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drinkingtea

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2016
1,161
3,056
I absolutely love my Pixel 4 XL. It's everything I wished it to be. I can't believe I finally own one! 😭 I purchased it renewed from Amazon and it looks brand new. I love this phone. I just wish Google would get it together and at least make the home bar float above apps instead of having a white or black background behind it.
 
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Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,647
13,146
UK
I absolutely love my Pixel 4 XL. It's everything I wished it to be. I can't believe I finally own one! 😭 I purchased it renewed from Amazon and it looks brand new. I love this phone. I just wish Google would get it together and at least make the home bar float above apps instead of having a white or black background behind it.
I have to say I’m in love with my pixel 2XL. I spent all these years moaning about stock android but it’s so clean and great. I’m trying to stop myself from upgrading my 2XL until the 6 is released because the 6 pro sounds so good.

Since getting my pixel 2XL I’ve picked up a google chromecast with google TV which I’m enjoying and a second series 3 Chromecast.

I think I’ll also pick up a 2nd generation nest hub for my bedroom and see how the sleep tracking is. I’m just waiting to see if it will go on sale when Amazon have their prime day in a few weeks.
 
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drinkingtea

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2016
1,161
3,056
I have to say I’m in love with my pixel 2XL. I spent all these years moaning about stock android but it’s so clean and great. I’m trying to stop myself from upgrading my 2XL until the 6 is released because the 6 pro sounds so good.

Since getting my pixel 2XL I’ve picked up a google chromecast with google TV which I’m enjoying and a second series 3 Chromecast.

I think I’ll also pick up a 2nd generation nest hub for my bedroom and see how the sleep tracking is. I’m just waiting to see if it will go on sale when Amazon have their prime day in a few weeks.
I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying mine. The 6 is extremely tempting, but if I would get the 6, I would have to give up my XS because the 6 would be too expensive otherwise. This way, I'm able to keep my XS.

Woke up to only 3 Twitter notifications on my Pixel while my iPhone picked up all 20. Twitter is the one social media I use and Android refuses to play nice with it. I made sure that battery optimization was off, so there must be some deeper battery doze going on in the background that the user can't switch off. Sigh. This is why an iPhone will (always) be my main phone.
 

drinkingtea

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2016
1,161
3,056
I keep getting delayed/missing notifications in comparison to my iPhone. I've tried everything, but nothing is solving the problem. Or I'll get notifications that only appear when I unlock the phone. This has been an issue since I first tried an Android phone years ago.

Why does Google do this **** with battery optimization? I'm convinced most Google employees are not Android users (I think read something about this being true a few years ago) because if they were, this **** would have been fixed a long time ago.
 
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The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,424
19,660
UK
I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying mine. The 6 is extremely tempting, but if I would get the 6, I would have to give up my XS because the 6 would be too expensive otherwise. This way, I'm able to keep my XS.

Woke up to only 3 Twitter notifications on my Pixel while my iPhone picked up all 20. Twitter is the one social media I use and Android refuses to play nice with it. I made sure that battery optimization was off, so there must be some deeper battery doze going on in the background that the user can't switch off. Sigh. This is why an iPhone will (always) be my main phone.
Yeah same boat, my iPhone can give me up to 100 Twitter notifications on real time where my s21 ultra it kind of stops at 24. If twitter notifications were the same on android as it is on the iPhone the ultra would be my main phone. And if it supported the Apple Watch notifications where it comes through straight away.
 
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Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,647
13,146
UK
Still can't believe how good the camera is on my pixel 2XL. It's 3 years older than my 12 pro max but it can keep up in most scenarios for still photos. Obviously videos are not as good but for everything else it competes.
 
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drinkingtea

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2016
1,161
3,056
Yeah same boat, my iPhone can give me up to 100 Twitter notifications on real time where my s21 ultra it kind of stops at 24. If twitter notifications were the same on android as it is on the iPhone the ultra would be my main phone. And if it supported the Apple Watch notifications where it comes through straight away.
It's absolutely frustrating. My iPhone had 16 Twitter notifications this morning while my Pixel only had 5. Why doesn't Google fix this? Also, the blurry profile pictures in the notifications look so ugly.

If it weren't for the notification issue, I'd be making the Pixel my main phone.
 
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mjschabow

macrumors 601
Dec 25, 2013
4,784
6,060
It's absolutely frustrating. My iPhone had 16 Twitter notifications this morning while my Pixel only had 5. Why doesn't Google fix this? Also, the blurry profile pictures in the notifications look so ugly.

If it weren't for the notification issue, I'd be making the Pixel my main phone.
Yep, it's the little things that Apple does right that we take for granted.
 

drinkingtea

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2016
1,161
3,056
Yep, it's the little things that Apple does right that we take for granted.
Yep, yep. It’s crazy. You would think notifications would be the one thing Google would insist on getting right.

I also haven’t found one browser app that even offers half the functionality of Safari. Man, Apple just does things right.

Also, why doesn’t the Pixel home bar float over apps the way it does in Apple apps? Why does it need a solid background? Why doesn’t Google fix this ****???????? It even happens in their own damn apps. It looks so cheap. Chrome is the most egregious example.

Half-tempted to return the Pixel and put the money I’ll get back towards the iPhone 13.
 

The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,424
19,660
UK
It's absolutely frustrating. My iPhone had 16 Twitter notifications this morning while my Pixel only had 5. Why doesn't Google fix this? Also, the blurry profile pictures in the notifications look so ugly.

