Apple iPhone 17 / Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

ProMotion adjusts the refresh rate to the content: 120 Hz smoothness when scrolling, lower rates on still images to save battery. The Always-On display shows the time and notifications dimmed while locked. Because of the rounded corners, the visible area is slightly smaller than the rectangle measurement.

LTPO lets the panel drop as low as 1 Hz with static content to save battery and rise to 120 Hz when scrolling; Google notes 120 Hz is not available in every app. The 2000-nit HDR figure is measured with the whole screen lit, the 3000-nit peak with 5% of the screen lit.

3,000 nits is a short peak in strong sunlight, not sustained full-screen brightness. The 1-nit minimum aims to avoid eye strain in a dark room. The screen has anti-reflective and oleophobic coatings.

According to Apple, the colour-infused back glass is used on Black, Mist Blue, Sage and Lavender.

Apple notes that this resistance is not permanent, may decline with normal wear, and that liquid damage is not covered by the warranty.

The GPU supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing; the Neural Accelerators speed up AI work inside the GPU.

Titan M2 is a security chip that handles sensitive operations such as passcode and lock-screen verification separately from the main processor.

There is no memory card slot.

The 2× image comes from the centre of the 48 MP main sensor rather than a separate telephoto lens; the optical-quality zoom range is 4× in total, with digital zoom up to 10×. The ultra wide camera also takes 48 MP macro photos.

Google lists 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x and 10x as optical-quality zoom; the range up to 30x is software-assisted digital zoom. The wide and telephoto cameras have optical + electronic stabilisation, and there is a multi-zone laser autofocus sensor.

Dual Capture records with the front and rear cameras at the same time. Action mode strongly stabilises footage shot while walking or running.

Video Boost processes footage on Google’s cloud servers to improve night and 8K recordings, so the processed result is not instant and needs an internet connection.

Center Stage automatically adjusts the framing to the people in photos and video calls; the TrueDepth system for Face ID works with this camera.

25 W wireless charging needs a 30 W or higher adapter; no adapter is included. Battery life varies with Apple’s test conditions, network and settings.

No charger is included; the box has a USB 2.0 USB-C cable. Google notes Battery Share noticeably reduces the phone’s own battery life.

Wired data transfer is limited to USB 2 speed, so moving large video files takes time. USB-C can output to an external display at up to 4K HDR.

Thread provides low-power mesh connectivity with smart-home devices. Ultra Wideband helps locate devices such as AirTag by direction and distance; availability varies by country.

Emergency SOS and Roadside Assistance via satellite are offered depending on country; Crash Detection is included.

Dual-band satellite positioning helps reduce errors from signals reflected between tall buildings.

The Action button can be set to functions such as silent mode, torch, translate or a shortcut. Camera Control is a touch-sensitive button that adjusts exposure, depth and zoom by sliding.

No power adapter or EarPods are included.

IP68 is the dust and water resistance class under IEC 60529; Google notes the protection is not permanent and can weaken with wear, repair or damage.

Storage is chosen at purchase and cannot be expanded; there is no memory card slot.

Wi-Fi 7 gives higher speed and lower latency on the 6 GHz band with a compatible router; the Indian version supports only Wi-Fi 6 (2.4/5 GHz). The USB-C port runs at USB 3.2 speed, but the bundled cable is USB 2.0.

Satellite SOS is offered only in the US and is free for the first two years; Car Crash Detection is not available in every country or language.