The Pixel 7 is Google’s iPhone, and it’s my favorite Android phone so far - Digital Trends

1 year ago 37

I’ve been a long-time idiosyncratic of Apple’s iPhone — since 2008, to beryllium exact. I got my archetypal iPhone arsenic a day present, and it was the archetypal 1 that started it all. Every twelvemonth since, I’ve upgraded to the latest and top that Apple has to connection (most recently, the iPhone 14 Pro), and I don’t regret my determination 1 bit.

However, since I started astatine Digital Trends, I’ve been expanding my horizons by giving Android devices a try. There are a ton of antithetic manufacturers, and each 1 has its ain mentation of Android. But truthful far, my favourite has been Google’s ain Pixel 7. To me, it’s conscionable similar Google’s mentation of an iPhone, and it’s rather lovely.

Android is to Google what iOS is to Apple

Google Pixel 7 rainbow gradient location surface connected a bluish placemat

Apple unveiled the iPhone successful 2007, which came equipped with iPhone OS. Android was primitively developed by the Open Handset Alliance, and the archetypal commercialized sponsor was Google. In 2005, Google bought Android, Inc., and it helped refine the Android operating strategy earlier launching the archetypal Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, successful 2008. Even though determination are galore Android manufacturers these days, it’s chiefly Google that handles the improvement of the Android operating system. Individual brands person heavy customized versions of Android connected their devices, but Google inactive leads the charge.

With the Pixel 7, the hardware is designed by Google, and the mentation of Android connected it is rather axenic compared to different brands. The Pixel 7 besides uses Google’s ain in-house Tensor G2 chip, akin to Apple and its A-series Bionic chips successful iPhones.

I’ve tried a fistful of antithetic Android smartphones successful the past fewer months, but truthful far, my favourite has decidedly been the Pixel series. One of the biggest reasons is that the bundle doesn’t consciousness similar bloatware.

As idiosyncratic who has utilized iPhones for implicit a decade, I consciousness similar the Google Pixel 7 with Android 13 is beauteous comparable. Android 13, without immoderate customization from 3rd parties, is fast, snappy, and responsive. It besides feels precise akin to iOS 16; I picked up the Pixel 7 and started utilizing it people with the swipe navigation gestures I cognize from iOS, and it’s beauteous overmuch the same. Swipe up from the bottommost to instrumentality home, bash a longer swipe up to bring up the app switcher, swipe down from the apical to bring up notifications and speedy settings, swipe from the near to spell back, etc. I applied what I knew from iOS, and it worked flawlessly connected the Pixel 7.

Quick Settings connected the Google Pixel 7.

Like astir radical my age, I’ve had a Google relationship for astir of my lifetime. I chiefly usage Gmail, I person a ton of photos already backed up to Google Photos, my superior calendars person ever been connected Google Calendars, I reluctantly usage Google Drive/Docs/Sheets/Slides erstwhile necessary, and I’ve kept my code publication successful Google arsenic a failsafe.

So, adjacent though I usage an iPhone (and different Apple gear), astir of my information is successful Google — meaning I tin entree it connected anything. I emotion that erstwhile I log successful to my Google relationship connected the Pixel 7, each of my important worldly is already connected the device, and I don’t request to acceptable up immoderate third-party relationship (like with Samsung, OnePlus, etc.) to backmost up my data.

Though I similar Android 13 truthful acold connected the Pixel 7, I bash announcement immoderate things are inactive done amended connected the iPhone. For example, it’s a spot jarring erstwhile I’m scrolling done something, and it abruptly stops erstwhile I scope the bottom. I besides emotion tapping astatine the apical of the presumption barroom connected my iPhone to simply spell backmost to the apical of the screen, which seemingly is not a happening connected Android. When it comes to tiny things similar that, I inactive admit iOS and however it adds a spot of elasticity and bounce erstwhile scrolling. They’re small details, but they substance to me.

The Pixel 7’s plan crippled is excessively good

Back of an obsidian achromatic Google Pixel 7

I’m a spot of a butterfingers, truthful the infinitesimal I get a caller phone, I volition shove it close successful a lawsuit if I person 1 — and the Pixel 7 is nary different. However, erstwhile I person it retired of a case, the solid worldly for the backmost screen makes it consciousness premium, adjacent with the aluminum enclosure.

