I'm excited to see pixel grow but why are we accepting this storage bullshit? 128GB in 2023? Why do we tolerate this storage extortion. Hard drive space costs almost nothing yet they give this unacceptable starting model to sell more cloud bullshit. Apple is even worse at this. Disgusting stuff.
I'm not arguing against your point at all because that seems like a personal matter. However, I am interested in knowing how the typical person uses more than 128GB of storage space. Aside from people with interests that require more space (eg a photographer or traveler), what do people have on their phones that take up more than 128GB of storage space?
Dude android games these days are 10gb+
My point being is that the production cost between 256gb and 128gb driver is almost identical and the phone manufacturers purposefully gimp the product to upsell some random bullshit.
Photos (I like to shoot RAW+JPEG), videos and music. Pixels don't come with micro SD card slots, and other manufacturers have been getting rid of it as well.
Even apps these days are at least 100-200 MB.
I mainly agree with you, i have enough of 128gb. But i know a lot of people that take a ton of pictures and struggle with storage space
I have almost 40 GB of music alone.
Pixel 7 pro 256gb model checking in. I don't take a bunch of pictures and videos but I also hardly ever delete anything and I take pictures and videos in the highest possible quality I can. My phone has 100gb of storage left between apps and media. 
Loads of FLAC music, track / map storage for offline camping / offroad, offline music downloads from Deezer (Hi-Res) for playback without network.
Here's one example: An Insta 360 camera for a single 10 minute video can produce upwards of 10gb of data.
Those video files can only really be transferred to your phone for editing and sharing.
That's ONE example that doesn't include gaming (a highly mainstream community) that also requires gigabytes of storage.
You don't have to accept it, just buy something else. That's the beauty of Android. I'm using an Xperia 1 IV and really like it. The Mark V is better with heat and a few other things but not enough to switch right away. 512 GB internal, SD card slot, headphone jack... basically everything phone buyers complain about getting removed are all available in one package.
Two of the reasons why I chose a Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2022) over a Pixel 6a with much better other specs was that it has 256GB internal storage and that it has a MicroSDXC slot vs 128GB and no slot. This stuff matters to me.
I guess I'm the only one who uses phone storage like slow motion swap.
Stuff gets migrated off my phone to my own backup a few times a month
I'm disappointed that so many features seem locked to the Pro and not the regular P8, and a lot of them don't make sense to me.
A lot of the AI stuff they talked about towards the end of the keynote seem to be locked with the P8P, even though the regular P8 shares the same chip so it has no reason not to be able to do the same things. Why?
Video Boost also seems to be locked to the P8P, which is more disappointing since half of it is run in the cloud and not on device, along with manual camera controls, which I think should be a basic feature every phone camera should have.
I was originally eyeing the P8P already, but I'm going to wait for reviews before making a decision. I currently have the P6a, and I already feel frustrated that a few software features like motion mode do not get updated to the earlier models. I feel the same frustration for people who want a regular P8 but are going to be missing out on software features not limited by hardware.
There's just so much dark patterns and price gaming. It's so exhausting to just buy a phone. Do you want this 128gb that stores 50 photos or you actually spend +80usd for slightly more usable option of 256gb? Its all artificial bullshit.
Was considering P8, but I feel like they neglected it for P8pro.
Yuck. Minimal upgrades from last generation yet they increase the price. Artificially limiting software features to the pro.
And those prices are for 128gb? Just so they can overcharge you for more memory upgrades.
Honestly? Really disappointed. Once again Google has done a decent job on the software and AI side and totally phoned it in on the hardware.
There is nothing interesting at all happening on the hardware side. Identical design, no increase in storage or ram, no maglock Qi2 charging, STILL no DP-Alt for display out so no Dex like feature, I could go on. To do such a minimal refresh then have the gall to charge $150 CAD more than last year while locking extra features behind the Pro model?
I struggle to see how this could be considered a good launch. They are trying to command premium prices based on software improvements alone, but with mediocre hardware that will never work. Pixel phones do not hold their value for this reason, and the price will fall with the 8a comes out and has all the identical software features at a fraction of the price.
I will give koodos on the one big thing though, and that's the 7 years of OS updates. That really makes it hard to consider buying a 7 or 7a when the 8 comes with support like that. It will be very interesting to see if the 8a has the same guarantee (same chip so it should) or if they gatekeep that artificially to sell the higher tier.
