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I just "upgraded" my phone and for the first time my new phone is worse than my old one. I only upgraded because I noticed my old phone (Huawei P20 pro) was no

I just "upgraded" my phone and for the first time my new phone is worse than my old one. I only upgraded because I noticed my old phone (Huawei P20 pro) was no longer getting android updates and I was concerned for the security of it. My new phone (pixel 8) feels worse in almost every regard. I can't even customise the home screen as much ( Literally cannot remove a link to Chrome and other google apps ). Given it's 5 years newer, it doesn't even feel any faster or snappier, the P20 pro did a remarkable job at remaining fast and having decent battery life. It's a lot lighter, but aside from that it feels like a downgrade. If a 5 year old phone can still hold up against a new phone, admittedly not the top of the range pixel 8 pro, but a new phone nonetheless, then why would you upgrade every 2-3 years?

dmurray 3y ago
I had two P20s, probably my favourite phone I owned. Both died from water damage after about a year, which never happened to me with any other phone - not sure if I got unlucky or they have a particular design flaw here.
datameta 3y ago
I was in a similar boat. My Galaxy S9+ was in its 5th year when I learned about the security update stoppage. I went for a midrange Pixel 6a that approximates the flagship of 2018. I'm not sure if this is due to getting used to the Samsung UX style after 9 years, but I find some choices Google made to be less intuitive or smooth, though I've gotten used to it. The only thing I maaay look for in my next phone which I don't currently haven't yet had is a 120hz refresh rate - but I might not want the extra power draw. So I'm satisfied. The extra battery life is a huge QoL improvement.
jeffbee 3y ago
Long press the chrome icon, drag it off the screen, it's gone. Tested on pixel 8 just now.
kiba 3y ago
I don't understand this issue. I also have a Pixel 8 but I don't use chrome, so it's not on my phone.
beAbU 3y ago
I upgraded my P20 pro to a Samsung S20FE, and it felt like a downgrade. My wife took over my P20pro, and she's still rocking it, more than 5 years later. The screen is cracked in a corner, but the phone trucks along like nobody's business. That was a seriously underrated and good phone. I'm 2 years on my Samsung and I hate it so much.
ajross 3y ago
> I can't even customise the home screen as much ( Literally cannot remove a link to Chrome and other google apps ). Uh... I'm not following here. You definitely can. What are you trying to do, exactly? It's true you can't uninstall the apps, because they're in the ROM. But you can absolutely use whatever you want on your home page.
- NeuNeurosis 3y ago
  I have a pixe6 and the OEM launcher has a date at the top you can't remove or change and a google chrome search bar at the bottom that you cant remove. You have to install a 3rd party launcher to remove them. https://www.stuff.tv/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/Google-Pixel-6a-review-home-screen.jpg https://www.stuff.tv/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/Goog...
  - ajross 3y ago
    Well, OK. The Google launcher app has... a Google search bar. But again that's just an app, and you can change it. And have been able to for years and years. What's the actual complaint here? I mean, the original complaint was that you can't install your own apps on the home screen. So how is it wrong that the mechanism to do so is to... install your own app? To be glib: The contention was that you can't change this stuff. And your response is "That's right, you can't change it! You have to CHANGE it to change it!". So... just change it?
    - NeuNeurosis 3y ago
      "I can't even customise the home screen as much ( Literally cannot remove a link to Chrome and other google apps )." I was simply clarifying the point the OP brought up. You literally cannot remove that search bar from the homescreen https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/133065648/is-there-any-way-to-remove-the-google-search-bar-from-the-home-screen?hl=en https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/133065648/is-th... And my point stands, with the Pixel launcher you cant change either of the features mentioned. And an aside: Interesting how you made me and the OP sound deranged because we don't want to install a 3rd party service to customize the use of our phones. Great Convo
mey 3y ago
This doesn't absolve Pixel phones from having a horrible launcher, but Nova launcher has been a savior.
Rebelgecko 3y ago
Just take the Chrome icon, hold it with your finger a sec, and drag it to the top of the screen where there's a box that says "remove" or something like that. That works for me on my Pixel
- AlInGaP_Diode 3y ago
  I think they meant the search bar at the bottom

dmurray 3y ago

I had two P20s, probably my favourite phone I owned. Both died from water damage after about a year, which never happened to me with any other phone - not sure if I got unlucky or they have a particular design flaw here.

datameta 3y ago

I was in a similar boat. My Galaxy S9+ was in its 5th year when I learned about the security update stoppage. I went for a midrange Pixel 6a that approximates the flagship of 2018. I'm not sure if this is due to getting used to the Samsung UX style after 9 years, but I find some choices Google made to be less intuitive or smooth, though I've gotten used to it. The only thing I maaay look for in my next phone which I don't currently haven't yet had is a 120hz refresh rate - but I might not want the extra power draw. So I'm satisfied. The extra battery life is a huge QoL improvement.

jeffbee 3y ago

Long press the chrome icon, drag it off the screen, it's gone. Tested on pixel 8 just now.

kiba 3y ago

I don't understand this issue. I also have a Pixel 8 but I don't use chrome, so it's not on my phone.

beAbU 3y ago

I upgraded my P20 pro to a Samsung S20FE, and it felt like a downgrade. My wife took over my P20pro, and she's still rocking it, more than 5 years later. The screen is cracked in a corner, but the phone trucks along like nobody's business. That was a seriously underrated and good phone. I'm 2 years on my Samsung and I hate it so much.

ajross 3y ago

> I can't even customise the home screen as much ( Literally cannot remove a link to Chrome and other google apps ). Uh... I'm not following here. You definitely can. What are you trying to do, exactly? It's true you can't uninstall the apps, because they're in the ROM. But you can absolutely use whatever you want on your home page.

NeuNeurosis 3y ago
I have a pixe6 and the OEM launcher has a date at the top you can't remove or change and a google chrome search bar at the bottom that you cant remove. You have to install a 3rd party launcher to remove them. https://www.stuff.tv/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/Google-Pixel-6a-review-home-screen.jpg https://www.stuff.tv/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/Goog...
- ajross 3y ago
  Well, OK. The Google launcher app has... a Google search bar. But again that's just an app, and you can change it. And have been able to for years and years. What's the actual complaint here? I mean, the original complaint was that you can't install your own apps on the home screen. So how is it wrong that the mechanism to do so is to... install your own app? To be glib: The contention was that you can't change this stuff. And your response is "That's right, you can't change it! You have to CHANGE it to change it!". So... just change it?
  - NeuNeurosis 3y ago
    "I can't even customise the home screen as much ( Literally cannot remove a link to Chrome and other google apps )." I was simply clarifying the point the OP brought up. You literally cannot remove that search bar from the homescreen https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/133065648/is-there-any-way-to-remove-the-google-search-bar-from-the-home-screen?hl=en https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/133065648/is-th... And my point stands, with the Pixel launcher you cant change either of the features mentioned. And an aside: Interesting how you made me and the OP sound deranged because we don't want to install a 3rd party service to customize the use of our phones. Great Convo

mey 3y ago

This doesn't absolve Pixel phones from having a horrible launcher, but Nova launcher has been a savior.

Rebelgecko 3y ago

Just take the Chrome icon, hold it with your finger a sec, and drag it to the top of the screen where there's a box that says "remove" or something like that. That works for me on my Pixel

AlInGaP_Diode 3y ago
I think they meant the search bar at the bottom