I paid more, waited longer, jumped through hoops, and risked using a Pixel in no-repair-land just because I loved the experience.
A year later, when the Pixel 3 series was announced, I decided to skip it. My Pixel 2 XL was still getting most of the updates and features, so I saved some dollars and forged on.
How many different Pixel phone models have you owned?
449 votes
Oliver Cragg / Android Authority
In 2019, I went through the same hoops to get the Pixel 4 XL. Soli aside; this was a significant upgrade over my 2 XL. I loved the astrophotography mode, better display, more efficient processor, facial recognition, and faster charging. Then, in April or May 2020, I dropped the phone and ended up with a tiny smash in the display right between the case and protector (I’d taken all the precautions, and still!). That smash caused a spider crack through the entire bottom half of my phone’s glass, but luckily, the actual display was unaffected. Every pixel on my Pixel still worked.
With no Pixel repair in Lebanon and the whole world being closed up, I had no choice but to keep my cracked Pixel 4 XL, and after a while, I stopped seeing those reflective smashed glass lines. When the Pixel 5 was announced at a lower price and with a smaller size, I couldn’t help but succumb to the temptation of a brand new Pixel and display, so I imported it again. The timing was risky; it took even longer to clear customs during the worldwide mess that was October-November 2020, but I didn’t regret that choice either.
The Pixel 2 XL sucked me in, and I’ve been a fan since. Every time I test another phone, my SIM card suspiciously moves back to my Pixel.
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
The Pixel 2 XL sucked me in back in 2017, and I’ve been a Pixel user since. And in a few days, when the Pixel 9 Pro launches, I will get it and I will use it because I have no other choice. This is the Pixel prison, my Pixel prison.
I could lie and tell you that my job demands that I use Google’s latest and greatest to stay on top of everything Android. But the truth is that my Android Authority colleagues use a lot of non-Pixel Android phones and still do their jobs. As a matter of fact, my boss would very much like me to use other phones, and I have a Galaxy S24 Ultra, iPhone 13 Pro Max, Nothing Phone 2, plus a few more phones on my desk right now. I’ve used them, I’ve extensively tested them, I’ve dug into their software to see what they offer and all the unique features they bring to Android. But my SIM card somehow, magically, inadvertently, lands back into the Pixel 8 Pro every single time.
Some products transcend the spec sheet; they just work for you. And Pixel phones just work for me.
Over the years, my Pixel phones have made me a better photographer, and I’ve got nothing but praise for all of my Pixel photos, be it landscapes, buildings, people, or concerts. Pixels have fixed the group shots where one person had their eyes closed or looked awkward. They’ve helped me escape the few telemarketers and spam calls that skate the rigid French/EU privacy laws. They’ve told me my gate number and luggage pick-up while traveling. They’ve helped me find all the songs playing near me on multiple occasions. They’ve let me copy text and images from apps that don’t allow you to select apps or images. They’ve recorded my many meetings and given me written transcripts. And on and on and on.
I know I’ve complained about Pixels and Google’s services, products, and decisions a thousand times in the past decade or so. But these complaints come from a place of love and passion. I just want Pixels to be even better. Because if I’m stuck in this prison, it might as well be the best prison.
So, over the next few days, you’ll find me twiddling my thumbs, hoping that the Pixel 9 Pro is as good as I expect it to be, and waiting for it — probably the small one — to land in my hand. That’s unavoidable. And I’ll write another thousand articles praising it and a thousand more complaining about it. That, also, is unavoidable.
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