Google Pixel Sales Maybe Not So Great

So the conventional wisdom on this front is that $1,000+ phones are a bad idea. I think that’s the wrong take. That’s like saying $50,000+ cars, or $2,000+ laptops are a bad idea. Clearly there’s a market for premium phones, just like there’s a market for premium items in all sorts of markets.

I think Google’s problem with Pixel phone sales is two-fold. First, I just don’t think they feel like premium devices. They feel like $500 devices, not $800-1,000 devices. I’ve got a Pixel 3. It’s my favorite Android device ever, and the camera is great for stills. (Not so great for video — which Pixel aficionados tend to gloss over.) But it is not on par with iPhones quality-wise.

Second, Google has never really put their heart into marketing Pixels. They’ve never really tried to sell them. I think they have a great story to tell — if you love Google and Google services, the Pixel probably is the best phone for you. But they’ve never really made that case.

★ Monday, 29 April 2019