Pixel Vs. Pixel 5 - How Google's strategy has shifted

**Google's Shift from Flagship to Mid-Range Strategy**

Google started off the Pixel line with an unapologetic flagship, claiming it to be the best above the rest in many key areas. Okay, while not perfect, it was new and exciting, and it was a flagship in both its hardware and its software. However, as the years went on, Google's lack of success in the high-end market almost forced a shift. The company dipped its toes into the mid-range water with the Pixel 3a, which was incredibly well received.

Google's decision to focus on the mid-range market has been a successful one, with devices like the 3a and the 4a series flying off the shelves. Google shifted its focus to the mid-range segment where it saw success, and this strategy is likely to continue in the future. The Pixel 5, for example, comes with a mid-range chipset and really overall mid-range hardware, making it an attractive option for those looking for a premium smartphone without the hefty price tag.

**The Decline of Flagship Sales**

In the past, Google's flagship devices were highly anticipated events, but in recent years, sales have been lackluster. The Pixel 4 was marketed as the last premium device in the Pixel line, with a launch price of $749. However, compared to mid-range devices from other manufacturers, it's clear that Google's focus has shifted away from specs and towards software. This shift is evident in the camera department, where the Pixel 5 uses the same Sony IMAX 363 main camera sensor as the Pixel 3, a device launched two years ago.

This is a stark contrast to the huge sensors being created by manufacturers like Sony, Huawei, and Samsung. The original Pixel's 12 megapixel sensor was about what you'd expect from other devices at that time, but it was the software that really pushed it ahead. However, now that others have had a few years to catch up and implement huge and high-resolution sensors, Google seems to be barely holding onto its top camera spot.

**The Mid-Range Market: A Sweet Spot for Google**

The mid-range market is where Google sees success, with devices like the Pixel 4a and the 4a5g offering great value for money. The Pixel 5 is priced at $699, which is significantly cheaper than the flagship devices from other manufacturers. In fact, it's only the really great display that stands out as premium hardware in the Pixel 5, while the rest of the device is mid-range.

The lack of a huge price differential between the Pixel 1 and the Pixel 5 may not seem like a lot on paper, but when you consider the market, it's clear that Google has found a sweet spot. The Pixel 1 sat comfortably alongside devices like the iPhone 7 and the Galaxy S7 at the time, while now the Pixel 5 is significantly cheaper than the iPhone 12 and the Galaxy S20.

**The A-Series: Google's Entry into the Budget Segment**

Google's decision to launch the A-series last year has been a bold move. The A-series includes devices like the Pixel 4a and the Pixel 4a 5G, which are designed to be affordable and accessible to a wider audience. By pricing these devices at $349 and $499 respectively, Google has created a new entry point into the market that is both competitive and attractive.

**The Future of Google's Pixel Line**

So, where is the Pixel headed? It's unlikely that most people will want to drop $1000 on a smartphone in 2021. With Google's current lineup, it looks like the company is poised for success in 2021. While it would be great to see a truly groundbreaking smartphone from Google again, the mid-range strategy has proven to be a winning formula.

**Conclusion**

In conclusion, Google's shift from flagship to mid-range strategy has been a successful one. By focusing on the mid-range market, the company has found a sweet spot that offers great value for money and is competitive with other devices on the market. While it would be great to see a new flagship device from Google again, the mid-range strategy is likely to continue, and we can expect more of these affordable and attractive smartphones in the future.

**What Do You Think?**

We want to hear from you! What do you think about Google's strategic shift over the past couple of years? Do you prefer a flagship smartphone with all the bells and whistles, or are you happy with the value offered by mid-range devices like the Pixel 5? Let us know in the comments below.

