The Pixel 6 represents the beginning of a new horizon for the Android ecosystem. Up until now, Google allowed smartphone manufacturers the freedom to create their own flavor of the OS since it came to market.
All that has changed with the Pixel 6, which touts Google’s very own 1st gen Tensor SoC chip – and their Machine Learning and AI computational prowess. Let’s take closer look into 3 reasons why I feel the Pixel 6 is the beginning of the end of the iPhone and Galaxies Duopoly is the US.
That tradition still continues until today, with Google taking a open-source approach to licensing Android, they have always tried to present a streamlined option in their Pixel brand of smartphones. Although limitations on in-house engineering and a dependence on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors held them back from competing toe-to-toe with Apple’s iPhone and their in-house A-series mobile processors
1. Really Smart Phone Features
There are features exclusive to the Pixel 6 that are actually quite useful. Direct My Call, detects when you are calling a toll-free number where Google Assistant takes over the call and transcribes the words of an automated system in a messaging interface and allowing you to take over the call once a live agent is on the phone. A similar feature, Call Screen – gives you the option to let Assistant screen calls from numbers that aren’t saved in your contacts.
Pixel 6’s Call Screen
It hasn’t been announced if these features will eventually be on other Android smartphones through Google Assistant, but there is a big possibility once newer exclusives are added to the Pixel through feature drops.
2. Enhanced Google App Ecosystem
Google Assistant, Chrome, Drive, Duo,l Gmail, Keep Notes, Maps, Recorder, Search, YouTube… the list goes on. As Google continues to optimize apps in the Pixel ecosystem with Tensor-powered ML and AI abilities, these features are almost certain to be added to apps that are available on other Android devices – and maybe even the iPhone.
Some Pixel-Exclusive features like the Magic Eraser in Google Photos have been proven to work in other Android devices when sideloaded, meaning that it’s possible if Google decides to flip the switch on universal Android availability.
3. Longer Android Update Support
The typical update schedule for Android smartphones varies, depending on the tier of the device and the manufacturing OEM. Samsung and OnePlus are two of the quicker companies to update their devices when a new version of Android is available. Other companies, not so much. As the owners of Android, no other company matches Google’s update schedule for the Pixel. Google has the opportunity to match Apple’s 5 year minimum iPhone support commitment – now that the Pixel 6 has it’s own in-house SoC. This should cause a trickle effect, prompting the other OEMs to step their update game up, starting with collectively pressuring Qualcomm to support their Snapdragon processors longer.
These are just 3 reasons why the Pixel 6 will change the Android ecosystem for the better. Feel free to leave your comments and let me know what do you think?
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