Pixel privilege: How Google fences off Android’s best features

Android has always stood out from iOS by offering users more choices. You can pick your phone, customize your experience, and get the latest innovations without being locked into a single brand. Over the years, Google’s own Pixel line has been quietly shifting the landscape. Many software features rarely make their way to other Android phones. As Google tightens its grip on Android’s most innovative capabilities, it has created a two-tier ecosystem where Pixel users get the best version of Android, and everyone else gets what’s left.