Yes software bloat and lack of optimisation is the problem.
But this is exactly why Apple is full of shit. They pretend to do and know better by forcing updates and locking down your ability to install/manage software as you see fit; yet you do not get any meaningful value in exchange.
All the App Store discourse would be moot if they clearly enforced a minimum software quality but they are way too greedy to actually do that.
So in the end you are subjected to the same software bloat as Android but you just pay more for the device.
Pixels get slow because they have very weak CPUs to begin with. If you had gone with a Samsung the experience would be much better (not too different than that of an iPhone, even though the look is of a different taste).
All the App Store discourse would be moot if they clearly enforced a minimum software quality but they are way too greedy to actually do that. So in the end you are subjected to the same software bloat as Android but you just pay more for the device.
Pixels get slow because they have very weak CPUs to begin with. If you had gone with a Samsung the experience would be much better (not too different than that of an iPhone, even though the look is of a different taste).