Last week EMUI 12 made its debut on my phone with some cosmetic improvements. The following are my thoughts on it as a 2 year user of huawei products. This should help users evaluate the attributes EMUI 12 offers to help them decide whether or not its worth to upgrade....
Control Center, Notification Area & Media Player
While my initial impressions of the control center were good they later turned poor with its function relative to the notification area from which it is split. Admittingly, it is a stunning feature visually no one can deny. But while both notification area and control center do not occupy the same space, many users are unimpressed and agape in frustration. To paraphrase a user regarding it, "its something we got to get used to."
At first I was disappointed by this split personality. But after a week playing with it, I'm still trying to get used to it. Although its somewhat convenient to swipe left to right at the top to switch between the two spheres, the smartest thing huawei should have done was extend this back and forth swiping to the bottom where its most frequently needed and far more accommodating. Had huawei added this functionality a lot of users would not be complaining about it especially since this is a tall phone with a big real estate display and one shouldn't have to suffer to reach all the way up with both hands. Just one swipe down for the control panel and another swipe across at the bottom to alternate between it and the notifications area on which your fingers rest naturally would have done the trick!
Regarding the controversial media player widget, the aim of its placement in the control panel is to add accessibility to MP3. Although admittingly it is wise to situate it there for easy access for media, the problem emerges when you must use huawei's own proprietary media player in order to play songs. Your favorite third party music players like Spotify and PlayerPro are not supported, sadly. Removal of the widget from view is not possible so it lingers in the corner like a dead satellite in orbit uselessly taking up unnecessary space.
Very disappointing that huawei failed to see this given their vested time in making the EMUI 12 project solid for its users. Perhaps this is a feature huawei may add in future updates.
Visuals
Noticeably, the screen is brighter under manual brightness setting which is a good plus. Images are evidently sharper than what they were under EMUI 11. However, auto brightness is still enabled by default at bootup which is another annoyance.
Concerning the font style huawei has imposed, unfortunately, there's no way to change that since it is etched in by corporate de facto decree. Yet another hindrance. Also, the feature to change the font size globally failed to impress since there was really no problem with the font size before.
Battery
On average, I charge my Mate 20 X every 5 - 7 days. After about a week's use of EMUI 12, I did notice slight battery improvement. It's not exactly earth shattering gain in juice but its nonetheless a slight enhancement since this is a phone whose battery life many have complained about for the past 4 years ever since it was first introduced to the public.
Sound
Sound quality is the same as in previous version iterations. It is much louder which is a tad ok despite the fact that it has always been loud. However, making a loud phone louder is barely considered an improvement.
'Double Tap to Wake' Feature
Huawei yet again omits the 'double tap to wake' feature about which folks have grumbled the phone lacks and needs. It would be enjoyable to possess it since the grand majority of the smartphones in the world have this feature already baked in from jump. Yet again, huawei continues to stick to their script of ignoring users' complaints and suggestions of improving this phone.
Other Issues
We all love notifications as a heads-up system that we can't do without. For comfort's sake, they must strike a delicate balance between short and informative without being overbearing. However, the frequent annoyance of 'network location' notifications that pokes at folks ad nauseum plagues their experience. Add to that, the sticky 'display over other apps' notification adds pain to injury especially when you cannot swipe these types of notifications away. Instead, you either grin and bear it or install from the playstore an app that removes them. The only issue with that is, the app will not be permitted to remove these notifications at boot up due to security restrictions introduced to Android versions 8 or 9 - the same security restrictions that by the way force these notifications in the first place. In such a case at boot up, you monotonously open up the app at each and every power cycle to zap them. This can prove to be a headache with automatic scheduled power management set on a daily basis but it's the only fix available given the system impediment.
Wishful thinking would have one fantasize about using powerful ADB commands to possibly cure the situation at the source. Unfortunately, not even it can help. The ideal way to resolve it without use of pesky 3rd party apps is by rooting the system. Regrettably again, huawei shamelessly decided to lock the bootloader of this 4-year old Mate 20 X with the advent of EMUI 10 preventing full benefits of rooting that otherwise extend the phone's hidden features, including bypassing the aforementioned annoying system-imposed security measure.
As for the multi-window dock that pops out from the side on EMUI 11, suggested apps never got pinned to the top as they unfortunately do now by default on EMUI 12. This adds unnecessary clutter to an already slim dock which might drive people to install 3rd party dock alternatives.
Personal Thoughts on Huawei
Unfortunately, in their eternal holy quest to emulate the iPhone o/s, huawei continues to repeat the crucial mistake of not adopting what huawei customers truly want to see on their huawei phones; instead, it prefers to prioritize its needs ahead of those of its loyal base. A real killjoy. Unlike samsung, they keep ignoring customers at the expense of their annoyances and stick them with whatever they think they want, even offering cheap incentives as compensation: the old stick and carrot trick. Huawei should keep it Android, not iPhone.
This is surely not the first time huawei shakes its finger at huawei customers after begging its software team to introduce long sought after features in future upgrades. It's actually a historical, ongoing internal problem the company is too stubborn to understand let alone address. Huawei, not Trump, was and is the reason behind the company's market share decline, fed up customers are switching to other competitive phones and struggles to keep up with major industry peers. To suggest that huawei is not a champion of the consumer is by far a gross understatement.
As one may have already observed, the word "annoyance" never ceases to spread its tentacles throughout this review. If you can deal with the drawbacks inherent in EMUI 12 then go for it, upgrade. If not, stay with EMUI 11 as it's still a "relatively" good version that makes people thankful they didn't upgrade.
Personally, I can tolerate EMUI 12's shortcomings to a certain point. Continued lack of much needed and missing features makes me doubt its keep and gives me reason to switch to either the Note 20 Ultra or S22 Ultra eventually. As always, blame huawei for it!
stick to EMUI11.
What exactly is a "sticky 'display over other apps' notification"?
zlaer said:
Last week EMUI 12 made its debut on my phone with some cosmetic improvements. The following are my thoughts on it as a 2 year user of huawei products. This should help users evaluate the attributes EMUI 12 offers to help them decide whether or not its worth to upgrade....
Control Center & Notifications Area
While my initial impressions of the control center were good they later turned poor with its function relative to the notification area from which it is split. Admittingly, it is a stunning feature visually no one can deny. But while both notification area and control center do not occupy the same space, many users are unimpressed and agape in frustration. To paraphrase a user regarding it, "its something we got to get used to."
