• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
TechChange the World

How Does the Google Pixel 2 Compare to Apple’s iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X?

Robert Hackett
By
Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
Down Arrow Button Icon
Robert Hackett
By
Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 4, 2017, 8:02 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Google (GOOG) debuted its new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones at an event in San Francisco on Wednesday.

While Google dominates the smartphone software market with its ubiquitous, customizable Android operating system, it’s a relative pipsqueak when it comes to selling its own handsets. The company is hoping the two phones will be strongly competitive to rival gadget-makers Samsung, which earlier this year released its Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus phones, and Apple (AAPL), which last month unveiled its iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.

Google has a long way to go. Presently, the company has less than 1% of U.S. market share for phone hardware versus Samsung’s control of about 21% of the global market and Apple’s share just under 14%.

Here’s a rundown of how Google’s new Pixel phones—due out Oct. 19 and already available for pre-order—compare to their Apple iPhone counterparts in terms of their tech specs.

Google Pixel 2 vs Apple iPhone 8

First, the commonalities. All of the phones are water resistant and none of them have headphone jacks.

The phones’ screens differ. The Pixel 2 sports a 5-inch screen with a crisp, organic light emitting diode display, or OLED. Apple’s iPhone 8 has a slightly smaller 4.7-inch screen with a less efficient liquid crystal display, or LCD.

The difference is palpable: Google’s new model has better image resolution by about two orders of magnitude, the company claims.

The Pixel 2 XL screen is bigger than the others’ screens. This model boasts a 6-inch screen with a thinner and more flexible plastic, rather than glass, OLED display. The Pixel 2 XL also has a higher screen resolution: 538 pixels per inch, a finer contrast ratio than either the Pixel 2 (441 pixels per inch) or the iPhone 8 (326 pixels per inch).

The prices of the low-end phone models from Google and Apple are similar. The Pixel 2 starts at $649 while the iPhone 8 starts a little costlier at $699 (both base models have 64 Gigabytes of memory). The Pixel 2 XL starts at $849 for the base 64 GB model.

While the new Pixel phones do not feature wireless charging, like the new iPhones, they do come with squeezable sides designed to activate Google’s virtual voice assistant. The Pixel phone displays are also always on, meaning that no tap is necessary to view notifications and other information, like the time and weather.

The cameras on the Pixel phones are superior. They come with 12.2-megapixel rear cameras, a slight edge over the 12-megapixel rear cameras in Apple’s new iPhones. Google’s phones also have a slightly higher quality 8-megapixel front-facing camera versus the 7-megapixel front cameras in the iPhones.

Now let’s look at how the Pixel phones compare to Apple’s next model up: the iPhone 8 Plus.

Google Pixel 2 vs Apple iPhone 8 Plus

The iPhone 8 Plus is a middle of the road option. It has a 5.5-inch screen with an LCD display, an average of the sizes of the Pixels’ more vivid OLED screens (5-inch and 6-inch).

The iPhone 8 Plus has a coarser display at 401 pixels per inch than either the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL. But it’s also a bit cheaper than the higher end Pixel phone. The iPhone 8 Plus starts $799, making it $50 cheaper than the larger Pixel 2 XL.

Unlike the iPhone 8 Plus, the Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL have one rear-facing camera rather than two. The Pixel phones are able to take “portrait mode” photos with blurred backgrounds from both their front and back cameras, however, yielding an effect similar to what you might expect from a professional photographer.

Next up: iPhone X, the king of the lot, but also the costliest phone of them all.

Google Pixel 2 vs Apple iPhone X

The killer feature on the iPhone X is Face ID, Apple’s facial recognition technology that can scan and recognize a user’s face in order to unlock a phone—no fingerprint necessary. Google’s Pixel phones have not matched this feature.

Similar to the Pixel phones, the iPhone X has an OLED display that presents images at a sharper resolution—458 pixels per inch—than the aforementioned phones, except for the Pixel 2 XL, which boasts an enviable 538 pixels per inch on its plastic OLED display.

The iPhone X screen is a smidgen smaller at 5.8 inches than the Pixel 2 XL’s 6-inch screen. The high-end iPhone starts at $999, a steep premium over the rest.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

For some consumers, even Google’s generally superior cameras and image displays will be insufficient to tear them away from the church of Apple, whose products and services tend to work best when paired together. But Google is getting serious—deadly serious—about its hardware; just recently the company agreed to acquire a phone-making unit at HTC for $1.1 billion, making its intent to take on the phone market known.

Apple—and Samsung for that matter—reign for now, but Google is clearly thirsty for an upset.

About the Author
Robert Hackett
By Robert Hackett
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

GTA 6 release date is finally here—but the $80 price tag and missing disc have gamers furious
Arts & EntertainmentGaming
GTA 6 release date is finally here—but the $80 price tag and missing disc have gamers furious
By Whizy Kim and Tech BrewJune 25, 2026
1 hour ago
stock
InvestingMarkets
How one chip stock reversed the global tech selloff, exposed AI’s ‘memory tax’ and made the case for an entire valuation regime change
By Nick LichtenbergJune 25, 2026
4 hours ago
Larry Ellison quietly gave $45 million to a pro-Trump group—then Oracle landed a starring role in a $500 billion AI buildout
PoliticsLarry Ellison
Larry Ellison quietly gave $45 million to a pro-Trump group—then Oracle landed a starring role in a $500 billion AI buildout
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
4 hours ago
Sundar Pichai
SuccessCareers
Google CEO tells graduates to stop obsessing over first jobs because ‘very few moments are make or break’ in life—a lesson he learned in Vegas
By Preston ForeJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
Softbank CEO dismisses Elon Musk’s extraterrestrial data center idea in favor of maximizing Earth-side construction now: ‘He who strikes first wins’
AITech
Softbank CEO dismisses Elon Musk’s extraterrestrial data center idea in favor of maximizing Earth-side construction now: ‘He who strikes first wins’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 25, 2026
6 hours ago
VivaTech entrance in Paris.
NewslettersEye on AI
Europe’s AI wake-up call: cybersecurity threats, sovereignty fears, and a growing demand for ROI dominated VivaTech
By Beatrice NolanJune 25, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
13 hours ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
2 days ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
Success
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 25, 2026
13 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.