I also would have liked to see something novel here for repairability. If they had come out with a new design where the battery was easily accessible that would have gone a long way to prove sustainability and comply with the upcoming EU legislation. As it stands I'm not sure 7 years of OS updates are really that important because the phone will not last that long due to already middle of the road hardware and poor repairability.
TL:DR Google has yet again released a mediocre phone with a high price tag.
Design wise they are following apple Samsung keeping same-ish design for brand recognition
7 years of updates is incredible. A good step towards actual, meaningful sustainability.
The best thing is that it'll push other Manufacturers to do 7 years as well.
I'm hoping Samsung would be pushed to top this when they're releasing the S24 series and some of the older devices will also get upgraded to a longer software upgrade period. I just upgraded to a Fold5 after using Asus ROG Phone II for four years and messing with custom ROMs (the ROG Phone II just have one year of OS updates) just to stay up to date in regards to security and software updates is not as fun as it was a dozen years ago.
Pixel 8 is still too big for me. If they would release a Pixel 8 Mini I would love to buy that, even at the same price. Even at the Pro price if it had the same features.
Instead I'll keep holding out with my current phone.
I didn't realise it at the time but the Pixel 5 is the perfect size for me at 6". I really hoped the 8 was going to be no more than 6.1" but sadly not.
People think they want an 8" phone but when you get right down to it, 5" is plenty
We're not talking about phones anymore, are we.
I have a Pixel 6 Pro and looking at the raw specs, there is no justification for an upgrade.
The prices differences are weird as well. For my upgrade, it would be $549 for the Pixel 7 Pro and $599 for the Pixel 8 Pro?
Aside from some camera differences, these phones have flat-lined.
Phones in general flatlined. There's hardly any real life improvement, and the improvements in spec numbers are eaten up by unjustifiably resource hungry apps.
I have a Nexus 4 in my drawer. Roughly 10 years old, but did everything just fine back then, almost the same apps I use today. But even just starting a reasonably recent Android version on that phone results in 5 fps.
P6P is a solid phone and I've had great luck with it. I haven't maxed anything out so wondering why I should get a faster chip with more memory so I can take photos of my dog and message my friends. Google Fi is doing just $400 off a 8P which I may take because I don't want their watch or buds. I'm not sure what I'll do.
I'm disappointed that the Pixel 8 is 6.2" instead of 6". I really wanted to support the smaller form factor, but since it's not as small as I wanted, I may end up going for the 8 Pro.
But I always ask myself, do I really need all these features? Am I really going to use them?
After this introspection, I realized that one-handed use is much more important to me than many futures companies suggest.
128GB? Really?
I bought my OnePlus 8T 256GB 3 or 4 years ago! Who seriously sets a flagship phone in 2023 to go with 128GB? That's nonsense. Hard pass.
Can't sell Google Drive storage subscriptions if everyone has tons of storage on their device
I'm coming from a 6 Pro and getting the 8 Pro. I'm pretty happy with what I've seen:
The specs on the 8 look solid, but I wonder if they've improved cell radio performance and the fingerprint sensor over the previous models.
Love my 7 Pro but the screen scratches WAY too easily! It's hardly a year old and the screen is covered in scratches and even has a few deep gouges. This is from normal use, no keys/change in the pocket. From what I understand it's related to a choice for softer glass to avoid shattering.
Bro what? My screen is spotless. I even take it biking and kayaking where it gets dirty on the screen.
You must be really bad with your phone.
Yeah it's insane. I've had mine with a protector for months. Took it off and within two weeks I got a deep gauge
The new AI features they presented were pretty cool, but the European prices are just pure insanity.
It's time for me to renew my Pixel 4 XL for a Pixel 8 pro. 7 years for software update, it's just unbelievable! 🥳
Pretty expensive for the value usually provided by the Pixel line in my opinion.
Im due for an upgrade and was waiting for this since they announced 7 years of security updates (makes it such a better value than a used 7).
Any of you guys have experience with black friday sales on pixels? I researched a little, and it seems i wouldnt be saving much more than by selling the free buds that come with it rn.
Also damn google theyre offering $55CAD for my 4a 5G
Thinking about trading in my P4a for a P8, was offered $200 off if I did. Should I pull the trigger or do you all think Black Friday will have a better deal?
Then I thought of a crazy scheme: trade in my 4a so the P8 is $500 instead of $700, then accept the free Pixel Buds Pro offer and resell them so it's ~$300 instead.
You might have a hard time selling the buds at or near MSRP cos I suspect a lot of people will be doing the same
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