At first I was disappointed by this split personality. But after a week playing with it, I'm still trying to get used to it. Although its somewhat convenient to swipe left to right at the top to switch between the two spheres, the smartest thing huawei should have done was extend this back and forth swiping to the bottom where its most needed and far more convenient. Had huawei added this functionality a lot of users would not be complaining about it especially since this is a tall phone with a big real estate display and one shouldn't have to suffer to reach all the way up with both hands. Just one swipe down for the control panel and another swipe across at the bottom to alternate between it and the notifications area on which your fingers rest naturally would have done the trick!
Very disappointing that huawei failed to see this given their vested time in making the EMUI 12 project solid for its users. Perhaps this is a feature huawei may add in future updates.
Visuals
Noticeably, the screen is brighter under manual brightness setting which is a good plus. Images are evidently sharper than what they were under EMUI 11. However, auto brightness is still enabled by default at bootup which is another annoyance.
Concerning the font style huawei has imposed, unfortunately, there's no way to change that. Sadly, it's etched in by corporate decree. Yet another annoyance. Also, the feature to change the font size globally didn't impress since there was really no problem with the font size before.
Battery
On average, I charge my Mate 20 X every 5 - 7 days. After about a week's use of EMUI 12, I did notice slight battery improvement. It's not exactly earth shattering gain in juice but its nonetheless a slight enhancement since this is a phone whose battery life many have complained about for the past 4 years ever since it was first introduced to the public.
Sound
Sound quality is the same as in previous version iterations. It is much louder which is a tad ok despite the fact that it has always been loud. However, making a loud phone louder is barely considered an improvement.
'Double Tap to Wake' Feature
Huawei yet again omits the 'double tap to wake' feature folks about which have grumbled the phone lacks and needs. It would be enjoyable to possess it since the grand majority of the smartphones in the world have this feature already baked in from jump. Yet again, huawei continues to stick to their script of ignoring users' complaints and suggestions of improving this phone.
Other Issues
We all love notifications as a heads up-system we can't do without. For comfort's sake, they must strike a delicate balance between short and informative without being overbearing. However, the frequent annoyance of 'network location' notifications that pokes at folks ad nauseum plagues their experience. Add to that, the sticky 'display over other apps' notification adds pain to injury especially when you cannot swipe these types of notifications away. Instead, you either grin and bear it or install from the playstore an app that removes them. The only issue with that is, the app will not be permitted to remove these notifications at boot up due to security restrictions introduced to Android versions 8 or 9 - the same security restrictions that by the way force these notifications in the first place. In such a case at boot up, you have to monotonously open up the app at each and every power cycle to zap them. This can prove to be a headache with automatic scheduled power management set on a daily basis but it's the only fix given the system impediment.
Wishful thinking would have one fantasize about using powerful ADB commands to possibly cure the situation at the source. Unfortunately, not even it can help. The ideal way to resolve it without use of pesky 3rd party apps is by rooting the system. Regrettably again, huawei shamelessly decided to lock the bootloader of this 4-year old Mate 20 X with the advent of EMUI 10 preventing full benefits of rooting that otherwise extend the phone's hidden features, including bypassing the aforementioned system-imposed security measure.
As for the multi-window dock that pops out from the side on EMUI 11, suggested apps never got pinned to the top by default as they unfortunately do now on EMUI 12. This adds unnecessary clutter to an already slim dock which might drive people to install 3rd party alternative docks.
Personal Thoughts on Huawei
Unfortunately, in their eternal holy quest to emulate the iphone o/s, huawei continues to repeat the crucial mistake of not adopting what huawei customers truly want to see on their huawei phones; instead, it prefers to prioritize its needs ahead of those of its loyal base. A real killjoy. Unlike samsung, they keep ignoring customers at the expense of their annoyances and stick them with whatever they think they want, even offering cheap incentives as compensation: the old stick and carrot trick.
This is surely not the first time huawei shakes its finger at huawei customers after begging its software team to introduce sought after features in future upgrades. It's actually a historical, ongoing internal problem the company is too stubborn to understand let alone address. Huawei, not Trump, was and is the reason behind the company's market share decline, fed up customers switching to other competitive phones and its struggles to keep up with major industry peers. To suggest that huawei is not a champion of the consumer is by far a gross understatement.
As one may have already observed, the word "annoyance" never ceases to spread its tentacles throughout this review. If you can deal with the drawbacks inherent in EMUI 12 then go for it, upgrade. If not, stay with EMUI 11 as it's still a "relatively" good version that makes people thankful they didn't upgrade.
Personally, I can tolerate EMUI 12's shortcomings to a certain point. Continued lack of much needed and missing features makes me doubt its keep and gives me reason to switch to either the Note 20 Ultra or S22 Ultra eventually. As always, blame huawei for it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been searching for reviews on EMUI 12 and I'm so happy I found this one. I'm using a Mate 20 Pro. I think EMUI 12's Control Panel is rubbish. I can't stand the fact that there is a music player "widget" there that doesn't even link to my default player, and when my bluetooth is on, the icon is too big so the "h" at the end of the word "Bluetooth" goes onto the next line which (as a designer) I think looks horrific. Then, to touch on the split betwen the notifications and the ctrl panel... As someone with small hands, this is impossible to navigate with one hand. I really hope that Huawei listens to the rants I have been posting all over and reverts some of these annoyances back to their perfectly functional predecessors... So other than these complaints, the UI is fine... It looks pretty but it needs inprovement.
ming64 said:
stick to EMUI11.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds good!
RemoWilliams said:
What exactly is a "sticky 'display over other apps' notification"?
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Click to collapse
'Display over other apps' notification is one that "warns" you of a 3rd party app that displays its elements as an overlay over other apps.
Miss Gray said:
I have been searching for reviews on EMUI 12 and I'm so happy I found this one. I'm using a Mate 20 Pro. I think EMUI 12's Control Panel is rubbish. I can't stand the fact that there is a music player "widget" there that doesn't even link to my default player, and when my bluetooth is on, the icon is too big so the "h" at the end of the word "Bluetooth" goes onto the next line which (as a designer) I think looks horrific. Then, to touch on the split betwen the notifications and the ctrl panel... As someone with small hands, this is impossible to navigate with one hand. I really hope that Huawei listens to the rants I have been posting all over and reverts some of these annoyances back to their perfectly functional predecessors... So other than these complaints, the UI is fine... It looks pretty but it needs improvement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate your praise of my review. Aiming to please and educate folks out here.
