Fare thee well, Google Fi/Pixel

[JM Aggie08]

I've been on Google Fi since 2016, starting with a Nexus 6P and moving onto various Pixel devices. I've always loved the flexibility Fi provided for travel (no additional costs for international data/texts). I always felt their support was great too -- any time I had an issue, it was very quickly resolved, generally by the same individual that first picked up the ticket.

Fast. The fuck. Forward.

My Pixel 5 has had consistent cellular data connectivity issues. If I am moving about an area either on foot and ESPECIALLY in a vehicle, my phone loses all cellular data connectivity for 1-2 minutes. It seems as if it's happening as the phone tries to move between towers, but the root cause is unclear. I have had a ticket open for almost 2 months for this issue. I've been kicked around to at least a dozen support personnel, all of which have asked me to perform the same exact troubleshooting steps. We have done absolutely everything we can on this phone, short of replacing it. Finally after some visible frustration on my end, I was escalated to engineering...2 weeks ago. I've been given inconsistent information, asked to do the same steps over and over again, and no progress. Not to mention, 24hr lead time between my emails and their response. Yesterday I had finally had enough and told them I needed SOME form of solution or path forward by today, as I will be leaving on a work trip and need a reliable phone.

...and received a canned response that didn't even acknowledge what I said.

It looks like I'll be getting a OnePlus 10 Pro now lol. I just need to decide between VZ or Tmobile.

 

[Captante]

Fi is great provided it works well as-is on your device and you never need any help beyond the basics. The day you need support to assist with ANY kind of complex issue you'll find out how utterly worthless they really are.

For big phone companies Verizon overall still has the best coverage/support IMO however T-Mobile is vastly improved in that department and it costs a bit less.

Having said that I wouldn't spend the money on any plan directly from a big provider anymore since these days they mostly provide nothing but a higher bill. I now use a Ting pay-as-you-go plan (T-Mobile MVNO) and my phone bill hasn't been over $20 in the past year... usually it's $15.

 

[VashHT]

That sucks, I've had good luck with Fi and Pixel phones I guess. I had some really annoying problems with Verizon and the OnePlus 7 pro I had but maybe they've gotten better.

 

[JM Aggie08]

Yeah man, I'm super bummed. I've loved Fi up until now, to the point of being an evangelist lol. Their support has just become so degraded over the last couple of years. I've also been reading that a number of Pixel devices are experiencing similar issues -- all of the posts are dead-ends with no solution.

 

[brianmanahan]

i've been on nexus and pixel forever, probably 10 years. still rocking my pixel 2

but project fi doesn't have good enough coverage in my area so i still use verizon

i tried it for 3 months and had big areas during my commute where i would lose all signal

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

My Motorola Stylus on TracFone has been fine for what I do.

 

[Torn Mind]

Pixels, at least the first two, were disposable budget phones with a performance CPU priced at a premium to sell to well-off people who toss phones away in two to three years.

Their batteries were shit, at least for the first couple Pixels. A used Pixel 1 or 2 will have a shit battery with maybe an hour of use available. Whereas, an IPhone 6's battery can still present some multiple hours of use even to this day, even though the IPhone 6 drags in performance and it's now has little app functionality left(banks, stores, etc dropped support and only things like Youtube, Google Voice, etc can function on an IPhone 6). .

 

[Fritzo]

I was a Pixel fan since the OG Nexus, but Google really screwed up the Pixel concept. Their phones just became...BAD. Untested updates would randomly break or remove features, the batteries weren't very durable, subpar screens...screw it.

