Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority
2020 was an interesting year for Google’s product portfolio. Its range of Pixel smartphones jumped from the premium segment to a cheaper price point with the Pixel 5. Combined with the Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a 5G, the range of Google phones has taken a sharp turn on the avenue of accessibility.
Google also spent 2020 tweaking its approach to media streaming. Like the overly ambitious launch of the free version of the Stadia cloud gaming platform, big G unveiled Chromecast with Google TV to bolster its streaming hardware. More controversial was the consolidation of Play Music on YouTube Music. The choice to end Google Photo’s free storage next year was also not well received.
Despite all this, Google’s media strategy still lacks the focus of its competitors. The company didn’t give its Chrome OS products that much love. There are no state-of-the-art Pixelbook or Pixel Slate updated, leaving the December 2019 mid-level Pixelbook Go as the latest release. In a year when Apple rocked the laptop market with its move to Arm-equipped Macs, Google’s PC strategy seemed more than accommodating.
See too: The 10 best Google products you can buy
Outside of hardware, Google played a key role in the development and deployment of COVID-19 contract tracking applications worldwide. In court, everything was normal too. Google had to defend itself against lawsuits from Epic Games, an investigation by the European Commission over the acquisition of Fitbit and a class action lawsuit over data tracking in Chrome incognito mode. Sadly not surprising things in today’s technology industry.
Along with some new entries in Google’s smart home portfolio, 2020 was a stable year for Mountain View. However, there is still much more that the company could offer us in 2021. Here is what we hope to see.
1. Return of the next generation Pixel
Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Google Pixel 5 didn’t arrive long ago, but we are already excited for next year’s Pixel 6. The seemingly small differences between the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5 leave the 2020 portfolio a little tight. The Pixel 5’s price would be a little easier to justify if the phone were a little more sophisticated. Not to mention that there is a niche market for Google fans longing for another premium entry.
However, we are not particularly looking forward to a return to top performance and $ 1,000 + XL options. Google has clearly reached its pace with affordable prices and is working much better than previous flirtations with the premium market. That said, aiming a little more sophisticated next time would help the Pixel series. It could compete a little better with other affordable flagships, like the iPhone 12.
Read More: It’s time for Google to update the Pixel camera hardware to match its star software
Personally, I would like the Pixel 6 to keep its price and features reasonable, with the primary focus on renewing Google’s photographic prowess. While the Pixel 5 still takes great pictures, my experience with most of the best camera phones of 2020 reveals that Google’s outdated camera hardware is lagging behind. It would be difficult to refuse a reasonably priced Pixel 6 with the best-in-class camera. Make it happen, Google.
2. At least one new Chromebook
Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
It’s been a year since the last announcement of Google’s Pixelbook, so we have a new product late. It’s true that Chromebooks don’t really require cutting-edge hardware reviews every year, and the next-generation Pixelbook and Pixel Slate were downright expensive. However, Google’s range of laptops could certainly use some love in 2021.
Chromebooks will only be able to command premium price tags when they go beyond the “browser in a box” mindset that has defined the Chrome OS ethos so far. Leaning more into your various ecosystem services, like Stadia or packaging more Drive storage, can help. However, Chrome OS still fundamentally lacks the range of applications and use cases found in the ecosystems of Apple and Microsoft. Addressing this issue would be a major project.
Related: The best Chromebooks available: Google, Asus, Lenovo and more
Speaking of which, since Apple is making moves with Macbooks with Arm, it may be time for Google to revisit Arm-based processors for its Chromebooks. There are some chipsets that offer cutting-edge performance, machine learning and network capabilities. With proper software support, they can generate new use cases for Chromebooks. Don’t forget to support Android apps without the need for emulation. However, it all depends on Google having something in mind to take Chromebooks to the next level.
Google’s whole approach to the computing market could use some fresh paint. Android tablets remain very unfortunate compared to Apple’s iPad series. In addition, there is still no real coherence to fill the gaps between cell phones, tablets and PCs. Unfortunately, this adventure plan seems unlikely, as it would be a great departure from complacency in recent years.
