In last week’s column, I praised the iPhone 17 Pro for its crisp 8x ‘optical quality’ zoom and other useful features. I still think it’s an excellent phone, but when it comes to stretching zoom capabilities and harnessing AI for photo editing and other tasks, Apple lags behind Google’s new Pixel 10 Pro.
Related Articles
Magid: My first two weeks with the iPhone 17 Pro
Magid: Breathing new life into old batteries
Magid: Why I took a Facebook break after Charlie Kirk killing
Magid: New iPhone operating system arrives on Monday
Magid: Roblox to estimate age of all users
I tested the 6.3-inch Pixel 10 Pro, which starts at $999 for 128 GB or $1,099 for 256 GB. There is also a 6.8-inch Pixel 10 Pro XL that starts at $1,199 for 256 GB. They are other+wise identical except for a larger battery on the XL.
AI photo editing
The most remarkable new feature is the ability to use your voice to edit photos in ways that rival what professionals do with products like Photoshop. If you don’t like the red shirt you’re wearing in a photo, simply say “change my shirt to blue” or perhaps, “Hawaiian shirt,” and while you’re at it, you could easily replace your background to look like you’re in Hawaii. I was in New York’s Battery Park last week, but I didn’t snap a selfie in front of the Statue of Liberty. No problem. I took one from my home in California and added Lady Liberty in the background. The feature works in the camera roll and the phone’s Photos app, which allows you to use it on old pictures as well as new ones. You could even scan an old print, upload it to Photos and manipulate it on your phone.
Of course, this has long been possible for skilled photo editors with sophisticated software, but anyone can do this just by speaking or typing, and the results are surprisingly good. Even my friend who’s a die-hard iPhone enthusiast agreed it’s an amazing feature.
Larry wasn’t in NY or Hawaii when these were taking and not wearing an Hawaiin shirt
100X “zoom”
The Pixel 10 Pro also uses AI to give you a passably good digital zoom of up to 100x. I tested it by photographing a stop sign from a block away. The sign looked crystal clear, and the image even revealed a tiny scratch on the surface that I hadn’t noticed until I walked right up to it. When I snapped a flower from several feet away, the Pixel produced what looked like a true close-up, while the iPhone 17 Pro delivered a noticeably pixelated shot. At around 8x, though, both phones produce similar results.
Stop sign photographed at 100x from a block away
In the real world, most of us have few reasons to use an extreme zoom. Most of my photos are taken close-up where the iPhone, the Pixel and most other modern smartphones do an excellent job.
As per specs, the Pixel’s front selfie camera is now 42 megapixels (MP), the rear main camera is 50 MP and the telephoto and ultrawide cameras are 48 MP.
AI integration
The Pixel’s biggest claim to fame is its AI integration. Unlike Apple, Google has a robust AI product called Gemini, which it builds into most of its products including the Pixel 10 Pro and other phones that run its new Android 16 operating system.
There is Magic Cue, which brings up relevant info and suggests actions based on context, such as flight details during an airline call or dinner reservations in a text thread. Camera coach analyzes the scene to suggest angles, lighting and setup for the best shot. There’s Real Time translation during phone calls. You can also invoke Gemini to summarize any screen on your phone, including news articles. I got this to work most of the time, but sometimes it failed to read the screen.
There is also AI integration with Google apps. For example, I asked Gemini to summarize my calendar for December, and it quickly read off a list of things that are already scheduled.
You can run Gemini and most other AI apps on an iPhone, but they’re not tightly integrated into iOS. Apple does now have a partnership with OpenAI that allows Siri to invoke ChatGPT to answer questions she can’t handle, but it’s nowhere near as seamlessly integrated as Gemini on Pixel phones. After experiencing the Gemini integration on my Pixel 10, I programmed the iPhone Action Button in the upper right corner to run a shortcut I created called “Talk to ChatGPT” that lets me speak to ChatGPT and hear responses, but I suspect most iPhone users wouldn’t do this.
Unlocking and battery life
Like newer iPhones, the Pixel 10 uses face unlock, but it also lets you unlock the phone with a fingerprint, which is often easier than using your face, especially in a dark room or if you’re wearing a mask. I love that Google gives you both options.
For many users, battery life is the most important phone spec, and the Pixel 10 performs well. Google claims its 4,870 mAh battery lasts “30+ hours,” but manufacturer estimates rarely reflect real-world use. In Tom’s Guide’s standardized test, continuous web surfing over a cellular connection at 150 nits brightness, the Pixel 10 Pro lasted 13 hours and 43 minutes. The iPhone 17 Pro managed 15 hours and 32 minutes under the same conditions. Of course, your results will vary, but both phones should comfortably get through a full day on a single charge.
Ecosystem
Google, like Apple and Samsung, offers a tightly integrated ecosystem of products and services, including watches and premium earbuds. Although you can pair almost any other earbuds on any phone, the Pixel Watch only works with Android devices just as the Apple Watch is only for Apple devices. I plan to review the new Pixel Watch 4 in a subsequent column but – spoiler alert – I think it’s better than the Apple Watch, though I’m sure many die-hard Apple fans will disagree.
Switching from iOS to Android
It’s not unheard of to switch from iOS to Android or the other way around, and both Google and Apple let you transfer data and apps between the two platforms. But the easiest product to use is the one you already know. Switching from one platform to another involves a learning curve even though there are a lot of similarities between the two interfaces. And, although most iOS apps also have Android versions, there are some that don’t and some that work well on one platform and not-so-well on the other. So, while I encourage everyone to have an open mind, I respect that most people will stay with whatever platform they are used to.
With its voice-controlled editing magic, AI powered 100x zoom and Gemini’s deep OS integration the Pixel 10 Pro pushes boundaries in ways that are both innovative and useful.
Related Articles
Why won’t Holland America refund my $3,952?
A Bay Area dad built a trailer for better family camping. Now, he’s selling them.
Disneyland raises prices on daily tickets and annual passes
Elon Musk agrees to settle with fired Twitter execs over severance dispute
Development of former Greyhound station in San Jose may not happen for years
Larry Magid is a tech journalist and internet safety activist. Contact him at [email protected].