If it weren't for the notification issue, I'd be making the Pixel my main phone.
I think it’s a limitation on the twitter app for android. So I think this is twitter themselves more than anything else but hard to know really
 

Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,647
13,146
UK
I think it’s a limitation on the twitter app for android. So I think this is twitter themselves more than anything else but hard to know really
I actually like it. I find my notifications to be disorganised and I have too many on iOS. On my pixel they are much more manageable.
 

drinkingtea

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2016
1,161
3,056
I honestly love everything about the Pixel minus the notification issue and the browser issue. The phone is buttery smooth, too. I haven’t lagged once, and I’m even on the Android 12 beta.

The 4 XL also has the perfect screen size. Not too big, not too small.
 

macOS Lynx

macrumors 6502
Jun 3, 2019
386
555
Personally not a fan.

I understand why this might appeal to some people, but to me it's just being different for different's sake.
 

constantsnags!

macrumors regular
Apr 16, 2008
163
161
Aotearoa
This is the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro allegedly. I was hesitant at first, but I do love the design. Google never disappoints me. This is going to be the first Pixel with the Whitechapel chip. I'm excited.

View attachment 1775534

View attachment 1775533
Looks great. I’d love one as a second phone, and if I only had Android, I’d only have a Pixel. Samsung’s horrible skin and late updates drove me crazy.
 

Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,647
13,146
UK
I’ve been spoiled by the camera on my pixel 2Xl. I love the contrasty look of the pictures from my pixel 2XL. Took some pictures at the park yesterday with both my 2XL and 12 pro max. The 12 pro max pictures look washed out in comparison.
 
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slitherjef

macrumors 65816
Feb 8, 2012
1,398
1,189
Earth
I find the camera on my XL 2 whacks out on the focus a lot. Seen many out of focus images, sometimes I'll catch them and touch focus (which changes exposure) to bring it back but about 50% of the time I'll get oof images saved. Could be because infinity focus and subject but it's unreliable at times in the focus department. Wish google would put in an infinity focus button.

Good images are good when things hit though ?

//

I might try the 6xl out depending on price and hopefully it's another somewhat solid XL 2 upgrade but I've seem to run into issues with these devices :(
 

michael9891

Cancelled
Sep 26, 2016
3,060
3,945
The only reason I sold my Pixel 5 was because it was just too small. If the 6XL really does have a 6.67" screen, combined with a long overdue camera hardware upgrade I'll be pre ordering. A refresh of the OS will also add to making it a nice new device. Hopefully they do a good job with the in screen FPS and and probable new chipset.

Overall, the 2XL was probably the best phone I've owned and that was largely down to the camera. Took in 2 trips to the US with it and got some very nice pics.
 

Awesomesince86

macrumors 68020
Sep 18, 2016
2,472
3,287
Just when I start getting my hopes up, it sounding like Google is going to pull another...Google. Apparently the new Google whitechapel SOC is on par with the Snapdragon 780G. Which Im sure will still be plenty fast with their optimization, but any hopes of Google creating a top tier chipset is on hold at least for now. Oh and the Pro will apparently be $949 and have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage.

So...Google still hasnt learned from their previous mistakes. Still doing the bare minimum to be passable as a flagship. The storage amount is really disappointing for a flagship phone.
 

aggie99

macrumors 6502a
Sep 23, 2016
809
1,896
Dallas, TX
Just when I start getting my hopes up, it sounding like Google is going to pull another...Google. Apparently the new Google whitechapel SOC is on par with the Snapdragon 780G. Which Im sure will still be plenty fast with their optimization, but any hopes of Google creating a top tier chipset is on hold at least for now. Oh and the Pro will apparently be $949 and have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage.

So...Google still hasnt learned from their previous mistakes. Still doing the bare minimum to be passable as a flagship. The storage amount is really disappointing for a flagship phone.
That really sucks. This was the one upcoming device I was getting excited about. I think I'm just gonna hold tight until mid next year with my 12 Pro Max, Z Fold 2 and S21U and rotate between them. Not really excited about the iPhone 13 or Z Fold 3 based on leaks we have seen and no Note 21 this year. Been mostly using the S21U for the camera and really no issues or complaints with any of the current phones in the rotation.
 
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Awesomesince86

macrumors 68020
Sep 18, 2016
2,472
3,287
That really sucks. This was the one upcoming device I was getting excited about. I think I'm just gonna hold tight until mid next year with my 12 Pro Max, Z Fold 2 and S21U and rotate between them. Not really excited about the iPhone 13 or Z Fold 3 based on leaks we have seen and no Note 21 this year. Been mostly using the S21U for the camera and really no issues or complaints with any of the current phones in the rotation.

I'm sure the Pixel 6 Pro will still be good, but it wont be the flagship powerhouse we were all hoping for. Google just loves to cut corners on hardware.
 

The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,424
19,660
UK
Just when I start getting my hopes up, it sounding like Google is going to pull another...Google. Apparently the new Google whitechapel SOC is on par with the Snapdragon 780G. Which Im sure will still be plenty fast with their optimization, but any hopes of Google creating a top tier chipset is on hold at least for now. Oh and the Pro will apparently be $949 and have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage.

So...Google still hasnt learned from their previous mistakes. Still doing the bare minimum to be passable as a flagship. The storage amount is really disappointing for a flagship phone.

If that’s the chip makes you wonder how much better the cameras will be guess will see. Will have 5x telephoto though so a good improvement
 
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Awesomesince86

macrumors 68020
Sep 18, 2016
2,472
3,287
If that’s the chip makes you wonder how much better the cameras will be guess will see. Will have 5x telephoto though so a good improvement

Honestly, if the rumors are true the cameras should be insane. 50 mp gimbal + OIS + EIS on main camera. Ultrawide and 8 MP telephoto.

The good news spec wise is that it is rumored to have a 120Hz QHD display and a 5000 mah battery. And with what sounds like a mid-high range chip, as long as they didnt completely screw up their chip the battery life should be very good.
 
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