8 ms·

Pixel 3 call quality issues

66 points by abhaysk 8y ago

abhaysk 8y ago
It seems like there is a software bug - likely related to noise canceling Mic in the phone app.
- kkarakk 8y ago
  it has similar issues with audio quality during video recording. i think they implemented some fancy noise cancelling/voice boosting in a chip thinking people would love it and now they can't fix it.
Theodores 8y ago
Google Pixel 3 has serious customer service quality issues. The problem here isn't the call quality, it is the customer service. This is typical Google. They might have many boffins working for them but they do not put the customer first and they don't appreciate the benefits of a customer first attitude. For a product that costs $$$ they should do it right, if they promptly dealt with customer service problems with real staff instead of outsourced 'ninjas' then they could turn customers with problems into their greatest brand ambassadors. In so doing they could convert a small army of people who prefer Apple but have ended up giving Android a spin into brand converts, spreading by word of mouth 'how much better Google is' and converting die-hard Apple fans into Google fans. But Google just don't get it. It is also cheaper to do customer service correctly than it is to have people left out there exasperated with the service they get. Right now my sister is having trouble with their landline phone. They are cussing their broadband provider and blaming them. They have a retro 1980's phone that has 'always worked' but, after a house move and with a small child around, with unknown wiring in the new house it has to be the broadband provider that are to blame. Chances are that there is something wrong with the phone or the cabling inside their house. They are not willing to try a different handset (one with neat features like caller ID and no cord), they want to persist with the retro phone because it looks good, like the ones they grey up with. Sweet. They too have gone online and decided that the broadband provider are useless and that their services are off the mark. Yet there are many people with the same provider who have phones that work remarkably well, but, they have decided otherwise. Again, as per the Google problem here, there is a perceptual issue due to the poor quality of customer service. Getting back to the Pixel 3, I had a phone with some stupid wallet style phone case that made it so I couldn't be heard on the phone. I was able to work out that it was the case and not the phone (or an app) but I too was grumbling about the quality of the phone before I realised that the problem was quite simple and had everything to do with the case and not the phone. I wouldn't be surprised if the Pixel 3 problems were due to obvious but not so obvious problems in the majority of the cases and not some fundamental quality problem with the device. However, Google don't pick up the phone and talk to customers, they leave them to gang together on forums and make all their problems Google's fault, which it is. When will Google learn that in hardware the customer comes first and that customer service has to be done properly? It is such a shame as Google do put the customer first with their search and other software services, plus their design principles do a good job of embodying that.
- kkarakk 8y ago
  their google one initiative seems to have "dedicated customer support" whatever that means to google. maybe google knows about the issue and is just all fucked up due to competing PMs trying to create the perfect customer support service(which seems to be the case with all their products)
- glennpratt 8y ago
  You can get chat and phone support with Pixel and with Google Fi;not clear if you and other commenters know that.
ToFab123 8y ago
<rendering the phone useless for it's primary function (calling people). Calling people is no longer the primary function of a °phone".
- lph 8y ago
  It depends on how you define primary function. Speaking as the parent of two young children, the ability to call 911 in an emergency is the most critical functionality my phone has, even though I've never had to use it.
  - goalieca 8y ago
    This is why we got my mother in law a cell phone. Sharing photos is just a pleasant side effect :)
- go_prodev 8y ago
  That was Apple's argument in their case against Qualcomm's licensing costs. I always thought that was a weak stance. An iPhone without calls is just an iPod touch, which clearly doesn't have the appeal of an iPhone.
  - bfred_it 8y ago
    I call about 2 hours a week and still manage to use my phone more than 20 hours a week. Is calling still the primary function of my "phone"? We just call it phone because that's what we attached a computer to, but it's more like a pocket computer with LTE modem for most people. I'd call it Pocket PC if I could!
    - kalleboo 8y ago
      In many countries they're just called "mobiles" or something to that effect in the local language. Originally short for "mobile phone" but it shortens down nicely generic.
    - toast0 8y ago
cjhanks 8y ago
Pixel 3 is an expensive piece of crap. Call quality sucks, battery life is terrible. And the USB-C will for stretches fail to recognize the provided earphones as an audio device (it reports that it's charging them). There are somehow 2 or 3 different news modes - and I cannot figure out how to get to the one I want. The Google assistant frequently enables accidentally and records me talking. The phone regularly harasses me and asks me to give reviews and answer questions for them. Many of the news suggestions it gives me are tweets and Reddit threads; I don't tweet or use Reddit. There are a bunch of apps which can't be uninstalled that I don't use or have any need for. No matter how often I turn off the wifi, it decides it wants to turn it back on. This is probably my last Google phone. Garbage.
- sunstone 8y ago
  I've got one and I like it very much. The camera is great and that's why I got one. I like that it's thin and narrow and fast (at least compared to my nexus 5x). The wireless charger is convenient. I haven't experienced any of the problems that you mention (though the first thing I did was disable Google Assistant) but things I really do not like about it are: it's very slippery to the point that it would be suicidal not to use a case with it; I prefer the old UI; it's pretty heavy for the size.
