A few days ago, Google took advantage of I/O 2023 to present the Pixel 7a, the sub-version of the Pixel 7. It will be even better when the price drops.

But, this Pixel will not pose a threat to other manufacturers. For those who sell worse, cheaper but poorer quality phones for the same price, or even worse phones at the same price, of course, it depends on everyone’s taste.

Pixel doesn’t eat Android

It looks like Google could have sold a lot more if it wanted to. But he chooses not to. Maybe it’s because hardware sales are little more than a rounding error in the accounts of a company that monetizes Google services, including YouTube, and offers enterprise cloud.

When Google presented its 2022 financial results, it said that the Pixel 6a, 7 and 7 Pro have been its best-selling phones since 2016 when it launched the Pixels. Google CEO Sundar Pichai did not give specific sales figures, but the Pixel is selling more and more.

The problem is why they don’t sell as much as the main manufacturers because it’s not quality. Price is not an issue either. The mystery increases with the importance that the customer attaches to the camera.

If we add some of the advantages of the Tensor chip, such as better transcriptions, translations or photos, we have a very good phone at a reasonable price, with incomprehensible sales.

It is not a mistake for customers to buy badly. Other than the personal preferences of each, the strange thing is that Pixels are not more relevant in the market. and because Low priority given to them by Google.

There is almost no marketing for pixels. Relations with operators are scarce. Google has even stopped selling a model with sufficient purchasing power in some countries.

As with Microsoft and Surface (although there is more effort out there), it seems Google is more interested in guiding other manufacturers than being a major player in the market. With a few more Pixels on the market, some phones of similar price make little sense.

It’s also true that one of the advantages of the Pixel is pure Android with Google services, but without the customizations, it tends to appeal to tech geeks more than the average buyer. Major Android manufacturers (Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo) use layers to differentiate themselves. And they’re more successful than manufacturers like Motorola, Nokia, or more or less Sony, who prefer more discreet customizations.

And it’s true that Betting more on its pixel could make Samsung regular Nine years ago, he was about to abandon Android in favor of Tizen until a settlement was reached. in excess It served to smooth out the rough edges.

The two have coexisted in a harmonious relationship since then, and a Pixel with enough distribution and promotion could erode Galaxy sales, leading to another unsuitable cold war for Google: nine years later, Samsung remains in the lead. Sunday

And here it continues its commercial trajectory: discreet, low-profile, unqualified; like a favor to an ecosystem of producers who find it very difficult to achieve profitability.

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on Xataka | Android 14, consolidation of Google’s operating system: all the news about the new version.