A fresh reader poll of over 14,500 votes shows it is looking like neck and neck for that title against the best Android alternative to Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro, with both the Google Pixel 10 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra locking in at 27% of the vote. The findings highlight just how deeply Google and Samsung now control the conversation around premium Android devices, even as other companies compete fiercely on design, performance and price.
A jam up at the top among Android flagship rivals
The Pixel 10 Pro and the Galaxy S25 Ultra almost split the votes down the middle, indicating two separate ways to go for a flagship experience. Google’s pitch is that it can do more with less, using computational photography and on-device AI features to craft an experience as close to stock Android (so, fast) as any phone on this list. Samsung’s Ultras are 10 design principles manifested as a big-battery, big-value play that features class-leading screen technology and cameras custom-tuned for reach and versatility, often coupled with power-user extras like S Pen support.
Further back, behind the leaders was the Motorola Razr Ultra with 17% and the OnePlus 13 scoring 15%. Samsung’s book-style foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, followed close behind at 10%, indicating that while foldables are cool manna for speculation, most consumers just want a slab of metal and glass to haul around on the daily.
What’s appealing about these two Android phones
Recent flagship cycles have built on the appeal of both winners. Google and Samsung now provide extended software support — up to seven years on their most recent premium phones — closing in on one of Apple’s longstanding edges in longevity. One single policy change has near-term implications for TCO and value perception over time.
When it comes to performance and features, their approaches part ways. Google’s premium Pixels prioritize AI-first features—contextual assistance, smarter photo/video tools and deep integration with first-party services—powered by Google’s in-house silicon. I find, though, that Samsung leans further into hardware ceilings: brighter displays, super long-zoom optics and top-of-the-line chipsets alongside strong ecosystem integration with wearables, tablets and Windows PCs through its continuity tools.
How the rest of the field fares in this latest poll
The Razr Ultra’s performance is a testament to the increasing attraction of modern clamshell foldables, which make for a pocketable form factor and more usable cover screens. Yet foldables are a volume niche still; Counterpoint Research continues to say that foldables sell in small numbers overall even as the segment grows every year.
OnePlus still brings popular appeal with aggressive performance-per-dollar, fast charging and a light Android skin. That 15% of the poll represents a strong foundation that values speed and value over gimmicks such as a stylus or long-zoom cameras. In the meantime, the Z Fold 7’s small percentage betrays the fact that book-style foldables are great productivity machines but so large, heavy and expensive to throw beneath or around a bus.
Respondents also raised dark-horse options not on the ballot, such as the HONOR Magic 7 Pro—embellished for its all-in photography hardware and monstrous battery life with fast charging—where a few Chinese options also excel aside from specs.
What the tie says to potential buyers considering Android
To shoppers mulling whether to switch an iPhone 17 Pro for its Android competition, the tie sends a pragmatic message: you can replicate Apple’s flagship experience in other ways. If you care about having the most pristine Google services integration with the latest in AI features, Pixel is doing work. For those who want maximum room for hardware, an even larger battery and a productivity all-in-one, the Ultra is still a solid choice.
Final call should be based on camera priorities. Pixel phones have long done well on point-and-shoot consistency and computational edits, while Samsung has excelled in optical range and flexibility. Independent testing outfits such as DXOMARK and industry teardowns frequently reveal this back-and-forth between the two from generation to generation, which reflects the close split voters showed in the poll.
Specs, of course, are only part of the story and real-world economics matter. Analysts who follow device depreciation, like SellCell, have consistently reported that iPhones retain more resale value compared with Android phones overall. That disparity has closed for a few Android flagships, especially those with long update guarantees, but the math for trade-ins still favors Apple much of the time. You can compensate for this with carrier promos and fast upgrade programs for buyers married to Android.
Bottom line: choosing between Pixel 10 Pro and S25 Ultra
The result of the survey isn’t so much to declare a single “iPhone killer” as it is about how mature the Android flagship field has grown. Topping the list is a tie between the Pixel 10 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra, so the best iPhone 17 Pro alternative comes down to whether you’re AI-first or hardware-first. Either way, the latest Android flagship is competitive with Apple’s very best, and it’s now a choice of fit, not compromise.
