Set three two-year priorities to make Google Pixel the top smartphone
Company: Google
Role: Product Manager
Category: Product Design & Strategy
Difficulty: medium
Interview Round: Other
You are a product manager at Google. Leadership gives you one goal: make Pixel the best phone in the world. Name the three areas you would focus on over the next two years, explain why each one beats the other candidates, and describe how you would know the plan is working.
```hint Define "best" first
"Best" could mean the highest customer satisfaction, the top spot in expert reviews, a larger share of premium sales or stronger loyalty. Choose a definition you can measure, then find where Pixel falls furthest short of it; those gaps should decide your three areas.
```
### Clarifying Questions
- How should "best phone in the world" be judged: customer satisfaction and loyalty, expert reviews, share of premium phone sales, or revenue?
- Is the goal global, or should I prioritize certain markets, given that Pixel is sold in far fewer countries than its main rivals?
- Can the plan change the hardware roadmap and chip strategy, or only software, AI features and go-to-market?
- How much should Pixel's success be weighed against Google's relationships with the other companies that make Android phones?
### What a Strong Answer Covers
- A measurable definition of "best" and a candid assessment of Pixel's strengths and weaknesses against rival flagships
- The buyers Pixel must win and why they choose or reject it today
- Three focus areas ranked by their effect on that definition, with the strong candidates left out and the reason
- A two-year sequence with milestones, and success metrics plus guardrails for each area
- Pixel-specific risks such as chip trade-offs, limited distribution and tension with partner phone makers
### Follow-up Questions
- If you could fund only one of your three areas, which would it be, and what would you give up?
- How would your plan change if leadership defined "best" as the largest global unit share?
- How do you make Google AI features a reason to buy a Pixel without discouraging other Android phone makers from shipping Google's services?
Overview: A product strategy question that asks how you would make Google Pixel the best phone in the world by choosing three focus areas for the next two years. It tests defining a measurable goal, assessing Pixel against rival flagships, prioritizing among strong candidates, and setting metrics.