Google’s first smartphones, Pixel and Pixel XL, are a success for their mix of great hardware, OS and camera power. This doesn’t mean Google isn’t open to suggestions. In fact, the product lead for the smartphones has asked users to pitch in and offer their thoughts on what could be improved with the next handset #mobilemagic
Krishna Kumar, product lead for the Pixel, went to Pixel User Community where it admitted that coming up with a winning design is no easy feat: “Developing a design is an exhilarating and at the same time a terrifying (Oh God, did we make the right choice???) exercise.” As with all things you put your energy and soul in, I might add. Instead of hoping for the best though, Google’s product lead wanted to know if there’s room for improvement and asked users to speak up: “what do you like about the design? What do you hate about it? What did we get right? What would you like to see us improve?”
Sure enough, responses started to pour in. Many users insisted on features we’ve all come to expect from a flagship smartphone: water resistance, smaller bezels and stereo front-facing speakers. There were voices who saw the need of wireless charging in the next Google handset and that were still waiting on a bigger battery. A couple of users believed the weird position of the headphone jack at the top of the phone was something to be removed in the next iteration.
On the whole, Google fans were quite pleased with the first Pixel models. As for their suggestions, no one knows for sure how many will pass Google’s own filter and make it into the next product design but you have to appreciate the company’s crowdsourcing initiative.
What do you think Google should fix or add in their Pixel 2?
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