Honestly, the control panel isn't entirely a horrible idea had huawei made it an effort to invest the proper time and research needed to make it function seamlessly with other apps and ergonomically finger-wise. Regrettably, its become a novelty to some, a little shop of horror for others - at this point it is more the latter.
Dolefully, huawei is not known for analyzing minute nuances of detail - which in many cases outstrips major ones - needed to make a great product function the way it should to the satisfaction of users. It doesnt understand how to get the drop on tech in step with other phone companies. They dont know how to ride the wave. Personally, I wish the company dissolves into utter extinction never to resurface its ugly head again as a text book example for teaching companies how not to run a company!
Installed the damn thing cos it kept bugging me to do so. And boy, yes, did they mess up the swipe down panel. Control panel looks like **** (at least give us an option to remove that music player crap!). And I'm right handed, so everytime I want to swipe down to see the notifications, I need to move my hand to the left of the screen. Utter crap. The swipe down panel was perfectly fine as it was, no need to mess it up like this. Other things I don't like: desktop icons are bigger. Would like to set it back to their previous size, but I haven't been able to find out how to do it, or if it's even possible. Furthermore, I fail so see the added value of the new "enlarge folder" thing. I didn't have any problems with the way it was before. All in all, totally unnecessary update for me. Only good thing is that it bumped the security patch from June 2021 to Feb 2022.
Just noticed: when setting an alarm, hour no longer changing when you're setting the minutes and crossing the 60 minute mark. Good to keep in mind, to avoid unpleasant surprises. They should have put effort instead to allow for setting default ringtone for new alarms, and also for the option to have vibration off by default.
RemoWilliams said:
Just noticed: when setting an alarm, hour no longer changing when you're setting the minutes and crossing the 60 minute mark. Good to keep in mind, to avoid unpleasant surprises. They should have put effort instead to allow for setting default ringtone for new alarms, and also for the option to have vibration off by default.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, thats a handy upgrade in EMUI 12. Under EMUI 11, I made mistakes setting the time which caused embarrassment with missed scheduled meetings because changing the minutes "beyond 60" also changed the hour without my awareness.
RemoWilliams said:
Installed the damn thing cos it kept bugging me to do so. And boy, yes, did they mess up the swipe down panel. Control panel looks like **** (at least give us an option to remove that music player crap!). And I'm right handed, so everytime I want to swipe down to see the notifications, I need to move my hand to the left of the screen. Utter crap. The swipe down panel was perfectly fine as it was, no need to mess it up like this. Other things I don't like: desktop icons are bigger. Would like to set it back to their previous size, but I haven't been able to find out how to do it, or if it's even possible. Furthermore, I fail so see the added value of the new "enlarge folder" thing. I didn't have any problems with the way it was before. All in all, totally unnecessary update for me. Only good thing is that it bumped the security patch from June 2021 to Feb 2022.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The EMUI 12 upgrade is an iphone clone with minute internal tweaks.
Concerning your complaint about the control center, currently I'm testing all the system's APKs using ADB and have so far isolated about 60 of them for the purpose of upping battery juice. If I do come across an APK that's responsible for the control center I will alert you so you can remove that package. But honestly, I dont think it helps to remove it since the control center is a mutually exclusive feature from the notif area which cannot function either on its own or if it can it would lack the necessary panel upon which all the widgets of the present control panel are shown (i.e., wifi, bt, data, etc). Stay tuned.. will let you know.
zlaer said:
Actually, thats a handy upgrade in EMUI 12. Under EMUI 11, I made mistakes setting the time which caused embarrassment with missed scheduled meetings because changing the minutes "beyond 60" also changed the hour without my awareness.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, true, that's handy. But not if you've been used to the old behavior for years
zlaer said:
The EMUI 12 upgrade is an iphone clone with minute internal tweaks.
Concerning your complaint about the control center, currently I'm testing all the system's APKs using ADB and have so far isolated about 60 of them for the purpose of upping battery juice. If I do come across an APK that's responsible for the control center I will alert you so you can remove that package. But honestly, I dont think it helps to remove it since the control center is a mutually exclusive feature from the notif area which cannot function either on its own or if it can it would lack the necessary panel upon which all the widgets of the present control panel are shown (i.e., wifi, bt, data, etc). Stay tuned.. will let you know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Being able to swap notification panel and control panel would suffice for me. I need the notification panel on the right hand side!
RemoWilliams said:
Installed the damn thing cos it kept bugging me to do so. And boy, yes, did they mess up the swipe down panel. Control panel looks like **** (at least give us an option to remove that music player crap!). And I'm right handed, so everytime I want to swipe down to see the notifications, I need to move my hand to the left of the screen. Utter crap. The swipe down panel was perfectly fine as it was, no need to mess it up like this. Other things I don't like: desktop icons are bigger. Would like to set it back to their previous size, but I haven't been able to find out how to do it, or if it's even possible. Furthermore, I fail so see the added value of the new "enlarge folder" thing. I didn't have any problems with the way it was before. All in all, totally unnecessary update for me. Only good thing is that it bumped the security patch from June 2021 to Feb 2022.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, icon size can be adjusted: Settings > Home Screen & Wallpaper > Home Screen settings > Icon size.
RemoWilliams said:
Ah, icon size can be adjusted: Settings > Home Screen & Wallpaper > Home Screen settings > Icon size.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very good. Thinking about selling my 20 X and buying a note 20 ultra. It's about time
Sounds like an unmitigated disaster
MSK1 said:
Sounds like an unmitigated disaster
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Click to collapse
If you're referring to EMUI 12, I kind of agree.
zlaer said:
If you're referring to EMUI 12, I kind of agree.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep.
It's a shame... Was looking forward to that update
MSK1 said:
Yep.
It's a shame... Was looking forward to that update
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We all were.. Youre not the only one.
MSK1 said:
Sounds like an unmitigated disaster
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Disaster" is a bit harsh IMO. After having used EMUI 12 for 10+ days now, for me, it has one positive aspect (updated security patch), and one negative aspect (split notification/control panel, with the notification panel being on the left side instead of the right). All other changes either don't bother me, or I don't really notice in my daily use.
