Google Pixel phones are here to fill the void left by the Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Pixel and Pixel XL – Google’s newest smartphones – are currently up for pre-order in India, giving potential iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus buyers a great alternative. But the new iPhone models aren’t the only high-end handsets that Google Pixel models can replace – they also happen to be the perfect devices to fill the void left by the untimely departure of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7.

The opportunity is almost too good to be true for Google Pixel and Pixel XL: year after year, Samsung’s Galaxy Note smartphones have been the only Android phablets that consumers seem willing to pay big bucks for, leaving out other great premium Android devices. . And this year’s big Samsung phone – Galaxy Note 7 – is no longer in action.

(Also see: Everything you need to know about Google Pixel, Google Pixel XL)

Deep-pocketed Nexus loyalists, who want to know what’s going on, will obviously flock to the Google Pixel XL. But even Android users who were mildly curious about the features of the new Google phones but opt ​​for the Galaxy Note 7 anyway have only the former to go with.

But don’t expect sales of Google Pixel smartphones to be explosive, as the company only sells them in a few markets. They won’t get the same global release as the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, so sales will be relatively low. Sales are also expected to be weak compared to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Analysts expect Google to sell around 3-4 million Pixel and Pixel XL units combined – to put that into perspective, although Apple hasn’t released launch numbers like it does, Apple likely sold more iPhone units during opening weekend. Nonetheless, Google might be able to beat the estimates – reasonably, we might add – if it capitalizes on the situation.

But it’s not just about huge sales numbers for Google: it’s more about giving users time to adjust to the new Pixel phones. With this market opportunity, Google has a great chance to show consumers what first-generation Pixel phones are capable of. A sustained campaign to educate the masses about what Pixel phones and Google Assistant can do might just be the trick to scoring big in this area.

Of course, things won’t be easy for Google either: Pixel phones present their own problems. First and foremost will be any comparisons to the Galaxy Note 7. Loyal Samsung customers will lament the lack of the popular S Pen stylus, while others will point out that the build quality of the Pixel phones is good, but lacking. part as refined as that of the now defunct Samsung phablet. Then there will be those who miss optical image stabilization (OIS) in the camera.

(Also see: Google Pixel, Pixel XL first impressions)

Even those who buy Google Pixel phones will have to go through the growing pains, as there will be a learning curve for new Pixel-only features. This includes users who are familiar with Google Assistant and strive to talk to the digital assistant regularly.

But even without the stylus and OIS and the learning curve with Google Assistant and Pixel Launcher, Google has a rare opportunity to make Pixel phones a success. If it succeeds in making Pixel phones a success, it’s more likely than not that second-generation smartphones will be successful as well. Let’s see if the company can grab it with both hands and make sure the new phones don’t go the way of the Android One project.