It’s a shame Google is going downhill so quickly because I still adore Pixel phones and their image quality/shutter speed/simplicity (they just come pre-loaded with Google bullshit). Does anyone have a suggestion for a worthy successor? I’d like one as close to stock Android as possible while actually rivaling Pixel cameras.

I remember getting talked into trying a Samsung S21 Ultra briefly (we’re out of Pixels right now, but the camera, bro, I swear, bro, best on the market, bro, you won’t be disappointed, bro) and that had one of the most unsatisfactory cameras I’ve ever dealt with, which was a bigger turn-off than it weighing more than a cinderblock and coming with an roaring Metropolis of bloatware. I couldn’t even snap a clear picture of my child if she was moving. It was like snapping blurry photos of a small cryptid.

I see Pixel hate occasionally, but I’ve been using them since the Pixel 3 and they’ve been like a snappy little pocket companion. Never felt more comfortable with a phone in my life, and each one feels just like the last but with improvements. Especially with the right launcher. I don’t want to move on from them, but my faith in Google has quickly evaporated.