The Android-iOS conflict has been raging ever since both mobile operating systems entered the marketplace. For the most part, Apple has been on the winning side of the debate, both in terms of critical acclaim and sales. Then Google released the Pixel XL.
I’ve been using Google’s flagship smartphone for a few weeks now, and it’s been highlighting the iPhone’s glaringly lacking key features. Here are eight ways the Pixel XL trumps Apple’s competitor.
You should note that everything here is subjective. The iPhone has great features that the Pixel doesn’t have, and the Apple ecosystem is in a league of its own.
But damn the Pixel is good.
You should also note that I’m comparing the Pixel XL experience with my iPhone 6s and not the iPhone 7 series. That’s because I have more experience with the 6s Plus, as it’s been my phone for the last 9 months. On top of that, the iPhone 6s Plus isn’t that much different, as a whole, than the iPhone 7. The performance between both phones is still comparable, and the 7’s camera upgrades aren’t as important as some of the Pixel’s more functional features.
Check out what I think makes the Pixel a better phone than the iPhone:
The Pixel is lighter
My iPhone 6s Plus’ weight (192 grams) never bothered me until I picked up the Google Pixel XL (168 grams). The iPhone 7 Plus is slightly lighter than the 6s Plus at 188 grams, but only by 4 grams, so I’d still consider the 7 heavy compared to the Pixel.
The Pixel’s lighter weight has no ill effect on its reliability, and it’s easier to manage in your hands.
The Pixel’s screen is stunning
Above, the Pixel XL and iPhone 6s Plus are showing the same photo on full brightness (taken with the Pixel, by the way). The iPhone’s LCD screen is nice, but the colours aren’t as rich, and the contrast isn’t as pronounced as on the Pixel’s AMOLED display.
The Pixel’s design is more utilitarian than it is beautiful, but its sharper AMOLED screen outshines the iPhone’s Retina display.
The iPhone 7 Plus has a 1080p screen that’s fine and sharp enough, but the Pixel’s 1440p screen is sharper.
More importantly, the Pixel’s AMOLED screen makes everything it displays look better than on the iPhone’s LCD display. Pictures, videos, and apps pop with inky blacks and vibrant (but not oversaturated) colours on the Pixel, which makes for a more premium and modern look overall.
The Pixel has a clever way to add grip
I don’t like cases, but I have to use one for my iPhone. As nice as the iPhone’s metal back and edges are, they don’t offer any grip, and I’ve dropped and dinged my iPhone a couple times as a result.
The glass inlay on the Pixel’s back doesn’t look particularly nice (it looks better on the white model), but it’s actually a great grip for your index finger, which makes the Pixel feel more secure in your hands as you hold it.
Faster charging
SuperSaf TV, a tech YouTube channel, tested the charging times of the Pixel XL, iPhone 7 Plus, and Galaxy S7 Edge with the chargers included in each phone’s packaging. After two hours of charging, the Pixel XL is nearly 100 per cent charged while the iPhone 7 Plus is dragging its feet at 72 per cent. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S7 wiped the floor with the other two, having charged to 100 per cent after an amazing one hour, 29 minutes.
Fast charging is actually a huge deal. The Pixel’s USB-C fast charging is faster than the iPhone’s comparatively slow charging, and it’s one of the harder things to adjust to when I switch back to the iPhone.
I can choose to make the Pixel work faster
I can adjust Android to make it feel faster than iOS by cutting down, or removing altogether, the animations when I open apps and swipe between screens.
iOS, on other hand, won’t let me touch its animations.
Pixel has better battery life, thanks to Android
Android’s Doze feature is exceptionally effective. It does a fantastic job of reducing the Pixel’s power consumption when I’m not using it compared to iOS on my iPhone.
The Pixel is slightly smaller, but has the same size screen
The difference is slight, but it’s there and noticeable on a device you hold and use multiple times a day.
The iPhone is in the lower end in terms of screen-to-bezel ratio (67.7 per cent) compared to the Pixel XL (71.2 per cent).
I prefer Android overall
I simply get along better with Android than I do with iOS.
Apple still hasn’t figured out how to show me notifications in iOS as well as Android does. They’re easier to manage from the Android lock screen, where I can clear notifications away with one swipe compared to iOS’ swipe-and-tap to clear. I can also pull down on the notifications to peek at more details compared to iOS, too, which doesn’t show me very much.