3. Finally, fix the Wear OS
Android tablets may not be great, but Wear OS remains even worse. The platform really hasn’t changed at all in 2020. That needs to change desperately in 2021 if Wear OS is going to close the gap in the Apple Watch.
Unfortunately, Wear OS has mastered neither fitness nor the premium ends of the resource spectrum, leaving the platform to languish in no-man’s-land. Google needs to take a much more proactive approach to resource development. It needs to provide its partners with the tools they need to build great watches, instead of simply repairing Wear OS as the industry develops it. More regular updates would also not go wrong. Whatever happens, we want to see something to galvanize the Wear OS platform in the next twelve months.
Read More: The state of Wear OS in 2020: things are looking terrible
We are also still waiting for the original hardware for Google to show its vision of the best wearable. However, it seems a more distant prospect than ever. But, after all, this is a wish list.
4. Develop an appropriate media game plan
Then there’s Stadia and the current state of Google’s various media platforms. This includes YouTube Premium, Google TV and so on. I don’t like to complain about Google’s complicated ideas (high volume takes a long time!). However, it is frustrating because many of these initiatives could be fantastic, but they are consistently underdeveloped.
Take the recently announced Chromecast with Google TV, for example. Why it doesn’t support Stadia cloud games right away, nobody knows. This is yet another missed opportunity to unify Google’s media ecosystem into a single, comprehensive product. The launch of a new generation of console and games with 50 GB patches on the first day should be a great opportunity for Stadia to be successful with a device that costs $ 50 (perhaps $ 80 with a controller included). But the right hand just doesn’t know what the left is doing.
Related: What would an Apple One version of Google look like? Would you subscribe?
That said, Chromecast with Google TV is a step in the right direction. The aggregation of high quality content is sorely needed in the media streaming industry. Mountain View can also streamline your own internal media options. Why we don’t yet have a subscription model for Google TV or packages that include YouTube Music, cloud storage and Stadia games is another baffling omission.
Google has the services to be a serious competitor to Amazon Prime and Apple One. It only needs to select a few attractive subscription packages. So, get on Google! Give me a comprehensive media package that includes everything from photo storage to games on the go.
5. It’s time to take privacy seriously
My final and definitely more ambitious Google wish for 2021 would be to take data privacy more seriously. Yes, we have a wider range of Android app permission switches, new Assistant privacy settings, and more data policies than ever (as if someone actually reads them). However, there is no escaping the fact that Google still reads your emails, saves voice searches and tracks your location in the name of “enhanced services”, while the real reason is to sell ads. And we, the users, have very little control over all this data collection.
The seemingly endless stream of litigation launched at Google each year is a warning that the company’s commitment to the problem remains inadequate. Mountain View is facing new complaints in six EU countries about ad bids and user data. Other 2020 processes involve collecting student data through the Chromebook’s G Suite for Education platform, personal data collected through Chrome, even without a Google Account, and tracking, even when deleting through settings privacy policy for your Google account. There is even a class action in Incognito mode underway in California. This may not be particularly hard ground, but it further highlights that Google’s data policies continue to defy the expectations of many users.
It is no longer good enough to constantly follow stricter privacy rules, such as the EU’s GDPR. Nor is it simply offering obscure and confusing methods for refusing any data collection. Mountain View is far from being the only doubtful part in the data industry, of course. But, as one of the biggest, it must take the lead in tackling the problem. Great transparency and control over data partners, clear and more intuitive privacy options and new tools to review, restrict and remove collected data would help to win the trust of consumers and legislators.
You tell us: what do you want to see from Google in 2021?
As far as smartphones are concerned, 2020 was a decent year for Google. However, there were also many missed opportunities. Many areas have also been simply neglected and need to be addressed throughout 2021. Among Chromebooks, tablets, Wear OS, cloud games and data privacy concerns, there is much that Google can delve into in the coming months.
If you had to choose just one, what would you most like to see from Google in 2021? If you have any other ideas, speak in the comments section below.
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