With Samsung cancelling the Galaxy Note 7 after a continuing series of random spontaneous combustions, Apple iPhone 7 Plus and Google’s Pixel XL seem best positioned to battle it out for the 8 million sales opportunities.
The large format Galaxy Note 7 racked up a spectacular 9.9 user rating versus the 9.3 iPhone 7 Plus and 9.6 for Google Pixel XL, according to the PhoneArena.com blog. Note 7 was the “phablet” class’s lightest, highest screen-to-body ratio, supported most spreadsheet analytics, and had a record IP Code 168 rating that meant it could be immersed in 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.
But after an announcement that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission was investigating new reports of fires in replacement Galaxy Note 7 devices, Samsung officially called on all its carriers and retail partners to stop selling the industry’s top oversized handset.
Samsung received high praise for taking the responsible action of offering a $25 gift coupon, plus giving consumers full cash refunds or the opportunity to apply the full proceeds toward a different device.
But the crushing cost for the permanent withdrawal of the Note 7 could top $17 billion, according to analysts interviewed by Reuters News Service.
Survey data indicate that Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) internal “ecosphere” has shifted since the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were introduced on September 16th. About 30 percent of iPhone buyers are choosing to purchase the more expensive iPhone 7 Plus model, versus just 22 percent that chose to purchase the iPhone 6S Plus.
Some analysts were already moving up profit forecasts before the Note 7 withdrawal, in expectation that iPhone’s average selling price could hit an all-time-high of $700 per unit in the September through December quarter.
Apple is undoubtedly benefiting from Samsung’s pain. But with Samsung mobile devices running on Google’s Android operating system, the potential big winner could be Google’s new flagship Pixel XL smartphone.
The Pixel XL will be very attractive to professionals who have embraced a slew of high-end analytics programs originally developed for Note phablet users.
The Pixel XL is a beauty to hold and supports the same standard USB Type-C featured by the Note 7. Pixel XL also sports faster transfer speeds and better Android compatibility than the Note 7.
No competitor can match Samsung IP68 rating for resistance to water and dust contamination, but iPhone 7 Plus gets a superior IP67, while Pixel XL gets a respectable IP53.
The Note 7 had a slightly larger 5.7-inch screen with a Super AMOLED panel, versus a Pixel XL’s 5.5-inch AMOLED display. Both have similar 2560×1440 resolution.
Pixel XL features a slightly more powerful Snapdragon 821 processor with 4 GB of RAM, compared to the Note 7’s Exynos 8890 processor and equivalent RAM. Pixel XL offers internal storage up to 128 GB, versus Note 7’s 64 GB version. But Pixel does not offer expandable storage support, while the Note 7 could take microSD cards.
The Pixel XL’s top attribute versus both iPhone 7 Plus and Note 7, is a 12.3 MP camera that provides the highest light intake, super fast laser auto-focus, an f/2.0 aperture, and it supports superior slow motion to full 4K video capture.
Both the Note 7 and Pixel XL feature superior battery ratings of about 23 hours on a charge. That is about 10 percent higher than iPhone 7 Plus, which offers about 21 hours on a charge. All three smartphones support fast-charging capabilities.
Apple was already the fashion pony for the phablet field by offering a wider range of colors, including Jet Black, Black, Rose Gold, Gold, and Space Gray. That topped Galaxy Note 7’s Silver, Gold Platinum, Blue Coral, and Black Onyx, while Pixel XL only comes in Very Silver, Quite Black, and Really Blue.
The latest updates regarding the cancellation of the Galaxy Note 7 are available on Samsung’s corporate website.
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