Years later, Google finally got it right

Google’s Pixel series has always been in a difficult position. Despite the fact that the model offered almost the best version of Android, developed entirely in-house by Google, the purchase was often unjustified. The phone was expensive, and besides an excellent camera, it had almost no other advantages.

This is if you do not remember the Pixel 4, which was generally a complete failure. Especially in terms of autonomy. Likewise, the Google Pixel Watch never seemed to make sense in such a broad market for wearable electronics. But if we once again recall the results of the main presentation at Google I / O 2022, a lot becomes clear. For example, the fact that Google did everything right for almost the first time in 10 years.

What has changed at Google

In 2022, the smartwatch market is as boring as ever, and smartphones are not far behind, except perhaps for foldable models that are interesting for their novelty. But at the last presentation, the company gave the impression of a very mature player. And not even a scattering of new products shown, but something more.

What attracted the most attention was that at Google I / O 2022 we saw a company that seemed to get together and start working normally. It has been completely unorganized since the creation of the modern smartphone, and Google has deservedly been criticized by many for this. The only thing the Pixel has been holding onto for the past few years has been an excellent camera . But that’s not possible.

Disadvantages of Google

In addition, Google’s strategy over the past decade has been a mess, with weird Chromebook hybrids, half-baked tablets, and trying to create a smartwatch ecosystem that’s only gotten worse over the years.

But Google’s newfound interest in building a suite of interconnected products is giving new faith to the company. Now it seems that she is really ready to come and take her place in the world of consumer electronics and be able to fulfill her promises. Last year ‘s Pixel 6 lineup was a sign that Google may have finally begun to piece things together. Now we’ve seen her interest in different gadgets beyond just one phone.

New Google Gadgets

A new tablet, a new smartwatch, three new smartphones, and a pair of next-generation wireless earbuds paint a bigger picture of Google. This is how you need to attract customers, and not by the on-duty launches of smartphones once a year.

After all, one of the main reasons people have opted for Android over the years is that the OS offers a real choice of hardware vendors, styles, and functionality. In this world of competition, Google must offer something new.

Of course, before drawing conclusions, the products need to be tested, but even now it seems that all this is very good. Namely, this was lacking Google – emotions . Actually, this is what Apple has succeeded in. She just said she would release a product and people are already lining up.

Google, on the contrary, was talking about something, and we all thought that it would not work. This goes for tablets, smartwatches, and even the Pixel line of phones.

Google Ecosystem

This time, however, it is clear that Google is playing for the entire ecosystem and not just plugging a hole in a sinking ship. Hopefully Google will finally take tablets seriously. The Pixel Tablet and the redesign of the Android 12L code built for larger screen devices speaks volumes. We haven’t seen this since Android 3.0 Honeycomb , which was targeted at tablets.

With the Galaxy Watch 4, there are almost as many Wear OS users as there are Apple Watch users in just a few short months on the market. But Google balked at not releasing a product in this category for many years. The company tried to conquer the market with Wear OS in the same way that it conquered the Android smartphone market a decade and a half ago – that is, by providing suppliers with a common basis for building gadgets. But this approach didn’t work.

Last year, Google let Samsung lead the Wear OS 3 initiative, and it seems to have worked. Not everyone is convinced that the Galaxy Watch 4 was a success, but the numbers don’t lie and sales have been great. Even I appreciated them after quite a bit of use.

Google Pixel 6a and iPhone SE

Even the release of the Google Pixel 6a is somewhat reminiscent of the appearance of the iPhone SE. But if in the case of Apple we see real technologies only in flagships, and mid-range devices are more focused on those who want to upgrade the phone, but are too used to the old one, then everything is different. Pixel with the prefix “a” in each of its versions was valued almost more than the basic, more expensive model.

All these factors together show that Google has finally learned to work with itself internally. Departments merged, and their bosses began to communicate and work on a common strategy .

Even Google’s Pixel Buds Pro seem like a really great example of effort in a product line that has improved substantially since the first iteration. Last year’s Pixel Buds A were the first step towards more affordable headphones, and the Pixel Buds Pro could actually challenge the top picks from Apple, Samsung and other manufacturers.

It seems that Google realized that you have to try and everything will work out. Agree, given the company’s ability to offer only very mediocre phones for so many years and only in a limited number of markets, not even being among the top ten manufacturers in sales, this is a fiasco .

Google got better

All of these factors combine to show Google as a company that seems to be really trying this time around and, most importantly, one whose teams are actually talking to each other and planning the overarching scheme.

We’ve always seen Google try its hand at one market or another, but it didn’t always work, and startups shut down by the dozen every year . It was close to this and the mobile unit. If it were not for a good camera, I’m sure that the pixels would have ended at the level of the third, maximum of the fourth family.

Now Google is turning into Apple . And that’s just a compliment. No matter how you treat the Cupertinos, they know how to create an ecosystem and work together. This is now demonstrated by Google. However, she is not trying to imitate Apple, but simply went in the same direction.

I’m really looking forward to the foldable Pixel, the tablet, and the gadgets announced this week. Then it will become clear whether the 5000 characters above were not written in vain. You can already say what you think about new products in our Telegram chat.