Hands-On With Google's New Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Watch

[Mr. Dee]

Wow you just found out about remote camera pic/video taking of iPhone cameras using the Watch?! Been there since WatchOS 3 I believe.

The ecosystem is lovely ain’t it?

Massive leap with iCloud from MobileMe days.

Yeah, a sibling was visiting and I saw a guy using his Apple Watch to take a picture from his iPhone. We just observed him and watched what he was doing. Immediately, we went back outside and go take all our pictures over again. 😄

Then other people started watching us and doing the same thing too. 😄

 

[mxrider88]

I genuinely don’t like android, the user interface, the ecosystem etc. But their software is way ahead of Apple. They have really great AI features, text to speech, speech to text etc. They are on a planet of their own.


Apple should take note.

 

[HoneyRyder]

Yeah, I'll pass. I will never, unless I'm brain damaged, buy and use hardware with Google, Amazon or Facebook logo on it.

 

[XXPP]

google hardware is terrible

hardware and software.

 

[XXPP]

I genuinely don’t like android, the user interface, the ecosystem etc. But their software is way ahead of Apple. They have really great AI features, text to speech, speech to text etc. They are on a planet of their own.


Apple should take note.

Nope. Apple is better/

 

[Karnicopia]

Ha! Better yet. Do they come up with the iconic Dynamic Island?

They made the screen the island, floating in an ocean of bezel.

 

[msackey]

The circular design of the watch and its glass edges makes it look: a) very retro but in a not timeless fashion, b) offers poor viewing space, and c) looks ugly.

There's really no reason the watch needs to be circular. The only reason, it seems, that watches of "yesteryear" were circular is because of the dials which obviously run in a circular fashion. But with a smartwatch, the circular shape just limits viewing space unnecessarily.

These are my first thoughts on seeing it through this video

 

[jr5x]

Alarm. Again same question to define this please. Having more ok possibly and if that works for many sure.
But the basics: days/week varying alarms, titles of such, snoozing, based on health needs for peacefully being awakened all should be there. It’s an alarm not needed to be over glorify - but if I’m missing something be precises console and specific. Pls.

I’ll address this one now because it’s the easiest to talk about before I go to sleep. Every day, the alarm blasts us out of bed. Why? Because there is no way to set the alarm volume separately.

The Pixel has four volume sliders. You can set your phone up how you like, different functions have different volumes. The iPhone has only one. If I want to hear my text message notifications, then I have to accept everything else being too loud. Or I have to work the volume slider throughout the day. I really don’t want to be jarred awake every morning.

Furthermore, the Pixel’s alarm ramps up. It begins with a gentle vibration, followed by a medium vibration, followed by a very soft alarm notification sound, which then increasingly gets louder. There’s plenty of time to reach over while still half asleep and snooze it.

Just this one aspect of the iPhone is a daily annoyance. People who have only lived with the iPhone don’t realize what they are missing in this respect (and various others). It boggles my mind that Apple is probably the most difficult and most selective company to get a job at, and they can’t figure out something so simple like this. It’s pure arrogance, because they are so unbelievably profitable.

Another example of the Pixel’s alarm being better is that it gives its users notifications before major holidays, asking them if they want to dismiss the alarm the next day. “It’s Labor Day tomorrow, would you like to dismiss the alarm?“ Then the user doesn’t have to turn off that alarm in order to sleep in. In a similar vein, you can dismiss an upcoming alarm if you happen to wake up early by going to the notification pane and dismissing it. It’s right there for you to push the button. So you don’t have to worry that you’re going to be in the shower and your phone is going to start blasting its alarm while your spouse is still sleeping.

Like I said, I know both phones, and I’ll try to give some more details in response to your post if I can. I wanted to correct peoples misconceptions about what Apple is and what it isn’t for those who haven’t used other platforms.

 

[TECK]

The watch looks really good.

Best cat picture, ever.

 

[_Spinn_]

I'm not sold on Google's hardware or software.

 

[Solidbilly]

I’ll address this one now because it’s the easiest to talk about before I go to sleep. Every day, the alarm blasts us out of bed. Why? Because there is no way to set the alarm volume separately.

The Pixel has four volume sliders. You can set your phone up how you like, different functions have different volumes. The iPhone has only one. If I want to hear my text message notifications, then I have to accept everything else being too loud. Or I have to work the volume slider throughout the day. I really don’t want to be jarred awake every morning.

Furthermore, the Pixel’s alarm ramps up. It begins with a gentle vibration, followed by a medium vibration, followed by a very soft alarm notification sound, which then increasingly gets louder. There’s plenty of time to reach over while still half asleep and snooze it.

Just this one aspect of the iPhone is a daily annoyance. People who have only lived with the iPhone don’t realize what they are missing in this respect (and various others). It boggles my mind that Apple is probably the most difficult and most selective company to get a job at, and they can’t figure out something so simple like this. It’s pure arrogance, because they are so unbelievably profitable.

Another example of the Pixel’s alarm being better is that it gives its users notifications before major holidays, asking them if they want to dismiss the alarm the next day. “It’s Labor Day tomorrow, would you like to dismiss the alarm?“ Then the user doesn’t have to turn off that alarm in order to sleep in. In a similar vein, you can dismiss an upcoming alarm if you happen to wake up early by going to the notification pane and dismissing it. It’s right there for you to push the button. So you don’t have to worry that you’re going to be in the shower and your phone is going to start blasting its alarm while your spouse is still sleeping.

Like I said, I know both phones, and I’ll try to give some more details in response to your post if I can. I wanted to correct peoples misconceptions about what Apple is and what it isn’t for those who haven’t used other platforms.