Related
I've has my Galaxy Nexus for a couple of days now, on the Three network in the UK.
I hate how most people in reviews rave about phones when they have just forked out for them, and fail to mention any real negatives - presumably because they refuse to accept that something they've spent £500 on might be less than perfect. When you buy one and it's missing features or isn't quite what you expected, it's very annoying.
Here are my thoughts so far. I consider myself a power-user, and have tested almost everything. Overall, people are right. This is the best phone I've touched. I think once devs start optimising their apps to work properly on ICS it'll be even better. Fingers crossed that Cyanogen will address lots of the annoyances below.
I hope this is useful for someone
The Good:
Feels much more complete and unified.
It's lightening fast.
Most of the best bits of Android have transferred.
Screen looks great.
Face unlock works much better than I thought. Even in low light.
I've only had one crash despite installing a tonne of apps and testing every feature. [EDIT: a few FCs today. Mainly from the pre-installed Google Earth).
Radio seems to work fine on Three UK, unlike the SGS II which has data issues due to fast dormancy. Data speeds are great.
Browser generally much better.
Text input much better, but editing is a little confusing and seems to vary depending on app. [EDIT: This is actually phenomenal. I've always had a hardware keyboard or Swype before so no practice on these keyboards. After only 48 hours, I can literally type without looking. It is very good at correcting mistakes.]
Screen size is great for me, as I use my phones as mini-tablets. Doesn't feel bulky in my pocket at all.
BLUETOOTH STEREO FINALLY DOESN'T DISTORT - I can hear hi-hats again instead of just distortion. There is a bit of constant crackling though.
Screen remains responsive when charging. I have had an issue where it wasn't registering touch properly when charging on my Milestone, Desire and SGSII so this is really nice.
The Bad:
EVEN THOUGH I'M SUPPOSEDLY IN AN UNAFFECTED BAND, IF MY PHONE DROPS TO 2G, AND SOMEONE WALKS NEAR ME MAKING A PHONECALL IT PUTS MY PHONE ON SILENT.
The 'menu' button is unpredictable. For example, in most apps it appears at the bottom with the softkeys. In Market it's up at the top, near the search button. In some apps, it has gone. Seems to vary and is confusing.
You're stuck with the Google search box on you home screen. I hate this.
Now the button has gone, if an app doesn't have a search icon, you've lost the ability to search.
Also means no long press search, so you have to go back to the home screen for voice commands. This also means that regardless of what launcher you use, if you want voice search, you NEED to have the Google search widget on your home screen.
No USB Mass Storage – they've opted for media device profile instead. My Xbox recognises it but can't play any content. It doesn't work with my car stereo. It doesn't work with my TV. My laptop will see it, but I can't see certain hidden folders. This has just removed a huge aspect of flexibility from Android. It's no longer universal, and more like an iPhone now in that respect.
Icons are as ugly in real life as everyone expected.
Blue theme clashes with everything except blue. Blue icons on blue background feels very bland.
There is a huge problem with speech to text, whereby it is very slow, and seems to just write a list of names out of my contacts directory rather than writing what I say! Video here: http://youtu.be/qHVptz2EtMk
No longer accepts certain file formats over Bluetooth.
Camera seems buggy when reviewing photos. It works confusingly.
Gallery is not very intuitive at all.
Browser doesn't display Javascript animations properly.
Dropped a few calls.
Wifi range isn't as good as my other Androids
Front facing camera doesn't aim inwards towards your face. It points straight forward at 90 degrees, but it's positioned on the right of the device, so your face isn't central unless you hold the phone at a bit of an angle facing away from you. [EDIT - this is getting very annoying now. You have to have the phone screen pointing almost away from you to video call]
Bluetooth calls don't seem to work. Caller can't hear what I'm saying. [EDIT - I'm told it works on newer kits. Mine is a Jabra stereo receiver]
Bluetooth music has a constant crackling behind it, but it's barely noticeable in loud music.
All albumart appears in the phone gallery.
Google Talk seems to sign out after a while. It's showing all of my contacts as away even though I know they're online. Signing out and in again fixes this temporarily, but I'm guessing I would miss video calls whilst offline.
Phone has gone to permanent sleep about 3 times in 2 and a half days now. Requires a battery pull to get it back on.
Apps - If you can't live without these, I'd recommend waiting to buy until they're fixed
No menu button is shown on Facebook, so there's no way to set it up to sync contacts or notifications. This means no contact photos for now.
Twitter on the other hand syncs all my contacts, despite me telling it not to.
Doesn't support Swype as yet.
Doesn't support MX Video Player.
iPlayer not available in the Market.
Grooveshark app doesn't work due to lack of flash player. You can use Dood's music streamer for a functional but unattractive alternative.
Thanks for the review and honesty. It would be nice if you kept this updated as either your opinion changes or things are fixed from either Google or app developers.
Is web browser as smooth (scrolling, pinch to zoom) as one on the galaxy s2?
I really beginning to wonder if Verizon is going to put these out there in two weeks without some fixes/improvements in place. I mean, if December 8 is real, these phones have got be in sealed boxes already. People will be returning them faster than they sell them.
hrcro said:
Is web browser as smooth (scrolling, pinch to zoom) as one on the galaxy s2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It feels a lot smoother than my Galaxy S II did.
I'm about to test the bluetooth quality, as crackling audio was my biggest pet hate from previous Android versions.
Can you resize the search widget? If we are stuck with it maybe something smaller will help minimize that particular drawback.
have you got an otg usb cable? can you hook up a thumb drive?
Sent from my Google Nexus S using Tapatalk
suomaf said:
have you got an otg usb cable? can you hook up a thumb drive?
Sent from my Google Nexus S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, please test it. whole forum with owners GN but nobody had test this opportunity yet
I hope yopu don't mind but I am going to hijack this thread and also post a quick review from a similar nerd is maybe over critical. Saves starting a new thread.
The Good
ICS is very polished, much more so than any other version of android, it tries to stay consistent through the whole phone where as in previous versions it was one of my main annoyances.
The device looks fantastic.
The speed is very good, I wouldn't say it is any faster than a SGS2 with a custom rom IMO but it is a lot smother in animation etc. so it feels a lot faster.
The screen is very nice, playing videos when the screen is set up to an acceptable brightness are amazing with colours a lot more natural than the SGS2 or the yellow tint of the iphone 4.
Radio is very good also, getting full signal in my house where as before i would only receive 2-3 bars.
