Whether lots of people will be willing to pay for it is another question.
24/7 live support
Directly taking on the iPhone:
Nougat 7.1 Changelog
Unlimited storage isn't cheap. Fast hardware isn't cheap, etc.
The 7.x A/B switch "update a copy of the OS in the background and swap on next reboot" feature sounds great - waiting for OS updates to download and install is a pain.
They are taking a big chance in annoying their fans. Part of the reason why they price is high is to pay for the features, but part of it must also be to show their partners that they're not trying to take the whole market (from Samsung, LG, Huawei, Lenovo, etc.).
Until I know that it's fully compatible with T-Mobile, with WiFi calling and VoLTE calling, I won't agonize about the price. The hands-on and the teardowns should be interesting. It'll be good to see how it compares to the LG V20.
We'll see.
Cheers,
Scott.
24/7 live support
Directly taking on the iPhone:
What makes the Pixel phones interesting, to me, is the relative lack of technical compromise. They have a fast processor. A fast camera (with improved and quicker HDR+). Fast storage (UFS 2.0). A fast fingerprint scanner. Fast software (they really are blazing-quick). Fast charging. Fast updates (seamless updates). A fast GPU (for VR). There is little about these phones you can point to and say Google cheaped out on. And isn't that what so many of us have been demanding for years? A Google phone that could be positioned against the iPhone as legitimate competition (even if the iPhone does have its advantages - and disadvantages).
Nougat 7.1 Changelog
Pixel product-specific
Pixel Launcher - swipe up for all apps, new Search Box, date/weather header on home
Google Assistant
Unlimited original quality photo/video backup to Google Photos
Smart Storage - when storage is full, automatically removes old backed up photos/videos
Phone/Chat support (new support tab in settings), screen-share functionality
Quick switch adapter for wired setup from Android or iPhone
Pixel Camera:
. Electronic Image Stabilization (“video stabilization”) 2.0
. Pro Features
.. White Balance Presets
.. Exposure Compensation
.. AE/AF Locking
.. Viewfinder grid modes
.. HW-accelerated (on Qualcomm Hexagon coprocessor) HDR+ image processing
.. Smartburst
Sensor Hub processor with tightly integrated sensors (accel, gyro, mag) + connectivity (Wi-Fi, Cell, GPS)
Cosmetic
. Solid navbar icons with home affordance for Assistant
. SysUI accent color theming
. Wallpaper picker with new wallpapers and sounds
. New setup look and feel
. Dynamic calendar date icon
Android Nougat 7.1
Night Light
Touch/display performance improvements
Moves (Fingerprint swipe down gesture - opt-in)
Seamless A/B system updates
Daydream VR mode
Developer features:
. App shortcuts / shortcut manager APIs
. Circular app icons support
. Keyboard image insertion
. Fingerprint sensor gesture to open/close notification shade
. Manual storage manager Intent for apps
. Improved VR thread scheduling
. Enhanced wallpaper metadata
. Multi-endpoint call support
. Support for various MNO requirements
.. PCDMA voice privacy property
.. Source type support for Visual Voicemail
.. Carrier config options for managing video telephony
Manual storage manager - identifies apps and files and apps using storage
Unlimited storage isn't cheap. Fast hardware isn't cheap, etc.
The 7.x A/B switch "update a copy of the OS in the background and swap on next reboot" feature sounds great - waiting for OS updates to download and install is a pain.
They are taking a big chance in annoying their fans. Part of the reason why they price is high is to pay for the features, but part of it must also be to show their partners that they're not trying to take the whole market (from Samsung, LG, Huawei, Lenovo, etc.).
Until I know that it's fully compatible with T-Mobile, with WiFi calling and VoLTE calling, I won't agonize about the price. The hands-on and the teardowns should be interesting. It'll be good to see how it compares to the LG V20.
We'll see.
Cheers,
Scott.