iPhone 16 Pro I bought a Pixel 9: better than the iPhone in some ways

[Ultra AleM]

I recently got a Pixel 9 to use alongside my iPhone 16 Pro, and after a week of using both, I’ve noticed some pretty big shortcomings on the iPhone compared to Android in day-to-day use.

1. The keyboard on Android is way more efficient. Autocorrect works better, and it has way more features — like being able to type in one language and send the message in another. Voice dictation is also much faster and more accurate. On iPhone, the keyboard can sometimes be laggy, too.
2. Being able to swipe from the right edge to go back is incredibly convenient, especially on phones with big screens — it makes using the phone so much easier.
3. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is amazing. It instantly recognizes your fingerprint with just a touch, and in some cases, it’s actually better than Face ID.
4. The system just feels faster. Animations are quicker, and the phone responds to touch right away — unlike the iPhone, which sometimes doesn’t register input on the first try.
5. Android has some really useful features that iPhone just doesn’t have — like automatic music recognition or hearing the weather and news right after turning off your morning alarm.

And the best part? All of this comes at almost half the price: the iPhone 16 Pro costs around €1000, while the Pixel 9 goes for about €650.

Hopefully Apple will work on improving these things in future updates. Because I really like iPhone for other things.

 

[Ultra AleM]

To be fair, there are also quite a few things I prefer about the iPhone — like better-designed third-party apps, more reliable wireless charging, and a more consistent camera experience.

 

[eyoungren]

I think this sort of thing all comes down to preferences - and model of iPhone. I don't use my iPhone in the same way you use your Pixel/iPhone. And, my 11 Pro Max does not feel laggy at all.

Most of the things you list above I either don't really use, or use differently.

For the record though, I own a Pixel 3a XL. So, I do have some experience with Android.

 

[FeliApple]

I recently got a Pixel 9 to use alongside my iPhone 16 Pro, and after a week of using both, I’ve noticed some pretty big shortcomings on the iPhone compared to Android in day-to-day use.

1. The keyboard on Android is way more efficient. Autocorrect works better, and it has way more features — like being able to type in one language and send the message in another. Voice dictation is also much faster and more accurate. On iPhone, the keyboard can sometimes be laggy, too.
2. Being able to swipe from the right edge to go back is incredibly convenient, especially on phones with big screens — it makes using the phone so much easier.
3. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is amazing. It instantly recognizes your fingerprint with just a touch, and in some cases, it’s actually better than Face ID.
4. The system just feels faster. Animations are quicker, and the phone responds to touch right away — unlike the iPhone, which sometimes doesn’t register input on the first try.
5. Android has some really useful features that iPhone just doesn’t have — like automatic music recognition or hearing the weather and news right after turning off your morning alarm.

And the best part? All of this comes at almost half the price: the iPhone 16 Pro costs around €1000, while the Pixel 9 goes for about €650.

Hopefully Apple will work on improving these things in future updates. Because I really like iPhone for other things.

I haven’t encountered slow animations, but I have encountered one aspect that has NEVER happened to me in 14 years of iOS use.

Keyboard lag on an original iOS version. I never update iOS, and as a result, I never encounter keyboard lag. It isn’t there on my iPhone 6s on iOS 10, it isn’t there on my iPhone Xʀ on iOS 12, it isn’t there on my iPad Air 5 on iPadOS 15. It is there on my 16 Plus on iOS 18, for the first time ever.

That’s lack of optimisation, and if this happens on the freaking original iOS version, well…

They should stop with this ******** of yearly updates and just focus on optimisation. I’ve never seen this.

I used to say that it was a staple. The first aspect that started to break with major iOS updates was the keyboard. It started to lag. There, it was practically guaranteed that on the next major iOS version the device would fall apart. Well, apparently it isn’t anymore. Keyboard lag on an original iOS version is insane. And it is there on iOS 18.

 

[eyoungren]

Keyboard lag on an original iOS version. … It is there on my 16 Plus on iOS 18, for the first time ever.

Could it be the iPhone? Not your iPhone specifically, I mean the 16 series. I have the 11 Pro Max and it's running iOS 18.4. No lag on my keyboard.

