Win the battle, lose the war?
Google Pixel phones are doing well this year, but what about in 5 or 10 years?
2023 may turn out to be the best year for Google Pixel phones. While sales of smartphones are expected to be the worst in a decade, Pixel phones have been experiencing “double digit growth” in the last year. That being said, Google still has a miniscule market share compared with other smartphone brands. But the Pixel phones do appear to be gaining traction among consumers, at least in certain markets like Japan.
However, the future looks fraught for Android smartphone makers. Younger folks seem to prefer Apple smartphones over other brands by a significant margin. According to research firm Canalys, users under 25 years old in Western European markets preferred Apple by 59% compared with 20% for Samsung, and 20% for other brands. For those aged between 25 and 24 years old, this Apple preference dipped to 44%. It’s worth nothing that Canalys surveyed Western Europe, which, unlike the US, isn’t under the sway of Apple’s iMessage domination.
Apple’s ecosystem of devices, including laptops, tablets, smartwatches, and audio products, is often attributed as a reason for the company’s success in the smartphone business. It’s probably why Google has also been building its own connected devices, such as the Pixel Buds Pro and the Pixel Watch 2. But even a well-developed ecosystem is no guarantee of success. Samsung started its own ecosystem much earlier, but it has yet to see the same results as Apple.
But Apple’s dominance, especially in premium smartphones, may be forcing its competitors to innovate in other ways. For instance, foldable phones, which are only available from Android manufacturers, grew this year despite the industry downturn. And they are expected to experience a significant uptick in 2024.
In any case, if you want to find out how to get Wi-Fi 6E on an iPhone using an Asus Wi-Fi 6E router, check out our guide below. We also tested an entry-level Razer gaming mouse, and a city-building roguelite game.
Did you know that Wi-Fi 6E, which uses the less congested 6GHz wireless band is available on newer laptops and smartphones? While you won’t get a huge boost in peak speed over Wi-Fi 6, switching to a Wi-Fi 6E router may improve your overall Wi-Fi connection. Find out how you can enjoy Wi-Fi 6E on the latest iPhone.
Looking for a more affordable gaming mouse? Consider the Razer Viper V3 HyperSpeed (S$110), an entry-level model that offers good value. More importantly, it feels as good in the hand as more expensive models. Battery life is pretty good, too, and it uses an AA battery, so you can easily swap to a new one.
Against the Storm is an engrossing city builder roguelite with plenty of depth. The premise is simple: Start with a bunch of workers, develop your settlements, and work towards uncovering an Ancient Seal that will protect your people. The game slowly ramps up the difficulty so you don’t get overwhelmed. The graphics have a classic look to them, and the music is excellent.