Notifications also manage themselves better in Android. For example, when I open a new email or Hangouts conversation on my computer, Android will automatically clear those notifications on the Pixel, whereas the notification remains on my iPhone until I manually clear them.
It’s also impossible in iOS to swipe up the control panel for things like changing the brightness when the on-screen keyboard is on. On Android, I can easily swipe down from the top of the screen to get access to the most important settings from any app, whether the keyboard is on or off.
The universal back-button that simply brings you back to the last screen or page you were on is incredibly useful, as it’s always in the same place. On iOS, the back button for apps and screens can differ from app to app.
There’s also the usual ‘I can hide my apps in the app drawer and put them wherever I want on the home screen’ customisation argument, which has been a classic Android argument since its release.
Finally, for those who use voice-activated assistant, Google’s Assistant has proven to be far more advanced than Siri, too.
Read Next:
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- How To Buy The Google Pixel And Pixel XL In Australia
- Google Phone Showdown: Nexus 6P Vs Pixel XL
- Camera Faceoff: Does Oppo’s F1 ‘Selfie Phone’ Really Work?
- An Expert’s Guide To Taking Nude Selfies
This story originally appeared on Business Insider.
Comments
18 responses to “Pixel Vs iPhone: Eight Ways Google’s Smartphone Is Better”
I haven’t used it yet, but is the absence of 3d-touch in Android much of an annoyance if you liked it in iOS?
Or is it, as I suspect, a much-underused/underrated feature that is easy to let go of?
Good question, interested to know as well. 3d touch never almost never gets used on my phone except for the keyboard cursor, which I personally find to be about the most useful thing ever. I always get a ‘shock’ when it doesnt work on my ipod or android tablet.
I’d ask whether it is a proper feature at all, as it basically does what a long press does on every mobile OS, or what you get froma right-click on a desktop OS. i.e. It is just a different way to do something you could already do.
You can change the animations on ios.
Settings>General>Accessibility>Reduce motion.
Not the same as the Android one, or should I say even with that, not as faster as the android one.
I agreed with the writer, I am an iPhone user, I did jumped to Android once (Nexus 4) once then back to iPhone, due to so many issues with Android 4.2 on wards with Nexus 4.
But I played around with PIXEL XL, it’s just awesome. it’s how Android needs to be. The only phone that I will use if I move back to Android
lack of wireless charging is my main obstacle to Pixel
I don’t want to be seen to jump to the defence of the iPhone, but just for factual accuracy I think you should know that there is a way to reduce the animations – in Settings>General>Accessibility>Reduce Motion
“It’s also impossible in iOS to swipe up the control panel for things like changing the brightness when the on-screen keyboard is on.”
Works for me just fine. Make sure you start and end the swipe outside of the keyboard area.
Doesn’t the iPhone 7 have wide colour gamut support, which the 6s doesn’t have? Would this make any difference in your choice?
Also when testing in Messages and other apps, I’ve been able to pull up Control Centre on iOS. As long as you have your finger off the screen before you pull up, it works. It’s not impossible to do so, so not sure where you’re getting this from?
Also, since you’re talking about the Notification Centre, have you tried using 3D Touch? This featured on your iPhone 6S when it came out. Most notifications on supported apps will pop open instead of going into the app itself. Also I know it’s not the same but you can clear entire sections of notifications by clearing it by the date?
I love my Google Pixel but man, you need to understand your device more.
Just the universal back button missing on the iphone would make me choose the pixel, i owned an iphone 5 but its slow with latest update so i decided to buy a $300 oppo f1s half the price of the latest iphone. Never going back iphone. The oppo is awesome the fingerprint scanner is faster and more accurate than iphone. You tube proves this.
While I really like the pixel, it ended up becoming a secondary (development) device. I just couldn’t get used to not having a home button.
Android has a HOME button, too, doesn’t it?
“Preferring Android overall” is not a valid reason why the Pixel is better. That is just personal opinion.
The Pixel is the first Android phone that would tempt me to move, given I use so many Google services. But I really want to see Google put some focus on security before I do that. As for the author’s comment about the Apple ecosystem, my view is that Google is superior (mail, maps, photos etc). All I use from Apple is Music.
HAHAHAHA Really? “Youtube proves this” WOW!
Isn’t the pixel a telstra exclusive as far as available on plans?
Only few changes that make iPhone different otherwise Pixel has amazing features.