  - joosters 8y ago
    You’re one of the few people I’ve ever heard praise a phone because of its thinness. How much thinner is it than your old phone? What do you do with that extra spare millimetre?
    - sunstone 8y ago
      Well you're right it's actually not thinner than my previous phone, they are both the same at 7.9mm . It did "feel" thinner in that it's easier to use one handed which I guess is due to the Pixel3 being close to half a centimeter narrower and the edges being more rounded. Somehow I perceived the narrowness as being thiness. In terms of weight though the Pixel3 is 12 grams heavier.
potatofarmer45 8y ago
I got a pixel 3 primarily because of the camera. I'm the sort that used to lug around a dslr, then a Fuji x100 and eventually a Pixel. The Pixel 1 was the phone where for everyday applications, it was good enough and in such a small form factor it outweighed the better results of a heavier dedicated camera. Having said that, both my Pixel 1 and 2 died within 6 months of purchase. Pixel 1 was purchased in Jan 2017. Had the infamous microphone stopped working bug in March 2017. Google replaced with a refurb which lasted 1 year until the microphone and headphone jack stopped working. Got a pixel 2 which also had quality control issues where several months later it was stuck on a perma startup booting loop. I made the mistake of buying the pixel 2 online so I couldn't get it covered under warranty. And here we are with the Pixel 3. As amazing as night sight is, it annoys me to hell that my girlfriends iphone 6s is still going strong after years. Pixels really are not that durable which sucks because the best part of a pixel is still miles and leaps above the competition. EDIT: The newer Iphone cameras are getting better. If the Pixel 3 also dies within a few months, then I'm going to Apple because I can't justify buying a flagship phone every year.
- cft 8y ago
  My Pixel 1 audio jack semi-failed. Nexus 5 was great, Nexus 6 also not bad.
  - avar 8y ago
    You'll be happy to know that Google completely solved audio jack reliability issues with the Pixel 2 and 3.
    - kkarakk 8y ago
      they haven't, the usb dongle supplied in the box craps out for no discernible reason
      - 8note 8y ago
        they do ship you tons of them though
T3RMINATED 8y ago
same here mine also keeps freezing constantly, like for 2-3 seconds.
steveharman 8y ago
People use smartphones to make telephone calls? How does that work?
- umichguy 8y ago
  Apparently, they do. How quaint.
  - zapzupnz 8y ago
    You may mock, but making good old fashioned phone calls is still the standard is business. Do you really think every businessperson from every business on the planet is adding each other to each others' Skype lists or Facebook friends?
    - chrisseaton 8y ago
      > Do you really think every businessperson from every business on the planet is adding each other to each others' Skype lists or Facebook friends? No I think they email each other.
      - zapzupnz 8y ago
        > No I think they email each other. You never thought that some information needs to be received or conveyed in real time for efficiency? I only check my email once an hour, maybe every couple of hours. If people need to get a hold of me instantly, they call… like normal people. Even if I did check my mails more frequently, there's no guarantee that (A) I'm going to bother reading/responding to _every_ mail I receive, nor that (B) I will reply immediately. Does everybody here really live in such a techno-bubble that they fail to see how the real world works?
        lotsofpulp 8y ago
        Unless something is confidential, I don't use a phone. And luckily, I rarely need to be contacted instantly, as I don't like to be interrupted. I definitely never call my friends, we only speak to each other when we meet, and I read every email, but I never sign up for garbage emails. Although I would still want my phone to have excellent call quality. My best experience is with Facetime Audio.
pm90 8y ago
WTF google. If the flagship phone is so bad, how the hell do they expect to compete effectively with Apple?
_Codemonkeyism 8y ago
This remembers me of my Blackberry Passport, loved the format, loved the keys, loved the 1:1 screen but I couldn't make calls or be called. One brand new is lying around here somewhere.
- throwaway9d0291 8y ago
  Minor correction: In English, we have two different words around remembering: - "remember": This is when you think of a memory all by yourself, like "I remember when I was a child" or "I remember that I have to buy some milk" - "remind": This is when something else makes you think of a memory, like "this lullaby reminds me of when I was a child" or "my phone reminded me that I have to buy milk" In this case you want "remind". (Thought I'd let you know because I know in some languages, these are one word)
  - _Codemonkeyism 8y ago
    Thanks you're right. And I rather think this is a major mistake, not a minor one. After reading the comment before posting I would probably have used 'reminds' but when I just write down my thoughts they often come out the wrong way and then I forget to read the comment again before posting (which I always should do!) :-) So thanks!
glennpratt 8y ago
My wife had call quality issues. Google Fi deactivated her phone and we reactivated. It seems better with a few test calls, but we'll find out with weekday use.
bob_theslob646 8y ago
Is their a lemon law for smartphones?
nickthemagicman 8y ago
Alot of Pixel anger here. I have a 3 and love it. That is all.
tracker1 8y ago
I've had issues regarding Bluetooth and my car since Android Oreo was released... I switched to the P beta and about the last two weeks before the P release, no issues... P released, issues returned. Issue was present on Nexus 6P, Pixel 1 XL, Pixel 2 XL ... my next phone may just be an iThingy at this rate, after using Android since the original G1 was released. I can't help but feel that Google's software QC and testing is just much more limited than it should be.