Text input is a lot better although i have found it is unable to keep up with my typing, although it is putting the letters down it almost seems like there is a little delay in the animation of them magnifying.
Notification light is back and I am glad, as I missed that feature on my SGS2.
Has everything, NFC, noise cancelling mic, 720p display and ICS. Its pretty much future proof (in terms of the next few years)
Zero shutter lag is a very good feature
Bad Points
The screen although very nice on full or half brightness is not very good on auto brightness. It is so much lower compared to all my other smart phones it is almost unusable I find so I have had to manually set the brightness.
Auto rotate as I have mentioned in another thread is very inconsistent, very fast in some apps nearly non existent in others.
Sound quality is quiet, not poor quality but very quiet. My SGS2 and iPhone 4 over power it when playing videos.
The browser is fast but it is not as fast as my SGS2 running Check Rom Revolution HD. It is deffo faster than the iPhone 4.
The camera is not great, its not bad but the quality feels like it is from a year old device. Quite grainy, not as good as the SGS2 or the iphone 4s unfortunately.
And lastly a few quirks which I am sure will be sorted out with an over the air update, occasional stutter when opening app draw, gallery doesn't seem terribly smooth when going through photos and the auto rotate is just annoying me.
Other than the above I don't want people to read this and think it is doom and gloom because it isn't. This is a very very good device, I am glad I purchased it because it is still the best phone on the market in my opinion.
Every phone has its niggles but that is why this forum is so great, I am looking forward to the community baked roms which always make a device go from very good to just awesome.
To answer some question, you can't resize the search bar. Its not really a widget its sort of like the controls at the bottom, permanently there.
when typing does it type well, what I mean is it off when typing and you keep getting bad letters up, I had that problem with the SGS2 someone mentioned it was a screen problem that it kept jumping
thanks
bmstrong said:
Can you resize the search widget? If we are stuck with it maybe something smaller will help minimize that particular drawback.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, can't resize it. It's there permanently. You'd have to install another launcher.
Added a few more to the list, mainly to do with Bluetooth.
Is FM radio working with Spirit FM Radio app?
justabrake said:
when typing does it type well, what I mean is it off when typing and you keep getting bad letters up, I had that problem with the SGS2 someone mentioned it was a screen problem that it kept jumping
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it types really well, I don't think I have mistyped once on there and I type real fast.
Good lord. That's a lot of negatives. Thanks for the honest review for undecided minds like me. Just two questions. If you use a 3rd party launcher (for example adw) will the google search bar still be present? Secondly, how does the GPS perform in terms of fix time and accuracy? Does barometer really help GPS fix time? Thanks
luffyp said:
Secondly, how does the GPS perform in terms of fix time and accuracy? Does barometer really help GPS fix time? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GPS fix for me is very fast, easily within a second or so. Much faster than my Desire was, that's for sure.
A lot of those negatives either will be resolved soon by Google or they won't be a problem for the majority of people
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
OP > when typing does it type well, what I mean is it off when typing and you keep getting bad letters up, I had that problem with the SGS2 someone mentioned it was a screen problem that it kept jumping
thanks
mike freegan said:
You're stuck with the Google search box on you home screen. I hate this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugh.
This is going to be problematic with my live clock wallpaper that is displayed at the top of the screen. Anyone else use WP Clock?
Here's an example of the live wallpaper I'm talking about:
luffyp said:
Good lord. That's a lot of negatives. Thanks for the honest review for undecided minds like me. Just two questions. If you use a 3rd party launcher (for example adw) will the google search bar still be present? Secondly, how does the GPS perform in terms of fix time and accuracy? Does barometer really help GPS fix time? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you have to bare in mind that ICS is a big over haul, so if we were to list all the positives it would be a pretty big list. I am just venting my negatives of the device, but when you compare them to how good the device is they really are small and I would rather have this handset than any other. I forked out for both my SGS2 and the Galaxy Nexus sim free and i am not dissapointed with either. If you are undecided on whether to upgrade you have to look at the fact that this phone does have everything, is a developer phone and has ICS written specifically for it. I would say go for it.
If you use a 3rd party launcher the Google search will not be present, my GPS has been excellent, I have used it for a few car journeys and it is just as good as my SGS2 which was superb.
jms.flynn said:
Well you have to bare in mind that ICS is a big over haul, so if we were to list all the positives it would be a pretty big list. I am just venting my negatives of the device, but when you compare them to how good the device is they really are small and I would rather have this handset than any other. I forked out for both my SGS2 and the Galaxy Nexus sim free and i am not dissapointed with either. If you are undecided on whether to upgrade you have to look at the fact that this phone does have everything, is a developer phone and has ICS written specifically for it. I would say go for it.
If you use a 3rd party launcher the Google search will not be present, my GPS has been excellent, I have used it for a few car journeys and it is just as good as my SGS2 which was superb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep I know, ICS seems to be the biggest change among the previous Android versions. Together with Google & developers' support, it's why I want to jump ship to the Nexus line. At the moment I'm leaning towards it, just wanna read more reviews. Although the volume adjusting problem that many people are having is a bit of a concern. Hopefully it will be fixed by a software update.
Ghost volume button issue on most devices
No micro sd card support
Confusing user interface
No Facebook contacts sync
No native social network widget
Can't add more home screens
Fuzzy speaker
Lock screen vibration can't be switched off
No digital clock only analog widget
Quadrant benchmark only 1500 score
Lag in many areas
No Facebook events calendar sync
Only 5m camera
THE VOLUME BUG HAS REALLY PUT ME OFF AND SAMSUNG ARE STILL TO ACKNOWLEDGE
Ghost volume button issue on most devices - Valid Concern
No micro sd card support - Shouldn't be a surprise
Confusing user interface - Seriously?
No Facebook contacts sync - Facebook's fault, not Google's
No native social network widget - Again, look at the social networks for blame
Can't add more home screens - Never been more than 5 in stock android
Fuzzy speaker - valid concern
Lock screen vibration can't be switched off - Don't have one, so can't comment
No digital clock only analog widget - Never been one in stock android
Quadrant benchmark only 1500 score - Don't have one, so can't comment
Lag in many areas - Don't have one, so can't comment
No Facebook events calendar sync - Never been in stock android OR from facebook's app
Only 5m camera - Shouldn't be a surprise
Most of this is your own fault for not knowing in advance, or isn't a valid point.
