Google Pixel 3 XL Glamorously Unboxed a Month before Launch

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,000
Google’s Pixel hardware event is just over a month away, but a black-market seller has made the announcement redundant by selling the devices early for $2,000 each, revealing all there is to know about the now-notched handset. Russian publication inDIGI has released one of the better-looking unboxing videos, with what appears to be a professional hand model unpackaging the device and its related accessories.

Buying unannounced smartphones on the black market is not a new practice by any means, and its legality is certainly dubious at best depending on your jurisdiction (knowingly buying stolen goods is a misdemeanor or a felony in the United States), but this is definitely a big leak at Google’s expense and one that is coming earlier than even the most revealing leaks of previous Pixel phones.
 
Well Google is probably like let people get used for the notch so they don't have to disappoint everyone at launch lol. I am just amazed how Google managed to make a bigger notch when everyone is trying to make them smaller. They went the wrong direction. One of those situations where doesn't mean better.
 
What's that giant ugly black tab thing at the top of the screen? Oh that's right, it's stupid.
 
I want one. I want something that runs the base Android OS without Samsung's bullshit added on top of it.

I am tired of my phone reminding me about volume levels when I am listening to music.
I am tired of my phone changing the way my contact list looks and works.
I am tired of getting notices about shit after I have turned all notices off.
I am not a member of facebook or snapchat or instagram or twitter, and I am sick of getting spam from those apps after I update my Samsung phone.

I have an expensive phone. I want it to start acting like a professional tool, and not like a teenager's social media clubhouse.
 
I want one. I want something that runs the base Android OS without Samsung's bullshit added on top of it.

I am tired of my phone reminding me about volume levels when I am listening to music.
I am tired of my phone changing the way my contact list looks and works.
I am tired of getting notices about shit after I have turned all notices off.
I am not a member of facebook or snapchat or instagram or twitter, and I am sick of getting spam from those apps after I update my Samsung phone.

I have an expensive phone. I want it to start acting like a professional tool, and not like a teenager's social media clubhouse.

OnePlus6. It also keeps the headphone jack. The OS is nearly stock Android as you can get but actually has useful things and zero extra crap.
 
It's cool but I'm so behind the tech lol, I just ordered a pixel xl off eBay to replace my iPhone 5 because it was cheap and looks to do everything I want. Very excited to get rid of this iPhone, was using a Samsung s2 before the iPhone 5 and miss android all the time lol. I just can't be bothered to really care about all these new phones, at this point all I ever do on my phone is call, text, email and lurk in forums with the very occasional game app :p


I want one. I want something that runs the base Android OS without Samsung's bullshit added on top of it.

I am tired of my phone reminding me about volume levels when I am listening to music.
I am tired of my phone changing the way my contact list looks and works.
I am tired of getting notices about shit after I have turned all notices off.
I am not a member of facebook or snapchat or instagram or twitter, and I am sick of getting spam from those apps after I update my Samsung phone.

I have an expensive phone. I want it to start acting like a professional tool, and not like a teenager's social media clubhouse.
Have you tried custom roms? Done it a few times for phones because of the same complaints, nice to have a stripped down version with the hardware you like.
 
I want one. I want something that runs the base Android OS without Samsung's bullshit added on top of it.

I am tired of my phone reminding me about volume levels when I am listening to music.
I am tired of my phone changing the way my contact list looks and works.
I am tired of getting notices about shit after I have turned all notices off.
I am not a member of facebook or snapchat or instagram or twitter, and I am sick of getting spam from those apps after I update my Samsung phone.

I have an expensive phone. I want it to start acting like a professional tool, and not like a teenager's social media clubhouse.

I am absolutely not sure what you are talking about. Samsung has come a long way in toning down their skin. I got a note 9. Lasts me a day and half, headphone jack. Yea stock android is nice, but you are sort of blowing things out of proportion.

If you want stock android then Samsung is not for you. Heck I would pick up a pixel 3 if didn't have the ugliest notch in the world. If you want a good phone that is stock one plus 6 is a great option.

One plus 6 is nice but it doesn't support HD voice other than tmobile. Google Pixel XL line actually works with AT&T HD Voice. So that is a nice perk. One plus doesn't want to shell out the money to get the device certified I think. Heck even essential phone supports HD Voice on AT&T. So One plus is lacking in that regard, they just throw the blame on AT&T. For sure I would be rocking that phone.

