Google announced the Pixel 5 at a lower price than its flagships from previous years, setting up an opportunity for a good comparison with Apple's iPhone 11. Both smartphones are priced at $699, leading one to wonder which will offer more value for the money.
From the very first model, Google's Pixel phone earned a reputation of punching above its class, particularly when it comes to the camera. With a single rear camera, Google has been able to compete well with phones from other manufacturers that feature multiple cameras. This is due to the computational photography and artificial intelligence skills that Google has developed over the years. It's digital assistant is generally regarded as the best, though Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa are gaining in conversational skills and usability. Last generation's Pixel 4 featured two rear cameras, a wide and a telephoto, adding more photography power and refining its one weak spot, portrait mode. Bokeh artificially blurs the background in a way quite similar to expensive DSLR cameras.
Google's Pixel 5 matches Apple's iPhone 11 in several specifications. Both feature two rear cameras, one wide and one ultra-wide. Google stated last year that the telephoto was more useful, but seems to have bent to popular demand for an ultra-wide mode. Both smartphones have the enticing starting price of $699. Each has an IP68 water resistance rating and similar screen size. The Apple phone measures 6.1-inches versus Google's 6.0-inches. Each contains a relatively fast processor. Apple's iPhone 11 would win easily in a processor benchmark comparison, but in real life use, each phone should feel very responsive.
Apple has included some computational photography power with its camera, but clearly is not a match for Google's camera. Google already had an edge with its NightSight and HDR-Plus features. This year the gap widened again with further enhancements to HDR+, though few details were shared at the brief event. Google also allows use of NightSight while taking a Portrait Mode photo. Apple has always had very nice video quality, but Google is challenging that as well with better stabilization, such as the newly announced Cinematic Pan, which smooths the motion and applies slow motion, making video moments more dramatic.
Battery Life, 5G & Digital Assistant
Another key difference between the Google Pixel 5 and the Apple iPhone 11 is the battery life. Google claims an astounding 48 hour battery life when using its latest Battery Saver Extreme. Google does seem to squeeze a remarkable amount of run time out of a battery and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G is more power efficient that the top tier Snapdragon 865+. Whether most users will actually see 48 hours of use from the Pixel 5's 4000 mAh battery remains to be seen. The iPhone 11 features a respectable 3046 mAh battery that lasts about 11 hours. This could be a significant point for anyone that regularly needs a phone to last longer than a day without charging. Of course, an external battery pack charger is an easy solution for the iPhone, but adds cost and is yet another item to keep track of when traveling. Naturally, 5G is a big win for Google since the Apple iPhone 11 still relies on LTE. Note that the iPhone 11 is one-year-old phone already, with Apple's iPhone 12 expected in October or November, and will almost certainly include 5G.
Google differentiates itself from other smartphone manufacturers with its AI. Google Assistant is considered by many to be the best available. That shows in the Pixel 5. For example, in addition to Google Assistant doing call screening, which was added in the previous generation, it can also handle a call that is placed on hold, speaking to the other party when they return to the call and alerting the Pixel phone user to join again. The value of these intelligent features can't be overstated. This is something that can help throughout the life of the phone, yet simply disappears until needed again. Apple's Siri is getting better, which is hard to quantify, but still has a long way to go to catch Google.
The saving grace of the iPhone 11 is the Apple ecosystem. To use an Apple Watch, an iPhone is required. To access Apple's App Store an iPhone or iPad is needed. At $699, the Pixel 5 is clearly a great phone that equals and surpasses the iPhone 11 in many specifications and features, yet an Apple user has the incentive of a library of iOS 14 apps and other Apple device compatibility to consider.