Technologies

Apple iPhone 17 vs. Google Pixel 10: How Each Flagship Phone Stacks Up

Apple and Google’s base flagship handsets each pack a lot of value for $799, with both phones getting noticeable improvements over prior models.

Apple’s iPhone 17 and Google’s Pixel 10 have a lot in common this year. Both phones may look very similar to prior iPhone and Pixel phones, but it’s on the inside, there are new features that can make both phones feel quite new.

For the $829 iPhone 17, Apple’s bumped up the base storage to 256GB, brought a 120Hz ProMotion display to the base iPhone for the first time and threw in the new Center Stage front-facing camera that lets you take horizontal and vertical photos without rotating the phone. You can also get a 512GB model for $1,029.

Meanwhile, Google’s $799 Pixel 10 marks the first time the company is putting a third telephoto lens into the base model to improve zoom photos, support magnetic Qi2 wireless charging accessories, and a slew of new AI features that take advantage of Google Gemini. The Pixel 10 still starts with 128GB of storage, with a 256GB model costing $899. There is no 512GB edition of the Pixel 10, which is instead offered on the Pro models.

If you have a strong preference for either Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android, you might already have a lean toward one of these phones. However, if you aren’t particularly loyal to one operating system over the other, there’s a lot to consider when deciding between each phone. Let’s go over some of the big highlights between the iPhone 17 and the Pixel 10, and you can use them to compare which one is best for you.

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Display

Both the iPhone 17 and the Pixel 10 have 6.3-inch OLED displays that support a variable120Hz refresh rate for smoother animations as well as the option for an always-on display for glanceable information. Both phones also have a similar resolution, with the iPhone 17 having a slightly higher 2,622×1,206-pixel resolution against the 2,424×1,080p resolution on the Pixel 10. Both will make videos, websites and photos look great, although you might need to take a visit to the settings menu to make sure that the higher refresh rate is turned on.

Both phones also support face identification inside the display. Apple’s iPhone 17 continues to use a Dynamic Island notch for its Face ID technology, while the Google Pixel 10 uses its front-facing camera and AI processing for its own Face Unlock feature. Both Google and Apple’s Face ID are secure enough to work for mobile payments. The Pixel 10 also has an under-display fingerprint sensor if you would prefer to use that for unlocking your phone.

Cameras

The iPhone 17 and the Pixel 10 each have noticeable changes to their camera systems, providing a lot of opportunities for taking detailed photos.

Apple’s 48-megapixel wide camera is now accompanied by a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, and its system claims to be capable of taking photos at a 2x «optical zoom quality» by using image sensor cropping despite not having an actual telephoto camera. While the ultrawide camera received quite a bump from the iPhone 16’s 12-megapixel camera, the 18-megapixel Center Stage camera on the front is a full revamp for how the iPhone takes selfies. This camera’s new square sensor lets you take vertical and horizontal selfie photos without rotating your phone and can be set to dynamically resize to get an entire group into a photo.

Google instead put a bigger focus on improving zoom photos by adding a 10.8-megapixel telephoto lens to its rear camera system, with a 5x optical zoom. This puts the Pixel 10 in close competition with the Samsung Galaxy S25, the latter also has a telephoto camera. That telephoto lens pairs up with a 48-megapixel wide camera and a 13-megapixel ultrawide, both of which are similar to what Google included on the $499 Pixel 9A.

Special features

Apple’s iPhone 17 and Google’s Pixel 10 both have in-house processors, which help each company provide a deep level of feature integration on both the hardware and software side for their phones. This includes long software update periods, such as Google’s seven-year commitment of Android updates for Pixel phones. Apple’s never published timelines for its software support for the iPhone, but this year’s iOS 26 runs on 2019’s iPhone 11.

Apple’s iPhone 17 beefs up its charging speed, now including 40-watt wired charging alongside 25-watt Qi2 wireless charging. The Pixel 10 is similarly speedy, with a 29-watt wired speed and 15-watt Qi2 wireless speeds. The Pixel 10’s support for magnetic accessories, dubbed PixelSnap by Google, allows the phone to work with all of the MagSafe accessories that have arrived to the market over the past five years.

