Pixel-ated image
Google has chosen the high-end sector of the mobile business, that is meaningless to over 90 per cent of phone owners.
Soon after he reached the northern frontier of India, Alexander the Great, examined a map of his empire and wept that there were no more worlds to conquer. One doesn't know the precise reaction of Google's India-born head, Sundar Pichai, after he announced the launch of the Pixel phone, but I'll hazard a guess: He must be scratching his head to think of any areas of the Internet life left to dominate. Consider:
Google first came to attention 20 years ago, as a search engine for the Netscape browser. In three years it had wiped out many competing search tools and to 'google' a term, became a synonym for search on the Net. Then the company entered the operating system arena with Android and in just 8 years took over 90% of all handsets. Google Chrome took on established browsers on all devices — Windows, Apple and Linux. With OS, browser and search engines covered, Google straddled the software arena. The only world to conquer was hardware and with the Pixel brand of phones Google has entered the last remaining arena of infotech.
The 2 models of Pixel are not to be confused with the Google-sponsored Nexus phones that have been around for two years and have been made by multiple players including LG and HTC — the latter contract-manufacturers Pixel in Taiwan.
Most of the hype around Pixel centres around Google Assistant, the voice help that comes with the phone. But iPhone's Siri, Amazon's Alexa and Windows' Cortana have all been there before. Every other specification seems to invite a comparison with the latest iPhone right down to screen size, single SIM, non expandable storage — and premium pricing. The refrain, like that song in the old musical, "Annie Get Your Gun!" seems to be: "Anything you can do, I can do better!"
Which I find tragic. For its maiden hardware foray, Google has chosen the high-end sector of the mobile business that is meaningless to over 90 per cent of phone owners. A comparison with iPhone is something only Americans care about. Google could have used its hegemony in a good cause and come up with a phone with all the software that Pixel sports — but with hardware that was affordable to the millions who put their faith in an Android phone. As it is, the Pixel is a costly toy for the chatterati rather than a power tool for empowerment. What a missed opportunity!
—IndiaTechOnline