Hardly Anyone Buys the 'Smartest' Phone

Details have been leaking out ahead of Wednesday's announcement of Google's new Pixel 10 smartphone, with talk of the first foldable phone with an IP68 rating, a triple camera setup with a 5x telephoto lens, and Qi2 magnetic wireless charging, per the Verge. At Android Police, longtime Samsung user Ben Khalesi says he'll be making the switch to the Pixel 10, but his decision "has nothing to do with benchmarks, megapixels, or RAM." Rather, "it comes down to software philosophy, AI approach, and quiet day-to-day experience." In a Washington Post analysis, Shira Ovide notes the Pixel is "on par with the quality and prices of higher-end Apple and Samsung phones," but while 75% of US phone buyers choose Apple or Samsung devices, only 4% choose the Pixel.

While still a low percentage, that's up from 1% in 2020, suggesting the phones are gaining in popularity. "The era when hardware specs defined a phone's worth is over," writes Khalesi, who describes the Pixel as the "smartest" phone on the market. His old Samsung Galaxy system "offers everything but expects you to manage it" and is "so dense that Samsung added an AI search bar to make it navigable," he notes. "The Pixel's philosophy is the opposite. It starts with a clean slate." Plus, "Google's apps benefit from deeper Android integration." The Pixel 10 announcement—including appearances by Jimmy Fallon, Steph Curry, and the Jonas Brothers—begins at 1pm ET.