But I am mighty impressed with Note 9. Fast, battery lasts all day even in high performance mode with plenty to spare and got the headphone jack.
 
OnePlus phones are an excellent alternative if you don't care much about the camera. If you want a top of the line camera the Pixel or Galaxy phones are still where it's at. I had a OP3T and the camera was just awful.
 
I want one. I want something that runs the base Android OS without Samsung's bullshit added on top of it.

I am tired of my phone reminding me about volume levels when I am listening to music.
I am tired of my phone changing the way my contact list looks and works.
I am tired of getting notices about shit after I have turned all notices off.
I am not a member of facebook or snapchat or instagram or twitter, and I am sick of getting spam from those apps after I update my Samsung phone.

I have an expensive phone. I want it to start acting like a professional tool, and not like a teenager's social media clubhouse.

So get a motoG5+ (now G6+). You samsung slave. :p

Not quite stock android, but damn, nothing like the crap you posted. And I do quite like the Moto Actions.
 
OnePlus phones are an excellent alternative if you don't care much about the camera. If you want a top of the line camera the Pixel or Galaxy phones are still where it's at. I had a OP3T and the camera was just awful.

I jumped from a One+1 to the 5T.

The 5T camera is pretty great in my opinion.
 
I am absolutely not sure what you are talking about. Samsung has come a long way in toning down their skin. I got a note 9. Lasts me a day and half, headphone jack. Yea stock android is nice, but you are sort of blowing things out of proportion. If you want stock android then Samsung is not for you.

I have a Samsung because I need a good camera.

I only use my cell phone for a few things. Calls and text, obviously. I listen to music when I'm driving or walking the dog. I use the camera. I use the timer/stopwatch/alarm clock. I use Google maps, and on rare occasions I use the web.

I use less than 50 MB of internet a month.

I get it, most people use their phones for a lot of these social media services and most people don't care about dinky shit that is sleeping in the background. Samsung has ungunked quite a few things, but they still optimize for the popular phone apps. Every time I get an update I get all the daemons back. I don't want them, but I get them, and the facebook daemon is a particular greaseball. It will happily sit around and do nothing if it thinks things are ok, but it doesn't know if things are ok until it contacts the mothership, which I don't allow because I don't have a fucking facebook account and I've obliterated the facebook app. But I just checked my phone - facebook services is running, although it has all its notifications disabled. I disabled it again.

Bullshit. If I don't want it, no one should put it on my phone.
 
a. provider bloatware needs to be illegal in usa like korea (both lol )

b. moto x4 = pixel xl woth a bad camera for $200 .. pixel xl broke 2x in 20 months

c. googles phones are easy to break by both updates , dropping or elements
-one broke from humidity
--one broke from updates


so i am going to guess pixel 3 will have similar issues (easy to break, awesome camera, limited out of date space/storage, no that water proof, overpriced)

if moto had a great camera it would be the better deal at 1/3 the cost
 
I have a Samsung because I need a good camera.

I only use my cell phone for a few things. Calls and text, obviously. I listen to music when I'm driving or walking the dog. I use the camera. I use the timer/stopwatch/alarm clock. I use Google maps, and on rare occasions I use the web.

I use less than 50 MB of internet a month.

I get it, most people use their phones for a lot of these social media services and most people don't care about dinky shit that is sleeping in the background. Samsung has ungunked quite a few things, but they still optimize for the popular phone apps. Every time I get an update I get all the daemons back. I don't want them, but I get them, and the facebook daemon is a particular greaseball. It will happily sit around and do nothing if it thinks things are ok, but it doesn't know if things are ok until it contacts the mothership, which I don't allow because I don't have a fucking facebook account and I've obliterated the facebook app. But I just checked my phone - facebook services is running, although it has all its notifications disabled. I disabled it again.

Bullshit. If I don't want it, no one should put it on my phone.

I literally have no idea what you're talking about. I have an Exynos N950N (International version) Note 8 with the stock ROM, and have literally ZERO (0) social media apps on my phone. I use my phone for hardcore productivity. It's the best, most stable phone (aside from the Note 9 now) out there. Battery life is insane for the "small" 3300mAh battery.