66 points by abhaysk 8y ago

abhaysk 8y ago

It seems like there is a software bug - likely related to noise canceling Mic in the phone app.

kkarakk 8y ago
it has similar issues with audio quality during video recording. i think they implemented some fancy noise cancelling/voice boosting in a chip thinking people would love it and now they can't fix it.

Theodores 8y ago

Google Pixel 3 has serious customer service quality issues. The problem here isn't the call quality, it is the customer service. This is typical Google. They might have many boffins working for them but they do not put the customer first and they don't appreciate the benefits of a customer first attitude. For a product that costs $$$ they should do it right, if they promptly dealt with customer service problems with real staff instead of outsourced 'ninjas' then they could turn customers with problems into their greatest brand ambassadors. In so doing they could convert a small army of people who prefer Apple but have ended up giving Android a spin into brand converts, spreading by word of mouth 'how much better Google is' and converting die-hard Apple fans into Google fans. But Google just don't get it. It is also cheaper to do customer service correctly than it is to have people left out there exasperated with the service they get. Right now my sister is having trouble with their landline phone. They are cussing their broadband provider and blaming them. They have a retro 1980's phone that has 'always worked' but, after a house move and with a small child around, with unknown wiring in the new house it has to be the broadband provider that are to blame. Chances are that there is something wrong with the phone or the cabling inside their house. They are not willing to try a different handset (one with neat features like caller ID and no cord), they want to persist with the retro phone because it looks good, like the ones they grey up with. Sweet. They too have gone online and decided that the broadband provider are useless and that their services are off the mark. Yet there are many people with the same provider who have phones that work remarkably well, but, they have decided otherwise. Again, as per the Google problem here, there is a perceptual issue due to the poor quality of customer service. Getting back to the Pixel 3, I had a phone with some stupid wallet style phone case that made it so I couldn't be heard on the phone. I was able to work out that it was the case and not the phone (or an app) but I too was grumbling about the quality of the phone before I realised that the problem was quite simple and had everything to do with the case and not the phone. I wouldn't be surprised if the Pixel 3 problems were due to obvious but not so obvious problems in the majority of the cases and not some fundamental quality problem with the device. However, Google don't pick up the phone and talk to customers, they leave them to gang together on forums and make all their problems Google's fault, which it is. When will Google learn that in hardware the customer comes first and that customer service has to be done properly? It is such a shame as Google do put the customer first with their search and other software services, plus their design principles do a good job of embodying that.