I swore I would never own another Samsung after the charger in one caught on fire in 2011, but I went back to the brand. Samsung is now like Apple on Android, and I have to say their hardware is FANTASTIC. Have the S22 Ultra and it's literally the best phone I've ever owned. Paired it with the Galaxy 3 watch and my BT hearing aids and I feel like I'm a cyborg now

 

[brianmanahan]

Pixels, at least the first two, were disposable budget phones with a performance CPU priced at a premium to sell to well-off people who toss phones away in two to three years.

my pixel 2 battery has seemed solid in the 5 years i've had it, better than any of my previous androids

though it can drain a lot if i'm doing GPS so i have a plug for it in the car

 

[brianmanahan]

Have the S22 Ultra and it's literally the best phone I've ever owned. Paired it with the Galaxy 3 watch and my BT hearing aids and I feel like I'm a cyborg now

so this is tempting, i am thinking about getting an android watch. has the galaxy watch been good for you?

i'd need to find something with a stretchy band, those are the only kind i can tolerate

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Still enjoy my Pixel, and I appreciate the lack of shit on the phone. In my area, Fi is shit, so I use Visible.

Shameless bump: if anyone wants on visible, I've got 2 slots open on my party plan. $30/mo/line (25 if I get both slots filled) for unlimited everything on VZW.

 

[KidNiki1]

Samsung is now like Apple on Android, and I have to say their hardware is FANTASTIC. Have the S22 Ultra and it's literally the best phone I've ever owned. Paired it with the Galaxy 3 watch and my BT hearing aids and I feel like I'm a cyborg now

i took a phone call from my mom on my galaxy watch the other day. afterwards i was like, holy fuck, younger me always wanted a cool walkie talkie spy watch, and now i basically have one!! cyborg awesomeness indeed!!

 

[Torn Mind]

my pixel 2 battery has seemed solid in the 5 years i've had it, better than any of my previous androids

though it can drain a lot if i'm doing GPS so i have a plug for it in the car

Sure, the supplier might aim for something like 85-90% premature failure of normal operation with their cells instead of 95% or 99%...

I bought a nice-looking used Pixel 2 in March of 2020. It was direct from the previous owner because it had the box, all chargers, good cosmetic condition when bought(not anymore though) etc. It's evident the battery is toast. Thing drops out when the software symbol still shows 50 percent. Taking a picture, with or without flash, is a good way to trigger this loss of power. It's so bad, my mom habitually leaves even replacement phones in the charger as a matter of habit now.

A Windows Nokia Lumia 835 easily provided more runtime than the Pixel 2.

As an aside, I do not like this wave of bezel-free bullshit because certain phones register unintended touches, like the Galaxy S8.

 

[KidNiki1]

so this is tempting, i am thinking about getting an android watch. has the galaxy watch been good for you?

i'd need to find something with a stretchy band, those are the only kind i can tolerate

i love mine. it's still new, so maybe still a honeymoon phase thing. but i really like it. i can use it to pay for stuff. it looks cool. counts steps, heart rate monitor, if you can stand wearing it while you sleep it does sleep analysis stuff, all kinds of useful info.

the strap it came with sucks ass, but you can buy replacement bands. i like the magnetic ones so i can adjust as needed easily. im sure you could find the type you like and just swap it out.

 

[MrSquished]

I switched from AT&t to Verizon on a Pixel 6 pro. Verizon service used to be great here but it went downhill. Then I switch to Fi, and although it treated me well, I wanted to have T-Mobile.

Service was much better. The price is right. Customer service is pretty good still. I eventually got my entire family to switch over. Mother, sister, and brother-in-law. Now we are on a four-person plan and it's a 55 and over plan so it's so cheap for four lines on magenta.

But this all varies where you live somewhere Verizon will be well you lick better. Especially if you travel to rural areas more. Though this girl I dated had a cabin in the Poconos and Verizon sucked and T-Mobile was good.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Whaaaa, ya' mean like ......

 

[Captante]

I was a Pixel fan since the OG Nexus, but Google really screwed up the Pixel concept. Their phones just became...BAD. Untested updates would randomly break or remove features, the batteries weren't very durable, subpar screens...screw it.

I swore I would never own another Samsung after the charger in one caught on fire in 2011, but I went back to the brand. Samsung is now like Apple on Android, and I have to say their hardware is FANTASTIC. Have the S22 Ultra and it's literally the best phone I've ever owned. Paired it with the Galaxy 3 watch and my BT hearing aids and I feel like I'm a cyborg now

Same here although I never went with a Pixel ... I gave up when my Nexus 5x failed and for awhile I was (believe it or not) a fan of LG's flagship phones.

