• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
TechChange the World

What Google Pixel 2 Must Do to Compete With Apple iPhone X

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 3, 2017, 1:15 PM ET

Google must set a goal for itself at its Wednesday Pixel 2 press event: prove why it believes its latest smartphones can keep up with the heavyweights.

By holding a press event in early October, Google has sandwiched its smartphone announcements between the iPhone 8’s release and the iPhone X’s impending release. And in turn, Google will—intentionally or not—force consumers to draw comparisons between its new handsets and those from Apple.

Ultimately, Google’s chances of even coming close to matching iPhone sales numbers in the fourth quarter and beyond are slim, if not nil. But if the reports are true, Google (GOOGL) will pitch its Pixel 2 handsets as viable alternatives to even Apple’s $1,000 iPhone X. And that’s where the company could have some trouble.

According to reports, Google will announce two new Pixel smartphones at its event on Wednesday. The first, which could be called the Pixel 2, will come with a 5-inch screen and thin bezel. It’ll also be a powerful handset, thanks to the top-of-the-line Qualcomm (QCOM) Snapdragon 835. The Pixel 2 XL is rumored to have a 6-inch screen and an even thinner bezel that could remind people of the iPhone X, which similarly has a screen that nearly covers its face. The Pixel 2 XL will also run on the Snapdragon 835 and at a rumored price of $949, the Pixel 2 XL could clock in at around the same price as the $999 iPhone X.

No one is suggesting that the Pixel 2 can knock Apple (AAPL) from its perch as the preeminent high-end smartphone seller in the world. But if Google wants its Pixel 2 to stand out, it’s unlikely the rumored Pixel 2 will get the job done.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Looking around at the Android smartphone market, one company stands above the rest: Samsung (SSNLF).

The Korean conglomerate earlier this year released the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, two smartphones that were universally celebrated for their outstanding design and high-end power. Samsung followed up that success last month with the Galaxy Note 8, a handset that has a similar design to the Galaxy S8 line, but lets users digitally write on the screen with an accompanying S Pen stylus.

If the rumors are true, Google’s Pixel 2 might not even be able to trump Samsung’s 2017 smartphones, let alone the iPhone X. Recently released images purporting to show the Google Pixel 2 show an attractive smartphone, but not one that’s as nice-looking as the Galaxy S8. And since Samsung’s smartphones come with the same Snapdragon processor, Google’s Pixel 2 might not have a power advantage.

There’s even talk that Samsung will soon bring Android Oreo to its Galaxy smartphones, preventing the Pixel 2s from getting a software advantage. And all that fails to mention that Samsung’s smartphone sales have been strong all year, suggesting consumers really like what they see from the company.

Meanwhile, nearly every market analyst says demand for Apple’s upcoming iPhone X is exceedingly strong. The new handset is so attractive to consumers, in fact, that they’ve even ignored Apple’s other new smartphone, the iPhone 8, to wait for its flagship model. It’s possible that the rumors are wrong and that Google has a surprise up its sleeve. It’s also possible that it could succeed in the face of the iPhone X and Samsung’s smartphones.

However, to not acknowledge that the smartphone industry has been dominated chiefly by Apple, but also by Samsung over the years would be foolish. And as former Googler Andy Rubin discovered this year when he released his Essential Phone—a device that he apparently hoped would catapult his startup into the upper echelons of the smartphone industry—actually succeeding in the cutthroat smartphone market is really difficult.

Now it’s Google’s turn to try its luck. But with the massive shadow cast by iPhone X and even Samsung’s smartphones, the Alphabet-owned company will need to do something special at its press event to even have a chance at breaking out from the pack.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the ‘deepest moat that exists today’ as investors vow to ‘never bet against Elon’
InnovationIPOs
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the ‘deepest moat that exists today’ as investors vow to ‘never bet against Elon’
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
5 hours ago
tarot
AICulture
We talked to 12 tarot card readers who are using AI. They split in 2 camps, with big implications for the technology
By Ziv Epstein, Farnaz Jahanbakhsh, Vana Goblot and The ConversationMay 16, 2026
7 hours ago
liberman
Commentarystart-ups
We watched social media concentrate. The same thing is happening in AI, only at a deeper layer
By David Liberman and Daniil LibermanMay 16, 2026
8 hours ago
mustafa suleyman
AIMicrosoft
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
9 hours ago
olivier
CommentaryAnthropic
I’ve been studying Big Tech for a long time. What just happened with Anthropic and the Pentagon terrifies me
By Olivier SylvainMay 16, 2026
9 hours ago
bhaskar
Economydisruption
The prophet of the ‘Wired Belt’ says capitalism is finally eating itself
By Bhaskar ChakravortiMay 16, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
9 hours ago
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
3 days ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 15, 2026
1 day ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
13 hours ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
9 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.