Google’s Pixel phones are in trouble, but these 5 changes could save them

The Pixel lineup has visibly matured in the last few years. Gone are the days when Google would change its physical design every single year, making the camera bar a recognizable and stand-out feature. Google has made it easy to spot Pixels in a sea of iPhones at places like airports. And it’s the same tale with the software, which has become quite stable as a platform, and something you pick up a Pixel for.

However, that stability comes along with decelerating growth. We’ve been seeing little meaningful innovation across Pixel generations, which seem to be getting refreshed annually just for the sake of it. Even if you skip a couple of Pixel generations, you won’t feel that big of a difference. And that is making Pixels feel boring — to the point that you’re actually better off skipping a few generations or even jumping to another brand or form factor (like a flip phone).

Google can indeed bring the excitement back to the Pixels, but to do so, it will need to address and change a few fundamental things.

With every Android release, Pixel Drop, and handset launch, Google announces a bunch of AI tools scattered across the entire phone. Some of them bring some fancy tricks to the camera while others let the phone control itself. However, the problem is that they all end up feeling like fragmented pieces hovering separately in space rather than part of a single cohesive system.

Each feature has a separate branding and distinct interface. It’s still easy to keep track of when there were just a handful of them, but the growing count and closely spelled monikers are only adding to the confusion. That’s when Google is already leaning heavily into the Gemini Intelligence branding (it replaced the Android boot screen!) and could’ve been the single place to find and tinker with all AI tools on the phone, but Google clearly fumbled here.

That’s some homework the Pixel 11 has left for its successor still a year out in 2027.

Every single year, like clockwork, we pray hard to Google overlords to make the next Pixel series a benchmark-breaker, and every single time, Google ignores those pleas like background noise. I’ve been hearing rumors that the next Tensor chip is finally taking a giant leap in raw processing power for at least four years, and it’s honestly getting tiring.

There’s no doubt that the Pixel 11 is tuned to handle local AI processing like no other Android smartphone, but at some point we must look past AI prowess alone and see it for the overall handset it is. We tested the new Tensor G6 to its limits, and the results were as predictable as they’ve ever been with Pixels.

It’s only an incremental upgrade over the Tensor G5, with its graphics performance being mediocre at best. It’s seriously got nothing on the likes of Snapdragon and Apple flagships. I’ve had a similarly mediocre experience with the Pixel 10, so I didn’t have high hopes for the Pixel 11 anyway. However, I’m once again counting on the supposed Pixel 12 to surprise me next year. Fingers crossed!

The conventionally underpowered Tensor chipset is at play here too. You wouldn’t want to settle for a lesser phone compared to a Snapdragon-powered Samsung or an iPhone Pro when you’re paying top dollar for it. The situation went further against Google with the Pixel 11 series, which is a tad expensive this year while the Pro now comes with lower starting RAM.

Pixels have historically either undercut or at least matched their respective rivals — that’s been the very reason for the A-series’ success. But things have been getting worse, and Pixels are steadily losing their price advantage. A person standing in a carrier’s store would pick a Pixel only if they walked in specifically for it, not otherwise.

Back in the day, companies would reserve entire Android updates for newer devices, while making previous-gen models wait for quite a while. Now, that tradition has been taken on by exclusive features. Since the Pixel 11 is the newest handset in Google’s lineup, it gets a slate of AI features like Magic Capture that aren’t even coming to the Pixel 10, so older Pixel owners are in an even worse position. While this kind of (often artificial) restriction does help drive sales for the latest model, it leaves the folks who had earlier invested in the brand in a terrible state.

Contrary to common understanding, I reckon that shipping the latest features to older phones does, in fact, increase loyalty — it gives the impression that the company isn’t after your money alone and that you’ll be well taken care of throughout the ownership period. We have seen that happen with Android updates, which land across Pixel lineups at once, making it one of the biggest draws for Pixels. So, the practice is certainly plausible and proven.

The Pixel 11 series looks exactly like its predecessor, and the one from the year before. Now, I don’t expect Google to change the design frequently; that would in fact be counterproductive and come across as a sign of product immaturity. What I actually want is for the hardware additions to feel meaningful and not end up being utter gimmicks like the glowing LED light on the Pixel 11 Pro’s back.

When hardware features are forced onto you, they lose their value as you can’t naturally incorporate them into your workflow. That’s the very reason the Touch Bar on MacBooks was criticized into oblivion. HiLight could’ve marked a big comeback for the good old customizable notification lights, but its forced limitations make it far less useful than its true potential. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up meeting the same fate as the temperature sensor on past Pixels — another of Google’s hardware fumbles.

What I’d actually want Google to bring hardware-wise is a bigger battery and better camera sensors that keep up with its growing computational photography prowess. I’d love for a OnePlus Alert Slider-like multifunctional button for quick shortcuts. And considering how heavily Pixels lean into the camera story, I can’t fathom why they haven’t gotten a physical shutter key yet — that alone would make Pixels fly off the shelves.

Do you have your own wish list for the Pixel 12 (and beyond)? Share it with us in the comments below.