Apple frequently puts a challenge to Android vendors when it introduces new iPhones, and that’s truer than ever for the iPhone 12 series. While there are places where Apple falls short, new iPhones also put manufacturers to shame. Android phones in some key areas, and not just simple things like performance. Here’s how the iPhone 12, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max stack up against their Android counterparts.
High-quality designs on complete phone lines
If there’s one area where Android OEMs could learn more from the iPhone 12, it’s in the consistent high quality of the design, even on more affordable devices.
Every iPhone 12 model, from the Mini to the Pro Max, has a number of features that you don’t always see in the Android equivalents. They all have high-resolution OLED displays; each has an extra durable front glass thanks to a new Ceramic Shield; all are IP68 rated for water resistance; they all have a new MagSafe wireless charging system (more on that later). That doesn’t include consistency in performance-related features like the A14 Bionic chip, 5G, and solid camera quality. While the lower-end iPhone 12 models have aluminum sides rather than stainless steel, that’s the only obvious external compromise.
Many mid-range Android phones have stellar features, but there are generally pitfalls. Samsung’s Galaxy S20 FE is fast and packs a big screen, but it makes obvious compromises in design, unless you’re into “glasstic,” of course. Google’s Pixel 5 is better built, but it doesn’t run on top-tier silicon. Even the OnePlus 8T can struggle with camera quality. While Xiaomi’s Mi 10 series offers quality design and features at a good price, it is not available in North America and other parts of the world.
And those sacrifices are a problem. As a general rule of thumb, iPhone 12 buyers can assume they’re getting top-notch treatment no matter which model they purchase. Often times that cannot be guaranteed with Android. If someone is shopping for a comparison, they might choose the iPhone 12 simply because it looks and feels more like a premium device compared to its Android rivals.
Small phones with great features
Android Authority You’ve already written about the plight of Android users who want small phones, but it bears repeating – the iPhone 12 Mini is a reminder that many vendors have left fans of compact Android phones by the way.
While the iPhone 12 Mini is smaller than an iPhone SE, it packs in features that put many Android phones to shame, much less compact models. It has the same A14 chip, cameras, and MagSafe charging as its big brother. The OLED display has only a slightly lower resolution than on the standard iPhone 12. And as we mentioned earlier, there are no major design sacrifices compared to the larger versions.
Take a look at your Android options and … it’s not pretty. Many small Android phones are older, slower, or both. Even a Pixel 4a is relatively small and slightly larger than the iPhone 12 Mini (though considerably more affordable). The Sony Xperia 5 II is an impressive phone in every way, but it is much more expensive and some might argue that it is not really a “small” phone.
Simply put, Apple’s offering is one of the best options in a sea of mediocre little smartphones.
Easier wireless charging
Apple was certainly slow to embrace wireless charging, introducing it only with the iPhone X and iPhone 8 of 2017. It’s catching up, however, and the iPhone 12 family includes some features that Android vendors could adopt. somehow.
MagSafe, which uses magnets to align your iPhone for wireless charging, is the textbook example of a “why didn’t anyone think of this before?” invention. You don’t have to worry that your phone might be off-center, just drop it on the pad and walk away. Then there are the accessories that this allows, like snap cases and even a wallet.
Certainly there are areas where Android phones work best. MagSafe in the iPhone 12 lineup charges at a maximum of 15W, where it is not uncommon to see 30W or more on some Android phones. There’s also no mention of reverse wireless charging to recharge your other devices. But those features don’t address ease of use, and Apple could have an advantage simply by eliminating one of the more common wireless power problems.
More camera features for enthusiasts and professionals
Android phones are often packed with camera features, but they tend to be aimed at everyday users outside of the occasional manual mode. Samsung’s Single Take feature on the Galaxy S20 family comes in handy in case you’re not sure which shot you need, but it doesn’t offer much help if you’re a demanding mobile photographer. The notable exceptions are the newer Sony phones like the Xperia 1 II, and they are a handful of models in a much larger sea.
The iPhone 12 line bucks that trend. Although Apple’s official camera app won’t provide extensive control over shots, all new phones can’t just record Dolby Vision HDR videos (they’re the first phones to do this), while the Pro and Pro Max provide support for RAW photos. via a new ProRAW format. In other words, you can create images that might be suitable for a TV show or photo broadcast, let alone your Instagram feed. A night mode that works on all cameras is also helpful.
Yes, you have had RAW shots on Android since Lollipop, but it is available inconsistently. HDR video recording is also hit or miss. And that’s not counting the more explicitly hardware-dependent features like sensor swap image stabilization (again, new to phones) or LiDAR. Simply put, Apple offers iPhone buyers a number of powerful camera features that are really geared towards enthusiasts and working professionals, and that might tip the scales for some buyers.
Custom processing power
As blazingly fast as the current crop of Android phones can be, they tend to lag the performance of iPhones to some degree. AnandTech noted that even last year’s iPhone 11 models sometimes outperformed the Snapdragon 865 phones released several months later, much less the iPhone 12. The progress of the Android phone market is largely dictated by one company, Qualcomm, and not it has moved at a dizzying pace.
Apple, meanwhile, has no such restriction. He designs the chips he uses in his devices, and the A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12 illustrates the benefits of that approach. There’s no outside designer holding you back, and you’re targeting phone-specific enhancements rather than trying to make a one-size-fits-all design. Whether Apple’s claims of a speed advantage of up to 50% over rivals are true or not, its expected leadership is evidence that custom processing power matters.
Some Android phone manufacturers appreciate this too, even if its execution isn’t perfect. Samsung has its Exynos chips (sometimes underpowered), and Huawei had its high-end Kirin chips until the United States blocked that option. However, most of the others just follow the pack, and that lack of customization helps the iPhone 12 stand out that much more.
Where the iPhone 12 falls short
This does not mean that the battle between iPhone 12 and Android is strictly one-sided. Apple falls short in several categories, at least if you’re used to what Android offers. There is no 120Hz display. You still won’t find microSD expansion, a USB-C port, or very high-zoom cameras. You won’t even find a 1440p screen on the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
There is also the question of software. Both progress as iOS 14 has, additions like home screen widgets, modifiable app defaults, and iPhone picture-in-picture are upgrade features. You won’t be disappointed if the flexibility of Android is important to you, even if you want the most timely and longest-lasting operating system updates from Apple.
Still, important is the fact that Android vendors can follow several important signals from the new iPhones. It suggests that Apple is plugging some of the most glaring holes in its iPhone strategy. Android phone creators may have to step up if they plan to go toe-to-toe with Apple, particularly at that upper-middle-range sweet spot occupied by the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini.
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