Why is Google ignoring NZ for Pixel phones

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Ultimate Geek
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#2105606 10-Oct-2018 13:57

@sbiddle is on the money, the market is just too small, the majority of consumers only want Samsung or Apple and that’s all they know. When I had Nexus phones a lot of people asked what it was and scoffed as it wasn’t a “big name” device. Most don’t even know Google develops Android they think it’s Samsung.

mdf

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#2105618 10-Oct-2018 14:28

tripp:

<snip>

They also need to do the GST (which pushes up the price) also need to worry about CGA, if you only sell a few phones then there is no real point. They have been here before for the nexus 5 but that was because WHS (warehouse stationery) was selling it as well.

I know this is often cited, but wonder if it is _really_ the case. Australia has GST too (albeit at a different rate) and the paperwork required for physical phone sales will be minimal compared to what they will already be doing for income tax and digital services. Similarly, there are differences between the Australian Trade Practices Act and the NZ CGA, but not enough that I would have thought that it alone would be enough to put someone off.

The Single Economic Market was supposed to make it seamless as possible for businesses to carry on a trans-Tasman business.

landcruiserguy

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#2105732 10-Oct-2018 16:38

nitro:

hio77:

Samsungs just... don't tickle my fancy...

for me... love the hardware, but not touchwiz. if they only had an android one version of the S or Note series, like there was a Google Play edition of the S4...

But the screen, have you seen how awesome the recent samsung screens are? The LG ones that Pixels use are about five years behind. I have just had two Samsungs (S8+ and Note 9). Touchwiz has come miles and the whole UI is themable so you can make it look however you want.

Did I mention how good the Samsung AMOLED screens are?

matisyahu

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#2105756 10-Oct-2018 17:02

landcruiserguy:

nitro:

hio77:

Samsungs just... don't tickle my fancy...

for me... love the hardware, but not touchwiz. if they only had an android one version of the S or Note series, like there was a Google Play edition of the S4...

But the screen, have you seen how awesome the recent samsung screens are? The LG ones that Pixels use are about five years behind. I have just had two Samsungs (S8+ and Note 9). Touchwiz has come miles and the whole UI is themable so you can make it look however you want.

Did I mention how good the Samsung AMOLED screens are?

I agree; the screen and hardware specifications are gorgeous but Samsung can't help but load its phones with crapware like Samsung Cloud and so on - if Samsung loaded their phones with pure Android without all the Samsung Cloud garbage and other bloatware then I'd be first in line to buy one but it appears that Samsung find a way to undermine an otherwise awesome product with subpar software.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

restecp

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Master Geek
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#2105946 10-Oct-2018 22:02

matisyahu:

landcruiserguy:

nitro:

hio77:

Samsungs just... don't tickle my fancy...

for me... love the hardware, but not touchwiz. if they only had an android one version of the S or Note series, like there was a Google Play edition of the S4...

But the screen, have you seen how awesome the recent samsung screens are? The LG ones that Pixels use are about five years behind. I have just had two Samsungs (S8+ and Note 9). Touchwiz has come miles and the whole UI is themable so you can make it look however you want.

Did I mention how good the Samsung AMOLED screens are?

I agree; the screen and hardware specifications are gorgeous but Samsung can't help but load its phones with crapware like Samsung Cloud and so on - if Samsung loaded their phones with pure Android without all the Samsung Cloud garbage and other bloatware then I'd be first in line to buy one but it appears that Samsung find a way to undermine an otherwise awesome product with subpar software.

I agree to some extent. But if you put your heckles up without looking too much into what it additionally offers that Google doesn't you may be surprised.

Samsung Cloud is JUST designed to backup your phone (this has saved me and others I work with countless times).

Google drive simply doesn't provide the same service. I believe Samsung Cloud is designed to compliment Google Drive.

The other bloatware i can understand but I'm sure I could make a similar argument to the above for basically all of it (& there is VERY little of it left on the phones these days).

