Phone manufacturers are always trying to find their own niche, something that they’ll be better at than any other brand. Google’s Pixel line has always focused on being the software king, creating a streamlined, user-friendly Android experience. It combined great build quality, an excellent camera, and fabulous software.

These are the reasons I fell in love with the Pixel line, as well as Nexus devices before. However, even though I’ve been using Google smartphones almost exclusively for more than a decade now, there are still some quirks that I wish the company could improve on. Here are the worst features that I wish the Google Pixel line didn’t have.

The always-annoying AI

Just let me think for myself

Let’s get the big thing out of the way first. Google is one of the companies that stands to gain the most from promoting AI, so it’s not surprising that it tries to cram it into its phones as well. Unfortunately, in these last few years, the changes made in service of AI-ification of Pixel phones are not only forcing the controversial function down users’ throats, but also taking back tried-and-true staples that get replaced by the ever-present AI.

It seems as if Google has abandoned its commitment to streamlining the Pixel’s software experience. Nowadays, it’s tough to get through a menu without encountering something “enhanced” by AI. It’s everywhere in photos, in your browser, and is always one gesture away from suddenly popping up and getting you irritated. Even my beloved Google Assistant got deleted because of Gemini AI assistant (which, at first, couldn’t even work with my smart appliances).

Add to all these irritations the main issue of AI, which are the ethical problems that using it entails, and you get a fabulous hardware and software package that is slowly eating its own tail because of overreliance on AI. What’s more, you can’t even disable it, as turning off AI Core impacts basic functionality on the phone and can make it unstable or unable to perform core functions. Plus, it auto-enables itself after an update, so it’s not a permanent solution.

Touch the screen to fail to unlock it again

Under-screen fingerprint scanners need to go away

Even years after they were first introduced, there is still a little bit of magic in under-screen fingerprint scanners. You touch the screen, it lights up, reads your fingerprint, and unlocks the phone. Well, at least theoretically. When it comes to Pixel phones, the story seems to go like this: you touch the screen, then you touch it again, and once again, and one more time, and finally you get frustrated and just input your password.

Aside from the wow-factor, under-screen fingerprint scanners are just the worst when it comes to both reliability and their speed. What’s making this matter worse is that, looking back, Google used to have a great solution. Google Pixel 3, for example, came with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner that was not only reliable, reading your fingerprint perfectly almost every time, but it was also blazingly fast. There is still plenty of real estate at the back of every Pixel phone, so maybe it’s time to go back?

I think I’m losing my edge

The deadly dust of doom

I have to admit that I’m absolutely obsessed with the way Google Pixel phones look. Their design is excellent, the colors they come in are always eye-catching and just really cool. Plus, they always feel “premium”, be it because of the materials used or the precision they were made with.

Unfortunately, it seems that all of this comes at a cost. Every Pixel phone I’ve had the same problem, which is the fragile metal frame around the phone. Sure, it looks pretty when it’s new. However, when you slap a case on it and put it in your pocket, disaster is just waiting to happen. For some reason, the dust that gets between the case and the Pixel’s frame completely decimates it, turning beautiful, machined metal into a scratched-up mess. I’ve never had this problem, at least not on that scale, with any other phone. I’d easily give up Pixel’s, admittedly beautiful, metal frame if it meant not getting my phone decimated in a matter of weeks.

Oh, you wanted to see that old tab?

Oops, looks like you have to reload it

When new Pixel phones come out — the Google Pixel 11 series being the newest example of this — there is a lot of talk about their Tensor SoCs and their supposed lack of power. While I completely don’t agree with this sentiment, and Pixel’s UI shows that you don’t need the fastest processor available to run your best, there is one consequence that gets really annoying.

In order to achieve the snappiness that Pixels are known for, Google needs to be aggressive with resource management in Pixel’s software. It means, mainly, that your phone will be doing a lot in the background to minimize RAM and processor usage. The main thing you’ll notice is how often you need to reload apps that you have already opened.

Normally, I’ll admit, it’s not an issue. Apps open in the blink of an eye, and I’m not a power user switching between tens of apps all the time. However, this resource management is so aggressive that you can often end up waiting for your browser to open again after checking your idle game progress for 5 minutes. It’s much too aggressive and works against the productivity claims that Google likes to throw around when marketing its phones.

Bonus: The UI question

Sometimes Google knows best

There is one more complaint about Google Pixels that is often thrown around that I feel I need to bring up, even if I don’t agree with it at all. Pixel’s UI experience is defined by two permanent widgets on the screen: the Google search bar at the bottom of the home screen, and the At a Glance widget at the top. The latter always stays at the top of your main home screen, while the latter is fixed to the bottom of the screen as you swipe through the menus.

The main complaint here is simple: some users want to be able to personalize that part of their screen, and Google is not letting them do it. That being said, I’m all for that. These two features are the defining part of the Pixel experience, and it’s a deliberate move to leave them like that. They are the definition of streamlining your experience, as most of the things you’ll be doing on your phone could be boiled down to these two small widgets.