When it comes to the tech space, our collective eyes are almost always on the future, quickly forgetting what we already have. It happens every year when a new Phone is rumored and stirs up quite a bit of dust about whether the device in question will be objective, good or bad.

For a long time, the world just worked that way because there were enough compromises and caveats to make us want something new. But maybe step back and think “hey, my phone is great, do I really need an upgrade?” it’s time to say. That’s how I feel about the Pixel 8, and frankly, all the other phones coming out in 2023.

As noted in Michael’s summary of “How we hope the world of android will improve in 2023,” there are some exceptions to this rule. As someone who beats the foldable phone drum as loud and often as possible, the fact is that there is plenty of room for improvement, which is where the exception comes in.

The market is struggling

Instead, I’m more focused on the state of the “slab phone” market and how Google could be better served by holding off on the Pixel 8 launch. A recent report from Canalys gave us a better understanding of what the smartphone is like. the market looked at the end of 2022. To be honest, the results were pretty terrible.

According to the report, “Global smartphone shipments fell 17% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2022.” Although, “full-year 2022 shipments fell 11% to less than 1.2 billion, reflecting a very difficult year for all suppliers.”

Google’s Pixel series may hold a special place in our collective hearts, but it’s still not making much of an impact in the market. As has been the case for years, Apple and Samsung continue to battle their way to the top as they continue to take more and more market share. Considering there aren’t many smartphone manufacturers anymore, this isn’t too shocking. But that’s the real question why Overall, smartphone shipments are down sharply from 2021.

Part of this can be attributed to a sense of great economic recession (read: recession). So far in 2023, we’ve seen Microsoft cut 5% of its workforce (about 10,000 employees), Amazon lay off 18,000 people, and Twitter is Twitter. Google is even rumored to be laying off around 11,000 employees.

You don’t need to renew every year

While a possible recession is one way to look at why people aren’t spending as much, there’s another aspect to consider. Many of the best android phones are more powerful than the computers you might use on a daily basis. These beasts are packed with upwards of 16GB of RAM and can be configured with up to 1TB of storage, complete with gorgeous displays and extra features like using your phone as a computer.

When Google released the Pixel 6, the company was praised for going in a completely different direction, as it was the first Pixel to use Google’s in-house processor. However, there were a lot of bugs and problems that pushed many publications to basically keep a running schedule. The Pixel 7 solved those problems without actually introducing too many new ones, resulting in a solid set of phones that put us back to sleep.

The Tensor G2 may not offer the performance boost we saw when Apple switched to its own silicon using Intel chips in the latest Macs. But at least it provided a stable experience for most of its users. However, it falls a bit short of the likes of the latest Snapdragon smartphones, but Google makes up for it with excellent camera hardware and on-device image processing.

If we really want Google to succeed and compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung, now might be the time for Google to take a year off. The Galaxy S23 line, Fold 5 and Flip 5 will go on sale in a few weeks, dominated by the first half of the year, until this summer. Then Apple will put lipstick on a pig and launch the iPhone 12 15.

But we’ve already seen Apple and Samsung struggle with sales on their flagship lines. Apple has decided to ditch the iPhone Mini in favor of the iPhone Plus, while Samsung is rumored to be getting rid of at least one Galaxy S24 model next year. Despite all this, both companies managed to gain market share between 2021 and 2022.

Where does Google fall into the scenario?

So where does that leave Google? Well, despite claims that the Pixel 7 is the “best-selling Pixel,” it still falls under the “Others” category in Canalys’ report. Google still lags the likes of Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo. And given that these companies offer devices in more regions than Google, that’s to be expected.

In my opinion, Google should completely cancel 2022, at least when it comes to the smartphone market. As much as it pains me to say it, push the Pixel Fold back even further because now is not the time to release a new $1300-$1500 phone in a niche market. Leave the Pixel 8 behind until the Tensor G4 and let the dominoes fall where they may.

Give us the breath of fresh air we’ll need in 2024 instead of adapting to the endless din of device launches. Hell, Google might even change the release cycle and release a new one instead of teasing. hardware queue in I/O instead.