Google Pixel stuck at 25% growth: users tired of beta software and rising prices

Google Pixel shipments grew 25% year-over-year in 2025, with momentum holding through the first half of the year. That is a strong result in a shrinking market, yet the company is still far from the top five global smartphone makers. Based on rumors about the Pixel 11, the situation is unlikely to change anytime soon.

The tech community has long joked that Pixel owners are just beta testers. That used to seem like an exaggeration: software experiments were the core of the brand and helped the device carve out its niche. But now that approach is losing its appeal, and it may fail with the Pixel 11.

The series constantly suffers from bugs, lacks top-tier speed, and has unreliable modems. Still, it offers clean Android and features that competitors struggle to replicate. While Pixel phones are no longer undisputed camera leaders, many buyers still prefer Google's image processing. Yet the popularity of the devices appears to have stalled.

Jeff Moore, director of Wave7 Research, attributes this to Google promoting its phones less aggressively than Apple or Samsung. Pixel devices are barely present in retail stores and remain invisible in the prepaid segment. But that is only part of the story: a good product usually finds its audience on its own.

Pixel smartphones cut corners on core specifications. Underpowered chips, finicky modems, and thermal throttling issues prevent them from matching flagship iPhones and Galaxy devices. Meanwhile, Google keeps raising prices, making each new generation less attractive.

The artificial intelligence craze has hit Pixel hardest. AI features were novel at first, but ordinary buyers quickly lost interest. Samsung, meanwhile, took a more pragmatic approach, further widening the gap in consumers' eyes.