Technologies
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max, Galaxy S23 Ultra: Top-End Phones Compared
The Pixel 8 Pro brings new media-editing software tricks, but how else does it compare to the top premium smartphones?

The Pixel 8 Pro is Google’s latest top-end phone, packing a new processor, a brighter display and better cameras than its predecessor. But it faces stiff competition from two other handsets that dominate the premium smartphone market: the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. How do they really compare?
The Pixel 8 Pro runs on the new Tensor G3 chipset, the third generation in a line of silicon Google has designed to augment its on-device AI processing. Tensor chipsets don’t seem to be quite as much of a performance powerhouse in benchmarks like Geekbench as the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip in the Galaxy S23 Ultra. We’ll have to wait until we can fully test the Pixel 8 Pro to see how it performs compared with the others.
But the Tensor chipset does enable many of the Pixel family’s neat media-editing tricks, like Magic Eraser for taking elements out of photos, Audio Magic Eraser for diminishing background noise, and Best Take for combining the best bits of a burst of photos. These are the flashiest software advantages the Pixel 8 Pro holds over the competition (among others), even though Magic Eraser is technically available for other phones through the Google Photos app.

The other big advantage the Pixel 8 Pro holds is a guarantee of seven years of Android operating system and security updates. That’s far more than Samsung phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s four years of OS updates and five years of security updates. And Apple is unclear about how long phones will be supported — the just-released iOS 17 update, for instance, leaves behind the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, both released in 2017, so five years of OS updates is the low-end estimate for a new iPhone.
The Pixel 8 Pro’s rear camera hardware includes a 50-megapixel main shooter, a 48-megapixel ultrawide and a 48-megapixel telephoto capable of 5x optical zoom. On paper, those cameras will likely produce sharper photos than the 12-megapixel ultrawide and 12-megapixel telephoto cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, though we’ll have to test to compare it to Apple’s unique «tetraprism» technology in its zoom camera (the iPhone’s 48-megapixel main camera may be roughly comparable to the Pixel 8 Pro’s main shooter).
As far as rear cameras go, the Pixel 8 Pro might face the biggest challenge from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which has a 200-megapixel main camera. While it has only a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, Samsung’s top-of-the-line phone has two telephoto cameras: a 10-megapixel 3x optical zoom and a 10-megapixel 10x optical zoom, which is capable of up to 100x digital zoom. But with the phone’s starting cost of $1,200, those souped-up camera specs make sense considering the Pixel 8 Pro’s $1,000 starting price and the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s $1,100 price tag.
All three phones have pretty similar selfie cameras: the Pixel 8 Pro has a 10.5-megapixel selfie shooter, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S23 Ultra both have 12-megapixel front-facing cameras.