On the artificial intelligence side, it does still feel like early days for Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 17 does support writing tools, Visual Intelligence for scanning screenshots and some generative features like Genmoji. Google’s Pixel 10, however, has Magic Cue, which can provide suggestions of information based on what’s available in Google services like Gmail, Google Messages and Google Keep. Google’s Gemini assistant also supports more natural communication when asking it to search for information or give commands, whereas Apple is still working on an AI-enhanced edition of Siri that was first promised last year.

In the US, both the iPhone 17 and the Pixel 10 use eSIM instead of a physical SIM. While Apple has been eSIM-only for its US phones since the iPhone 14, going exclusively eSIM for the US is new for the Pixel 10 line. However, both iOS 26 and Android 16 now support transferring an eSIM between an iPhone and Android without necessarily having to involve your wireless carrier. Hopefully, this smooths over the process of moving from one phone to the other, but it’s worth pointing out since eSIM is still a newer technology for setting up your phone service.

For more comparisons between Apple’s iPhone 17 and Google’s Pixel 10, check out the specs chart below.

Apple iPhone 17 vs. Google Pixel 10

	Apple iPhone 17	Google Pixel 10
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate	6.3-inch OLED; 2,622 x 1,206 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate	6.3-inch OLED; 2,424×1,080 pixels; 60 to 120 Hz variable refresh rate
Pixel density	460ppi	422 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	5.89 x 2.81 x 0.31 in	6 x 2.8 x 0.3 in
Dimensions (millimeters)	149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95 mm	152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm
Weight (grams, ounces)	177 g (6.24 oz)	204 g (7.2 oz)
Mobile software	iOS 26	Android 16
Camera	48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (ultrawide)	48-megapixel (wide), 13-megapixel (ultrawide), 10.8-megapixel (5x telephoto)
Front-facing camera	18-megapixel	10.5-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K
Processor	Apple A19	Google Tensor G5
RAM + storage	RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB	12GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB
Expandable storage	None	None
Battery	Up to 30 hours video playback; up to 27 hours video playback (streamed)	4,970 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	None (Face ID)	Under display
Connector	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None
Special features	Apple N1 wireless networking chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Camera Control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. 1 to 3,000 nits brightness display range. IP68 resistance. Colors: black, white, mist blue, sage, lavender. Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using 40W adapter or higher via charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger.	Gorilla Glass 2 Victus cover glass; 3,000 nits peak brightness; Satellite SOS; Dual-eSIM; Wi-Fi 6E; NFC; Bluetooth 6; 30W fast charging (wall charger not included); Qi2 15W wireless charging; support for PixelSnap magnetic accessories; Google VPN; Super Res Zoom up to 20x; Camera Coach; Add Me; Macro mode; Face Unblur; Auto Best Take; IP68 rating for dust and water resistance; 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates; Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 polished back with satin finish aluminum frame
US price starts at	$829 (256GB), $1,029 (512GB)	$799 (128GB), $899 (256GB)

Technologies

Tim Cook Riffs on Retirement Rumors, AI, Phone Addiction and Trump

The Apple CEO discussed a range of topics on Good Morning America.

Tim Cook isn’t going anywhere just yet — not during Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations, not with the company preparing to introduce its first foldable phone, not while the tech giant is trying to figure out how to beat the AI race.

In a sit-down interview with Good Morning America host and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan this week, Cook, who turned 65 in November, said there was no truth to the rumors that he is considering retiring from Apple. He became CEO of the company in 2011, 13 years after joining from Compaq.

«I love what I do deeply. Twenty-eight years ago, I walked into Apple, and I’ve loved every day of it since,» Cook told Strahan. «We’ve had ups and downs, but the people I work with are so amazing. They bring out the best in me, and hopefully I can bring out the best in them.»

Strahan interviewed Cook during the Apple CEO’s visit to Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing & Visual Arts in Harlem, where students use Apple technology through the company’s partnership with the nonprofit Save the Music.

