The iPhone has always been a beautiful phone, what with the company’s traditional focus on design. While the past few years and versions have seen the company improve its offerings in terms of battery life and performance speed, it still scores relatively low when it comes to everyday functionality. Those looking to use the iPhone on the go as a work phone have complained about such issues as the various steps the phone puts them through when having to switch between apps, the problems faced when sharing media and issues with the keyboard. While it is still one of the leading brands, its territory has been encroached on in the past few years by clever launches by companies like Google. The Pixel XL gets an honorable mention here. If you are looking to buy the Pixel XL, here are some benefits, big and small, that might be worth noting.
Speed and reliability
The iPhone is fast, no doubt about that, but there is always the feeling that things are not running as smoothly as one would expect. The Pixel, on the other hand, is fast and all without any lag whatsoever. For instance, the touch-to-wake fingerprint scanner on the Pixel not only switches the phone on but also unlocks it. Even though the iPhone 7, for instance, has this feature, most of the time the user will require more than one attempt, more when fingers are wet or cold. The rates of error for the Pixel are much lower. The scanner location is also ideal, since that is how most people typically hold their phones.
Google Apps
Most people use or need Google apps either for work or for such functions as music or search. On most iPhones, many Google apps are truncated, which makes their use experience somewhat unsteady. On the Pixel, all the Google apps work perfectly.
Keyboards
The built in swipe keyboard for android that is present in the Pixel is flawless. There is the option for purchase of a swipe keyboard for iOS, but users say it does not feel as good as the android version. Further, the built in GIF keyboard on android works much smoother than it does an iPhone.
Buttons
One of the truly frustrating things about the iPhone in the past few years has been its plain refusal to create a well-functioning back button. Instead, it has traditionally relied on functions that are different among different apps. Further, Pixel XL features, as do most android phones, a menu button that actually works. It takes some getting used to on an iPhone, but on any android device, this function is a godsend.
There are a few negatives, though. For instance, the phone, and most other android devices, come with almost everything in the ‘on’ position as a default. In the first few weeks of using an android phone, the ritual for most users is to hunt down all the applications that are on and switch them off. Further, fans have also complained about the systems folder being too complex to easily navigate, and the position of the volume button.