Regarding design, the three phones have very different looks. The Pixel 8 Pro retains its predecessor’s wide horizontal camera block spanning the width of the phone. A metallic stripe wraps around the phone’s three rear cameras, with a flash and new temperature sensor on the right side (for checking food and, pending FDA approval, your own skin). The rest of the phone’s rear cover is a matte glass, and its sides are rounded.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max has its predecessor’s flat sides and square camera block, with lenses that are larger and stick out farther than those of previous iPhones. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the physically largest of the bunch, though its design has tended toward minimalism, with just the five cameras popping out of the undecorated back cover (i.e. no big camera block), as well as rounded sides.
The Pixel 8 Pro’s 6.7-inch OLED display (3,120×1,440 pixels) is the same size as its predecessor’s, but it’s brighter, maxing out at 2,400 nits with a 1 to 120Hz refresh rate. It has a slightly sharper resolution than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch OLED (2,796x 1,290-pixel) screen, and it’s on par with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 6.8-inch AMOLED (3,088×1,440-pixel) display (both Apple’s and Samsung’s phones have 120Hz adaptive refresh rates).
The phones are also pretty similar in terms of other hardware specs. The Pixel 8 Pro comes with 12GB of RAM and 128GB to 1TB of storage. Apple never specifies the amount of memory in its phones, though GSMArena says the iPhone 15 Pro Max has 8GB, and the phone comes with 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. The Galaxy S23 Ultra starts with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but it can also be configured for 12GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. None of the three has a slot for expandable storage, so you’ll have to store your extra files in the cloud or hook up an external SSD.
Similarly, Apple doesn’t disclose battery capacity on its phones, saying only that it gets up to 29 hours of video playback (in other words, it should last all day without needing to recharge). The Pixel 8 Pro has a 5,050mAh battery, while the Galaxy S23’s battery has a capacity of 5,000mAh.
In a first for Apple, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a USB-C port instead of its Lightning connector and has 25 watts of wired charging as well as 15 watts of wireless charging. The Pixel 8 Pro has up to 30 watts of wired charging and 23 watts of wireless, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra has the fastest speed, with 45 watts of wired charging and 15 watts of wireless.
To see how else the Pixel 8 Pro stacks up against the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, we’ve placed each phone into this side-by-side comparison chart:
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Google Pixel 8 Pro | Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra | |
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate, brightness | 6.7-inch OLED; 3,120×1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate | 6.7-inch OLED; 2,796×1,290 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate | 6.8-inch AMOLED; 3,088×1,440 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate |
Pixel density | 489 ppi | 460 ppi | 500 ppi |
Dimensions (inches) | 6.4x3x0.3 inches | 6.29×3.02×0.32 inches | 6.43×3.07×0.35 inches |
Dimensions (millimeters) | 162.6×76.5×8.8 millimeters | 159.9×76.7×8.25 millimeters | 163.3x78x8.9 millimeters |
Weight (grams, ounces) | 213 g (7.5 oz) | 221 g (7.81 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
Mobile software | Android 14 | iOS 17 | Android 13 |
Camera | 50-megapixel (wide), 48-megapixel (ultrawide), 48-megapixel (telephoto) | 48-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (5x telephoto) | 200-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 10-megapixel (10x telephoto) |
Front-facing camera | 10.5 megapixels | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
Video capture | 4K | 4K | 8K |
Processor | Google Tensor G3 | A17 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy |
RAM/storage | 12GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB (RAM undisclosed) | 8GB + 256GB; 12GB + 256GB; 12GB + 512GB; 12GB + 1TB |
Expandable storage | None | None | |
Battery | 5,050 mAh | Undisclosed; Apple says up to 29 hours of video playback (25 hours streamed) | 5,000 mAh |
Fingerprint sensor | Under display | None (Face ID) | Under display |
Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
Headphone jack | None | None | None |
Special features | 5G (Sub 6 and mmWave); VPN by Google One; 7 years of OS, security and Feature Drop updates; front-facing camera has autofocus; 13W Qi wireless charging; 30W wired charging; USB-3.2 speeds via USB-C; IP68 dust and water resistance; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on front and back | 5G (Sub6, mmWave), Action Button, Always-On display, IP68 water resistant, MagSafe, Dynamic Island, 5x optical zoom (120mm equivalent), satellite connectivity, eSIM, thread networking technology | 5G (Sub6, mmWave), IP68 water resistant, wireless PowerShare to charge other devices, integrated S Pen, 100x Space Zoom, 10x optical zoom, UWB for finding other devices, 45W wired charging |
US price off-contract | $999 (128GB) | $1,199 (256GB) | $1,200 (256GB) |
UK price | Converts to £825 (128GB) | £1,199 (256GB) | £1,249 (256GB) |
Australia price | Converts to AU$1,575 (128GB) | AU$2,199 (256GB) | AU$1,949 (256GB) |
Technologies
OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Atlas, Challenging Google Chrome With an AI-First Browser
The browser is available now for MacOS users, with versions for Windows, iOS and Android coming later.

OpenAI has released a generative AI-powered web browser called ChatGPT Atlas, a major step in the company’s expansion beyond its ChatGPT chatbot platform. The browser, announced Tuesday, integrates ChatGPT’s capabilities directly into the browsing experience, aiming to make web use more interactive and chatbot-like.
OpenAI sparked speculation earlier Tuesday after posting a teaser on its X account showing a series of browser tabs. During the YouTube livestream, CEO Sam Altman and others announced the browser and live-demoed a few of the new features now available for MacOS users worldwide. Support for Windows, iOS and Android operating systems is «coming soon,» the company said.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
The new product launch comes amid growing competition among tech companies to embed AI assistants more deeply into everyday tools. For instance, Google has already integrated Gemini into its Chrome browser to add AI to the online browsing experience. Earlier this year, the AI search tool developer Perplexity launched Comet, an AI-powered Chromium-based web browser. Here’s everything OpenAI announced today.
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What is ChatGPT Atlas?
ChatGPT Atlas looks and functions like a traditional web browser. It includes tabs, bookmarks, extensions and incognito mode, but adds popular ChatGPT functions and features throughout. Opening a new tab lets you either enter a URL or ask ChatGPT a question. The browser includes separate tabs for different types of results, such as search links, images, videos and news.
A built-in ChatGPT sidebar can analyze whatever page you’re viewing to provide summaries, explanations or quick answers without leaving the site. ChatGPT can also offer in-line writing assistance, suggesting edits and completions inside any text field, such as an email draft.
One of the biggest new features is browser memory, which keeps track of pages and topics you’ve previously explored. Atlas can suggest related pages, help you return to past research or automate repetitive tasks. Memory is optional and can be viewed, edited or deleted at any time in settings.
Atlas also supports natural language commands, meaning you could type something like «reopen the shoes I looked at yesterday» or «clean up my tabs» and the browser should respond accordingly.
Read more: OpenAI Plans to Allow Erotica and Change Mental Health Restrictions for Adult Users
Agent mode in Atlas preview
OpenAI also previewed agent mode, which lets ChatGPT take limited actions on behalf of the user — such as booking travel, ordering groceries or gathering research. The company says the mode is faster than standard ChatGPT and comes with new safeguards to keep users in control.
Agent mode is available to Plus and Pro subscribers, and is available in beta for Business users.
«In the same way that GPT-5 and Codex are these great tools for vibe coding, we believe we can start in the long run to have an amazing tool for vibe lifing,» Will Ellsworth, the research lead for agent mode in Atlas, said during the livestream. «So delegating all kinds of tasks both in your personal and professional life to the agent in Atlas.»
How to get started with ChatGPT Atlas
To get started, you’ll first download Atlas at chatgpt.com/atlas. When you open Atlas for the first time, you’ll need to sign in to your ChatGPT account.
From there, you can import your bookmarks, saved passwords and browsing history from your current browser.
Technologies
Amazon Will Pay $2.5 Billion for Misleading Customers Into Amazon Prime Subscriptions
Amazon settles its FTC lawsuit, and agrees to pay billions for «tricking» customers into Prime subscriptions.

