Pixel Phones' Automation Capabilities Fall Short of Intelligence System Promise
Google has been emphasizing its Pixel phones as 'intelligence systems,' but their automation capabilities are surprisingly limited. The company's approach to automation is fragmented, with different features that don't communicate with each other. For example, Rules, which is primarily for automation, can only trigger on Wi-Fi network and location, and can only perform a few basic actions.
The Pixel's Modes feature allows users to create custom Do Not Disturb settings for specific situations, but it lacks the ability to be triggered by various events, unlike similar features on Samsung Galaxy phones and iPhones. Meanwhile, Focus is a simple feature that blocks distracting apps with a time-based schedule or on demand.
The biggest issue with Google's automation-related features is their lack of cross-talk, which makes them less useful than they could be. This means that users can't enable custom Modes when connecting to specific Wi-Fi networks or locations, for instance.