The battle for supremacy in the smartphone flagship has taken a new turn with the launch of Google Pixel 2 XL on Wednesday. While the new Pixel was just announced, Apple's iPhone X won't be available before November 2017.
Since each is the epitome of what the users of iOS and Android can do with a phone, they characterize the infamous iOS-Android rivalry.
Google Pixel 2 XL vs Apple's iPhone X
The world knows no smartphone is perfect. Even the phone with the latest technology will never offer everything good in one single phone. Even if it is the flagship for a famous brand.
Google has already earned the highest DxOMark score for a smartphone with the camera in Pixel and Pixel XL. The new Pixel 2 XL obviously scores higher, setting a record with a 12.2-megapixel single rear camera with optical and electronic image stabilization and an aperture of f/1.8. The absence of dual lens is replaced by Dual Pixel technology and image recognition, which enable a selective focus portrait mode like that dual-lens cameras offer.
Whereas the iPhone X has the best dual 12-megapixel rear-camera set up with two lenses for different effects. It has a wide-angle lens with 1/1.8 aperture and the other being a telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture and both lenses support optical image stabilization. Since it has a dual-lens system, it can accomplish the selective focus effects that Pixel 2 XL has.
Verdict: What can be said that both phones will offer images having plenty of detailing; stabilizing modes will offer better performance in low light conditions. But, Google Pixel 2 XL with a larger aperture will beat iPhone X.
RAM & OS:
iPhone X runs on iOS 11 coupled with 3GB of RAM, while Google Pixel 2 XL is driven by 8.0 Oreo paired with 4GB of RAM. The compatibility of XL with the latest Snapdragon 835 Octacore chipset is a question that can be solved only after benchmarking results in different categories.
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are already out, and they run on the same operating system with hexa-core A11 Bionic chipset. Apple's chipset has beaten snapdragon by huge margins in most benchmarking comparisons earlier.
Verdict: Both have the latest operating systems with substantial RAM support for multitasking. While the end result with iPhone is near predictable, the same cannot be said about the new XL as its octa-core Snapdragon chipset is yet to be tested on the available RAM in the smartphone.
Battery:
Google Pixel 2 XL packs a 3,520mAh battery with seven hours of life in just 15 minutes of charging. While the size of the iPhone X battery is unknown, rumors say it is around 2,716 mAh.
Verdict: Conclusion on its performance will differ depending on usage behavior. But, obviously a bigger battery is always a bonus and Apple clearly needs to learn from Google here.
Display:
Google's flagship boasts a 6-inch POLED display with a resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 into the Pixel 2 XL with a pixel density of 538ppi while the iPhone X display is slightly smaller with 5.8 inches screen. It also has a lower resolution of 2,435 x 1,125. However, the pixel density is still great at 458ppi.
Verdict: 0.2 inches of difference in Google's POLED vs Apple's AMOLED won't be making any difference but the difference in ppi definitely puts Google Pixel 2 XL ahead of X in terms readability and entertainment for a smartphone screen.
Price:
Google Pixel 2 XL is undoubtedly expensive at $849 for the base 64GB model, but it's hardly close to Apple X’s starting price of $999 for the 64GB model.
Verdict: For now, neither of the phones will be easy on pocket. However, The Pixel 2 XL comes with a free Google Home Mini for a limited time and is less expensive than Apple iPhone X.
Final Verdict:
Choosing the best smartphone always depends on the budget and personal preferences of a consumer. Other factors which influence decisions over buying, include the security features which the IOS consumers enjoy compared to the larger Android market which has more free apps than iStore.
Apple users consider iPhone best in terms of lag-free experiences whereas android users won't feel like limiting and depending on Apple only for future supports.
Also read: This is how Apple is conquering iPhone-crazy Indian market
The fight for the best smartphone brand has taken a new high. With both Apple and Google releasing cutting edge phones, the fight for ruling the smartphone market has reached a new peak. These flagship phones will set a new standard for other smartphone makers in the market out there.