Previously on Lemmy:
Past Discussions:
Sorry for the delay for the weekly. Server's not that stable right now, maybe we should start the thread on Sundays instead.
I always like to switch things up once in a while because it's fun. So, let's get back to the brand discussion this week for the Google Pixel. We'll do a discussion on repairability next week. Again, ideas are always welcome here.
I've never used a Pixel, but people around here should know that I've been very critical of Google's product decisions over the years, and the Pixel is no exception. In my point of view, discontinuing the Nexus series, buying out the talents from the remains of HTC and starting an official "made by Google" phone is the equivalent of reddit buying out Alien Blue to make the official reddit app. I think it's the event that scared big Android manufacturers like Samsung enough to start making their own ecosystem away from Google, as they are concerned that Google may start locking software features to their own phones instead of improving Android overall (rightfully so, I might add).
It really makes no business sense at all to turn your manufacturing partners into your competitors, but then again, it's Google.
With that being said, the first years of the Pixels has been marred with growing pains. Whereas the Nexus line has always been barebones, no frills development devices, it seemed to me that the people who made Pixels don't even use Android and are insistent on turning Pixel into iPhones, removing the headphone jack on the Pixel 2 despite the antagonistic ad from the original Pixel, Pixel exclusive software features like Google camera that necessitating the need of rom mods, as well as the quality issues that seems to be inherited from the Nexus days just really soured me from considering Pixels, as I think it's against the spirit of openness that made Android great.
But it seems like in recent years, they finally figured out that a large percentage of people who bought Androids not because they can't afford iPhones, but because they like Android, and I see the introduction of the "a" series as progress. The recent Pixel ad campaign also made me think that they finally figuring it out: people want different things, trying to turn Android into worse versions of iPhones was not going to work, so they should be trying to make the best Android for Android users instead.
(It's also the reason I think all the previous reddit clones failed, but Lemmy will be the one that finally succeeds.)
When the first pixel came out I was kind of jealous about the camera/app. I thought it made astonishing pictures. Today, I've got a pixel 6 and my huawei p20 pro probably made better photos. Huawei's camera app is awesome compared to google's gcam. Google's gcam might be great if you don't know too much about photography and foss apps. Now, I know a lot about photography and foss and I really dislike that gcam shoots better photos than other apps on a pixel phone. Videos from other apps are a joke compared to gcam, it's crazy. I hate the pixel camera. And pixel 8 will be better again but you know what? A fucking 20 year old DSLR still shoots better photos than it.
A DSLR doesn't fit in your pocket... I'm really happy with my Pixel 6a camera. The night shot mode is really nice. Sure, I can get better shots with my mirrorless and a tripod, but I'm not gonna carry those with me all day (I hardly bring my mirrorless, let alone the tripod).
I haven't explored other camera apps. I assume they haven't implemented all the software magic that's running on that Tensor chip?
Yeah, best camera to me is one you'll always have on you. I don't even has a dslr and likely will never bother, since I don't really go places with the specific intent of taking photos. So whatever is conveniently at hand is what wins out.