Hi, this is the last week before I will return my Pixel 7 Pro for a refund, after owning it for a year. My replacement is the 15 Pro Max, and I thought I’d post here in case anyone has any questions regarding these two devices.
I know it’s not best comparison as the Pixel 8 Pro is out, but in any case…
I can take pictures, run benchmarks, answer other questions etc.
How can you return the Pixel 7 after such a long time? Wouldn’t most return policies limit you to a few weeks or months?
I had so many issues with the unit that after around 30-40 emails back and forth the support decided to give me a refund. I really tried to help them fix the call issues I was having, including debug logs, switching provider, sim card etc. At some point I didn’t have patience anymore and requested either the Pixel 8 Pro or a refund.
Wow that sucks that you had so many issues, but at least they gave you the refund. That’s lucky. What were the call issues you were having?
General call quality, calls dropping, people not being able to call me.
Sounds like you had a faulty unit. Surprised they didn’t offer you a one-for-one replacement with another 7P as that sounds like a hardware issue at this point.
I did also get a replacement, which had all the same issues.
What’s driving the change for you? Just curious as I’ve been considering jumping the other way (to an undecided model of Pixel running GrapheneOS from an iPhone 11 Pro).
Well for context, I’ve been using iPhones and Android phones ever since my first smart phones. I’ve used the iPhone 3Gs, 11 Pro, and now the 15 Pro Max.
From the Google lineup I’ve used the Nexus 5x, Pixel 3, Pixel 7 Pro (and I also own the OG Pixel for photo backups).I used to be very interested in custom roms and modding etc, so that’s why iPhones were always a bit boring to me. I always found iOS to be limiting and stupid in many ways, like limiting app background activity etc etc.
This time I’m switching because the Pixel has hardware issues (call quality, dropping calls, people cannot call me with dual sim enabled etc…), and I didn’t want to go for another Pixel until they get their hardware stuff together (and I’ve been boycotting Samsung since the S4 haha). But also I’ve found Android 13 and 14 to be quite boring. I don’t do custom roms nowdays, but from what I’ve seen it’s not what it used to be back in the day. Google promised feature drops and in the one year I’ve had the 7 Pro they haven’t added anything besides small changes or features they promised at launch. The few things they added/changed were exclusively for the Google apps from what I can recall.
No single Android feature was added, all bound to Googles own things.Well, Apple does the integration a lot better so if this is what Android is becoming, then I might as switch to the Apple side.
iOS 17 added more cool and useful features than what I’ve noticed in the last 2 Android versions… Maybe it’s just a thing of “the grass is greener on the other side”, dunno. Honestly I’m also switching because the Pixel Watch felt like a beta product, and also received 0 updates (besides security) in the one year I’ve had it. I’m excited to get to enjoy AirPods finally, and the Apple watch.That being said, I’ve switched from iPhone to Android twice now too. There’s some really retarded things on iOS that annoy me over time like notifications, no good calculator app available like the default Pixel one, alarm app is garbage with its fixed 9m snooze delay, I can’t set notification sounds system wide (so I end up having to use whatever choices the app provides, if any).
There’s a bunch of other weird stuff going on in iOS, but I’m willing to give it a try, as I now also have a MacBook, and my gf also has an iPhone.I’ve been considering moving and getting an Apple Watch and phone, but I can’t get over the OS lol. Feels just so… Bad and limiting. Why am I wrong? I want to be 😂
Yes Google adds veery little to AOSP. But at least there is AOSP. On iOS its also just the Apple Apps that get features?
I don’t care about benchmarks, or camera, if the photos it takes are as good as my iPhone 4 that is enough.
Just curious, and no judgement, why are you switching?
My perfect phone would be basic and run GrapheneOS.
For me the camera is important, and the other manufacturers have long caught up with the Pixel. Back in the day, even before the first Pixel (Nexus 5x) there was no competition and Google was a few years ahead, but now it’s just a matter of preference. That, plus the iPhone takes much nicer video. Overall my impression is that the 15 Pro takes slightly better pictures than the 7 Pro, but it’s also 1 year newer so…
My main issue with the 7 Pro was calling. It keeps dropping calls, call quality is much worse than on my other phones (e.g. Pixel 3), I had issues with dual sim where other people couldn’t connect calls with me. I tried everything, switching providers, esim, physical sim, LTE, WLAN calling, created debug logs for the dev team, I even got a replacement unit from Google, but still no fix…
The second reason for switching is that I found the last 2 Android version boring, and most new features are bound to Google’s ecosystem. I also didn’t want to go for another Pixel until they refine their hardware, and also the new price is ridiculous for a Pixel phone imo.
Sorry to hear about the downgrade. We’ll welcome you back once you realize how bad iOS is lol.
I swapped from a lifetime of android, to a 15PM im not missing much nowadays. The only major feature id say is split screen but PiP does the trick most of the time for that, while not as perfect that and the keyboard being a bit slower would be the only “downgrades” i could come up with in a month of use.
The list of things that have worked better is a lot longer, the bt and cellular modem is miles better than my old pixel 6 pro, the high refresh rate screen actually delivers high framerates more of the time and the apple intergration is so much more cohesive than googles hodge podge of integration
This is such a consumerism comment. You are buying a closed garden ecosystem and encouraging lack of choice from a terrible company. Maybe you don’t value actual freedom with your devices, but if you have even the slightest curiosity with how your phone is operating then you’d realize iPhones are designed for the lowest common denominator and to be used one way. It discourages any other competing brands from using its software. It heavily nerfs anything that isn’t an Apple product. It’s all closed source and proprietary. It’s anti consumer. There’s more to phones then opening up the app store, installing app, and opening app from home screen.
True. But to be fair, Android as it normally comes is shit too. 90% open source still leaves room for Googles Tracking.
For me the features I need aren’t part of aosp. So I’m using closed source now anyways. Sure it’s running on an open source platform, but it seems Google wants Android to be like Apple. Then I might just as well use Apples products as their ecosystem is a lot more refined.
That’s not even true nor does that make sense lol
You do know that Googles apps are all closed source right? Have you ever even tried any aosp rom? Go and have a look. There’s not much there.
Yes, I’m writing this from GrapheneOS
The call dropping issue would cause me to switch phones too… just not to an iPhone… Best of luck!
Thanks :) Didn’t want to risk going for another Pixel given the issues I had.
When you switch prepare to lose all your Signal messages. Transferring SMS and WhatsApp is a pain too. Photos will transfer but you’ll have to set up albums again. A bit of growing pains, but no looking back.
Already lost all my messages, I found out after setting up my phone that you can only transfer whatsapp messages during the setup process which is retarded. But it’s not too bad, just stupid.
If you get AnyTrans you can transfer WhatsApp after the fact. That’s how I got mine across.
Nice thanks for the hint, might check it out. Did you also switch recently?
Yes I did, which is why I know some of the pains, but overall I’ve liked it.
As someone who did a similar swap Pixel 6 Pro to 15 Pro Max, and my first time off android Hope you enjoy it. I do miss the customization but at the same time i did a lot less customization than i did back in the older android days. The stability of the general phone things has been alot better, bluetooth, mobile data and reception has been a big improvement. The thing that really pushed me over is the device values, my P6P isnt worth putting a new battery in a iphone bought at the same time can have a battery replaced for $69 and will be worth about double the pixel equivalent.
Uhm… why??
I have a Pixel 7pro just for GrapheneOS. That phone is damn fast, but huge, no headphone jack and glass everywhere. I dont like it, and hope there will be alternatives soon.