I can understand it in the US as its the carriers loading the phones up but we don't really have that here, its an old argument that can really be put to rest now

Dingbatt

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#2106093 11-Oct-2018 10:15

The same announcement as the P3 also revealed the Pixel Slate and the Google Home Hub.
I gleaned from the announcement that the Slate isn't coming to Australia, but the Hub is. The Hub is essentially a Google Home with a screen and is obviously an answer to the Echo Spot(edit: or more accurately the Show).
But once again, not available in NZ, so I'll have to look at it on my next trip to Oz. It's $US149 (+TAX) so that will possibly equate to $NZ300.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

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sidders80

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#2106119 11-Oct-2018 10:31

Dingbatt: The same announcement as the P3 also revealed the Pixel Slate and the Google Home Hub.
I gleaned from the announcement that the Slate isn't coming to Australia, but the Hub is. The Hub is essentially a Google Home with a screen and is obviously an answer to the Echo Spot.
But once again, not available in NZ, so I'll have to look at it on my next trip to Oz. It's $US149 (+TAX) so that will possibly equate to $NZ300.

It’s 219 AUD in Australia

Sid

Dingbatt

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#2106127 11-Oct-2018 10:52

sidders80:
Dingbatt: The same announcement as the P3 also revealed the Pixel Slate and the Google Home Hub.
I gleaned from the announcement that the Slate isn't coming to Australia, but the Hub is. The Hub is essentially a Google Home with a screen and is obviously an answer to the Echo Spot.
But once again, not available in NZ, so I'll have to look at it on my next trip to Oz. It's $US149 (+TAX) so that will possibly equate to $NZ300.

It’s 219 AUD in Australia

So about $NZ245. Could be worth a look considering I paid $AU199 for my G Home when they first arrived in Oz.

It's interesting some of the comments around its announcement. People saying it doesn't have a camera (by design) and that you can't use it like an Android tablet. But you have to realise it is a Google Home smart speaker with a touch screen display added, not a tablet with a speaker stand. If they added a camera, and particularly a battery to make it portable, it would cost well over $US200.
I doubt Google are making much on it, they just want you deeper into their ecosystem.
I do like the home automation integration announced with the Hub, and that it is going to be available in the Google Home App. At least with the voice set to 'Strayan like my other Google devices I should be able to control some things in the house. You just have to put up with an Aussie Sheila as your assistant.
Eventually it may rival the Samsung Smartthings system (if only that was available in NZ grrrrr).

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

muppet

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#2106128 11-Oct-2018 10:56

They sold the Nexus 6 in NZ.

Aside from myself, I know of no other person in NZ who owns a Nexus 6. I'm sure someone does, but I bet they didn't sell that many and it wouldn't have been worth it.

There's always a few die-hards like you and me, but I agree, I bet the market was so small it wasn't worth it.

MikeAqua

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#2106145 11-Oct-2018 11:45

I buy Samsung phones and I find the number of apps that can be deleted somewhat annoying.

I'm not sure if google or Samsung are responsible but there are quite a few. Examples include Chrome (never use it) and MS Office apps (large). I don't think chrome can even be disabled.

There are a whole lot of Samsung apps - like the Galaxy browser that are of no interest but cant be deleted either.

Mike

peejayw

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#2106409 11-Oct-2018 17:10

Quite like the look of the Google Home Hub but can someone who has the G Home tell me how it operates if you already have Google Assistant on your phone, do they compete with each other to see who can answer you first?

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

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nitro

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Ultimate Geek
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#2106448 11-Oct-2018 18:46

restecp:

I agree to some extent. But if you put your heckles up without looking too much into what it additionally offers that Google doesn't you may be surprised.

Samsung Cloud is JUST designed to backup your phone (this has saved me and others I work with countless times).

Google drive simply doesn't provide the same service. I believe Samsung Cloud is designed to compliment Google Drive.

The other bloatware i can understand but I'm sure I could make a similar argument to the above for basically all of it (& there is VERY little of it left on the phones these days).

