Do you have a list of the favorite phones you've owned? I've been lucky enough to have 17 years under my belt with PhoneArena which sure covers plenty of great-and not so great-phones. At the time I started writing for PhoneArena, I was using a BlackBerry Storm 9530. Every unit of this phone sold by Verizon, including mine, had to be sent back. The Storm 2, released a few tears later, was actually a decent phone, but it was too late by then.
The Motorola DROID was the first iPhone challenger
The Motorola DROID that I purchased in late 2009 not only became the first legitimate iPhone challenger, but it also surprisingly helped Android eventually become the most widely used mobile operating system in the world. It was a surprise because many had already figured that the Palm Pre and its webOS operating system would take on the iPhone and iOS.
My favorite phone of all time was the HTC One (M8) with its unibody aluminum build, and the stereo Boom Sound speakers. Among my other favorites, I also owned the OG iPhone, the HTC DROID DNA, and the Pixel 2 XL. Thanks to Google's computational photography, the ability to get Android updates early, and my love of stock Android, the Pixel 2 XL was definitely near the top of my favorites list.
Upcoming Long Term Detection feature warns Pixel users when an unsafe app is monitoring their activities. | Image credit-Android Authority
Google seeks to use Live Threat Detection to warn Pixel users when their devices have been compromised
I had high expectations for the Pixel 6 Pro but after a honeymoon period, the phone's flaws had it heading toward the BlackBerry Storm on the bottom of my list. The crappy Exynos modem, the lagging optical fingerprint scanner and the lack of facial recognition were all negatives. But an amazing thing happened. Originally set to lose Google support after the release of Android 15, Google extended support for the Pixel 6 series for two years.
With Android 16 installed, the makeover of Google's apps using the Material 3 Expressive design has made the Pixel 6 Pro a brand-new phone. Software updates have improved the fingerprint scanner, and having Gemini replace Google Assistant helps make the Pixel 6 Pro more useful to me than my iPhone 15 Pro Max. Google is working hard to make Pixel's AI features, like the proactive Magic Cue, indispensable to mobile device users.
Which phone manufacturer is ahead of the others in AI usage on phones: Apple, Google, or Samsung?
Apple is the leader with Apple Intelligence.
0%
Google is the leader with heavy AI presence on Pixel.
100%
Samsung is the top user of AI for its phones.
0%
I have no response.
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Another such feature is Live Threat Detection. It uses on-device AI models to find harmful apps. If the feature discovers suspicious behavior, a real-time alert is sent to the device owner giving him ample time to delete the app from the phone. Android Authority says that it found a new page that lists apps that have been flagged by the feature. It also says that it has found strings of code relating to a warning that will alert you when a malicious app is monitoring your device location or activity.
Google is handling AI better than Samsung and Apple
Pixel users, think about how great it would be to receive an alert warning you when you're being tracked by a malicious app. You'll have enough time to uninstall the app before serious damage is done and you're receiving custom ads based on your recent shopping trips.
In my opinion, Google is handling AI better than Samsung, and Apple. With features such as the Magic Cue, and Camera Coach, Google is using AI to make t easier to do certain tasks. What Google has done with the Photo app has been outstanding. You can use conversational English to describe editing changes you want to make to a picture and even turn a picture into an eight-second video. With the later feature, the clownfish wallpaper I use on my iPhone were swimming around my screen in a video.
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Google's head start with AI means nothing unless they can turn this into increased sales of Pixel devices.
"Iconic Phones" is coming this Fall!
Good news everyone! Over the past year we've been working on an exciting passion project of ours and we're thrilled to announce it will be ready to release in just a few short months.
"Iconic Phones: Revolution at Your Fingertips" is a must-have coffee table book for every tech-head that will bring you on a journey to relive the greatest technological revolution of the 21st century. For more details, simply follow the link below!
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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