Pixels Tend to be More Reliable than iPhones, Study Shows

When it comes to picking smartphones, a lot of buyers are always after what gives them the most value – this includes daily performance, camera quality, and overall reliability, especially since smartphones have become our most-used items today. With that said, a new study shows some interesting numbers regarding smartphone preference among buyers in the UK, particularly those who grab their phones via contracts.

A study conducted by USwitch compared several smartphone brands and models, and based their merit on account of several factors, which include battery life, screen refresh rate, camera quality, waterproof rating, warranty period, processor score, and overall review score. Interestingly enough, the top-ten list shows the Google Pixel 6 Pro and 7 Pro as the most reliable, based on the factors taken into account. While the two devices are a generation apart, they do come with very similar designs and specifications, with a few differences.

One major factor for the Pixels taking lead is their warranty period, which covers two years versus the typical one year periods on competing brands and devices.

In third place was the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, followed by the Apple iPhone 14 Pro max. Two more Google phones – the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 – take up the fifth and sixth spots respectively, while the iPhone 14 Pro ranked in seventh place, followed by three more Samsung handsets which include the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22.

With that being said, it shouldn’t be too surprising that the top three brands deemed as the most reliable by the study are Google, Samsung, and Apple. While Google has an overall lower marketshare in terms of worldwide sales, the company’s Pixel phones have nevertheless gained a following, especially with Android phone enthusiasts.

The research also shows additional rankings, such as the popularity of certain refurbished smartphones – the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra ranks as the most reliable refurbished mobile phone, with an impressive overall score of 10/10, while the refurbished phone offering the biggest saving is the Galaxy S9, which was originally launched back in 2018 with a price tag of £739, but can now be picked up for £169. Additionally, the brand of refurbished phones offering the biggest saving is Samsung, with average savings of 61%.

Speaking of Samsung, the company’s latest Galaxy S23 series phones recently launched globally in several countries worldwide. The company highlighted some rather impressive pre-order sales numbers, which it says outnumbers pre-order figures for last year’s Galaxy S22 series. This year, 60% of buyers opted to go with the S23 Ultra, which comes with the most high-end specs of the three S23 phones.

As for Apple and Google, we can expect to see the two companies launch their phones later this year, with Google’s upcoming A-series smartphone making its debut sometime in mid-2023, followed by the launch of its mainline flagship Pixel phones in Fall 2023. Apple meanwhile usually launches its new phones around September/October.

With all that said, this is a rather interesting insight especially given the competition between smartphone OEMs these days. It’s bound to get more interesting once we see the new Pixels and iPhones this year.