"Massive"??...thats a strong term to use. Most of your points are either things we already knew or there are other ways to circumvent, so therfore a non-issue. I think you just wanted to make a thread just to be making a thread.
+1 to the other comments.... it is in the best interest to your homework before you purchase, not the day after
The ghost volume and fuzzy speaker are the only real concerns......... and Really. . . . . How many here are going to keep this stock ??? hmmmm???
My guess the sound and volume will be eliminated when either Voodoo is adapted to this phone or some other equal
And, as far as all those other issues custom roms solve all of them
As for me, I always try to get something that has great hardware the software doesn't matter, we here in XDA will customize, make, kang or just create what we need.
Seems to me that this threads are becoming typical every time a new device hits the market more so in this case with all the hype of the Nexus. Buyers remorse, lack of due diligence? Or something else…
Other than the low volume problem, this post only proves how ignorant you are.
Previous post sums it up.
UI is fine - blame the user not the tech!
I don't have the volume issue but that would be the only concern I would point the finger at.
Making a deal about vibrate on a lock screen - what next??
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
knut150 said:
Seems to me that this threads are becoming typical every time a new device hits the market more so in this case with all the hype of the Nexus. Buyers remorse, lack of due diligence? Or something else…
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Saying that there has been a "lack of due diligence" implies that people have just gone out and bought the phone with no knowledge of it whatsoever. This isn't true. I read every single hands on, preview, and article I could find on the Nexus before I bought it, and not a single one mentioned any of the problems or small annoyances we have been having. So, tell me - how has showing "due diligence" made any difference to me?
Buyers remorse? Sure, that could factor into it - but only because of the problems.
These threads are becoming more typical because the devices are getting more expensive, and we are becoming to rely on them more for our day to day life. If problems are happening, they become more of an issue to us
viniturb0 said:
Lock screen vibration can't be switched off
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This can be turned off in Settings -> Security -> Vibrate on Touch
Shodney said:
This can be turned off in Settings -> Security -> Vibrate on Touch
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure that setting is in Security - think its in display - and deselecting it in display has no effect on lockscreen
Then again - maybe I'm remembering incorrectly.
kindiboy said:
Other than the low volume problem, this post only proves how ignorant you are.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This post only proves that for some people being polite is only an optional feature.
And also that is a lot easier to insult someone behind a monitor rather than face to face in real life.
Oh and Quadrant is one of the worst benchmarks available. Try some others like linpack / antutu / cf-bench. Eventho those are probably not optimized for ICS, they at least use multithreading etc.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using xda premium
I actually agree on the interface/UI. Menu key appears on some apps at the bottom some at the top some dont have it at all. Also there's no menu key on the main android screen which Paul O'Brien has modded to show that its there in the code to be used. Not sure what Google were thinking there? Same old Google for me, rushing out updates. ICS needs some polishing in my opinion. Battery life sucks still on the OS too which I would have thought they would have addressed this time around. That volume bug is a pain too, BIG ONE!
This is my opinion mind, hope Google sort these things out.
recklesslife85 said:
I actually agree on the interface/UI. Menu key appears on some apps at the bottom some at the top some dont have it at all. Also there's no menu key on the main android screen which Paul O'Brien has modded to show that its there in the code to be used. Not sure what Google were thinking there? Same old Google for me, rushing out updates. ICS needs some polishing in my opinion. Battery life sucks still on the OS too which I would have thought they would have addressed this time around. That volume bug is a pain too, BIG ONE!
This is my opinion mind, hope Google sort these things out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're talking about what i think you're talking about then that is actually intended to be like that.
Apps that use the keyboard (Such as messaging, gmail, maps, etc.) all have an action bar where, amongst other things, the menu is that the bottom. When you start using the keyboard, the action bar is removed, and the menu button is then moved to the upper right side of the corner.
Of course, any other app developer can put this wherever they like, and for the apps not currently compatible with this type of menu they have the "compatibility" menu in the software buttons.
As for, what i assume you mean the launcher, it's possible that there is still code for it in ICS to be compatible with older phones that may be upgrading to ICS but will have the 4 capacitive buttons instead, including the menu button.
lamecake said:
Oh and Quadrant is one of the worst benchmarks available. Try some others like linpack / antutu / cf-bench. Eventho those are probably not optimized for ICS, they at least use multithreading etc.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean my 4500 score in Quadrant using my tweaked kernel is meaningless???!?!? I don't think I can live any more...
viniturb0 said:
Ghost volume button issue on most devices
No micro sd card support
Confusing user interface
No Facebook contacts sync
No native social network widget
Can't add more home screens
Fuzzy speaker
Lock screen vibration can't be switched off
No digital clock only analog widget
Quadrant benchmark only 1500 score
Lag in many areas
No Facebook events calendar sync
Only 5m camera
THE VOLUME BUG HAS REALLY PUT ME OFF AND SAMSUNG ARE STILL TO ACKNOWLEDGE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if that is your case, i don't see a point you complaining, might as well go get another make handset.
fdm1 said:
Can't add more home screens - Never been more than 5 in stock android
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking at my Motorola Milestone, which I believe is stock Android, with an option for seven and nine homescreens. But I don't use more than five anyway.
GiveMe2Beers said:
This post only proves that for some people being polite is only an optional feature.
And also that is a lot easier to insult someone behind a monitor rather than face to face in real life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Am stating a fact, ignorance is not an insult. dumbass is.
WhiterThanWhite said:
I'm looking at my Motorola Milestone, which I believe is stock Android, with an option for seven and nine homescreens. But I don't use more than five anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if that's the case, it isn't stock.
WhiterThanWhite said:
I'm looking at my Motorola Milestone, which I believe is stock Android, with an option for seven and nine homescreens. But I don't use more than five anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, the Milestone is not fully stock Android but it's close. The launcher is slightly different as you've seen.
Obvious troll is obvious. Let the thread die, the OP doesn't care about your replies anyways - hence the lack of any sort of reply.
One common line nearly every reviewer had to say was about the possibility of the headphone jack pin getting lost. And im like so what, at least it comes with a pin and better than not having anything.
warea said:
One common line nearly every reviewer had to say was about the possibility of the headphone jack pin getting lost. And im like so what, at least it comes with a pin and better than not having anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it is very good idea..
Now I've got my BlueTooth headphones, I can leave this in.
