The first generation Google smartphones launched in 2016 had a great smartphone camera. With stock Android experience and phones able to get updates on the very first date of the rollout, made the “Pixel” an Apple ‘iPhone’s” alternative. This was made more evident by the way Google priced their smartphones. Google’s target was clearly iPhone users who want a similar feel but in an Android world. But with the second iteration of “Pixel” launched in October 2017, it seems like Google have started to think beyond their competition.
Google Pixel 2 is the best android experience you can get out of a smartphone. I remember using the LG G5 for few days and was forced to switch back to my iPhone. LG’s way of reinventing android didn’t work for me. But the Pixel 2 made me stick to it. It was more like switching from Apple to Google ecosystem with minimal sacrifices. Yeah, I did miss iMessage and Facetime, but you’ve got WhatsApp and Duo to get the job done. Moreover, the ability to add a lot of widgets of soccer matches and get well-organised notifications was something I enjoyed.
Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL were one of the best smartphone snappers of 2016. It was ruling the smartphone camera competition even in 2017. But with smartphones going with Dual Camera sensors for portrait and wide angle features, Google was expected to deliver something different. With lots of leaks around the Pixel 2 with just a single camera sensor, tech enthusiasts didn’t expect much of an upgrade from the earlier Pixel. But Google with its software made the portrait feature available with just a single camera sensor. Leaks and Rumours do provide you with the hardware details, but Google being a software Giant surprised almost everyone with this addition. And you’ve got portrait Mode in your front camera as well. I have used both iPhone 8 Plus and the Pixel 2 to click a lot of portrait images. iPhone even after a year and half of updates for portrait mode still can’t match the software brilliance of the Pixel 2. And Google builds both the normal and XL variant with exactly the same camera features, unlike Apple which uses dual camera sensor only for the larger and costlier iPhone. the Pixel 2 does a great job in still images. Their auto HDR+ mode gets you Instagram ready images, but for videos, I would still prefer the iPhone 8, 8 Plus or the X.
The front facing speakers of the Pixel 2 are great to have but I do miss the good old HTC One iteration models that deliver the best audio experience. Their earphone quality was great as well. And you don’t get an earphone out of the box. You need to get a USB-C earphone or Bluetooth earphones to listen to music. I’m using an RHA MA750i earphones with the 3.5mm to USB-C adapter that Pixel 2 provided in its box, and the quality is good. The phone comes with a 5 Inch AMOLED screen and a 1080p resolution. It provides a great video viewing experience.
The phone comes with a 2700mAh battery and works okay for my usage. I usually get over 4 hours of screen on time and a standby time of over 9 hours. This includes browsing the web, listening music, watching YouTube Videos, texting and playing games. With power saver mode on, you will be able to get even better usage time.
You get an amazing camera and free back up of images and videos up to 2020. So you can be satisfied with the 64GB model rather than paying more for the 128GB model. The phone is sturdy and has not had a single scratch even after I dropped it few times.If you can look past the 67.9 % screen to body ratio and the high price point, the Pixel 2 makes perfect sense for a person looking for the Best Android smartphone on the market right now.
Check our video review of Google Pixel 2 Portrait Photography to know more.
To see more images that were shot using the Google Pixel 2, visit my Instagram Page.