20 phones that work: Why does Google CEO Sundar Pichai need so many phones?

Google makes phones, which means the company’s senior executives will use competitors’ phones to gauge their performance, design, and more. However, Google CEO Sundar Pichai admits that he uses more than a few phones every day, and in fact, the actual number may surprise you. In an interview a few years ago, Pichai noted that he was using 20 phones at a time, but for different reasons.

Pichai leads the company that owns Android, which runs on more than 95 percent of devices, but he’s also responsible for the various Google products that run on those phones. Therefore, it is important for him to ensure that all Google applications such as Gmail, Docs, Google Photos etc. work properly on all phone models.

He talks about constantly changing and trying every new phone, which probably comes with the job. Android is an important part of Google’s global mobile business. While Apple gets all the money, Android has built a core user base from budget to high-end markets.

Google’s own Pixel series is now in its 8th generation, while Apple is launching the 15th generation of iPhones. Google’s market share with Pixels isn’t spectacular, but its influence on the market is undeniable and its approach to software has impressed others. Pichai has been leading Google’s hardware business, which is led by Rick Osterloh and his team of engineers and designers.

Pichai isn’t the only tech executive to juggle more than two phones; for years, we’ve seen Apple and Microsoft executives talk about a device they use every day, and today, that device is primarily a Folding mobile phone.