In September, Amazon settled its case with the Federal Trade Commission over whether it had misled customers who signed up for Amazon Prime. The $2.5 billion settlement is one of the largest consumer protection settlements in US history, and while Amazon did not admit to wrongdoing, it’s still changing things.
The FTC said $1.5 billion will go into a fund to repay eligible subscribers, with the remaining $1 billion collected as a civil penalty. The settlement requires Amazon to add a «clear and conspicuous» option to decline Prime during checkout and to simplify the cancellation process.
«Amazon and our executives have always followed the law, and this settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovating for customers,» Mark Blafkin, Amazon senior manager, said in a statement. «We work incredibly hard to make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up or cancel their Prime membership, and to offer substantial value for our many millions of loyal Prime members around the world.»
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Why was the FTC suing Amazon?
The FTC filed suit against Amazon in 2023, accusing it of using «dark patterns» to nudge people into Prime subscriptions and then making it too hard to cancel. The FTC maintained Amazon was in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act.
«Specifically, Amazon used manipulative, coercive or deceptive user-interface designs known as ‘dark patterns’ to trick consumers into enrolling in automatically renewing Prime subscriptions,» the FTC complaint states.
Who is eligible for Amazon’s big payout?
Amazon’s legal settlement is limited to customers who enrolled in Amazon Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025. It’s also restricted to customers who subscribed to Prime using a «challenged enrollment flow» or who enrolled in Prime through any method but were unsuccessful in canceling their memberships.
The FTC called out specific enrollment pages, including Prime Video enrollment, the Universal Prime Decision page, the Shipping Option Select page and the Single Page Checkout. To qualify for a payout, claimants must also not have used more than 10 Amazon Prime benefits in any 12-month period.
Customers who signed up via those challenged processes and did not use more than three Prime benefits within one year will be paid automatically by Amazon within 90 days. Other eligible Amazon customers will need to file a claim, and Amazon is required to send notices to those people within 30 days of making its automatic payments.
Customers who did not use a challenged sign-up process but instead were unable to cancel their memberships will also need to file claims for payment.
How much will the Amazon payments be?
Payouts to eligible Amazon claimants will be limited to a maximum of $51. That amount could be reduced depending on the number of Amazon Prime benefits you used while subscribed to the service. Those benefits include free two-day shipping, watching shows or movies on Prime Video or Whole Foods grocery discounts.
Technologies
This Rumored Feature Could Make NotebookLM Essential for Work as Well as School
NotebookLM takes another step toward being the do-it-all AI tool for work and school.

Since it launched, NotebookLM has been aimed at students. While just about anyone can use the AI tool to some benefit, it’s a great study buddy thanks to an assortment of features for the classroom. But a promising new feature may help with your next work presentation: Slides.
Powered by Gemini, NotebookLM can help you brainstorm ideas and generate audio or video overviews. That sounds like most AI tools, but NotebookLM is different. You can provide it with your own material — documents, websites, YouTube videos and more — and it’ll only use those sources to answer your questions and generate content. Adding a slide generator to such a tool would be a solid, professional power-up.
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Google already has its own slide deck creation tool, but NotebookLM could make it even easier to create them. Using your uploaded sources and the recently integrated Nano Banana image generator, the ability to create a slide deck on the fly could soon be on its way.
The tech and AI tool-focused site Testing Catalog recently spotted an unreleased and incomplete Slide tool. Not all of the features seem to be available, but it’d be easy to assume you’ll be able to create a slide deck based on your uploaded documents with just a few clicks. It’ll also likely allow you to further customize the deck by giving NotebookLM specific instructions and topics within your sources to focus on.
That’s not all, though. Another, similar feature might also be on the way. Also spotted was an option to generate an infographic — allowing you to create a visual chart or image based on your data sources. We’ll have to wait and see when either of these features goes live, but NotebookLM remains a robust tool that has little competition, and I expect it’ll only get better.
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