Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
I first dabbled with Pixel phones when I received 2019’s Pixel 4, but I fully committed to the brand when I bought my Pixel 7 Pro in 2022. Unfortunately, I’ve already decided that I won’t be buying another Pixel phone for a multitude of reasons.
Despite my refusal to get another Pixel phone anytime soon, there are definitely some Pixel-exclusive features I’ll miss when I switch to my next smartphone. Call Screening and other call features don’t make my list, as these capabilities aren’t available in unsupported markets. Nevertheless, here’s what I’ll be pining for when I upgrade.
What Pixel feature would you miss the most? 17 votes Fast updates 53 % Now Playing 12 % Photo quality 12 % Google Recorder 0 % Recents menu 0 % Calling features 24 % Other (leave a comment) 0 %
Fast updates
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
This is definitely one of my favorite things about the Pixel line, as these phones were generally the first to get brand-new Android versions. For example, Google released Android 16 on June 10, and Pixel handsets got it on the same day. Samsung, Xiaomi, and other manufacturers have yet to release Android 16 to their phones.
Of course, Google has the advantage of owning the platform and the hardware, so it’s a little unreasonable to expect other manufacturers to be as quick on the draw. I’d also argue that Android version updates haven’t had many genuinely game-changing features, while many new features are released via Google Play Services instead. Nevertheless, I’ll always appreciate being ahead of the pack when it comes to stable software releases.
Now Playing
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
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