I am dreading the Pixel 10 event

I don't want flashy lights. I don't want your best. I want what's actually the best. And you let me down, year after year. That's why I am dreading the impending Pixel 10 announcement, though, to its credit, Google does manage to announce interesting software-based stuff at least.

Why can't smartphones be exciting again?

Smartphones have ceased to be exciting. I am not sure if manufacturers are exactly to blame here.

The rapid pace of technology has made us ungrateful. What didn't seem possible just a few years ago has now landed in our laps. And that has only made us impatient for what's next.

That said, advancements appear to have plateaued. Foldable phones and under-screen cameras are perhaps the only real innovations we have seen in a long time, and these, too, haven't reached maturity. Most companies never adopted the latter, and it has been ditched by Samsung as well.

A faster chipset, larger displays, and marginally better cameras are all great, but is that all we are ever going to get?

Pursue the things that matter

I can't help but notice that improvements often come at a huge cost. And I am not okay with that.

I am still not over wired earphones. I think Google shouldn't have dropped the Soli sensor. And I think the Fold 7 should have retained S Pen support. 

Phone makers chase flashy features instead of things that will actually make our lives better. Most phones can barely last a day without a mid-day charge, and many manufacturers have still not nailed the basics, causing batteries to fail and displays to glitch a few years into ownership.

AI belongs in the background

The Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold will likely be minor upgrades, though Google will probably try to jazz things up with AI-related announcements, but if we are being honest, has AI meaningfully changed how we use our phones? 

Besides, as a consumer, I don't care about the underlying mechanism behind a feature. Don't tell me about your AI models and the work that went into a new capability to prove how great it is. It's boring and unnecessary information, and in a world of sensory overload, the last thing we need is an origin story for a feature.

I am done with companies making AI the centerpiece of their announcements, even though it should be a means to an end, not the endgame.

Make tech accessible

Foldable phones are great, and every time I wonder why I don't have one, I am instantly reminded. They are unjustifiably expensive, and many might have bitten the bullet if not for the product's fragility.

Sure, the latest crop of foldables is more durable than earlier devices, but your scientific tests do little to convince the likes of me, who are proudly clumsy and drop their phones more times than they can keep track of. Life is too busy to make sure I don't drop my precious phone. Accidents happen, but I'll never forgive myself if I let a $2,000 phone slip from my hand.

Pixel 10 event: More sameness

The Pixel 10 event, and likely the iPhone 17 event, along with any event in between and after that, is guaranteed to be pretty much the same. And that's because the phones themselves are so similar. So, go on, mark your calendars for the Pixel 10 announcement, but don't mind me if I doze off midway through.