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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2022
Update 2/19/23. So last update Amazon graciously gave me a very fair partial refund even though it was outside the 2 month window. (I owned the phone for 4 mos and 2 days) And I have sent the pixel 7 back to them. Google customer service continues to be abysmal. Overall phone was not better than pixel 2 for me, but aside from all my issues still a decent value and I still like Pixel phones better than the competition. Read on if you desire to see my trials and tribulations with the Pixel 7.
So I finally got around to working through the warranty process (for cracked rear camera lens) with Google and was put in touch with a local ubreakit/wefixit shop who promptly told me it wasn't covered(incidental damage). I was quoted $249 to repair. I declined and contacted Amazon again who proceeded to offer me a very fair partial refund which I accepted and sent the phone back. I am back to using my pixel 2 which still works better for me, while I regroup and figure out what is next. Thanks Amazon you are absolutely fantastic you didn't have to make this right and you did, so thanks, and if you make a smartphone I would love to buy it. Google customer service your lucky I still like the pixel because you are absolutely atrocious to work with.
Update 1/14/23 on the plus side it appears that the USB c port issues were software related, it stopped having issues after the last update. So that is a win.
I contacted Amazon about the broken camera lens it appears this is a common issue on Pixel 7s due to a manufacturing error in producing the glass. Apparently they shatter due to internal stress. Amazon told me that they couldn't help me because it was outside the 2 month return window. But it has a one year warranty by Google. I reached out to Google for the warranty claim and I received an email from a company lawyer saying if I was sueing them about the issue they have received my information and would email me back. I haven't heard anything since. I imagine I will have to contact them again. But only the wide angle camera is affected and I don't use that. So overall I am actually pretty happy with this phone. And now that the USB c port works again it does everything I need. I hear pixel 8 is smaller so will see when that one comes out. Adding a star because everything I care about works now. Google customer service sucks, but still wouldn't pay $1200 for a comparable iphone or Samsung.
Update 12/3/22
I have started having issues with the USB C port it doesn't grab the cable tightly and causes issues with Android auto and often if I attempt to charge by cable it will appear to be charging and than won't. I have cleaned it out, but no obvious debris. I bought this first day available and received it October 17, so not quite two months. I have worked around this using a wireless charger but still data xfer and android auto are a problem.
Additionally I bought and use a Spigen case and screen protector, but I pulled it out of my pocket and found the glass shattered above the camera lens. I am guessing that I leaned against something with it in my pocket but I didn't drop it or violate it in an obvious manner. I definitely need a phone that I can carry in my pocket and that is adequately protected with a case and screen protector although a nice phone maybe not durable enough for me. Never had an issue with pixel 2 on the durability front.
Fortunately both the camera and phone still work but definitely not tracking for another four year performance.
Original review -
I have been using this phone for a little over a month. I upgraded from a pixel 2.
Pros- Good battery life, updates and is supported for the next 3 years.
Cons-Significantly larger than pixel 2, fingerprint scanner is almost unusable.
There is a lot of reviews on the cameras and how great they are, I'm sure they are excellent for my uses the pixel 2 was more than adequate and this one is also more than adequate.
The fingerprint reader is a problem, the pixel 2 worked almost flawlessly for the 4 years I used it every day. The pixel 7 might work 2 out of 10 times maybe 1 out of ten, it is so inconsistent that I really can't use it for biometric authentication. I have read the fixes and troubleshooting, none of it really works, I'm not going to carry a fingerprint wetter around with me.
I think a lot of the things that drove me to upgrade, were do to Google refusing to support the Pixel 2 it received its last update at the end of 2020 and it started a few months ago to experience buggy performance with connectivity and the GPS, with no real fixes due to being two revs behind on Android.
For me the fingerprint scanner and size combined with a brand new pixel 2, makes it a better phone than the pixel 7. Unfortunately I can't go back in time and can only hope that in four years pixel 12 is smaller and has a functional fingerprint scanner.
The 7 is a good phone and at $500 it is an excellent value. They certainly have upgraded the cameras and the tensor system works well. I certainly am glad I went this route over the other options.
