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When Apple introduced the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, it didn’t just provide the usual performance and feature updates.
It also gave its smartphones a long-due boost in AI capability. However, you’ll have to wait for some of those features to arrive. As we’ll see in this vs. showdown, there are a few areas where Google’s Pixel 9 still pulls ahead in hardware, software, and AI.
Key Takeaways
- The iPhone 16 has made significant strides forward in AI, hardware, and software.
- Google is still ahead in some areas, including AI.
- You’re still getting a good phone in either case.
Hardware: Faster, But Not Always Better
If there’s one area where Apple clearly trounces Google, it’s performance. The Tensor G4 in the Pixel 9 is ultimately a refinement of the G3, and was already trailing Apple’s silicon — it’s going to lag further behind the A18-based iPhone 16 in most respects aside from AI. This could matter a great deal if you play demanding games (such as Death Stranding or Genshin Impact) or otherwise push your phone to the limit.
With that said, real-world differences might be hard to spot. The Pixel 9 felt very fast in our review for virtually everything except gaming. If you’re not straining your phone, you’re not going to wish you’d bought an iPhone 16 instead. AI speed comparisons will have to wait until the new iPhones arrive in earnest, but any differences will only really manifest in on-device computing.
Apple does claim an edge in physical controls. While the Pixel 9’s quick camera launch (a double-tap of the power button) is fast, Camera Control on the iPhone 16 is far more flexible. You can zoom, change aperture, and otherwise tweak settings without ever touching the screen. The Action button also gives you a quick shortcut that the Pixel simply lacks.
The camera systems on the iPhone and Pixel this year are surprisingly close, depending on which models you’re looking at. The Pro versions of both hover around the 50-megapixel mark for main and ultrawide cameras. Google does have much higher-resolution 5X telephoto (50MP vs. 12MP) and selfie (42MP vs. 12MP) cameras, though, so keep that in mind if you want the most detail. On the entry phones, the Pixel 9 also has the iPhone 16 beaten: its ultrawide camera is not only higher-resolution (48MP vs. 12MP), but at a wider aperture (f/1.7 vs. f/2.2) that helps in low light.
Where Apple more clearly falls behind is in display tech. The ‘starter’ Pixel 9 has a 6.3-inch, 120Hz always-on display — you’ll need the more expensive iPhone 16 Pro to match that capability in Apple’s lineup. If there’s an upside, it’s that Apple has a relatively affordable big-screen model (the $899 iPhone 16 Plus) while you have to pay at least $1,199 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Of course, there’s no foldable iPhone yet to answer the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
AI: Filling the Gaps, With Some Glaring Exceptions
To say Apple Intelligence is important is an understatement. It not only helps Apple hop aboard the AI bandwagon, it patches up some holes that have existed for a long time. Siri was already behind Google Assistant in some respects, let alone Gemini. And Visual Intelligence on the iPhone 16 range is a needed answer to Google Lens’ ability to identify and explain what you see.
There are some areas where Apple pulls ahead. I wish the summaries for notifications were present as a matter of course in Android. If you value privacy, Apple’s Private Cloud Compute could help if you’re worried about your data leaking out. And Apple also offers access to one third-party AI model (ChatGPT) now, with the possibility of more in the future. Google’s not likely to give you a way to bypass Gemini on the Pixel 9 without turning to someone else’s app.
Both the iPhone 16 and Pixel 9 have some very similar features, such as image generation and screen-aware responses. If you’re editing photos, you can remove objects using either Clean Up (on the iPhone) or Magic Eraser (Pixel). You can combine emoji and get writing help.
This is where Google starts to take the lead, however. The Pixel 9 lets you include yourself in group shots through Ask Me, or even bend reality by inserting objects or changing the scenery. These can feel gimmicky to a degree, and Apple isn’t necessarily wrong to hold back when there are ethical concerns about manipulated photos. But they’re options that simply don’t exist with the iPhone 16.
And that’s not factoring in Gemini Live, Google’s advanced conversational AI. Siri will handle more natural requests, but you can have full-blown discussions with Gemini that include interruptions. It currently requires a Gemini Advanced subscription and, like many generative AI systems, occasionally makes mistakes. Siri just doesn’t have that capability, no matter how much you’re willing to pay.
There’s the question of the wait, for that matter. Gemini is built into the Pixel 9 right from the start. You’ll have to wait until October to even begin using Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16, and some features (including the upgraded Siri) might not be ready until 2025. You’re buying the iPhone for the promise of what’s coming where Google can deliver more right now.
Software: The Gap is Smaller Than Ever
Let’s be frank: the differences between Android and iOS are increasingly subtle these days. Android still offers more flexibility for both what apps can do and how you install them (it’s considerably easier to install third-party apps, even inside the EU), and you can customize it with third-party launchers and other tools that fundamentally change the experience. But the days of huge chasms in features and priorities are mostly over: iOS is typically very capable, and Android is typically easy to use.
With the debut of iOS 18, the iPhone 16 vs. Pixel 9 fight is even tougher to call. You can finally place app icons anywhere on the home screen grid, and match them to the dark mode or a color of your choice. You can have hidden and locked apps like you’ll find in some Android variants. Control Center, meanwhile, is both more expansive and more customizable. If you’ve avoided iPhones because of how restrictive they felt years ago, it might be worth a revisit.
All the same, the iPhone 16 likely won’t pull you away from Android if you’re a fan. On top of the more limited customization, you can’t change as many app defaults. Apple’s App Store limits also remain largely the same. You can’t get a web browser that uses a different engine, for instance. The Pixel 9 is your pick if you insist on having your phone your way.
The Bottom Line: It’s a Good Time to Be a Phone Buyer
If you’re just interested in buying a good phone, the iPhone 16 vs. Pixel 9 fight isn’t really an issue; both are well-made, powerful devices with cameras that should rarely let you down. The iPhone might hold out better in the long term thanks to its raw performance, but neither feels slow today
When it comes to AI, you’ll still have to side with Google if you want the best this very moment, and possibly for this generation. Google simply has a head start on generative AI, and there are no guarantees Apple will be fully caught up even several months from now. Ditto in software. Although Apple is gradually opening up, Google is likely to keep its flexibility advantage for a while yet.
With that in mind, Apple will eventually have shored up some of its biggest AI weaknesses by the time Apple Intelligence is finished. And that’s great news for phone shoppers — you won’t have to worry that you’re giving up too many AI capabilities to join Apple’s ecosystem. It’s now more a question of the platform you prefer, and whether or not there’s a must-have feature.
