It took awhile, but Google’s Pixel line of smartphones has established itself as a mainstay of Android after 10 generations. The company has long operated a “Superfans” group to help promote Pixels, but now members have a slim chance to get their hands on Google’s next phones ahead of time. Google is reportedly looking for some lucky Superfans to test and provide feedback on unreleased devices, but they’ll have to promise not to leak anything.
It’s not unheard of for companies to have loyal customers help test new products, but it’s not usually big companies like Google with well-established products like Pixel. Google usually keeps its circle of hardware testers small and limited to employees. According to Bloomberg, Google is running a contest among Superfans to find 15 non-employees suited to test in-development hardware. An official document reviewed by Bloomberg describes the program as a chance to “provide feedback and help shape a Pixel phone currently in development.”
To apply, interested Superfans have to prove they are more super than the rest. They must demonstrate deep knowledge of the Pixel product family and suggest ways the phones can be improved. However, Google is asking this of its biggest supporters—people who still care enough about their smartphones to seek out a group specifically to talk about how much they care about their phones. Is Google going to get gushing praise or constructive criticism?