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"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthe launch of google's pixel line was the company shift from niche and nexus devices which were mostly aimed towards enthusiasts to truly mainstream smartphones aimed towards the everyday smartphone users with worldwide marketing ads and promotions that seem to mostly align with what we'd expect from a mainstream manufacturer however looking at the pixel 1 and the pixel 5 it's clear that there's been a shift in google's strategy with the pixel series over the last four years and it's not hard to spot the results of this change in the smartphones that google has been releasing over the past year or so today i want to talk about that shift and break down why google's strategy changed so much from the pixel 1 to the pixel 5. some might argue that the original pixel was never about specs or features or hardware but you only really have to take a look at the initial launch ad to see that this is completely false sure google's pixel line has always been known for its standout software but the snapdragon 821 was the fastest chipset around four gigabytes of ram was perfectly acceptable back then and i wouldn't call its display battery or charging capabilities particularly middling especially that last one 18 watt fast charging was rapid back in the day unfortunately google has kept the same charging speed in 2020 and so it's rather far behind even some of the mid-ranges that can support up to 65 watt charging but that is where the pixel line has been heading way less about specs and way more about the software experience the pixel 4 was the last pixel to be aimed towards the premium market with a launch price of 749 us dollars the pixel 5 on the other hand is 699 us dollars and comes with a mid-range chipset and really overall mid-range hardware it's only the really great display that stands out as premium hardware actually the rest is completely software which is where google has been leaning into in 2020 the camera is the perfect example of google's almost seemingly disinterest in camera hardware the pixel 5 uses the same sony imax 363 main camera sensor as the pixel 3 a device that launched two years ago and is only a slight upgrade from the imx 362 sensor that was found in the pixel 2. this is such a stark contrast to the huge sensors that sony huawei and samsung have been creating recently with more megapixels but more importantly larger photo sights which allows for more light data and therefore improved dynamic range sharpness and low light performance the original pixel's 12 megapixel sensor was about what you'd kind of expect from samsung and apple and everyone else at about the time the pixels released however it was the software that really pushed it far ahead however now that the others have had a few years to catch up to implement huge and high resolution sensors google really does seem to be barely holding onto its top camera spot and maybe it needs to lean a little less heavily on its software processing for the next gen pixel to gain its huge lead once again the pixel 5 launched for 50 less than the pixel one well that doesn't seem like a really big differential on paper what you need to look at though is the rest of the market to give it some context the pixel 1 sat quite comfortably alongside the iphone 7 and the galaxy s7 of the time whereas now the pixel 5 is significantly cheaper than the iphone 12 and the galaxy s20 the pixel 5 isn't a flagship and google is happy treating it like that what's more telling was the big g's decision to launch the a-line last year and follow it up with a couple of great mid-range devices in 2020 the pixel 4a is just 349 and the 4a5g just 499. the latter of which is very similar in specs to the pixel 5 and the cheapest 4a isn't far off that so there's not a huge amount distinguishing between the 4a the 485g and the 5. this narrow slot in the market is google's proper target google has very much put all of its eggs in the mid-range basket where before it was actually trying its luck with the flagship market whether the switch is a result of poor sales in the extremely competitive flagship market is up to debate but in the us google is banking on the lack of great budget devices compared to the rest of the world to really sell the bulk of its devices conclusion time then google started off the pixel line with an unapologetic flagship it claimed to be the best above the rest in many key areas and okay while not perfect was new and exciting it was a flagship in its hardware and its software as the years went on google's lack of success in the high end almost forced a shift and the company dipped its toes in the mid-range water with the pixel 3a the 3a was incredibly well received and google shifted its focus to the mid-range market where it saw success with the 3a which is roughly where you'll find the 4a the 4a5g and the pixel 5. where is the pixel headed well after a global pandemic it's unlikely that most will want to drop a thousand dollars on a smartphone and with google's current lineup it looks to see some success in 2021 of course it would be great to see the big g return to the flagship segment and release a truly groundbreaking smartphone but for now i think google's bet on the mid-range is one that will pay off in the long term what do you think about google's strategic shift over the past couple of years let us know in the comments below and let us know if you do want to see like another colossal amazing google flagship once again thanks for watching guys please do hit like and comment let us know what you think below also whilst you're down there subscribe to never miss a video like this one i've been ryan