These are all great points. I've had similar experiences. I used only iPhones from 4 until iPhone 12, still use a MBP, have 3 iPads in the house, two other MBPs, HomePod Minis, wife and I both have Apple Watches. I worked at Apple for a year when I was younger. However, the watches are both in a drawer, we never use the HomePods anymore, the kids use the iPads. After I noticed how locked in to the Apple ecosystem I was, I felt uncomfortable, because it was beginning to feel like Apple was taking me for granted as a consumer. I decided to pick up a Pixel 6 due to the unique design and competitive price point and I was blown away by the thought that Google has clearly put in to their hardware design and software.

Apple makes good products, but if you haven't tried a recent Android device, you don't know what you don't know. Google Assistant, just for one, is "smarter" and more convenient to use than Siri. Have you tried using HomeKit? It's pretty awful.

 

[MayaUser]

The active area on the pixel watch is too small for how big the thing is...at least they should made the edge to operate the watch like on some samsung watches because here, function must prevail over form ..there is no much screen left when you place your thumb/finger

 

[mpinusa]

Honestly, I love Apple stuff too and am firmly in their ecosystem, but a lot of you folks are just ridiculous slagging off anything that isn't Apple. I'd take the design of the Pixel phone (and Galaxy) over any design from Apple... for one, the cameras on the back look so much cleaner than the ugly cluster on back of the iPhones. And a round watch shape? Yes please! These other companies should be applauded for innovation and competition, not blindly dismissed out of fanboy partisanship - grow up!

 

[Shanghaichica]

The announcement was underwhelming.

 

[nemofish]

Looks like the camera will embarrass the 14pro again. Ai zoom enhance and unblur look amazing.

 

[Achillias]

Honestly, I love Apple stuff too and am firmly in their ecosystem, but a lot of you folks are just ridiculous slagging off anything that isn't Apple. I'd take the design of the Pixel phone (and Galaxy) over any design from Apple... for one, the cameras on the back look so much cleaner than the ugly cluster on back of the iPhones. And a round watch shape? Yes please! These other companies should be applauded for innovation and competition, not blindly dismissed out of fanboy partisanship - grow up!

This forum section is indeed childish, when it's something that is not made by Apple. Mocking because of the so called bezels while the people who have seen the watch, all are saying how good it looks in person. Also they didn't complain on how thick the Apple Watch was, before generation 7.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

This forum section is indeed childish, when it's something that is not made by Apple. Mocking because of the so called bezels while the people who have seen the watch, all are saying how good it looks in person. Also they didn't complain on how thick the Apple Watch was, before generation 7.

There are several people that brought up that the bezels on the first Apple watch were large as well AND used the same “black background” tricks. It also looked good in person. But, doesn’t change the fact that the bezels, on both, are large.

 

[Achillias]

There are several people that brought up that the bezels on the first Apple watch were large as well AND used the same “black background” tricks. It also looked good in person. But, doesn’t change the fact that the bezels, on both, are large.

You can look up every news report about the Apple Watch, nobody complained about the bezels as much as now. That's a fact.

 

[SurferPup]

I'm betting the VPN is a free VPN to prevent data mining outside of the Google organisation so if a third party wants to data mine they have to pay a fee to Giggle for them to share your personal selfies or is this a new privacy T&Cs: 'We protect your privacy at Google by only sharing those pictures in your Safe File with Google Engineerng staff for the purposes of developing better products.'

 

[attila]

The bezel wouldn't have been too bad hadn't it been for the circular screen severely limiting what content can be displayed outside the center of the watch.

 

[daveathall]

This forum section is indeed childish, when it's something that is not made by Apple. Mocking because of the so called bezels while the people who have seen the watch, all are saying how good it looks in person. Also they didn't complain on how thick the Apple Watch was, before generation 7.

You are exactly right, many here just want to rally around the Apple flag, they have never tried any other platform. At the moment I have a majority of Apple products but know their limitation. I have had many Nexus and Pixel phones before and know how superb they are. I still have time to send my 14 Pro back, it is a consideration.

For all those that think that because of the comments above that I am an Apple hater, I took this photo a couple of minutes ago on my iPad mini, I would have included my iPad Air but my wife is using it. I also have a Garmin Fenix 7 so taking the AW Ultra back wouldn't cause me too much grief.

 

[Hurda]

$350?!!!! Any iPhone owner who buys this over an Apple Watch is an absolute fool!

Yes, but for the same reason why an Android-user buying an Apple Watch would be an absolute fool: The smartphone-OS of choice isn't supported.

 

[icolove]

Interesting pill and hole punch shape on the back there…looks very familiar. 🤔

The watch design is abysmal. The bezels and circular design make it look cheap and dated. Smartwatches don’t make sense in circular shape. Too many compromises in showing content.

The Apple Watch is the ugliest thing to ever adorn wrists.

 

[icolove]

You are exactly right, many here just want to rally around the Apple flag, they have never tried any other platform. At the moment I have a majority of Apple products but know their limitation. I have had many Nexus and Pixel phones before and know how superb they are. I still have time to send my 14 Pro back, it is a consideration.

For all those that think that because of the comments above that I am an Apple hater, I took this photo a couple of minutes ago on my iPad mini, I would have included my iPad Air but my wife is using it. I also have a Garmin Fenix 7 so taking the AW Ultra back wouldn't cause me too much grief.View attachment 2089975

I have found one set of fanboys has only ever used their widget, and the other set of fanboys have actually used both.

 

[CyberDavis]

To be fair to Google I think the watch looks ok.
A more traditional look, but if you are on that eco-system looks like a good option.
More smart watches can only be good for the consumer as there is more likely to be innovation.