When I update the stock ROM, I don't get any of the stock apps back if I uninstalled it or disabled it to begin with. And so far, I've updated about 10 or so times.

Additionally, it is well known that Google ports over Samsung features from Touchwiz/Samsung Experience into stock Android. And even when they do that, it's half-assed or incomplete. This is coming from someone who owned every single Nexus out there, so I know very well the differences between the two. The Note 8 is the first phone I've had that I've actually run stock because it comes with everything and then some that custom ROMs are needed to make stock Android work like I wanted it to.
 
Love the hands, but the rest looks a bit anorexic.

Mind you, not saying anorexic is bad or unattractive.

I fully accept an individuals right to choose how they look.

Hell, if "they" chose to have a penis, more power to them. I'm just saying that is what I am observing.

See, I am very precise with my words.







Damn.... I really have to stop watching Jordan B Peterson videos.
 
Just pick up a new Google Pixel 2 XL once this thing releases.

GF and I love our Pixel 2 XL .... crazy insane awesome photos


Dont think the new phone is any better than the Pixel 2
 
So they show the screen but...unless I missed it, no Settings > Specs page? I'm still wondering if this sure to be expensive next gen phone will come with the 4gb of RAM that was previously leaked for the non-XL variant? On Pixel devices, especially when they're pushed as top of the line in price, they need to be top of the line in features all around. That means minimum 6gb and probably 8gb RAM on the "good" version, for instance. Likewise, the camera. I'm not one of those "uses the phone camera like its a SLR " type people, but with $800+ phones, they damn well better put in the multiple cameras/lenses/ IR / kitchen sink etc..... and if I recall the Pixel 2 series still stuck to a single camera ( a decent one of course) but did all the "magic" in software in order to try and keep up with those using better hardware tech?

The lack of a headphone jack bothers me to some extent, if the chassis is thick enough to handle one. If they're just going to use USB-C that's all well and good but I damn well expect it to be full bandwidth USB-C 3.1 with multi-function dongles at the same time etc. Losing the ability to make data connections because I have it plugged into a Line In on my car etc.. is not acceptable. Of course, I'm instantly pissed on principle if removal of a headphone jack is to basically mess with analog gap possibilities or restrict user options unless they buy more and more expensive active adapters - that's a garbage Apple kind of move and I don't feel Android needs to follow that mess.

I was really, really hoping to buy the Pixel 3 / XL as my Nexus 6 is getting a bit long in the tooth. There are a short list of phones for me to buy and ironically Pixel devices as the Nexus successor are near the top of said list; they use "baseline" Android + Google Apps, are updated frequently/first, and have an unlockable bootloader meaning they work very well with custom ROMs like LineageOS. Atop this, they usually have high end hardware. However, I am a bit frustrated when it seems the Pixel phones are released towards the end of a hardware generation; I'd much rather have them wait a little longer and come with the newest and best chipset (ie Snapdragon current iteration is nice, but it released back near the beginning of the year.) . Furthermore, if they're going to charge insane prices and NOT going to be carrier agnostic, they need an Apple-like program for installment payments WITH UPGRADES without paying the whole damn thing off. I have to give Apple credit for offering a zero-interest installment program, carrier agnostic, including AppleCare no less, where after 6 payments you can swap it for the next version. If companies are basically not really going to support phones more than 2 years anymore (or withhold the latest features etc) and keep jacking prices, then they absolutely at least need to offer programs like that.

If I don't buy a Pixel 3 I'll be looking into a handful of others including the OnePlus 6T when it releases, but I have to be honest I'm not really happy with certain OnePlus decisions like the seeming refusal to include wireless Qi charging unlike everyone else plus sticking to some knockoff "dash charging" instead of using the quick charging potential that the Qualcomm chip inside can handle itself etc. They also lack a proper payment installment+upgrade payment plan as well. I've also been a little concerned about their quality and features as sometimes it "feels" well...like a Chinese knock off - on the surface as good as the originals, but they seem to make some changes under the hood to cut costs and this isn't a handbag or pair of shoes, so those things matter to enthusiasts. I'm still willing to give them a look, but I really hope they step up with the 6T. Besides OnePlus there are only a few others to look into doing unique things - amazingly the Razer phone for instance seems to be pretty decent but I'd wait for another generation and to see how things develop there as openness is more important than gaming on the phone. It would be nice if the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL really deliver this time....
 