kkarakk 8y ago
their google one initiative seems to have "dedicated customer support" whatever that means to google. maybe google knows about the issue and is just all fucked up due to competing PMs trying to create the perfect customer support service(which seems to be the case with all their products)
glennpratt 8y ago
You can get chat and phone support with Pixel and with Google Fi;not clear if you and other commenters know that.

ToFab123 8y ago

<rendering the phone useless for it's primary function (calling people). Calling people is no longer the primary function of a °phone".

lph 8y ago
It depends on how you define primary function. Speaking as the parent of two young children, the ability to call 911 in an emergency is the most critical functionality my phone has, even though I've never had to use it.
- goalieca 8y ago
  This is why we got my mother in law a cell phone. Sharing photos is just a pleasant side effect :)
go_prodev 8y ago
That was Apple's argument in their case against Qualcomm's licensing costs. I always thought that was a weak stance. An iPhone without calls is just an iPod touch, which clearly doesn't have the appeal of an iPhone.
- bfred_it 8y ago
  I call about 2 hours a week and still manage to use my phone more than 20 hours a week. Is calling still the primary function of my "phone"? We just call it phone because that's what we attached a computer to, but it's more like a pocket computer with LTE modem for most people. I'd call it Pocket PC if I could!
  - kalleboo 8y ago
    In many countries they're just called "mobiles" or something to that effect in the local language. Originally short for "mobile phone" but it shortens down nicely generic.
  - toast0 8y ago

cjhanks 8y ago

Pixel 3 is an expensive piece of crap. Call quality sucks, battery life is terrible. And the USB-C will for stretches fail to recognize the provided earphones as an audio device (it reports that it's charging them). There are somehow 2 or 3 different news modes - and I cannot figure out how to get to the one I want. The Google assistant frequently enables accidentally and records me talking. The phone regularly harasses me and asks me to give reviews and answer questions for them. Many of the news suggestions it gives me are tweets and Reddit threads; I don't tweet or use Reddit. There are a bunch of apps which can't be uninstalled that I don't use or have any need for. No matter how often I turn off the wifi, it decides it wants to turn it back on. This is probably my last Google phone. Garbage.

sunstone 8y ago
I've got one and I like it very much. The camera is great and that's why I got one. I like that it's thin and narrow and fast (at least compared to my nexus 5x). The wireless charger is convenient. I haven't experienced any of the problems that you mention (though the first thing I did was disable Google Assistant) but things I really do not like about it are: it's very slippery to the point that it would be suicidal not to use a case with it; I prefer the old UI; it's pretty heavy for the size.
- joosters 8y ago
  You’re one of the few people I’ve ever heard praise a phone because of its thinness. How much thinner is it than your old phone? What do you do with that extra spare millimetre?
  - sunstone 8y ago
    Well you're right it's actually not thinner than my previous phone, they are both the same at 7.9mm . It did "feel" thinner in that it's easier to use one handed which I guess is due to the Pixel3 being close to half a centimeter narrower and the edges being more rounded. Somehow I perceived the narrowness as being thiness. In terms of weight though the Pixel3 is 12 grams heavier.

potatofarmer45 8y ago

I got a pixel 3 primarily because of the camera. I'm the sort that used to lug around a dslr, then a Fuji x100 and eventually a Pixel. The Pixel 1 was the phone where for everyday applications, it was good enough and in such a small form factor it outweighed the better results of a heavier dedicated camera. Having said that, both my Pixel 1 and 2 died within 6 months of purchase. Pixel 1 was purchased in Jan 2017. Had the infamous microphone stopped working bug in March 2017. Google replaced with a refurb which lasted 1 year until the microphone and headphone jack stopped working. Got a pixel 2 which also had quality control issues where several months later it was stuck on a perma startup booting loop. I made the mistake of buying the pixel 2 online so I couldn't get it covered under warranty. And here we are with the Pixel 3. As amazing as night sight is, it annoys me to hell that my girlfriends iphone 6s is still going strong after years. Pixels really are not that durable which sucks because the best part of a pixel is still miles and leaps above the competition. EDIT: The newer Iphone cameras are getting better. If the Pixel 3 also dies within a few months, then I'm going to Apple because I can't justify buying a flagship phone every year.

