Have you noticed that these "almost as good as iPhone" expert reviews fail to discuss how these devices work as phones.  I've seen only one review, where the reviewer tested the phone's ability to operate in a weak signal environment.  He found that the Pixel performed exceedingly well, giving him 3 bars in an area where he had been unable to get a signal on his iPhone. This may be in part due to Google's decision to use glass over the radio part of the back  of the phone, rather than metal.

To this very day, the iPhones performance is problematic.

While I want the Pixel to perform well in all areas, first and foremost I want a phone I can depend on in marginal signal areas.
thesun.co.uk – The latest iPhone models have ‘incredible’ issues with reception and call quality, it’s claimed