[Rinzler89]

>Pixel hardware fails because they don't have good distribution channels.

No, Pixel HW fails because it's shit: weak call signal reception and 5G performance due to poor Samsung modem, low performance compared to Apple and Qualcomm, high battery drain, overheating, software bugs that get in the way of you dialing calls, dimples in OLED display, poor design with ultra thick visor, questionable warranty support, AI features only exclusive to the US market but not EU making them useless, etc. Much of the issues that do not exist on Apple and Samsung phones.

Carriers go with Apple and Samsung because those brands are a slam dunk with consumers, are well known and mostly reliable by this point with fewer lemons, and when they do fail, there's service centers for them everywhere. Pixels are mostly bought by enthusiasts who will forgive the rough edges for the chance of being Google's software beta testers.

[rchaud]

Not to mention that Pixel doesn't provide anything that you couldn't already get on a Samsung.

[Rinzler89]

Pixels can still have better photo/video quality and less shutter lag than Samsungs and a cleaner, more unified SW ecosystem with only the Google Apps, versus Samsung who duplicates those apps with their own: Samsung Pay, Samsung Browser, Samsung Notes, etc. Some people prefer Samsung's own apps to Google's(their browser is really nice), others find it bloatware.

The main problem is that due to their pricing, bugs and issues, Google's recent Pixels are no longer a slam dunk reccomendation like they used to be in the old days when they rocked Qualcomm chips and were compact, well built, dirt cheap phones.