I can understand it in the US as its the carriers loading the phones up but we don't really have that here, its an old argument that can really be put to rest now

honest question... what does samsung cloud backup on top of google's? can you access this backup if your next phone is no longer a samsung?

restecp

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Master Geek
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#2106453 11-Oct-2018 19:05

nitro:
restecp:

I agree to some extent. But if you put your heckles up without looking too much into what it additionally offers that Google doesn't you may be surprised.

Samsung Cloud is JUST designed to backup your phone (this has saved me and others I work with countless times).

Google drive simply doesn't provide the same service. I believe Samsung Cloud is designed to compliment Google Drive.

The other bloatware i can understand but I'm sure I could make a similar argument to the above for basically all of it (& there is VERY little of it left on the phones these days).

I can understand it in the US as its the carriers loading the phones up but we don't really have that here, its an old argument that can really be put to rest now

honest question... what does samsung cloud backup on top of google's? can you access this backup if your next phone is no longer a samsung?

Messages/calanders/call logs etc.
Even backs up APKs of your apps and app data for each (Google is very hit and miss for this)

Again I think of it as more of an extension of googles offerings.

In regards to can I access it from a non samsung phone well clearly not but why would I want to? Lol.

If I were to switch to an alternative brand I would probably have to use whatever migration tools that brand provides I guess.

old3eyes

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#2106496 11-Oct-2018 20:47

kyhwana2: Probably because no one would buy them because of the price? Pixel 3 will be what, $1500-1600? NZD

Never seems to be a problem with iPhones.

Regards,

Old3eyes

matisyahu

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#2106565 11-Oct-2018 23:54

restecp:

matisyahu:

landcruiserguy:

nitro:

hio77:

Samsungs just... don't tickle my fancy...

for me... love the hardware, but not touchwiz. if they only had an android one version of the S or Note series, like there was a Google Play edition of the S4...

But the screen, have you seen how awesome the recent samsung screens are? The LG ones that Pixels use are about five years behind. I have just had two Samsungs (S8+ and Note 9). Touchwiz has come miles and the whole UI is themable so you can make it look however you want.

Did I mention how good the Samsung AMOLED screens are?

I agree; the screen and hardware specifications are gorgeous but Samsung can't help but load its phones with crapware like Samsung Cloud and so on - if Samsung loaded their phones with pure Android without all the Samsung Cloud garbage and other bloatware then I'd be first in line to buy one but it appears that Samsung find a way to undermine an otherwise awesome product with subpar software.

I agree to some extent. But if you put your heckles up without looking too much into what it additionally offers that Google doesn't you may be surprised.

Samsung Cloud is JUST designed to backup your phone (this has saved me and others I work with countless times).

Google drive simply doesn't provide the same service. I believe Samsung Cloud is designed to compliment Google Drive.

The other bloatware i can understand but I'm sure I could make a similar argument to the above for basically all of it (& there is VERY little of it left on the phones these days).

I can understand it in the US as its the carriers loading the phones up but we don't really have that here, its an old argument that can really be put to rest now

For me the phone is a means to an end - as a conduit for me to access Google services and Samsung refusing to standard applications such as phone, messaging, contacts etc. applications (like what Nokia and Google use) gets in my way of trying to get a job done. I know what Samsung is trying to accomplish - a uniquely Samsung experience but unless they actually spend the time and money to provide a comprehensive drop in replacement for Google's services (email, contacts etc) and I can synchronise it with my iMac and MacBook Pro then it is obstacle then it is made worse when I have to go through all the settings to point the Samsung Android build to use Google cloud instead of Samsung (autofill, saved passwords etc). I'm going to hold of until the end of the year to see what the reviews bring in and the feedback of users online but then again it also depends on whether Nokia launch a 845 flagship - the rumoured Nokia 9, which might end up winning me over it if it means avoiding the whole re-mailing from the US that would take place if I were to purchase the Pixel 3.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

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