Of course, you can just buy your pixel from Google
Am I right? My point is people who will buy phone for 50$ (for example for two year contract) from Verizon will get direct update from Apple (which improves overall health of the its ecosystem), but pixel ones don't. I think this is shortcoming.
So if you want fast updates like iPhone, you have to buy noncontract from Google itself.
Do you see what is my point?
For me the biggest reason I wanted to buy through Verizon was they were offering a promotional $200 trade in value for my Note 4. For some people selling their phone separately would be a better deal though, so even that won't matter.
Except that Verizon just started subsidies again last month: https://www.verizonwireless.com/deals-landing/ Only they disguise it somewhat.
Not sure if that shows up properly. But in September an iPhone 6 was "worth" $650 as a trade-in. As of yesterday it was still worth $650. Today it seems to be $100 less:
Trade in and get iPhone 7 for $99.99.
Get up to $550 savings.
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck ...
"Some people buy devices from a carrier because they don't want to pay the full unlocked price up front, but this year Google is also offering financing plans that are identical to what a carrier would offer. The company also has a two-year "device protection" plan for $100 that is similar to the insurance carriers offer." http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/10/psa-if-you-like-updat...