Investing in a new phone means choosing, inevitably, between one of Apple's iOS-toting iPhones and a range of different Android phones.
Both operating systems offer advantages and disadvantages. While the recently-released iPhone 7 Plus is pick of the bunch for iOS, Google's Android has a few more options to choose from.
That being said, the Pixel XL comes straight from the Google stable and is the only phone to arrive with the very latest version of Android - nicknamed 'Nougat' - preinstalled.
The Pixel XL will be available on October 20th - meaning you'll be able to get hold of one before the end of the month.
GOOGLE PIXEL VS IPHONE 7 – SOFTWARE
The Google Pixel runs on this year’s Android Nougat OS, which adds a number of improvements over last year's Marshmallow. Among them are a new split-screen mode, notification tacking, a flatter "Material" design aesthetic, and additional battery life improvements.
Google has added its Pixel Launcher over the top of the OS this time around, however. Pixel Launcher is major departure from the old Google Launcher seen on the Nexus 6P; ditching the app drawer for a transparent pane you swipe up from the bottom, and replacing the iconic Google search bar with a pill shaped widget that pretty much does the same thing just in a smaller way.
Also new is that most of Google’s own apps now have circular icons, which look a bit odd next to the ones that aren’t the same shape but at least they’re all the same size. A few of these icons now come with 3D Touch abilities; long press on the Maps icon, for example, and a shortcut will pop up. The majority of the changes in Pixel Launcher are visual, but there are a couple of changes that include extra functionality. A new ‘Support’ tab in the settings menu lets you contact Google directly if you’re having problems, and there’s a fancy new wallpaper picker, for instance.
Long-press on the slightly refreshed middle soft key and Google Assistant pops up. Like Now on Tap, it’ll scan your screen for relevant contextual information – bringing up times and cinema information if you’re talking about seeing a film, for instance – but you can now talk directly to it. Ask it for the weather, to set an alarm, or show you directions to work and it’ll spew out an answer much faster than Apple’s Siri.
It also does a much better job at understanding me than Siri, letting me speak in my usual mumbled tones without throwing up a blank screen. Like Siri in iOS 10, the Google Assistant can perform tasks in specific apps. Ask it to play a song in Spotify and it’ll oblige, not forcing you into Google’s own Play Music app. The conversational aspect really stands out; if you’ve asked for the weather, you can follow it up with ‘how about next week’ and it’ll intelligently understand you’re still talking about the weather.
Hardware and specs
When it comes to brute power, then the momentum is clearly with Google for its 2016 flagship smartphone.
Both the iPhone 7 Plus and Google Pixel XL have 5.5-inch screens, but the resolution on the latter is 1440p whilst the former only manages 1080p. The same is true of random access memory - useful for multitasking - as the iPhone boasts 3GB whilst Pixel offers 4GB.
Both phones have fingerprint scanners - although while the iPhone puts it on the front, Google's Pixel has it round the back.
Google doesn't pull ahead in every aspect though - as the iPhone 7 Plus boasts Apple's first ever dual-lens camera. The company made a big deal about its optical zoom and high dynamic range at the iPhone launch event.
We've yet to see Google's Pixel camera in action but if you use your phone to take a lot of pictures, Apple could be the way to go.
Usability and features
Thanks to the speed of software development, many aspects of actually using the phones are very similar.
For example, you can swipe up or down from the home screen to quickly access shortcuts. Both have voice-enabled assistants - Google Now and Siri. And both let you use fingerprint scanners to pay for items like coffee or groceries.
Even the apps are similar - Google Duo is very similar to FaceTime whilst big hitters like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat are available on both platforms.
The iPhone 7 Plus' big feature is the aforementioned dual lens camera while the Pixel XL trumpets Google's advancements in artificial intelligence with the Google Allo messaging app.
Oh, and the Pixel XL has a 3.5mm headphone jack - unlike the iPhone 7 Plus.
Price
Google's Pixel XL surprised a few people with its high price.
It costs 57,000 for the 32GB model and 76,000 for the 128GB version.
Apple's iPhone 7 Plus also starts at 58,000 for the 32GB model.
Battery
What's more, we can't know for sure how long the 3,450mAh battery on the Pixel XL lasts compared to the iPhone 7 Plus' 2,900mAh.
Apple has made it clear that iOS 10 is more efficient and that its phones now last longer. But critics have still complained about both the battery life and the slow charging time of the iPhones.
Who wins?
If you're looking for a simple-to-use phone that takes good pictures, then Apple's iPhone 7 Plus is certainly the one to go for. You'll be paying more for the privilege - but it will update faster and, generally, hold on to its value if you want to upgrade again in a year's time.
However, if you need more power and want to tinker with settings and appearances, Google's Pixel XL is probably more your cup of tea. It'll be cheaper too, and the battery will probably last longer.
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