cft 8y ago
My Pixel 1 audio jack semi-failed. Nexus 5 was great, Nexus 6 also not bad.
- avar 8y ago
  You'll be happy to know that Google completely solved audio jack reliability issues with the Pixel 2 and 3.
  - kkarakk 8y ago
    they haven't, the usb dongle supplied in the box craps out for no discernible reason
    - 8note 8y ago
      they do ship you tons of them though

T3RMINATED 8y ago

same here mine also keeps freezing constantly, like for 2-3 seconds.

steveharman 8y ago

People use smartphones to make telephone calls? How does that work?

umichguy 8y ago
Apparently, they do. How quaint.
- zapzupnz 8y ago
  You may mock, but making good old fashioned phone calls is still the standard is business. Do you really think every businessperson from every business on the planet is adding each other to each others' Skype lists or Facebook friends?
  - chrisseaton 8y ago
    > Do you really think every businessperson from every business on the planet is adding each other to each others' Skype lists or Facebook friends? No I think they email each other.
    - zapzupnz 8y ago
      > No I think they email each other. You never thought that some information needs to be received or conveyed in real time for efficiency? I only check my email once an hour, maybe every couple of hours. If people need to get a hold of me instantly, they call… like normal people. Even if I did check my mails more frequently, there's no guarantee that (A) I'm going to bother reading/responding to _every_ mail I receive, nor that (B) I will reply immediately. Does everybody here really live in such a techno-bubble that they fail to see how the real world works?
      - lotsofpulp 8y ago
        Unless something is confidential, I don't use a phone. And luckily, I rarely need to be contacted instantly, as I don't like to be interrupted. I definitely never call my friends, we only speak to each other when we meet, and I read every email, but I never sign up for garbage emails. Although I would still want my phone to have excellent call quality. My best experience is with Facetime Audio.

pm90 8y ago

WTF google. If the flagship phone is so bad, how the hell do they expect to compete effectively with Apple?

_Codemonkeyism 8y ago

This remembers me of my Blackberry Passport, loved the format, loved the keys, loved the 1:1 screen but I couldn't make calls or be called. One brand new is lying around here somewhere.

throwaway9d0291 8y ago
Minor correction: In English, we have two different words around remembering: - "remember": This is when you think of a memory all by yourself, like "I remember when I was a child" or "I remember that I have to buy some milk" - "remind": This is when something else makes you think of a memory, like "this lullaby reminds me of when I was a child" or "my phone reminded me that I have to buy milk" In this case you want "remind". (Thought I'd let you know because I know in some languages, these are one word)
- _Codemonkeyism 8y ago
  Thanks you're right. And I rather think this is a major mistake, not a minor one. After reading the comment before posting I would probably have used 'reminds' but when I just write down my thoughts they often come out the wrong way and then I forget to read the comment again before posting (which I always should do!) :-) So thanks!

glennpratt 8y ago

My wife had call quality issues. Google Fi deactivated her phone and we reactivated. It seems better with a few test calls, but we'll find out with weekday use.

bob_theslob646 8y ago

Is their a lemon law for smartphones?

nickthemagicman 8y ago

Alot of Pixel anger here. I have a 3 and love it. That is all.

tracker1 8y ago

I've had issues regarding Bluetooth and my car since Android Oreo was released... I switched to the P beta and about the last two weeks before the P release, no issues... P released, issues returned. Issue was present on Nexus 6P, Pixel 1 XL, Pixel 2 XL ... my next phone may just be an iThingy at this rate, after using Android since the original G1 was released. I can't help but feel that Google's software QC and testing is just much more limited than it should be.