I just think there is a point where some of the driving features, cameras, operating systems, weird swipe modes etc are really not noticeably better and drive up cost and size and lead to removal of things I would like such as a stand alone fingerprint scanner and 3.5 mm jack. Hope Google reads this
So I finally got around to working through the warranty process (for cracked rear camera lens) with Google and was put in touch with a local ubreakit/wefixit shop who promptly told me it wasn't covered(incidental damage). I was quoted $249 to repair. I declined and contacted Amazon again who proceeded to offer me a very fair partial refund which I accepted and sent the phone back. I am back to using my pixel 2 which still works better for me, while I regroup and figure out what is next. Thanks Amazon you are absolutely fantastic you didn't have to make this right and you did, so thanks, and if you make a smartphone I would love to buy it. Google customer service your lucky I still like the pixel because you are absolutely atrocious to work with.
Update 1/14/23 on the plus side it appears that the USB c port issues were software related, it stopped having issues after the last update. So that is a win.
I contacted Amazon about the broken camera lens it appears this is a common issue on Pixel 7s due to a manufacturing error in producing the glass. Apparently they shatter due to internal stress. Amazon told me that they couldn't help me because it was outside the 2 month return window. But it has a one year warranty by Google. I reached out to Google for the warranty claim and I received an email from a company lawyer saying if I was sueing them about the issue they have received my information and would email me back. I haven't heard anything since. I imagine I will have to contact them again. But only the wide angle camera is affected and I don't use that. So overall I am actually pretty happy with this phone. And now that the USB c port works again it does everything I need. I hear pixel 8 is smaller so will see when that one comes out. Adding a star because everything I care about works now. Google customer service sucks, but still wouldn't pay $1200 for a comparable iphone or Samsung.
Update 12/3/22
I have started having issues with the USB C port it doesn't grab the cable tightly and causes issues with Android auto and often if I attempt to charge by cable it will appear to be charging and than won't. I have cleaned it out, but no obvious debris. I bought this first day available and received it October 17, so not quite two months. I have worked around this using a wireless charger but still data xfer and android auto are a problem.
Additionally I bought and use a Spigen case and screen protector, but I pulled it out of my pocket and found the glass shattered above the camera lens. I am guessing that I leaned against something with it in my pocket but I didn't drop it or violate it in an obvious manner. I definitely need a phone that I can carry in my pocket and that is adequately protected with a case and screen protector although a nice phone maybe not durable enough for me. Never had an issue with pixel 2 on the durability front.
Fortunately both the camera and phone still work but definitely not tracking for another four year performance.
Original review -
I have been using this phone for a little over a month. I upgraded from a pixel 2.
Pros- Good battery life, updates and is supported for the next 3 years.
Cons-Significantly larger than pixel 2, fingerprint scanner is almost unusable.
There is a lot of reviews on the cameras and how great they are, I'm sure they are excellent for my uses the pixel 2 was more than adequate and this one is also more than adequate.
The fingerprint reader is a problem, the pixel 2 worked almost flawlessly for the 4 years I used it every day. The pixel 7 might work 2 out of 10 times maybe 1 out of ten, it is so inconsistent that I really can't use it for biometric authentication. I have read the fixes and troubleshooting, none of it really works, I'm not going to carry a fingerprint wetter around with me.
I think a lot of the things that drove me to upgrade, were do to Google refusing to support the Pixel 2 it received its last update at the end of 2020 and it started a few months ago to experience buggy performance with connectivity and the GPS, with no real fixes due to being two revs behind on Android.
For me the fingerprint scanner and size combined with a brand new pixel 2, makes it a better phone than the pixel 7. Unfortunately I can't go back in time and can only hope that in four years pixel 12 is smaller and has a functional fingerprint scanner.
The 7 is a good phone and at $500 it is an excellent value. They certainly have upgraded the cameras and the tensor system works well. I certainly am glad I went this route over the other options.
I just think there is a point where some of the driving features, cameras, operating systems, weird swipe modes etc are really not noticeably better and drive up cost and size and lead to removal of things I would like such as a stand alone fingerprint scanner and 3.5 mm jack. Hope Google reads this
