The specs don't match the price
Assuming that ZDNet's hardware specs description of the Google Pixel is correct.
USD $749 for an OK smartphone seems very pricey. I am having trouble seeing the Pixel's hardware specs as anything more than OK. The lack of removable storage and the limitation to 128GB for available internal storage being first and foremost.
How difficult is it, these days, to buy a brand new, factory-unlocked, high quality Android smartphone, on EBay, for less than half the price of a Pixel, and supporting 256GB removable storage?
What exactly is so special about the Pixel to be worth the 100% premium over a Sony or a Samsung? Maybe it's just me, but I can't see it.