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I Love My Pixel 4—Here’s Why I’m Returning It

After 10 years of writing about technology and upgrading my phone regularly, I’ve come to a realization: I just don’t need a new phone

Owen Williams
OneZero
Published in
5 min readNov 22, 2019

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Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

AAfter Google showed off the Pixel 4 at an event in New York City last month, I was so excited that I pre-ordered the phone immediately. Now, about a month after the Pixel 4 arrived, I’m returning it. The phone is great — probably Google’s best yet — but I’ve come to realize that upgrading each year just isn’t necessary.

I love that familiar new phone feeling, and when I unboxed my Pixel 4, I noticed right away that it feels nice in the hand (almost like an iPhone), and that it has big performance improvements under the hood. But that new gadget sheen wears off quickly, and the upgrades to the Pixel, and most other phones, just aren’t as dramatic as we’ve seen in previous years. Most of the upgrades won’t make much of a difference in your day-to-day life.

One of the most talked about improvements to the Pixel is its new face unlock features — Google’s answer to the iPhone’s Face ID. Google’s version is significantly smoother and faster than Apple’s, and it’s better at picking up your face while you’re sitting on a desk or from weird angles.

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OneZero
OneZero

Published in OneZero

OneZero is a former publication from Medium about the impact of technology on people and the future. Currently inactive and not taking submissions.

Owen Williams
Owen Williams

Written by Owen Williams

Fascinated by how code and design is shaping the world. I write about the why behind tech news. Design Manager in Tech. https://twitter.com/ow

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