I can't see why people complained. You don't see iPhone users walking around with their SIM removal tool in their hand do you? No. They leave it at home in the box. When using wired headphones I did just that.
I bought my P6 when they were first released, paying full price (SIM Free), while I'm 'miffed' that the price has dropped, I still think it was an excellent 'phone and at the new lower price it is a steal. Had Huawei managed to keep the price high but spend some money advertising the 'phone they could have sold extremely well. Personally I think the EmotionUI interface is a good one. Less menus and buttons to press, a combination of the best of IOS and Android. If they could add some functionality to the lock screen it could be even better.
Do you guys think we coudl also put a pin push botton in it for making easier photo's with the camera ?
...
I also remember complaining about the theme from what i saw online. But after buying the device and just changing into the other themes that comes with it and nice wallpaper of my selection, it was enough to see that the theme was great Its just that Huawei used a dull, boring, cheap looking theme as default. With a good theme, the awesomeness of the screen also become more apparent.
Whats more, i just added a dozen or more new themes from the emotion UI website, and it looks even more awesome. A totally new feel on every theme and seems like id take years before i even finish using them all enough.
No need for any third party launchers for me at least, just like they advertised it in their teasers :good:
Good job Huawei :good:
For those who want an app drawer, they can just add a folder onto the bottom fixed row where the app drawer traditional stays. The bottom row has room for 5 although by default there is only 4 apps. So a 5th folder can be squeezed in between and becomes your app drawer.
Me personally though haven't found any need for an app drawer yet. And with the creative idea of folders, I actually like that i have a choice.
I don't like the no-app-drawer launcher, it feels like a shanzhai (Chinese word, means cheap copy) of iOS, and I hate putting everything on desk
I use apex and ss launcher, it's a pity then I can't use the themes, some themes are really beautiful
anyway, as a Chinese, I'm glad you like this Chinese phone
stanley_opt said:
I don't like the no-app-drawer launcher, it feels like a shanzhai (Chinese word, means cheap copy) of iOS, and I hate putting everything on desk
I use apex and ss launcher, it's a pity then I can't use the themes, some themes are really beautiful
anyway, as a Chinese, I'm glad you like this Chinese phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I felt it as iOS copy initially and went about complaining. But after buying the device and making my own customization of theme or using alternate themes dont feel that way at all anymore.
My personal take on app drawer is that its just a matter of transition effect. The real usage I agree though is to differentiate frequent used apps from the others. But with the option of folders then that can be solved more efficiently. Either make an app drawer folder and dump all into it or make a couple of folders on homescreen for your frequent used apps and arrange them according to app type. So basically eliminates the need for app drawer, allows users more choice, reduces the doubling of app shortcuts.
I have used the samsung touchwiz as well as Sony UI including its new one on my bros Xperia Ultra. I havent liked them and found them too empty and limited in customization that got me bored of it quite quick. On my samsung device i visit the app drawer like once in a month and have all frequent used apps like a mess on my homescreen thumbnails. The EMUI feels more organized and neater to me. And on the sony, i see that they have a new side tab that opens up on the app drawer section through which apps can be arranged according to frequent use and alphabetical order and some other minor options. To me that is just another waste of space and needless tool because the app drawer by nature would distinguish frequent used apps from that apps kept on homescreen. So no need another round of it.
But maybe many users planned to use launchers anyway and hence they want the p6 to be stock as much as possible ? Or maybe users used an iphone and feel this is all too common and find the app drawer more new and different ? Either way i personally don't want EMUI taking step backwards and feeling like all other phones and would prefer them finding new creative better ways to get around needs. For example, the ability to create folders within folders, for someone who need more specific ordering of apps or if they want to make the folder feel like an app drawer. The ability to arrange apps on homescreen according to recent used, most used, alphabetical order, etc. Or some scrollable bottom tray so that more apps can be fit into it. And things like that. But all of this has to be considered with regards to ease and not eating too much RAM. So if you have some new smart ways of making what you need possible and better then you can send that as feedback (see topic here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2440424) for their upcoming EMUI 2.0.
Good to have you on the forum. How well is the P6 doing in China ?
Okay i found something negative about the phone that music listeners might want to watch out. Since the headphone jack is on the sides, those headphones which got a straight jack (like the S4 headphones i use) just totally sticks out and looks weird. lol. While the Huawei headphones got a L jack that totally fits fine in terms of jack placement, but the headphones itself don't fit my ears. Stays loose and sounds weak. So you would have to buy a new headphone with L shaped jack. :good: But i might just go for a Bluetooth headset :good:
Device is sleek and good looking but WiFi and Phone signal loss (I think it's the device driver crashing) it's more than annoying... :|
matticala said:
Device is sleek and good looking but WiFi and Phone signal loss (I think it's the device driver crashing) it's more than annoying... :|
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
untick avoid poor wifi signal..
GalaxySIIII said:
untick avoid poor wifi signal..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is already unticked... Anyway cellar line crashes also (red cross)
I'm on B111 and many reported this
Inviato dal mio HUAWEI P6-U06 con Tapatalk 4
matticala said:
It is already unticked... Anyway cellar line crashes also (red cross)
I'm on B111 and many reported this
Inviato dal mio HUAWEI P6-U06 con Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
am on same testing .. B116SP01 seems to be better
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to keep your screen to stay on, while reading for example, without changing your display settings? Or while showing someone else something on your phone without having to tap your screen every 15 to 30 second (depending on your settings) just to "keep it alive".
This thread is nothing more than a discussion of an idea of mine. Feel free to add your honest opinion and maybe even ideas of realization as I'm not well educated in the art of app development and maybe someone who likes this idea could put it into practise .
Let's begin:
The fingerprint reader is one of the most innovative features in the history of mobile devices. On most devices it work with nearly no delay and with Google's newest feature one can even swap down the notifications and the quick tiles.
How hard is it to implement the scanner into an app and assign different actions like "register as tap" or if it registers a double tap "switch to last app" ? (Not criticizing, it's really a question )
Those features would make my life much easier and would open up new possibilities.
I would like to see if it's possible to scroll pages with it too. I believe there is lots of room to grow with this.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Or be able to go mimic the back button by swiped left to right or right to left.
I always thought it would be nice if you could use the fingerprint reader to answer a incoming phone call. Hopefully with this new actions we have in reader some of these things will be possible.
