Tommi's Scribbles

Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel Watch 2 vs Apple

• Published on 2024-03-26
• 5 minute read

I recently got a chance to get a Google Pixel 8 and a Google Pixel Watch 2 for pennies. As my iPhone XR had started to show its age and I had found out my Apple Watch 5 LTE would not have LTE ability in the USA (I had bought the watch back when living in Finland), I thought I'll take the Google devices for a spin.

I hadn't really used an Android phone seriously since an HTC Desire Z running Android 2.2 was a great phone. I was actually one of the weirdos who loved Windows Phone with the Metro UI (which you can get as an Android launcher), and since 2016 had been in the Apple camp, converting some family members along the way. So I did not really know what to expect.

And I have to say, I was rather pleasantly surprised. Read on to find out if Google dethroned Apple in my life!

Things Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel Watch 2 beat Apple in

Obviously Android has come a long way since Android 2.2. The official Google interpretation on the Google Pixel 8 is rather nice. The phone runs smooth, resembles iOS in some ways, but adds beautiful details and some vastly superior features.

Take for example Google Assistant. The call screening feature is just magic. Or how about the nice visual effect when you place the phone on your wireless charger. With the iPhone, I was never sure if the phone was placed correctly and charging. Not so much with the Pixel 8.

The design language is also beautiful. Google Pixel Watch actually looks like a watch, though band options are not quite same level as with the Apple Watch. The form factor, color (hazel), and the handy camera notch all won me over. Only thing I wish was more premium materials. Natural materials like glass, metal, wood, and stone are always going to win over plastic, no matter how well executed.

While neither Apple or Google make for good photography, both generate a processed image well. Pixel 8 wins here though, with things like automatic photoshop brushing to remove eyesores, and the group photo lifesaver of picking everyone's best (or worst) look from a series of photos.

Android can also be customized to a level unseen on iOS. Android looks and feels elegant and modern, adding style and flair and making Android a joy to use. At least for the most part.

Thing Apple still does better than Google.

After the initial wow, and about a month of daily driving, I ended up trading and switching back to Apple. While Google has come a long way and hands down beats Apple in several categories, there are still things where Apple wins easily.

1. Google Pixel Watch 2 is brought down by the OS

First, the Pixel Watch is just a glorified fitness tracker at this stage. Not a single app I used offered anything on the watch. To be fair, majority of apps have stopped offering complications on Apple Watch as well. But most still offer an app experience on the watch.

The usability on the Google Pixel Watch 2 is also very fitness tracker like, and does not feel like you're actually operating a smart device.

The watch also suffered from bad bugs. Having the LTE version, I looked forward to leaving my phone home for runs. Yet, most of the time, sending messages popped an error on the watch of "not delivered". But the message was indeed delivered. As were the three other attempts after resulting in "not delivered".

While Apple has started to suffer more of small bugs slipping the cracks here and there that any daily use would catch, on the Pixel devices it felt more like you had either a super polished feature, or a very unpolished feature, leading to an uneven experience.

2. Android still suffers from hard to find settings

Second, the Apple way of doing settings is massively streamlined. Apart from the crummy React Native Web App wrapper junk apps that hide settings inside the app, you know where to go on iOS to adjust app specific settings, or to adjust feature specific settings such as permissions. On Android, finding, reviewing, and adjusting settings is way more cumbersome.

Heck, considering how limited my Android TV is, even the settings on that are barely sensible. Which leads me to the final bullet.

3. Google ecosystem is still behind Apple

Third and final point making me switch back to Apple was the fact that the Google ecosystem just isn't there yet. I added a Google Nest Hub, only to have 90% of prompts end up with "I'm sorry, there seems to be a problem, please try again in a few seconds". While Siri is at times limited and sometimes fails to understand my poor enunciation, Siri never fails on simple things like starting a timer.

Apples Wallet with boarding passes, cards, public transport use, and whatnot is also miles ahead of the limited Google Wallet integrations. Half the apps I use that offer Apple Wallet integrations had no such features on Android for the Google version. And these weren't obscure apps, but big airlines not offering boarding passes to the wallet.

The Play store continues the same sad story. I'm not a heavy app user, but even in my limited sample of apps, several on the Android side were worse off. Some were full of bugs, some looked like a hobbyist designed them, and for some apps there were no solid replacements. Made me almost feel like I should develop a few.

The premium app market on Android was somehow even worse. I am one of the weirdos who preferes to buy a premium app instead of subscriptions, especially for "single use" apps. I understand that majority of Android users are the ones who can only afford the $100 Chinese spyware devices, but there are quite a few Pixel Folds in my circle, with owners willing to splurge for premium apps. If there were any.

Speaking of circles and ecosystems, lack of iMessage was the biggest detriment for me staying with the Pixels. While not obviously Google's fault, it is crazy that there is no "DMS" standard like there is for SMS and MMS. As I still had a Macbook and an iPad, having messages from 80% of my contacts not come to my phone was not fun, as they got delivered as iMessages on the Apple devices.

Conclusion

Google keeps edging in closer to Apple year by year. I think this year will be rather interesting. Google is way ahead of Apple in the AI Assistant game, while Google is bridging the gap in everyday use, and even offering items Apple doesn't, like a home device with a screen (why no HomePod Hub) and other smart home devices. Albeit with what feels like beta quality at this time.

However, until the messaging gap between the ecosystems is closed, it will be tough to make the switch. Phones are still communication devices as number one. Though I do take 90% of my calls on my watch. Guess better luck to Google next year; maybe Pixel Watch 3 will get me there.