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

Trendingnow

1

The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents

2

Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026

3

Trump embraces Australian retirement system backed by Larry Fink

1

The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents

2

Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026

3

Trump embraces Australian retirement system backed by Larry Fink
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
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

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
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

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

Jony Ive (left), formerly with Apple and now with OpenAI, standing next to Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, at an event in 2022.
AIOpenAI
Stolen laptops, data breaches, secret moles, and recruiting-as-espionage. Here are the wildest claims in Apple’s lawsuit against OpenAI
By Emily ForliniJuly 13, 2026
5 hours ago
Elon Musk and Sam Altman are accusing each other of scamming investors as SpaceX and OpenAI jockey to lead AI revolution
AIBillionaires
Elon Musk and Sam Altman are accusing each other of scamming investors as SpaceX and OpenAI jockey to lead AI revolution
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 13, 2026
6 hours ago
u
PoliticsSocial Media
Europe to social media platforms: make yourself safe for kids under 13, somehow
By Lorne Cook, Kelvin Chan and The Associated PressJuly 13, 2026
9 hours ago
Meta’s AI data center cost went from $10 billion to $50 billion in under 2 years—and split the town in two
Big TechMeta
Meta’s AI data center cost went from $10 billion to $50 billion in under 2 years—and split the town in two
By Sydney LakeJuly 13, 2026
9 hours ago
b
CommentaryWorld Cup
Columbia Business School professors: What the Balogun red card can teach us about AI and judgment
By Oded Netzer, Christopher Frank and Paul MagnoneJuly 13, 2026
10 hours ago
‘We are driving in the fog’: Hundreds of economists admit they’re flying blind on AI
Economydisruption
‘We are driving in the fog’: Hundreds of economists admit they’re flying blind on AI
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 13, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
Innovation
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 12, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 13, 2026
15 hours ago
Trump embraces Australian retirement system backed by Larry Fink
Personal Finance
Trump embraces Australian retirement system backed by Larry Fink
By Brianna Sosa and BloombergJuly 12, 2026
1 day ago
Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich
Big Tech
Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 12, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 13, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 13, 2026
15 hours ago
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
7 days 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.