Five things that would've made the Google Pixel phones better than they are

So, the new Pixels are out and we've got the full scoop. Well, the rumor mill was mostly right on the devices, which kind of took the excitement out of the event, but at least now we have Google's official word on what the phones are and what they are not.

Presented as entirely designed and built by Google, it's safe to say that the Pixels are the company's fist flagships. Yes, the Nexus line before that was kind of the same thing, but it was built in partnerships with OEMs, which injected their own DNA into the mix. And even though the Pixel and Pixel XL were built by HTC, Google made sure to emphasize that the phones are entirely designed by the search giant, and mentioned no other names.

So, what are the Pixels? Powerful smartphones with flagship-grade hardware, the purest possible version of Android on board, and the first phone with the Google Assistant on it out of the box. Designed with looks to fit its premium aspirations, and with a price-tag to match (starting at $650), it's a pretty respectable smartphone. But it lacks a few things that would've given it that “extra awesome!”.