 

[FeliApple]

Could it be the iPhone? Not your iPhone specifically, I mean the 16 series. I have the 11 Pro Max and it's running iOS 18.4. No lag on my keyboard.

Perhaps it is! Interestingly, I’m also using an 11th-gen iPad on iPadOS 18.3 and I have no keyboard lag there.

I’m so short of options if iOS updates impact my device that I’m reluctant to install iOS 18.4, but maybe it would fix it, who knows. I’m running its from-the-box version, iOS 18.3.1.

If it isn’t there on an 11 Pro Max it definitely shouldn’t be there on my 16 Plus.

 

[That70sGAdawg]

The only thing i found better over the years with Android phone is google dictation actually under stands my standard American accent, Siri - Not so much! But I couldn't put up with all the damn android pop ups & malware- has that improved from 6-7 years ago?

 

[krvld]

The system just feels faster. Animations are quicker, and the phone responds to touch right away — unlike the iPhone, which sometimes doesn’t register input on the first try.

It can get even faster too. I remember changing some attributes in developer mode on my Pixel 2, probably animation duration or smth. Everything was crazy fast and fluid. Miss that for sure.

 

[ab2c4]

Pixel phones are pretty great, I have had two Google phones. Oh how I miss the on screen navigation bar and much more accurate keyboard. I have been saying for years that stock Android is noticeably faster on a current model than a current model iphone. Someday I will return to Android.

 

[subjonas]

I agree the typing experience in iOS, especially using QuickPath, has been pretty bad for awhile now. It’s probably my number one complaint of iPhone software. I remember it being good in my early days of iPhone so I don’t know what happened. Now it’s frequent wrong often nonsense prediction/autocorrect words. Random capitalizing words. Difficulty placing cursor. Unwanted selecting of words. More recently, sometimes the keyboard doesn’t respond to gestures swipes until I start typing regularly. Etc. Although the typing experience seems to vary a bit between apps and maybe websites. It’s especially bad in Safari/MR forums.

I would also love a fingerprint sensor.

I don’t get system responsiveness issues though (other than the keyboard issue I mentioned). It’s all instant as far as I can tell. I’m on 16 PM.

 

[winxmac]

This post needs to be moved here: Alternatives to iOS

 

[PPCmike]

I recently got a Pixel 9 to use alongside my iPhone 16 Pro, and after a week of using both, I’ve noticed some pretty big shortcomings on the iPhone compared to Android in day-to-day use.

1. The keyboard on Android is way more efficient. Autocorrect works better, and it has way more features — like being able to type in one language and send the message in another. Voice dictation is also much faster and more accurate. On iPhone, the keyboard can sometimes be laggy, too.
2. Being able to swipe from the right edge to go back is incredibly convenient, especially on phones with big screens — it makes using the phone so much easier.
3. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is amazing. It instantly recognizes your fingerprint with just a touch, and in some cases, it’s actually better than Face ID.
4. The system just feels faster. Animations are quicker, and the phone responds to touch right away — unlike the iPhone, which sometimes doesn’t register input on the first try.
5. Android has some really useful features that iPhone just doesn’t have — like automatic music recognition or hearing the weather and news right after turning off your morning alarm.

And the best part? All of this comes at almost half the price: the iPhone 16 Pro costs around €1000, while the Pixel 9 goes for about €650.

Hopefully Apple will work on improving these things in future updates. Because I really like iPhone for other things.

Funny thing is my fiancee has a Xiaomi phone and like her last phone (Oppo) they all have the ultrasonic finger print sensors just thinking about it I don't ever remember seeing her have to retry to unlock the phone.

 

[rambo47]

the keyboard on my Pixel 5 is the best I've ever used. Google got that right. I keep the P5 around as a backup and as an Android training aid. My parents got Android phones as their first smartphones and I'm an iPhone guy. Turns out the Pixel 5 is still a great phone! So light weight I'd swear it's a hollow demo/display unit. fantastic dimensions too.

 

[TgeekB]

I’ve had quite a few Pixel phones. The only Android phones I would ever use. I came back to iPhone though because it’s just an overall better experience for me.