Google Pixel 8a / Apple iPhone 15 Plus

Google Pixel 8a: 8 GB RAM, 128/256 GB; North America GKV4X, rest of world G6GPR, Japan G576D, mmWave model G8HHN.

Apple iPhone 15 Plus: iPhone 15 Plus; 128, 256 and 512 GB. Apple’s spec page lists model numbers A3090 and A3094; models sold outside the US have a SIM tray. The iPhone 15, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are separate models.

SpecificationGoogle Pixel 8aApple iPhone 15 Plus
Release year20242023
Display6.1-inch Actua OLED; 1080 × 2400, 430 ppi, 20:9; always-on display

The always-on display shows the time, notifications and the song playing nearby (Now Playing) at low power while the phone is locked.

Google
6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2796 × 1290, 460 ppi; Dynamic Island, True Tone, Wide colour (P3)

Dynamic Island uses the front camera cut-out as an area for notifications and Live Activities. Apple does not list ProMotion for this model; the display is not 120 Hz. Because the corners are rounded, the actual viewable area is slightly smaller than the 6.69-inch rectangle.

Apple
Refresh rateSmooth Display, up to 120 Hz

The upper limit, 90 Hz on earlier A-series phones, rises to 120 Hz on this model; Google notes it is not available in every app.

Google
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Brightness and contrastUp to 1,400 nits (HDR) and up to 2,000 nits peak; >1,000,000:1 contrast

HDR brightness is measured with the whole screen lit and peak brightness with only 5% lit.

Google
1,000 nits typical; 1,600 nits peak (HDR); 2,000 nits peak (outdoor); 2,000,000:1 contrast

The outdoor peak is used briefly in strong sunlight; the HDR peak applies to HDR video and photos.

Apple
Cover glass and buildCorning Gorilla Glass 3 on the front; matte composite back; matte aluminium frame

The aluminium in the housing and camera bar is 100% recycled; the back cover uses 76% recycled plastic.

Google
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DurabilityIP67 dust and water resistance (IEC 60529)

IP67 means full dust protection and resistance to brief immersion; it is one step below IP68. Protection can diminish over time.

Google
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ProcessorGoogle Tensor G3; Titan M2 security coprocessor

It is the same chip as the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

Google
A16 Bionic; 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency), 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine Apple
Memory and storage8 GB LPDDR5X RAM; 128 GB or 256 GB UFS 3.1 storage

There is no card slot; the 256 GB option is not offered in every country.

Google
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Main camera64 MP Quad PD wide; 0.8 μm pixels, f/1.89, 80° field of view, 1/1.73-inch sensor; optical + electronic stabilisation

Super Res Zoom up to 8x is software magnification; there is no telephoto camera.

Google
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Ultrawide camera13 MP; 1.12 μm pixels, f/2.2, 120° field of view, lens correction Google—
Front camera13 MP; f/2.2, fixed focus, 96.5° ultrawide Google—
VideoRear: 4K and 1080p at 30/60 fps, slow motion up to 240 fps, digital zoom up to 5x; front: 4K and 1080p at 30 fps; HEVC and AVC Google4K at 24/25/30/60 fps; HDR video with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps

Action mode crops the image to apply strong digital stabilisation when running or in a vehicle, which is why it tops out at 2.8K.

Apple
Battery4,492 mAh typical (minimum 4,404 mAh); 24+ hours, up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver

According to Google, average battery life in testing was at least 31 hours; figures are based on a median user profile.

Google
Up to 26 hours video playback, 20 hours streamed, 100 hours audio; built-in lithium-ion

Apple quotes 6 hours more video playback than the iPhone 15.

Apple
ChargingWired up to 18 W (with the Google 30 W USB-C charger); Qi-certified wireless charging

No charger is included; the box contains a USB-C cable and a Quick Switch adapter for transferring data from an old phone.

Google
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WirelessWi-Fi 6E (2.4/5/6 GHz; Wi-Fi 6 in India); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; Google Cast Google5G (sub-6 GHz, 4x4 MIMO); Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; second-generation Ultra Wideband; NFC with reader mode

Ultra Wideband shows the direction and distance of a nearby item or friend in Find My; availability varies by region. This UK page does not list mmWave 5G.

Apple
LocationGPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou (no BeiDou in the US, NavIC added in India) Google—
Cellular and SIM5G Sub-6: North America GKV4X, rest of world G6GPR, Japan G576D (FeliCa); mmWave model G8HHN; single nano-SIM + eSIM Google—
Authentication and sensorsUnder-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock; proximity, ambient light, accelerometer, gyrometer, magnetometer, barometer Google—
USB and audioUSB-C 3.2; stereo speakers, two microphones Google—
Software and updatesLaunched with Android 14; seven years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates

The seven years count from the first sale date on the US Google Store; this was the first A-series phone with the promise.

Google
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Dimensions and weight152.1 × 72.7 × 8.9 mm; 189 g Google—
Colours and warrantyObsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Aloe; one-year warranty in the US, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and India, two years in Europe and Australia Google—
Storage—128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB Apple
Rear cameras—48MP Main (26 mm, ƒ/1.6, sensor-shift OIS); 12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.4, 120°); 12MP 2x Telephoto (52 mm, ƒ/1.6)

The 2x telephoto is not a separate lens; it uses the centre of the 48 MP main sensor (Apple says it is “enabled by quad-pixel sensor”). Photos can be 24 MP or 48 MP; digital zoom goes up to 10x.

Apple
Front camera and Face ID—12MP TrueDepth (ƒ/1.9, autofocus); Face ID Apple
Safety features—Emergency SOS via satellite and Roadside Assistance via satellite; Crash Detection

Satellite features work only in certain countries and in open areas without mobile or Wi-Fi coverage.

Apple
USB-C and charging—USB-C, USB 2 (up to 480 Mb/s), DisplayPort; up to 50% in around 30 minutes with a 20W adapter; MagSafe up to 15W, Qi up to 7.5W

Although the port is USB-C, data speed is USB 2. Native DisplayPort output over USB-C mirrors video up to 4K HDR. No power adapter is included; a USB-C charge cable that supports fast charging is in the box.

Apple
SIM—Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM); Dual eSIM support

The SIM tray is on models sold outside the US; eSIM use depends on carrier support.

Apple
Durability and materials—IP68 (maximum depth of 6 metres up to 30 minutes, IEC 60529); aluminium design, Ceramic Shield front, colour-infused glass back Apple
Size and weight—160.9 × 77.8 × 7.80 mm; 201 g Apple
Colours—Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink Apple