I’ve used an iPhone for almost 10 years, but the Google Pixel 7 is making me seriously consider switching to Android. Let me explain why.
As a tech journalist, I’ve reviewed countless Android phones over the years. And while I’ve loved many of them, none have matched the simplicity and ease of use of an iPhone.
But the Pixel 7 changed all that for me. Within a few weeks, the seamless integration with my Google account, the superior photography, and the impressively smart features really make me believe that no iPhone currently available can even come close to what the Mountain View-based company has achieved.
FYI: I am using the iPhone 13 Pro as my daily driver right now.
When iPhones become Google silos
(Image credit: Future)
Just because I have an iPhone doesn’t automatically mean I use all of Apple’s services. Like many iOS users, I don’t subscribe to iCloud+ (and ignore all the repeated requests to pay for additional storage).
Fully embracing yourself means you’re limited to a few weird apps within the walled garden, and to paraphrase Mabel in her 2020 smash Bad Behavior, you can’t hold me back. My reasons lie in the ease of use of iOS apps interacting with iCloud:
The iOS mail app is a bit messy in interface compared to Gmail. Photos is beautifully designed, but Google Photos offers many more features. The same goes for iCloud Drive – I prefer Google Drive as a one-stop shop that works on all my devices.
That’s not to say there aren’t some iCloud features I enjoy using. Shared notes on my iPhone and MacBook are great, keychain is a godsend, and setting reminders that ping me across devices is great for someone as forgetful as I am.
But like other iPhone users, I’ve picked up several third-party apps centered around my Google account, effectively making it an Apple-based portal for all my big G stuff.
But integration is so smooth on the Pixel 7
(Image credit: Zing News)
I know this isn’t unique to the Pixel 7. Eventually, when I felt that my Apple smartphone was getting a little too comfortable in this relationship with me, I took a break and bought the OnePlus 7T Pro. Even then, you could see tighter integration with Google account services, and Android phones I’ve reviewed over the years have only gotten better.
However, there’s no denying that compared to other Android phones, the Google-made Pixel 7 does a better job of seamlessly connecting you to all your favorite G Suite apps, whether it’s Drive, Docs or any other another Google platform. And it frankly embarrasses the iPhone in this situation.
From tracking your Google activity and presenting you with live alerts (like Nottingham Forest game scores) or the fact that Google Photos is the actual gallery app, to using actionable alerts smarter in my Google apps feels everything much more intuitive.
This is also reflected in little things like two-factor authentication. To approve a Gmail sign-in using an iPhone, you need to open the Gmail app and wait for the prompt. On the Pixel 7, all you have to do is unlock your phone and the prompt will appear immediately. It was a breath of fresh air to make the switch.
And let’s not forget the extra smarts here
For me, the iPhone 13 Pro is easy to use because it’s built to be easy. The Google Pixel 7, on the other hand, is easy to use because it’s smart.
The user interface is a clean, intuitive take on Android – a rarity among many other OEMs. Stock Android 13 with some pixel twists looks great! Also, Google offers some tremendous convenience features using machine learning (thanks to the Tensor G2 chipset). These include call transcription, the “Now Playing” feature that always listens to background music, and my personal favourite: Call Screening.
With the latter, Google’s voice assistant can basically take over all calls and allow you to reply to them by simply typing answers. For someone as socially awkward as I am, that’s a real blessing.
You won’t see any of this on a currently available iPhone. Plain and simple.
Also this camera
(Image credit: Future)
It’s strange to say that a Google Pixel 7 is better at iPhone-style photography than the iPhone. But here we are in 2023, and I’m saying exactly that. The photographic style on the Pixel is just more expressive when it comes to telling a story through the entire light spectrum in one shot, while still giving you one of the best night modes, that I’ve ever seen
Although some of my colleagues enjoy a super vibrant look, like someone accidentally spilled a can of green paint all over the bushes (I’m looking at you Kim), I always prefer true-to-life color science with a focus on deep and punchy contrast.
Google Pixel 7 test shots
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(Credit: Future)(Credit: Future)(Credit: Future)(Credit: Future)(Credit: Future)
The iPhone does an admirable job of balancing tones and giving each shot a decent depth in its shadows, but the Pixel 7 offers more detail and better contrast range in each shot. It delivers punchy colors without the hyper-real vibrancy you get from Samsung.
Not only that, the Tensor G2 chip packed with Google’s machine learning facilitates the cameras’ incredible performance – the 50MP main snapper and 13MP ultrawide in the Pixel are capable of some pretty awesome things. And no, I’m not just talking about Magic Eraser.
I’m talking about the incredible Night mode, which brightens key areas of the scene while maintaining natural darkness, Action mode, which eliminates much of the background blur around the subject, and Portrait mode, which does an amazing job of creating a natural Bokeh simulated. When it comes to photos, the Pixel 7 is clearly superior.
iPhone 13 Pro test shots
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(Credit: Future)(Credit: Future)(Credit: Future)(Credit: Future)(Credit: Future)
However, it’s worth noting that iPhones remain in a class of their own when it comes to video capture quality. Not to say the Pixel 7 is bad – it delivers decent image quality for Instagram Stories and quick snaps of the scenery around you.
But when it comes to YouTube content creation, my 13 Pro delivers a bright, true-color, sharp image with decent bokeh when close to the lens.
bottom line
While I’m sure the Pixel 7 is a better all-rounder than the iPhone 13 Pro I have right now, that doesn’t mean Apple is down.
Build quality feels more premium, I get along better with iOS App Store curation, and with up to seven years of software support (Apple doesn’t come out and say so, but we’ve tracked it), that’s a few years longer than Google’s obligations. Granted, the last point isn’t that big of a differentiator that will drive people to the iPhone, but it’s still worth mentioning.
Also, unwrapping my Apple ecosystem to make everything work around an Android phone is an ordeal, but worth doing it for such a smooth, tightly integrated experience around my Google account – the primary service that I use devices online and everywhere.
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