Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 users switch to iPhone and Galaxy due to serious bug: Google sabotages itself!

Whether that’s a result of Google being relatively new to the smartphone game, or the limited availability of the Pixel (which sells in fewer than 15 countries), the majority of people around the world don’t seem interested in buying Pixel phones (or buying another Pixel phone). In fact, according to Statista, Google’s largest market share appears to be in Australia – a whopping 5.4%. For comparison, Apple commands nearly 50% of the smartphone market in Australia.But wait! How come people don’t flock to buy new Pixel 7a Pixel 7 or a Pixel 7 Pro? They are literally some of the best value smartphones on the market right now, so… what’s going on? Well, similar to the Pixel 6 series, the new Pixel phones are still somewhat buggy. And honestly, I don’t know how many tries it would take for Google to get it right, but people (like you and me) seem to be running out of patience…

Can Google get it right?

Google’s anti-log continues. Several bugs render the Pixel 7 Pro essentially unusable (now fixed); Green screen issues persist for some users

Surprise or not, the Pixel 7 phones continue to encounter strange bugs, just as the 2021 Pixel 6 series has done for almost an entire year of its existence.

You may have heard about the battery drain error, which has taken over social media. Apparently, the reason behind the unusual battery drain issue was Google’s proprietary Google app, which comes pre-installed on Pixel phones. Two things stand out about how Google handled the situation:

• The error was addressed pretty much immediately after it was discovered and reported by several Pixel users

• Google issues a short statement saying: “A recent change to the Google app backend inadvertently resulted in a subset of Android devices experiencing rapid battery drain. We rolled out a fix shortly after becoming aware of the issue…”

Of course, while bugs seem to bother Pixel phones a lot, they’re something no phone is immune to, so Google’s timely response was remarkable. However, saying that “a subset of Android devices” was experiencing a battery drain issue, when we haven’t necessarily seen reports of other Android phones with the same bug, seems a little strange.

But hey… I might be thinking about it too much. Perhaps Google wanted to take things further, and make sure that all Android users who may have encountered the battery drain error in this message are addressed — you know, in case they are affected by the same issues. Who do you know…

An unacceptable home button bug made using the Pixel 7 Pro nearly impossible; Google took some time to fix the problem (attached video)

But there’s another issue (as opposed to the battery drain issue) that’s been affecting my Pixel 7 Pro unit for what felt like two months. Note that the error seems to have gone away after I installed the May update. Regardless, I think it’s the right time to share my bad experience.

As you can see in the video I attached, for no apparent reason, my Pixel 7 Pro’s virtual home button would become completely unresponsive, leaving me with no way to “go home”. The only option to “get around it” would be to use the back button instead, which would completely kill the app you were using, or put the phone to sleep and wake it up. This might be the most annoying bug you’ve encountered on your Pixel since the Pixel 6 Pro days.

I should note that the Pixel 7 Pro isn’t my primary phone, which means I didn’t have to put up with the bugs, but this particular problem persisted for what seemed like two months, almost every time I tried using the phone. But what if the Pixel 7 Pro is my only phone?

Anyway… I can only assume that what I call the “Home button freeze” bug was ignored by Google as this is no longer the default system navigation method on Pixel/Android. However, this is no excuse. The fact that I prefer using the Pixel 7 Pro with onscreen navigation buttons rather than swipe gestures shouldn’t make my experience using the phone (significantly) worse or nearly impossible.

Some Pixel 7 Pro units continue to experience display issues eight months after the original launch, and affected Pixel users are complaining online; Is it a software or hardware problem?

While I haven’t had this issue on my Pixel 7 Pro (again, I don’t use the phone as my primary device), several users have taken to it on Reddit to complain about a persistent display issue where the Pixel 7 Pro screens will start flickering in different colors of the rainbow (green mostly).

According to forum posts and comments, the Pixel 7 Pro screen issues date back to late 2022. In other words, it looks like Google hasn’t been able to fix the Pixel 7 display issues for more than six months now. Users say the company is helpful in terms of arranging replacements, which has fixed the display issue. However, on several occasions, replacement phones will continue to experience similar display issues.

Pixel 7 Pro display issues are expected to be an isolated case, affecting a few users. People were hoping that a software update would be able to address the display issues, but that is no longer likely, as the problem could be related to the Pixel 7 Pro hardware. Some have found that disabling Always On Display helps. Another speculation is that the Tensor G2 chip inside the phone is overheating which is causing the screen to start flickering.

Pixel 7 Pro users seem ready to switch to iPhone/Galaxy

Pixel 8 and Android 14: How many tries does Google need to get it right before Pixel users switch to iPhone or Galaxy?

Google Pixel phones in 2023 show us that Google has changed in many different ways…

For example, the Pixel 7’s big selling point is no longer its industry-leading camera performance. Of course, that’s because the Pixel 7 Pro doesn’t have the best smartphone camera — in my view, it does Xiaomi 13 Ultra does. Instead, the biggest distinguishing “feature” about Google phones is their great pricing compared to iPhones and Galaxies.

But Google phones have changed in another way, too. Instead of the mediocre performance of the “flagship” eg Pixel 5, the main problem with Pixel phones today is the reliability of their software. This is ironic, given that Google makes Android, which all other Android phone makers use. If you forget the processors and camera sensors, why is a Samsung phone more reliable than a Google phone?

Facts are facts. Pixels are now known as buggy, unreliable Android phones, which also cost less money. But this begs the question… What is a good value phone? A good set of specs for the money you pay, or a reliable phone? The new Pixel 7a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro might be the best Android phones on the market, but is that only on paper now?

In other words, are Pixel phones any good until you start using them and discover how unreliable they are? Again, this isn’t everyone’s experience, but I’d say that as someone who’s used the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 7 Pro for extended periods of time.

• How many tries does Google need to get it right before Pixel users switch to an iPhone or Galaxy?

• Given the issues with past and current Google phones, how does Google expect people to pay $1,800 for the Pixel Fold, which might turn out to be buggy as well?

Lots of food for thought here. One thing is for sure, I will definitely never pre-order a Google phone again, let alone one that costs $1,800. Can Google get it right and when? Will it be too late?