iPhone 15 vs Pixel 8: Which phone is right for you?

Promotional Images of The Pixel 7 and iPhone 14 side-by-side together. (Image: Apple/Google)

With launches scheduled a month apart, Apple and Google are once again going head to head in a bid for your wallets. The yearly flagship refresh cycle will bring us two new smartphones to choose from - iPhone 15 and Pixel 8.

The question is which one is right for you? Before answering the question, let's state the obvious first. Both phones haven't launched yet, so what you are seeing in this analysis is based on pure speculation unless confirmed by Apple or Google.

Also Read | iPhone 15: All the rumors so far

Design

Both the iPhone 15 and Pixel 8 are not going to be major departures from the last generation in terms of design. The iPhone 15 will likely retain the design of the iPhone 14, albeit with a few changes. Similarly, Google will stick to the Pixel 7 design language for Pixel 8.

The minor changes that will be made to the latest iteration of the iPhone, reportedly include the volume buttons being moved a little lower on the side, a new customizable action button that will replace the mute switch and the possibility of a frosted glass back for the iPhone 15 Pro models. The big change is that Dynamic Island introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro models will now be standard across the line-up in iPhone 15.

The Pixel 8 will also stick very close to the Pixel 7 but with rounder edges and slimmer bezels, making the phone a little lighter. If you are making a decision solely based on design, then neither are going to be game changing, and will come down to personal preference.

Display

It's widely rumored that Apple will continue to offer 60Hz OLED panels on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, while the Pro models will likely get higher resolutions, ProMotion display and Always on display.

On the Pixel 8, Google will reportedly offer a 6.2-inch OLED 90Hz panel, but some rumors point out that it maybe a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. It will be still be a flat panel display but with rounded corners. There are reports that Google may equip the Pixel 8 with an under display fingerprint scanner but the jury is out on that notion.

Specifications and software

As with all things Google, AI will be huge part of Android 14, which Pixel 8 will ship with. To facilitate this, Google's new Tensor G3 chipset will be based on the Samsung Exynos 2200 SoC with faster performance and better computation of AI algorithms on-device. The phone may launch with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for the standard version.

On the iPhone side of things, iPhone 15 will run iOS 17 but like iPhone 14, the standard editions of the iPhone 15 will use the A16 bionic chipset, introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro models. The iPhone 15 Pro models will be the showcase for Apple's newest A17 bionic silicon, based on TSMC's 3nm process, which could result in 15 percent better performance and up to 35 percent gains in efficiency.

Camera

Historically, Google has reigned supreme in this category but the iPhone is no slouch. This year Apple will go with a 48-megapixel main sensor on the standard models, while the Pro models are rumored to get an additional Periscope lens, that could allow for optical zoom up to 10x.

The Pixel 8 is reported to use a newer Samsung 50-megapixel sensor as the main unit, with an additional 12-megapixel sensor that will act as a wide-angle lens.

Also Read | Google to allow real-money games on Play Store after implementation of gaming rules

Battery

A lot of welcome changes are expected to be made on the iPhone side of things when it comes to battery life. For starters, and thanks to EU's missive, Apple will ship the iPhone 15 with a USB-C port for charging. This means users can use one charger to charge their iPad's, Mac's and iPhones.

The A17 chip is also expected to be more efficient, meaning less power consumption and more battery life.

Google is expected to stick with the same 4480 mAh battery found in the Pixel 7 but with the new Tensor chip being more efficient, we could see better battery life on the Pixel 8. Besides this Google will reportedly support 24W wired fast charging, and 15W wireless charging.