This Is Why So Many People Hate The Google Pixel

Every year, Google releases a new Pixel smartphone, and the Pixel lineup typically receives positive reviews from tech reviewers everywhere. It's no wonder why, though: The Pixel lineup is generally more than up to the task, with dependable performance, great software features, and impressive camera chops. While older generations of Google Pixel phones — the Pixel 5 and older — were squarely aimed at the upper-mid-range market, Google shifted its strategy with the launch of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro to target high-end audiences instead.

The latest iterations — the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro — launched in October 2022, featuring Google's second-generation Tensor system-on-chip, which powers some truly impressive A.I. smarts. In typical Google fashion, though, the SoC performance lags behind the flagship competition, but the tech giant makes up for a hardware deficit with impressive software and optimization. The same goes for camera performance — despite not having the best hardware on-board, Google's Pixel 7 and 7 Pro smartphones produce some of the best images out there. However, it seems like every year the new Pixel gets as many complaints as it does praise, especially as time wears on.

While Google Pixel phones have always been known for their excellent software experience — good software optimization, low bloatware, and timely software updates — things haven't always been as rosy in the stability department. Google Pixel phones have always had somewhat of a reputation for bugs, and things got really dire when the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro came along. 

At launch, there were a few bugs present in the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, mostly stemming from UI glitches, a slow and unreliable fingerprint scanner, and screen brightness and refresh rate issues. While software generally gets better as bugs are reported and updates are issued, things didn't seem to be getting better for the Pixel 6, with MKBHD reporting that despite genuinely enjoying the phone, he found the Pixel 6 Pro unusable for day-to-day use.

The Android 13 update to the Pixel 6 series didn't seem to help much, with users on Reddit expressing immense frustration at software glitches; relating to everything from the keyboard not appearing when it's meant to, the fingerprint scanner simply not working, and the user-interface simply not responding to inputs.

Users of the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro seem to have had a better time of things — perhaps due to Google having more experience with optimizing for the Tensor SoC, or simply the company finally learning from its mistakes with past Pixel phones — but there are still bugs present in the software. Some users on Reddit are experiencing buggy or sticky scrolling on their Pixel 7 Pros, while others are reporting broken gesture navigation and software glitches. One user reported software issues that locked up their Pixel 7, which was only recoverable by restarting the device. 

Overall, it seems that the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro do have fewer issues than the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro did, while the Pixel 6a seems to be the most stable of the recent Pixel releases with very few bug reports in online forums. A bug tracker by PiunikaWeb reveals far fewer bugs for the Pixel 6a than the Pixel 6 or 7 devices. While bugs and software issues will always be present in tech, the likes of Samsung and Apple certainly seem to do a far better job of squishing critical bugs in the user interface before launch. Hopefully Google's quality control continues to improve so that the de-facto Android experience can become the reliable platform it's meant to be.