With Pixel 3a, Google Finally Delivers on the Promise of Android
Android was intended to make smartphones easier to build and more accessible to consumers. That has largely failed, but the Pixel 3a is an affordable, ubiquitous smartphone, finally realized.
By Max Eddy
When Google announced the Pixel 3a and its larger cousin, the 3a XL, at the Google I/O developer conference, it spearheaded a badly needed course-correction on the out-of-control smartphone market.
It’s possible to live without a smartphone, but it’s not easy. There are practical considerations, like being able to send and receive the wide array of messages we take for granted now or getting accurate directions through a maps app in real time. There’s also the fact that we use a phone for just about everything now, from paying bills to wishing grandma a happy birthday on Facebook.
Even if you consider all of that frivolous, more and more interactions are happening with smartphones. New York City will soon roll out contactless payments for the subway, designed around a smartphone app. You’ll still be able to purchase a physical card if you choose, but it’s emblematic of how these devices are becoming increasingly integral to everyday life.
The whole point of Android was to make smartphones easier to build and more accessible to consumers. In that way, Android failed. There were always going to be expensive smartphones, but it’s become increasingly clear that if you want a good, unlocked phone, you’ll have to pay through the nose for it.
“But what about the Nexus?!” I hear you cry. Well, not you but the legion of Android enthusiasts and tech journalists behind you. Yes, Nexus was an affordable line of top-quality smartphones, but they were never really targeted at consumers. More important, they’re dead and never coming back.
If you need an unlocked smartphone that’s inexpensive, you’ll have to completely abandon the flagship brands. I’m not talking about ultra-luxe gadgetry like the Samsung Galaxy Fold: I mean the names people actually know: iPhone, Pixel, and Galaxy. The Pixel 3 retails for $799 and the 3 XL is $899, though both are currently $200 cheaper. The Galaxy S10e starts at $749, as does the iPhone XR, and the iPhone XS at $999, unless you have an old phone to trade in. Even the three-year-old iPhone 7 starts at $449.
Phones that people can actually afford require compromise. A lot of compromise. The Pixel line has a reputation for delivering some of the best photos, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything that compares at a reasonable price. iPhones are rock solid performance-wise, but older or lower-tier phones can feel sluggish and crash often. In the Android world, third-party manufacturers control what your OS looks like and even when or if you receive updates.
You could buy a phone subsidized by a contract with a wireless provider, but that’s a compromise as well. You’ll be tied to phone plans, and have restrictive repair and replacement policies. You’ll also have a higher monthly phone bill, and the goal should be to save money, not make a whole year slightly more miserable.
But wait! You can buy used phones online! I’ve had success with this in the past, but it’s a crapshoot. Look through the Amazon reviews and you’ll find plenty of people happy with their purchases, and many others whose phones arrived damaged or unusable. It would be one thing if Google itself was “renewing” these phones, but it’s Amazon. Sure you can return it, but if these commenters are to be believed you’ll sometimes end up paying a hefty restocking fee.
I was also surprised to see how wide a price range existed on older phones. A Pixel 2 goes anywhere from $313 to $579 on Amazon. Pixel 1s are cheaper but are also reaching the end of their Android-update lifetime.
There’s also unfair visibility that comes with using lower-tier phones. Pictures posted to social media don’t look as clear as those from other people. Most high-end phones are designed to be recognizable status symbols, meaning an unrecognizable phone shows another kind of status.
To my mind, it’s unreasonable that people shopping on a budget don’t get access to the latest security technology, like fingerprint readers or safer payment options, like NFC. These devices are meant to solve problems, not create them for people who can’t afford to keep up.
At a price nearly half that of the current Pixel 3, the 3a is the promise of an affordable, ubiquitous smartphone finally realized. Backed by years of updates, the 3a won’t be obsolete in a matter of months. With the Google Play store, it has access to the (second) best app and media repository, putting the best of the smartphone revolution at your fingertips. With the Pixel line’s photo processing power, you can capture crisp, clear memories.
Is there compromise? Yes. The 3a uses the Snapdragon 670 processor as opposed to the Snapdragon 845 in the Pixel 3, but that’s still better than buying an older phone. The 3a has a big ol’ bezel, which is better than paying hundreds more for two tiny nubbins of screen real estate on a phone’s top corners. The 3a is small, which is still better than the boat oars passing themselves off as flagship smartphones these days. The 3a is beautifully, unapologetically plastic, which is still better than a phone that can crack on the front and back.
Most important, the Pixel 3a is a Google phone. That’s a brand-name measure of confidence and assurance that hasn’t been available in the Android world for a long time outside of high-end phones. In short, there’s precious little to be ashamed of with Pixel 3a.
It’s still frustrating to me that $400 is now considered “affordable” for a really good smartphone. It leaves too many people unable to access the latest and safest technology. The Pixel 3a doesn’t fully solve that problem, but it has shown that people can get excited about a cheaper phone and that a company can deliver an excellent product for a lot less.
Originally published at https://www.pcmag.com on May 9, 2019.
With Pixel 3a, Google Finally Delivers on the Promise of Android
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