It seems that the Pixel 10 Pro XL wiped the floor with the iPhone 17 Pro: can a camera software update fix this?

Here’s a perfect example of AI being put to great use—the Pixel boasts the best camera by far. The photos are stunning, with incredible detail. To those who downplay the usefulness of AI in 2025 (looking at you, #iSheep), Google just showed how valuable AI can be when applied for the right reasons. Congrats to Google! Hopefully, Samsung adopts a similar approach next year. Today, software has become far more important than hardware, and Google has been demonstrating this for years.

Regrettably, I must reiterate my previous statement that camera results published on PhoneArena are not reliable. I respectfully disagree with your results compared to those from DXOMARK. This is the second or third year that you have been rating cameras while DXOMARK has been doing so for many years.

I would like to share a little secret with you. A few years ago, NUNOB512 was not a staunch supporter of Samsung, particularly around the time the Note 7 exploded. He always preferred XPERIA devices and claimed that his Samsung devices were not as good as his XPERIA devices at that time. When GSM Arena or Phone Arena criticized the camera on Xperia phones, none of them were considered credible except for DXOMARK. This hypocrisy is evident in his actions.

Recently, we discussed the device with the best screen in 2025. PhoneArena or GSM Arena claimed it was Apple, but DXOMARK had the S25U as the top device. As you can see, DXOMARK was accurate in this instance, but not in their camera ratings. This demonstrates the inconsistency in their evaluations.

Despite his derogatory remarks towards Apple users, he is the most ardent Android enthusiast I have ever encountered. Last Sunday, he observed the GPS issue on his Fold 7 but chose to disregard it, as if it had never occurred. This behavior exemplifies his true nature. The most significant sheep in this scenario is himself.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL

according tot he real pros DXOMARK

Pros

• Well-balanced exposure and wide dynamic range, ensuring consistent quality in both photo and video
• Natural color rendering with accurate white balance and pleasing skin tones
• Fast and reliable autofocus with a solid telephoto performance, preserving detail even at long range
• Accurate and well-rendered colors in all tested conditions
• Good luminance adaptation in most usage
• HDR10 videos perform well in low-light and indoor environments

Cons

• Noticeable noise in still images and temporal noise in low-light video
• Medium-range zoom shots show a slight loss of detail
• Luminance loss and color shifts visible at angled viewing

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Pros

• Best in class video experience
• Smooth zoom performance across most ranges, delivering both stunning portraits as well as high quality zoomed videos
• Impressive portrait photography with accurate color reproduction, natural skin tones and consistently excellent exposure, with a good control of artifacts

Cons

• Visible limitations for group shots due to the absence of a variable aperture
• Noticeable noise in indoor and low-light environments
• Reduced texture detail at intermediate zoom levels between the preset focal lengths

Iphone does not lose in any single aspect.

https://www.dxomark.com/smartphones/Apple/iPhone-17-Pro

https://www.dxomark.com/smartphones/Google/Pixel-10-Pro-XL

This is the reason why i consider Phone Arena unreliable in camera section. See how GSMARENA matches DXOMARK.

https://www.gsmarena.com/best_camera_phones_buyers_guide-review-2030.php

It would be nice to have the same comparison between Pixel 10 and Iphone 17. I would be not suprised, if the result would be the same.

I don't plan from switching phones at the moment, but these photos make a strong statement for the Pixel which is something that I haven't considered. I would love to see a comparison of Huawei, Vivo, Xiaomi, Google, Samsung, and Apple to see which truly makes the best. I care most about zoom since I often use the zoom feature on my phones.