John Gruber made a really good analogy on how Google treats Pixel, their smartphone and Tablet hardware products.

“Google treats its entire Pixel portfolio like Apple treats Apple TV hardware. They make the best parts of it available on other platforms, greatly reducing the perceived value of their own hardware. Why switch to a Pixel when almost all of Google’s apps are available on iOS? Why switch to an Apple TV box when the TV app and iTunes Store are built into your “smart” TV?”

This is something I’ve understood for as long as owning a Google Nexus. I’ve always wondered how Google approaches hardware development, especially given their lack of the kind of exclusive ecosystem that Apple cultivates. Even other Android OEMs have some unique features. That just wasn’t Google’s culture in building its products. Google is synonymous with software, encompassing products like Search, YouTube, Gmail, and Android. We’re nearing the 10th generation of the Google Pixel. Hiroshi Lockheimer’s prediction that “eight years from now we’ll be talking about Oct 4, 2016” has already passed. October 4th, the release date of the original Google Pixel, was what many, including myself, assumed he was referencing. However, it’s now 2025, nearly ten years later, and Google’s Pixel has only achieved a 4% market share, according to Counterpoint Research. However, it still feels like gaining market share in their hardware isn’t Google’s main goal. News broke from 9to5Mac analyst Aaron Perris that Google’s Gemini AI is coming to iOS next to Siri in a future update. Echoing Gruber’s analogy, this demonstrates Google making its key Pixel features available on other platforms.

I think Google needs to better articulate the value proposition of the Pixel to its existing customers, let alone attract new customers in carrier stores. Perhaps a renewed focus on hardware exclusivity, or a clearer articulation of Pixel-specific benefits, is needed.