I think it would be nice to be able to scroll through your notifications and to be able to open the app that you select with the sensor. The stay on feature would be amazing as well.
If I could pull out the edge tray hamburger from a side swipe I'd be happy.
Sent from my Pixel XL using XDA-Developers mobile app
Most of the features don't sound too hard to realize, some of them may even appear in some future devices by Samsung or Huawei, but if Google could add native Android support, even lower priced models could feature some of those.... Hopefully this thread will be seen :angel:
I was also thinking it would be cool to have those features. I find myself tapping the fingerprint reader when reading and the page starts to go dark. Of course it doesn't do anything but wish it did. Don't know how the scrolling would work but that would be awesome too.
I'm surprised you can't even take a selfie with it. I thought this was an accepted use of the reader.
I would like to see the fingerprint lock the screen as well.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
http://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-fingerprint-scanner-gestures-725490/
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
I find it odd that although you can pull down the notification shade with the fingerprint scanner it will not brighten the screen like touching it will.
Give it a go, wait for the screen to dim just before it turns off and use the fingerprint reader to pull the shade down, it stays dim...
Rahhfue said:
Most of the features don't sound too hard to realize, some of them may even appear in some future devices by Samsung or Huawei, but if Google could add native Android support, even lower priced models could feature some of those.... Hopefully this thread will be seen :angel:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe Google will add more gestures along with many featurea in future updates. I bet they make them Pixel exclusive though. Since samsung is seriously considering Tizen as an Android replacement Google is also going to make features exclusive to their phones. No OEM has ever utilized all the built in features of Android so what's the point in writing features no OEM is going to use. I hope Google takes complete control of Android so people can see what Android was meant to be. Not just a base for OEM's to mess up and layer their own crappy alternative software over the top. Since samsung likes to replace everything with their bloat they would probably see performance increases going the same route and designing the hardware and software. Too bad Tizen is horrid looking though. I think the era of one version of Android fits all is coming to an end. The new Google formula will be what OEM's also adopt, or they will be forced to just become "for hire" manufacturers like HTC. Remember when foxconn made hardware before becoming an exclusive iPhone manufacturer. Googles vision was that every device ran the same version but no OEM wanted to cooperate with them. So they are taking control of Android. Because of this I think we will see much more features and development for Pixel phones. Resulting in a better Android experience for the Android user. Flame me if you want, but this change is inevitable. And I'm on board!
As probably many already saw:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/app-fingerprint-to-unlock-t3466549/page24
I hope this new app will allow all features I asked for and will make its way into stock Android!
Any further ideas or discussions can be mentioned in the apps thread, this thread can now be closed, thanks for taking part :fingers-crossed:
First Android device, coming from Apple. What do I need to do/know?
That you've made the right decision.
No really, what exactly do you want to know? You got a highly customizable device now
i Am new to all this tech, not sure what I can/want to do. I have seen a lot of talk about root and bootloader. Not sure if I will ever use root, should I still unlock bootloader? If I unlock bootloader what does it effect? Does it disable any functions that of the device? Looking for any advice or help.
E_TV said:
i Am new to all this tech, not sure what I can/want to do. I have seen a lot of talk about root and bootloader. Not sure if I will ever use root, should I still unlock bootloader? If I unlock bootloader what does it effect? Does it disable any functions that of the device? Looking for any advice or help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't unlock bootloader unless you root. You do miss out on some apps with unlocked bootloader as that causes SafetyNet to fail which some apps require passing. That'd be some banking apps, Android Pay, Netflix (last I heard), Pokemon Go, and others.
I would say at least have the option checked in Developer option.
You don't have to unlock it but it is always good practice to have it checked.
And what exactly do you want to do with your phone? like customization is pretty nice without root currently.
You will need to ask what you want to try to do since there is soo much you can really do on android.
My wife is an iPhone devotee and so I'm her default IT support person and as a result I'm very familiar with iOS and it's severely limited abilities.
The single biggest, and best, difference you'll discover is the ability to fully customize almost anything on the phone. Notifications indicators are alway visible at the top of the screen. You can place an app icon anywhere on the screen you want vs. iOS's infuriating mandatory top-left to bottom-right arrangement (ever have an adorable picture of your kid that you can see cause you can't move icons around?). Real widgets that range from daily schedule to weather to, well, just about anything and they can be placed anywhere on the screen and sized as needed (what iOS calls widgets are a joke). App settings are accessible from within every app so you don't have to, say, exit your calendar, go to settings, find the app settings item, make your change, and then go back to your calendar. Android let's you track battery usage in detail, either within Settings or via 3rd party apps (GSam is great for this). I mean it goes on and on and on with the central theme being: Android invests the user with much more control and personalization and Apple clamps the OS down to the point where 1) they all look the same (boring), and 2) they make it impossible for people to take a peek under the hood (every try to figure out why your battery drain is suddenly worse?).
By buying the Pixel, as opposed to any of the other Android brands, you are buying a device that is unencumbered by endless, basically useless, marketing-driven, whizz-bang features like Samsung's old "gestures" or poorly implemented iris or face-scanning that can fooled with a photo, etc..
Pixel's follow the Apple model (one of the few really good things about iOS) of owning both the hardware design AND the OS so you get regular updates directly from Google. On other devices, there are layers of software riding between you and the OS (so-called "Skins" and other hardware-related drivers) and they (Samsung/LG/HTC/etc.) have to devote resources ($$$) to modify these layers which adds, literally months, to the update cycle.
For example, the Samsung S8 was released in April of the this year (or thereabouts) running Android 7 Nougat, Android 8 was release this August and the S8 may not see that until early NEXT year, if ever. The LG V30 just released this month and is also running Nougat and they have an even worse record of timely updates.
I had a few months of pain when I jumped over about 5 years ago and back then Android wasn't anywhere near as capable as it is now. Android and iOS are converging and I prefer Android's philosophy of openness and customization to Apple's every phone is the same model.
Until you get accustomed to the OS don't spend any time thinking about rooting (in the Apple world it's called "Jailbreaking") or unlocking the bootloader to facilitate accessing under-the-hood aspects of the OS that, as a new Android guy who is not a 'techie', you really don't need to utilize it's full potential. Forget about that for now and have fun learning the new OS.
I think one thing you may wish to do is disable imessage, as if still enabled can cause loss or delay of sms messages, other than that, go ahead and enjoy the customisation of Android :good: