Google’s Pixel 10 Pro has topped Apple’s iPhone 17 family in global Wi‑Fi performance, boasting the fastest median download speeds in new data from Ookla Speedtest Intelligence. It is a close victory, but certainly one that Apple can be proud of, as it has recently introduced its first in‑house networking silicon in the most recent iPhones.
The readings taken in the weeks following launch — specifically one on launch day and another six weeks later — place the Pixel flagship in front for general Wi‑Fi throughput, with Apple returning much better performance when signal quality drops. Combined, the results suggest a maturing arms race with radio design, firmware tuning, and 6GHz adoption.
Inside Ookla’s findings on Pixel 10 Pro and iPhone 17 Wi‑Fi
In our tests for flagship devices across an array of indoor and outdoor scenarios in multiple locations, the Pixel 10 Pro boasted the highest global median Wi‑Fi download speed (335.33 Mbps) and bested the iPhone 17 lineup by a nose (329.56 Mbps).
Median speed is a good approximation of the kind of performance that most people will receive on diverse networks and routers.
Apple, though, trumps all — when the going is tough. At the 10th percentile, or just shy of the worst‑case scenarios, the iPhone 17 family averaged speeds of 56.08 Mbps while Pixel 10 Pro users could only achieve download rates of 53.25 Mbps, meaning Apple’s new N1 networking chip is maintaining a more even distribution in congested or distant Wi‑Fi conditions.
Speedtest Intelligence verifies real‑world performance for multiple access points, bands, and network types against the expected thresholds rather than showing the best possible results from a lab environment. That’s the context in which the Pixel’s median lead is relevant to day‑to‑day use, even as Apple’s strength in weak‑signal scenarios will be a factor for people stuck on bad coverage.
Pixel’s edge and Apple’s N1 gains in real‑world Wi‑Fi tests
Apple’s move to the N1 networking IC represents a significant architectural departure — displacing third‑party Wi‑Fi solutions with deep roots at the company. Based on the same dataset, median download and upload speeds are up to 40% faster from the iPhone 16 series to the iPhone 17 series across all regions in our analysis.
The Pixel 10 Pro’s advantage likely comes from a combination of antenna design, radio tuning, and software that exploits modern spectrum (including 6GHz when available) to transmit faster or more efficient data. It’s a great reminder of how much device makers can squeeze out of otherwise identical standards with driver optimizations, thermal strategies, and roaming behavior.
Peak speeds and uploads tell a different performance tale
As Google and Apple duked it out when we looked at median performance, Xiaomi’s 15T Pro was the breakout performer when it came to peak capability. Under ideal conditions, it touched a scorching 887.25 Mbps in peak downloads, achieved the fastest uploads across testing tiers, and clocked the lowest measured latency at 15 milliseconds — proof that even in networks where everything is pristine, radio headroom still counts.
Device features and bands supported can also limit ceilings. The Huawei Pura 80, which adopted a self‑developed Wi‑Fi solution, was limited by a lack of 6GHz support in high‑load scenarios. But on older 2.4/5GHz networks, it acquits itself well; in Southeast Asia on Wi‑Fi 6, it was the second‑fastest, recording a 90th‑percentile upload speed of 603.61 Mbps among the Android flagships we tested there.
How 6GHz and Wi‑Fi 7 are moving the baseline for devices
Comparing median 6GHz download speeds with 5GHz across the dataset of Android flagships, we saw a median uplift of 77% and similar tendencies in Wi‑Fi 7 devices. It’s North America leading the way in this transition, with Galaxy S25 owners using 6GHz connections on over 20% of sampled tests — hinting that network infrastructure as much as device capability determines results.
The upshot: As 6GHz and Wi‑Fi 7 spread, device differences will be more noticeable in the real world. Firmware updates for phones and routers also play a role in needle‑moving, which is why sometimes leaderboards shuffle over the course of a product cycle.
What these Wi‑Fi results mean for buyers choosing a phone
For most people, the Pixel 10 Pro’s global median win means slightly faster app downloads, smoother updates, and a little more headroom to listen to high‑bitrate streams when networks are okay rather than excellent. Apple’s margin of difference on the worst‑case tier should mean that the iPhone 17 family feels more solid inside crowded apartments, older buildings, or at the edge of coverage.
As always, your router and ISP plan, as well as the layout of things in your home, matter as much, if not more, than your phone. Still, by this set of data, the Pixel 10 Pro is the global median winner and Apple’s N1 looks very strong generationally — and the march toward 6GHz and Wi‑Fi 7 continues to lift both the floor and ceiling for everyone.