Speculation about Cook stepping down has been circulating since last November, when the Financial Times cited unnamed sources saying that Apple was preparing to usher in a new CEO «as soon as next year.» Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman threw water on that report, saying he «would be shocked if Cook steps down in the time frame outlined by the FT.»

During Cook’s tenure as CEO, Apple’s revenue has nearly quadrupled, with the tech giant adding dozens of new iPhone models, several more iPads, and updated Apple Watches and AirPods. This year, Apple has launched several new products, including the MacBook Neo, which at $599 has disrupted the budget laptop market. The company’s first foldable phone could come later this year.

Touch some grass

The GMA interview was short but wide-ranging, including Cook’s thoughts on how much people use their iPhones. Many studies estimate that people across most generations spend at least 4 hours a day on their phones, with millennials and Gen Z spending 5 to 6 hours.

When asked what he worries about most regarding Apple products’ impact on society, Cook weighed in, telling Strahan he doesn’t want people using iPhones «too much.»

«I don’t want people looking at the smartphone more than they’re looking in someone’s eyes,» Cook said, «because if they’re just scrolling endlessly, this is not the way you want to spend your day. Go out and spend it in nature.»

More on Apple from CNET:

AI and privacy

Cook told Strahan that AI «can be so positive,» but his response when asked whether he was «worried» about it was fairly flat.

«Technology doesn’t want to be good, and it doesn’t want to be bad,» Cook said. «It’s in the hands of the user and the hands of the inventor.»

Strahan questioned how much of iPhone users’ private lives are feeding Apple’s AI learning machine. Cook told him that because the smartphone is encrypted, Apple doesn’t have access to it. He went on to say: «When we can’t answer a question on your device, we send it to something called private cloud compute, which is essentially a big device in the sky that has the same kind of security and architecture as your phone.»

On its website, Apple says that it «does not use our users’ private personal data or user interactions when training our foundation models.»

To date, Apple has been cautious in diving into the AI scrum. While Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft are spending nearly $700 billion combined on AI tech this year, Apple is «only» investing $14 billion.

Trump and tariffs

Cook has been criticized for being too cozy with the Trump administration: donating $1 million to President Donald Trump’s inauguration; giving him a 24-karat gold plaque; and attending a White House screening of Melania, a film about the First Lady.

The Apple CEO told Strahan that he’s «not a political person» on either side.

«I’m kind of straight down the middle, and I focus on policy,» Cook said. «So, I’m very pleased that the president and the administration is accessible to talk about policy.»

One of those policies has been tariffs, which Trump has imposed on many nations to varying degrees during his second term in office, purportedly to pressure companies to shift their manufacturing to the US. The president has largely spared Apple, which promised to invest $600 billion over four years to make more products in the US.

Cook told Strahan that the glass for the front and back of an iPhone will come out of Kentucky by the end of the year, and that 100 million chip engines will be manufactured in Arizona this year. He also noted that 20 billion semiconductors will be made in the US. «We’re a very proud American company, and we want to do as much here as we can,» Cook said.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for March 19, #1012

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for March 19 #1012.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle features another tricky purple category, where words hide inside the clues and you have to dig them out. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Children’s stories.

Green group hint: Lucky charms.

Blue group hint: One color, then the next.

Purple group hint: Hidden words relating to music.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Folk tale characters.

Green group: Good luck symbols.

Blue group: Things that change color.

Purple group: Ending in music genres.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is folk tale characters. The four answers are Chicken Little, Frog Prince, Gingerbread Man and Goldilocks.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is good luck symbols. The four answers are evil eye, four-leaf clover, horseshoe and rabbit’s foot.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is things that change color. The four answers are chameleon, mood ring, sunset and traffic light.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ending in music genres. The four answers are baby blues, pet rock, scrap metal and soda pop.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for March 19, #542

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle No. 542 for Thursday, March 19.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is tricky. Remember that many athletes’ surnames look like common words, so if you’re having trouble sorting the answers, think about whether a particular word could be someone’s last name. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Football division.

Green group hint: They catch the pigskin.

Blue group hint: College hoopsters.

Purple group hint: Where’s the glass slipper?