The Pixel 12 Pro is between a rock called the iPhone 20 Pro and a hard place called the Galaxy S27 Ultra

I know, I know: the iPhone Duo is all the rage these days. It's Apple's first-ever foldable iPhone, so it's no wonder that everyone is dissecting it. Some crucify it, but that's (an enjoyable) part of the game, too.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is also hot, although it can't match the popularity of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (even though it materialized way back in July). Even Jensen Huang, the Nvidia CEO, rocks Samsung's passport-like wide foldable and not something else.

Aren't we forgetting something… or someone? Oh, yes: the Pixel 11 lineup and the Pixel 11 Pro were unveiled in August. The Pixel 11, in all its forms and variants—including the foldable Pixel 11 Pro Fold—is, sadly, pretty forgettable, so it's no wonder everybody's focused on Sammy and Cupertino.

Come on, Google, if people—and I'm addressing US customers here—are left with only three aforementioned brands to pick from, I think you should push harder in 2027.

The way I see it, the Pixel 12 Pro will have a hard time next year, when Apple will release the anniversary iPhone 20, the iPhone 20 Pro and who knows what else. Samsung is also rumored to seed long-awaited hardware upgrades to its Galaxy S27 lineup.

The state of the Pixel 11 Pro

The Pixel 11 Pro isn't a bad phone per se, it's just that fans were hoping for something extra last month when it was announced. That "extra" arrived alright:

• A gimmick light on its back panel called HiLight
• Less RAM (in the age of AI, this is risky)
• Same battery capacity
• A higher starting price by $100
• A mediocre Tensor G6 chipset (in terms of raw power)
• Same ol' design, nothing to write home about

Sure, the Pixel 11 Pro has a very, very bright display panel, but don't rush with the applause. There's a tradeoff: the screen doesn't get as dim as rivals, so maybe it's not a great idea to spend too much time looking at your phone at night.

Also, the Pixel 11 Pro got a new, larger sensor for its telephoto camera. While I'm manic about anything related to mobile photography, the truth is that this dedicated zoom snapper still can't match exotic rivals like the Oppo Find X9 Ultra and its 200 MP 3x zoom sensor, for example. Furthermore, I think everyday users will be perfectly happy with the telephoto on the Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro, for that matter.

Meanwhile, both Samsung and Apple are doing it right

Just because I've spent the last two and a half paragraphs above criticizing the Pixel 11 Pro, it doesn't mean I'm in love with whatever Samsung and Apple have to offer right now.

In terms of phones, I'm willing to give unorthodox brands a chance far too often for my wallet's likings, but that's that. The fact that the Galaxy S26 Ultra is stuck at a 5,000 mAh battery capacity and that the iPhone 18 Pro Max still doesn't feature a secondary zoom snapper or a 1-inch sensor can't make me give up my hard-earned cash.

But Samsung and Apple have been doing it differently in terms of hyping potential customers in 2027.

For example, the latest rumor is that the Galaxy S27 Ultra will get the same OLED material as the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the iPhone Duo—the Samsung-made M16 which is all about brightness, efficiency and vivid colors.

Wait, doesn't the Pixel 11 Pro pack the M16 material?

The M16 material was "promised" by leaksters and tipsters for the Pixel 11 lineup but most likely never happened. I say "most likely" because Google is evasive about it. We asked the company, but they replied with a generic answer that "The Pixel 11 Pro and the Pixel 11 Pro XL have a 6.3" / 6.8" Super Actua Display, and the Pixel 11 has a 6.3" Actua display. At this time, we are not able to comment on specific internal specs, but we attribute the Actua display performance to high-quality material selection, as well as hardware and software integration and tuning"... and that's that.

Subsequently, the well-known and credible Ice Universe on X went on to say that the Pixel 11 models do NOT pack the M16, and the iQOO 16 will be the first Android phone incorporating the M16 material.

Between a rock and a hard place

Next year, Apple will release its anniversary iPhone 20 lineup. Samsung will unleash the Galaxy S27 Ultra (hopefully, with a bigger battery!) and the Galaxy Z Fold 9 family. I don't expect miracles out of them, but I think the Pixel 12 is in the worst position imaginable, caught right in the middle.

If you're not a telephoto freak, if you don't care that much about magnetic charging and if you don't care about the HiLight feature, I don't see why you'd get the $100 costlier Pixel 11 Pro with 12 GB of RAM instead of the slightly older but cheaper Pixel 10 Pro with 16 GB of RAM and a similar battery and camera experience.

That's valid today and if Google doesn't change, it'll be valid in 2027 with the next model, too. From an end user standpoint, that's not funny: Google's Pixel phones were a breath of fresh air some three thousand midnights ago. Instead of acting tough and serious like Samsung and Apple, the Big G company should revisit its own past and bring back the playfulness of the original Pixel phones. And, who knows, maybe we will follow.

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