This is the second part of this article (cat), where I wrote about my experience with the Apple ecosystem after a whole lifetime as an Android user.
This article is aimed to focus on the reverse journey. Here are my impressions about the Pixel ecosystem after one year with the Pixel 7 pro and the Pixel Watch.
The hardware
The build materials and the design of both the phone and the watch are disappointing at best. The watch comes with a rounded design and a single size which is too small for my wrist. The battery life of both are insufficient to last (if you are lucky) barely until the end of the day.
Only the cameras on the Pixel 7 pro are worth mention as a noticeable spec. I prefer the iPhone quality and design though, and the battery life of any “pro max”.
The software
The software side is even worse. The Google smart integrations used to work smoothly well in the past. Google used to anticipate our needs and prompt us with valuable information. Not anymore. The Pixel is infested with bugs and nothing seems to work properly. The (lack of) integration with the watch is a joke. You cannot dismiss the phone alarm with your watch. The Fitbit/Google Fit integration is another joke. You cannot be sure which product Google is going to kill first, most of the Fitbit options are under a paywall, etc…
About Chrome OS and the Chromebooks it is better not to talk. You rather use a full fledged Linux distro. The only good thing about Chrome OS is that it is very fast, but it is understandable due to the fact that it is just a fancy web browser.
Conclusion
I’m glad I’m back to the Apple ecosystem. It is far than perfect but delivers what it promises and gives me sense of stability. Sure, can be a little bit boring, but at least it is reliable. The Apple concept is that the iPhone is your central device; where everything lives on. That’s the reason why some features are iPhone only, so they can run locally in favor of your privacy. Your iPhone is your key to your other Apple products (sometimes literally) thanks to the passkeys and the good integration with macOS, TVOS, and watchOS.
I’m not saying I’ll never use an Android again, but it is extremely unlikely that I’d replace an iPhone as my main device, at least anytime soon.