Thinking about making the Switch to Pixel? Here's why we think you should go for it with Google.

Switching your mobile to a Pixel (especially if you're planning to move from Apple, rather than an Android) feels like a massive faff. True, it's not as time-consuming as it once was to painstakingly move individual photos and files across, but it's still a job and a half, right?

Wrong, actually.

In fact, it's why we're so on board with Google Pixels in general, and in particular, the latest Switch to Pixel stuff we're seeing everywhere. Because it's genuinely as simple as Google are saying it is – take it from someone who switched from a malfunctioning Huawei P30 Pro to a Pixel 7 Pro in less than ten minutes.

But before we get into the nitty gritty (or the handful of steps to follow, as the case may be) of switching to Pixel, we thought we'd offer our insight into what makes switching worth it – and just why Pixels are so good.

Go on then, convince me. Why switch to Pixel?

Oh, a multitude of reasons, but we'll start with our favourite.

The Camera

Ever wondered why Google chose the name Pixel? Well, time to stop wondering. These devices have been designed with the camera front and centre to make even the clumsiest photographer seem like a pro.

How? By providing truly awesome camera specs and arguably even better AI software to enhance and optimise every shot. Even the truly terrible photobombs, the blurry toddler shots and the barely visible too-dark images from the pub last Friday night. Or the too-dark snaps of your cat avidly watching The Lion King from the sofa last weekend – either way, the point stands.

Not only do the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 7a (which we reviewed here) have some of the best camera capabilities on a mobile phone – they have the best tools for fixing the worst shots, too: Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur and Nightography. Even better, they’re entirely intuitive and self-explanatory.

The Apps

You don't need us to tell you how good Google apps are. Google's search engine has over 4.3 billion users worldwide, which is a pretty telling sign of just how popular it is. But it's not just a search engine anymore – it's the mastermind behind Google Maps (the app that helps us avoid traffic and, ahem, speed cameras) and Gmail. You know, just the everyday apps we can't live without.

And that's not to mention Google Photos, Google Wallet, Google Assistant and even Google Meet. These are the essentials we've gotten used to – and it's not just Android users, either. The exact numbers are shrouded in secrecy (seriously, we looked) but even Apple fans are using Google Maps over Apple Maps, and many iPhone users will already know that Apple favours Google's search engine over Bing.

As one guy in the #SwitchToPixel apps pointed out, it just makes sense to keep it all in one place – in the Google family, if you will.

Plus, with Google's Cloud storage, you can store up to 15GB for free on your Google Account when you switch to a new Pixel.

The Battery

Okay, so there are plenty of mobiles with good battery life, but we've got to mention just how good Pixel battery life is. No matter which device you pick, you'll get well over 24 hours from a single charge, and Adaptive Battery means you're protecting the lifespan of your battery with every charge, instead of destroying it (even when you plug it in and forget about it overnight, which we don't recommend!)

Oh, and with Extreme Battery Saver, you can get up to 72 hours of basic use.

The Updates

It seems like tons of mobile brands have been battling over how many years' worth of updates their operating systems offer lately. And we're not blind – there are some really good offers of updates out there.

What we'll say about updates on a Pixel is this: they're the first devices to get the latest Android updates, and Android gets a fair chunk of handy little updates every few months or so. This usually includes new features that are actually usable and not just chugging along in the background, as well as automatic software updates. All in all, Pixel updates are more usable than most – and you're likely to notice the difference in your mobile phone experience when a new update drops.

Alright, alright, alright. So how easy is it to Switch to Pixel?

Did anyone else read that in Matthew McConaughey's voice? Just us?

But to the point – it's so simple, you'll be genuinely surprised. When you buy a new Pixel device, you'll get everything you need in the box to make the switch easy – including a handy dandy USB adapter to connect your new phone to your old phone, even if it's an iPhone.

Once you connect the two phones, prompts will appear on the Pixel screen to guide you through the process.

Here's what you can move…

You can move over your existing contacts, SMS and MMS message data (including WhatsApp chats, provided you've backed them up and followed the instructions in WhatsApp) as well as your photos, videos, music files, calendars (both Google and iCloud), call logs and more.

Google will even recognise the apps you've got installed on your old device and ask if you want to install them again on your Pixel. You'll feel right at home, right away – except now you'll have everything in one place, and you don't have to look at ugly, blurry photos anymore.

You can even bring your iMessage chats across, although you'll need to deregister your phone number from iMessage to make the switch, so you don't lose anything.

And once you're done, you'll gain a ton…

As well as having access to everything you're used to seeing on your device, switching to a Pixel means you also get some seriously helpful AI-powered software and tools (and we don't just mean the camera).

Switching means Pixel-exclusive features that you can't get on other Android devices, like Call Screen, Hold For Me and Direct My Call. We talked about these a while ago in our Google Pixel Features Post.

So, you're not just gaining a shiny new device, you're joining #TeamPixel and becoming a member of the Google gang.