Currently I'm still "daily-driving" an S20 and its great EXCEPT for the balky in-screen fingerprint sensor which is a real PITA.... and which based on reviews was mostly fixed with the S21.

Unfortunately Samsung is the only decent Android when factoring in security-updates AND hardware. (Current security patch = June)

 

[Fritzo]

so this is tempting, i am thinking about getting an android watch. has the galaxy watch been good for you?

i'd need to find something with a stretchy band, those are the only kind i can tolerate

I've gone through about 6 Android watches. Garmin was decent but their screens are terrible (mostly to save battery life), and the others had too many shortcomings/performance issues. The Galaxy 3 and the Galaxy 4 Classic (not the standard) are probably the best Android watches on the market right now. I got my wife the 4 Classic for Christmas and the only real difference between it and the 3 are slightly better battery and it's based on Google Wear and now Samsung's Tizen OS (though it has a Tizen skin on it). The bezel control made me fall in love with it. If I lost it I would get another in a heartbeat!

 

[Fritzo]

Same here although I never went with a Pixel ... I gave up when my Nexus 5x failed and for awhile I was (believe it or not) a fan of LG's flagship phones.

Currently I'm still "daily-driving" an S20 and its great EXCEPT for the balky in-screen fingerprint sensor which is a real PITA.... and which based on reviews was mostly fixed with the S21.

Unfortunately Samsung is the only decent Android when factoring in security-updates AND hardware. (Current security patch = June)

Yeah, the onscreen fingerprint sensor is pretty flawless on the newer models. Probably worth an upgrade if you're due.

 

[Fritzo]

i love mine. it's still new, so maybe still a honeymoon phase thing. but i really like it. i can use it to pay for stuff. it looks cool. counts steps, heart rate monitor, if you can stand wearing it while you sleep it does sleep analysis stuff, all kinds of useful info.

the strap it came with sucks ass, but you can buy replacement bands. i like the magnetic ones so i can adjust as needed easily. im sure you could find the type you like and just swap it out.

Yeah, that's why I almost like the 3 better than the 4. The 3 came with a leather strap (still looks great after 1.5 years!), and the build quality seems to be better. The standard 4 doesn't have the bezel control either, so you have to get the 4 Classic for that.

 

[KidNiki1]

Yeah, that's why I almost like the 3 better than the 4. The 3 came with a leather strap (still looks great after 1.5 years!), and the build quality seems to be better. The standard 4 doesn't have the bezel control either, so you have to get the 4 Classic for that.

yeah, i went with the 4 classic for the bezel. my only real issue is i got the 42mm one, since it is smaller, and it is still HUGE on my wrist. but thats just a relatively small (hehe, get it, cause the watch is big?) complaint.

 

[Captante]

Yeah, the onscreen fingerprint sensor is pretty flawless on the newer models. Probably worth an upgrade if you're due.

I'd love to be able to justify one believe me.... thing is though the phone is pretty much flawless except for that sensor. (I really miss the old LG sensor/power button on the back)

Also I like to buy my phones unlocked so I would need to find a deal.... I'm severely allergic to paying retail! (final price for the S20 through Fi was $99 after rebates!)

 

[JM Aggie08]

Well, just got back from Tmobile. OnePlus 10 Pro for me, free with 2yr contract, new sim card for wife's phone. Same price for monthly service that'd we'd been paying for Fi (base charges + data, on average).

10/10, would recommend lol.

 

[Brainonska511]

I've stuck with Fi because the service in the areas I've lived (NYC and Boston) have been pretty good overall, and the seamless experience I have when I travel internationally. My pixel phones have largely been okay, still on the 3a. May move to a Samsung S22 variant of I want to upgrade thanks to the longer update lifetime.

I'd be happy to move to another carrier too, but the costs are just ridiculous for one or two lines of service, and my ATT discount I can get through my Fortune 500 employer doesn't even bring it close to what I pay now. Currently, I pay <$30/mo for my Fi line.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I pay $6/mo for my TracFone line. All the time and data I can use. I never even come close, so it's been rolling over and building for a couple of years.