So they show the screen but...unless I missed it, no Settings > Specs page? I'm still wondering if this sure to be expensive next gen phone will come with the 4gb of RAM that was previously leaked for the non-XL variant? On Pixel devices, especially when they're pushed as top of the line in price, they need to be top of the line in features all around. That means minimum 6gb and probably 8gb RAM on the "good" version, for instance. Likewise, the camera. I'm not one of those "uses the phone camera like its a SLR " type people, but with $800+ phones, they damn well better put in the multiple cameras/lenses/ IR / kitchen sink etc..... and if I recall the Pixel 2 series still stuck to a single camera ( a decent one of course) but did all the "magic" in software in order to try and keep up with those using better hardware tech?

The lack of a headphone jack bothers me to some extent, if the chassis is thick enough to handle one. If they're just going to use USB-C that's all well and good but I damn well expect it to be full bandwidth USB-C 3.1 with multi-function dongles at the same time etc. Losing the ability to make data connections because I have it plugged into a Line In on my car etc.. is not acceptable. Of course, I'm instantly pissed on principle if removal of a headphone jack is to basically mess with analog gap possibilities or restrict user options unless they buy more and more expensive active adapters - that's a garbage Apple kind of move and I don't feel Android needs to follow that mess.

I was really, really hoping to buy the Pixel 3 / XL as my Nexus 6 is getting a bit long in the tooth. There are a short list of phones for me to buy and ironically Pixel devices as the Nexus successor are near the top of said list; they use "baseline" Android + Google Apps, are updated frequently/first, and have an unlockable bootloader meaning they work very well with custom ROMs like LineageOS. Atop this, they usually have high end hardware. However, I am a bit frustrated when it seems the Pixel phones are released towards the end of a hardware generation; I'd much rather have them wait a little longer and come with the newest and best chipset (ie Snapdragon current iteration is nice, but it released back near the beginning of the year.) . Furthermore, if they're going to charge insane prices and NOT going to be carrier agnostic, they need an Apple-like program for installment payments WITH UPGRADES without paying the whole damn thing off. I have to give Apple credit for offering a zero-interest installment program, carrier agnostic, including AppleCare no less, where after 6 payments you can swap it for the next version. If companies are basically not really going to support phones more than 2 years anymore (or withhold the latest features etc) and keep jacking prices, then they absolutely at least need to offer programs like that.

If I don't buy a Pixel 3 I'll be looking into a handful of others including the OnePlus 6T when it releases, but I have to be honest I'm not really happy with certain OnePlus decisions like the seeming refusal to include wireless Qi charging unlike everyone else plus sticking to some knockoff "dash charging" instead of using the quick charging potential that the Qualcomm chip inside can handle itself etc. They also lack a proper payment installment+upgrade payment plan as well. I've also been a little concerned about their quality and features as sometimes it "feels" well...like a Chinese knock off - on the surface as good as the originals, but they seem to make some changes under the hood to cut costs and this isn't a handbag or pair of shoes, so those things matter to enthusiasts. I'm still willing to give them a look, but I really hope they step up with the 6T. Besides OnePlus there are only a few others to look into doing unique things - amazingly the Razer phone for instance seems to be pretty decent but I'd wait for another generation and to see how things develop there as openness is more important than gaming on the phone. It would be nice if the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL really deliver this time....
The custom rom issue has been made a mess with the security measures implemented in Android. I don't know if treble is going to help matters . I for one am done with magisk-ing shit, and trying to fix apps that fail security checks after updating shit like that. Google screwed custom roms basically... At least for now anyway, supposedly treble will cure issues, unless they roll out yet more security things that break apps in custom roms.
 
Google screwed custom roms basically... At least for now anyway, supposedly treble will cure issues, unless they roll out yet more security things that break apps in custom roms.

You mean they screw themselves in attempting to screw custom ROMs. :D It's happened a few times; they've released blocks that ended up breaking their own apps/services, which they then had to roll back.
 
I guess my next phone will be a Nokia... I have the first pixel and it's reaching that annoying battery life stage

I just bought my wife a nokia8 and it is nice and more importantly it uses stock android. So depending how long this battery lasts before it really degrades I'll either get a nokia8 or their new one
 
Back
Top