thomas with android authority and i'll catch you laterthe launch of google's pixel line was the company shift from niche and nexus devices which were mostly aimed towards enthusiasts to truly mainstream smartphones aimed towards the everyday smartphone users with worldwide marketing ads and promotions that seem to mostly align with what we'd expect from a mainstream manufacturer however looking at the pixel 1 and the pixel 5 it's clear that there's been a shift in google's strategy with the pixel series over the last four years and it's not hard to spot the results of this change in the smartphones that google has been releasing over the past year or so today i want to talk about that shift and break down why google's strategy changed so much from the pixel 1 to the pixel 5. some might argue that the original pixel was never about specs or features or hardware but you only really have to take a look at the initial launch ad to see that this is completely false sure google's pixel line has always been known for its standout software but the snapdragon 821 was the fastest chipset around four gigabytes of ram was perfectly acceptable back then and i wouldn't call its display battery or charging capabilities particularly middling especially that last one 18 watt fast charging was rapid back in the day unfortunately google has kept the same charging speed in 2020 and so it's rather far behind even some of the mid-ranges that can support up to 65 watt charging but that is where the pixel line has been heading way less about specs and way more about the software experience the pixel 4 was the last pixel to be aimed towards the premium market with a launch price of 749 us dollars the pixel 5 on the other hand is 699 us dollars and comes with a mid-range chipset and really overall mid-range hardware it's only the really great display that stands out as premium hardware actually the rest is completely software which is where google has been leaning into in 2020 the camera is the perfect example of google's almost seemingly disinterest in camera hardware the pixel 5 uses the same sony imax 363 main camera sensor as the pixel 3 a device that launched two years ago and is only a slight upgrade from the imx 362 sensor that was found in the pixel 2. this is such a stark contrast to the huge sensors that sony huawei and samsung have been creating recently with more megapixels but more importantly larger photo sights which allows for more light data and therefore improved dynamic range sharpness and low light performance the original pixel's 12 megapixel sensor was about what you'd kind of expect from samsung and apple and everyone else at about the time the pixels released however it was the software that really pushed it far ahead however now that the others have had a few years to catch up to implement huge and high resolution sensors google really does seem to be barely holding onto its top camera spot and maybe it needs to lean a little less heavily on its software processing for the next gen pixel to gain its huge lead once again the pixel 5 launched for 50 less than the pixel one well that doesn't seem like a really big differential on paper what you need to look at though is the rest of the market to give it some context the pixel 1 sat quite comfortably alongside the iphone 7 and the galaxy s7 of the time whereas now the pixel 5 is significantly cheaper than the iphone 12 and the galaxy s20 the pixel 5 isn't a flagship and google is happy treating it like that what's more telling was the big g's decision to launch the a-line last year and follow it up with a couple of great mid-range devices in 2020 the pixel 4a is just 349 and the 4a5g just 499. the latter of which is very similar in specs to the pixel 5 and the cheapest 4a isn't far off that so there's not a huge amount distinguishing between the 4a the 485g and the 5. this narrow slot in the market is google's proper target google has very much put all of its eggs in the mid-range basket where before it was actually trying its luck with the flagship market whether the switch is a result of poor sales in the extremely competitive flagship market is up to debate but in the us google is banking on the lack of great budget devices compared to the rest of the world to really sell the bulk of its devices conclusion time then google started off the pixel line with an unapologetic flagship it claimed to be the best above the rest in many key areas and okay while not perfect was new and exciting it was a flagship in its hardware and its software as the years went on google's lack of success in the high end almost forced a shift and the company dipped its toes in the mid-range water with the pixel 3a the 3a was incredibly well received and google shifted its focus to the mid-range market where it saw success with the 3a which is roughly where you'll find the 4a the 4a5g and the pixel 5. where is the pixel headed well after a global pandemic it's unlikely that most will want to drop a thousand dollars on a smartphone and with google's current lineup it looks to see some success in 2021 of course it would be great to see the big g return to the flagship segment and release a truly groundbreaking smartphone but for now i think google's bet on the mid-range is one that will pay off in the long term what do you think about google's strategic shift over the past couple of years let us know in the comments below and let us know if you do want to see like another colossal amazing google flagship once again thanks for watching guys please do hit like and comment let us know what you think below also whilst you're down there subscribe to never miss a video like this one i've been ryan thomas with android authority and i'll catch you later\n"