Pixel 3 might be a rather dull flagship unless you’re looking for an astonishing camera experience out of a smartphone. But something really interesting is the Pixel Stand or a wireless charging dock especially designed to add functionality of a Smart Display like the Google Home Hub while the phone is charging, which was announced at the same event.
The Pixel Stand only works when you’re using the official 18W USB-C charger bundled in the box, or the one you get with the Pixel 3. While testing, it didn’t work with any other USB-C charger or cable I tried – including the ones supplied by Huawei, OnePlus, Poco, all rated at 18W or above. Using my MacBook Pro’s USB-C charger was not of any use either.
Instead of the usual white indicator light, the LED at the base glows in reddish amber hue to inform you of the incompatibility. Surprisingly, the Pixel Stand works when I connect it to my MacBook using the USB-C to USB-C cables (both Apple’s and Google’s). Upon investigating further, I found that it works with all laptops using the included cable (irrespective of Thunderbolt 3 support) but it doesn’t work with any USB Type-A to USB-C cables. While pinning the exact reason down is difficult, it appears that the Pixel Stand only support Type-C to Type-C cables, which is strange indeed.
This is another example of how Google is trying to lock consumers to its hardware ecosystem and this, as some might argue, is simply aping Apple. Likewise, you must use the official USB-C charger to be able to charge the Pixel 3 at the fastest possible rate and using any other charger will charge the phone slowly.
While not very disheartening entirely, the step is somewhat upsetting for a hardcore Android fan like me who prefers it for the freedom and liberty it offers. Thus, I feel that while Pixel Stand is a great accessory to have, Android fans might feel out of place, even while witnessing what is supposed to be the most refined Android experience.
