ditch my S5, but I don't think the Pixel will be the replacement now.
 
So... since there is no more Nexus with true pure Android, is there any other way to get a pure Android experience but still get the OTA/wifi updates?

So... You mean the Pixel from the Google online store?

As for stock android with OTA updates, then no, not really. LeNoMotorola and the OnePlus come close.
 
Verizon exclusive premium priced phone from a company with some questionable hardware support issues in the past? This thing is dead on arrival.

What do you mean questionable support?

As far as I am concerned Nexus phones es have had the best support of any Android devices on the market.
 
He means that HTC has had spotty hardware and service in the past. And they have, since they outsourced all of their tech support. Used to be one of the best in the business. Let's just hope support is handled by Google, like it was for the Nexus 5 and 6.
 
So... You mean the Pixel from the Google online store?

huh?
The Pixel has all sorts of extra crap added in. It's no longer pure Android like the Nexus lineup.

As for stock android with OTA updates, then no, not really. LeNoMotorola and the OnePlus come close.

That's what i was afraid of. I do not want to give my money to OP though. Haven't really looked in to any of the new Moto/Lenovo/whatever phones.
 
First off, the Nexus was never "pure android" in the literal sense. AOSP is without any google apps whatsoever, so no GMail, Youtube, Chrome, Maps, etc. "Pure" Android still looks pretty much like Eclair/Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Nexus included everything in Android that Google wanted to include. The fact that their new products are being included shouldn't surprise you, nor would I consider them "bloat" by any means. If you don't like them, uninstall them. That's a perfectly valid option there. But it's not like they're including "Verizon Messaging", VZNav, AT&T Family Finder, etc etc etc ad nauseum, which is the true bloat.

I mean, at what point do apps turn from "stock" to "bloat"? I'd consider Gmail "stock", but what if John Smaith doesn't use Gmail? Or uses HERE Maps instead of Google maps? Or Firefox instead of Chrome? Are those core apps bloat? No.
 
I wonder if Verizon paid money for the exclusivity at the stores. Or is this the only way that Google could get it at a single carrier store. I also wonder if Google made deals with BestBuy (etc) to sell the unlocked phones.

Of course they pay for the exclusivity, that's how business works - it's why Motorola Droid-branded smartphones are still exclusive to Verizon because of a very long term exclusivity contract worked out many years ago.

You can order the unlocked version directly from google. No reason to get the Verizon shovelware version at all.

But the unlocked version sold direct by Google more than likely won't work on Verizon, that's the kicker. They do list a shitload of band capacity but until the actual Verizon model appears or someone slaps a Verizon SIM card into one of the Google direct models we won't know for certain. And of course the Verizon model will be subsidized so some folks will be able to get it without forking over $650+ up front.

I just don't get it... How the hell can this be so expensive?

Top tier specs, of course, and Google is sick of "giving away the house" basically meaning they want to get in on the massive profits other companies are making from hardware sales of smartphones. The base model Pixel at $649 is probably $275 or less worth of hardware, figure in another $100 for marketing and distribution and it's still going to make massive profits - at least on the ones they actually sell, that is. :D

They spent years building up a following with the Nexus device line and most of those folks will just pounce on this one without even thinking - just like someone votes Republican or Democrat or likes Ford over Chevy. People are fickle dumbass creatures, you know this, right? Right? :p
 
Ordered a Black and Silver from the Google Store.

I decided to go with it.

I ordered a black 5" w. 128GB through Google Project Fi.

32 GB is probably enough for me. (I currently have 16GB free on my 32GB Nexus 5x) but I opted to stay on the safe side and not have to worry about it, since the re is no sdcard slot.
 
They spent years building up a following with the Nexus device line and most of those folks will just pounce on this one without even thinking - just like someone votes Republican or Democrat or likes Ford over Chevy. People are fickle dumbass creatures, you know this, right? Right? :p

If any other Android device had an unaltered android framework, monthly security updates and not designed in China, i'd jump on it, but this is - unfortunately - it.

It's not my ideal device, but it's the only device that meets my high expectations at any price.
 
All I wanted out of today was a substantial price drop on the 6P, which seemed like a given, but even that isn't materializing. Google pulled it from the Play Store entirely and other retailers aren't budging. Epic fail.
 
I'm not a fan of the phone pricing. Not at all. I love the phones themselves. But it's just way too cost prohibitive. II have two small kids (5 and 2) so insurance is a must. $870 even for the XL 32GB version for a phone is just way too much at the moment. I guess I'm stuck with my G5. Hopefully Google rolls out the assistant functionality to all devices. I don't see anything on 821 that makes it special compared to 820 so unless they've built stuff into the framework then a simple APK should be all we need.

I love Assistant and can't wait to get my hands on a Google Home or two. Want the 3 pack of Google WiFi for my house too as our WiFi signal in parts of the house is very weak.
 
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