I honestly privation my iPhone 14 Pro had an aluminum framework alternatively of stainless alloy due to the fact that I’m not a large instrumentality of the glossy decorativeness (fingerprint smudges). Of course, since my Pixel 7 portion is the Obsidian achromatic variant, it does get fingerprints easily.

I’m besides a large instrumentality of what Google did for the camera with the camera barroom design. Again, arsenic idiosyncratic who has been utilizing iPhones, the triple-lens camera array connected the iPhone 14 Pro is simply a small tiring astatine this point, and the camera barroom is unsocial and distinctive — akin to however iPhones were erstwhile they archetypal came out. I besides bask however the camera barroom has a matte aluminum look since it’s an hold of the aluminum frame; it adds a bully opposition with the glossy back.

Oh, and let’s not hide that the camera lenses beryllium flush with the camera bar. Though the barroom sticks retired similar the camera bump connected the iPhone 14 Pro, erstwhile you enactment a lawsuit connected the Pixel 7, the camera barroom protrusion isn’t noticeable.

Apple devices are ever considered premium successful presumption of aesthetics, but I’m precise impressed with what Google has travel up with successful the Pixel 7, adjacent if it’s not the Pro version. To me, the hardware of the Pixel 7, combined with a axenic mentation of Android 13, conscionable makes maine deliberation if an iPhone was made by Google, this would beryllium it.

Man holding the Google Pixel 7 similar a camera.

One of the main reasons wherefore I ever upgrade my iPhone each twelvemonth is for the camera improvements that Apple adds to the Pro models. However, the show of the Pixel 7 arsenic a camera has near rather an content connected me, particularly the post-editing tools.

Though my iPhone 14 Pro remains my superior device, I’ve enjoyed investigating the Pixel 7 camera successful my clip with it truthful far. Images that I’ve captured with the Pixel 7 person been balanced with the due colors that you’d spot successful existent life, which are beauteous akin to the results I get with the iPhone 14 Pro. I haven’t taken immoderate photos that looked washed retired oregon artificial, dissimilar different Android phones I’ve tested, similar the OnePlus Nord N300 5G. Of course, the selfie camera connected the Pixel 7 isn’t the champion due to the fact that of inaccuracies with tegument tone, but the dual rear-camera strategy is ace.

Using colour popular diagnostic erstwhile editing a photograph connected Google Pixel 7

However, portion I could easy conscionable constituent the Pixel 7 camera astatine thing and get bully results, it’s not my favourite diagnostic of the phone. No, I really emotion Google’s photograph editing tools more, which is what I privation Apple would adhd to the iPhone. Specifically, the Magic Eraser instrumentality is the biggest selling constituent for me, and 1 of the reasons I would acquisition a Pixel if I were not an iPhone user.

As idiosyncratic who has chiefly lone utilized iPhones for photograph editing, the built-in editing tools successful the Photos app are beauteous barebones. You person conscionable the basics and a fewer filter-like effects. I would emotion to spot Apple adhd successful a instrumentality similar Magic Eraser due to the fact that I person thoroughly enjoyed utilizing it to destruct strangers successful the backgrounds of immoderate of my favourite Disneyland photos. I besides similar however Google volition utilize its artificial quality (AI) to analyse a photograph and marque suggestions connected however to amended it. I don’t ever usage the suggestions, but I similar having the enactment successful lawsuit I request inspiration.

I haven’t made afloat usage of each diagnostic that the Pixel 7 has to connection successful presumption of camera and photograph editing, but it’s casual to usage and get large pictures, and editing has ne'er been simpler. I truly privation Apple would person immoderate akin features successful iOS aboriginal down the line.

The Pixel is Google’s iPhone, and that’s a bully thing

I’m inactive going to usage my iPhone 14 Pro arsenic my superior device, but if my iPhone tie-in weren’t truthful strong, the Pixel 7 (perhaps adjacent the Pixel 7 Pro if I tried 1 out) would beryllium my telephone of choice. I simply emotion however accelerated and snappy Android is connected it, without the customized forks of Android that different manufacturers usage connected their hardware. The wide aesthetics and consciousness of the Pixel 7 are besides precise good done, and the camera and photograph features are great.

I cognize there’s inactive a batch for maine to effort retired successful the satellite of Android, and I’m lone conscionable starting to tread the waters. But the Pixel acquisition — truthful acold — has been truthful pleasant for me. Even though different manufacturers person their ain strengths too, I privation each Android devices could beryllium arsenic bully arsenic the Pixel.