I don't think comparing the phone to a PC is entirely fair. A smartphone gets used everywhere and more or less constantly. Even a laptop is mostly used on a desk or other flat workspace where it's less likely to get dropped/ flushed/ etc. Also, up until 4-5 years ago, smartphones were moving pretty quickly in terms of capabilities.
On the other hand, comparing the useful life of this to the iPhone is entirely reasonable, particularly since its the price of a mid-high end iPhone. It's pretty sad when you realize that the new iPhone SE released just 6 months after the Pixel 4 will almost certainly be supported for 2-3 years after Google has abandoned the twice-as-expensive Pixel 4.