Best iPhone Alternatives in 2022
It is believed that the iPhone is an ideal smartphone, it is reliable, high-status, fashionable and always expensive. In addition to devices from Apple, there are many smartphones of different models and manufacturers on the market. Healthy Food Near Me offers a selection of the best alternatives to an “apple” device and expert advice on choosing such a device.

When it comes to the difference between Android smartphones and iPhones, first of all, the lower price, the ability to install applications from unauthorized sources, and the open source operating system that can be customized are mentioned first. However, according to an analytical study by SellCell1, the attractiveness of Android phones for users also lies in their hardware characteristics: the quality of the camera and screen, as well as high autonomy.

SellCel analysts asked respondents to answer a question about whether they would switch from Android to iPhone 13. Less than 2 out of 10 (18.3%) users answered yes. The main reasons for not buying the iPhone 13 were:

  • no fingerprint scanner
  • few options for customizing iOS,
  • android phones have the best hardware in terms of cameras and specs,
  • iPhone does not support downloading third-party applications,
  • iPhones are expensive.

The iPhone 13 Pro series has a screen refresh rate of 120 Hz, while budget Android smartphones have 60 Hz; for many users, the difference in image clarity will be insignificant, and the price of the “apple” is significantly higher. At the same time, all Apple devices of the 12 and 13 series have an OLED display, while Korean and Chinese manufacturers have such displays only in some flagships.

The camera is the most unconvincing argument for switching from iPhone to Android smartphones. Apple phones take great photos, they have a night mode, Deep Fusion is a new technology for the most detailed shots, as well as “optical zoom” in expensive top models with a telephoto lens. All these options are found in Android.

High autonomy is a property no less important than a high-quality camera or screen. iPhone, starting from the 9th series, hold a charge for a long time, about a day. Android smartphones are increasingly equipped with a large capacity battery that lasts up to 48 hours. Both those and others have a fast charging function, it charges the smartphone from 30% to 40% in 0-50 minutes. iPhones of the latest models are not equipped with chargers, the manufacturer explains this by the fight for the environment.

Another difference between these smartphones in the closed ecosystem of the iPhone and the open ecosystem of Android smartphones. Apple smartphones are compatible only with Apple devices: headphones, smart watches, Smart Home system, set-top boxes. Their competitors do not have such a limitation, all Android devices can be combined with each other.

It is impossible to say unequivocally which is better than IOS or Android, and both operating systems have their pros and cons. The number of fans of Apple smartphones is approximately equal to the number of supporters of Android smartphones. The proposed rating of the best alternatives to the iPhone, which is compiled taking into account the opinions of experts, especially for those who decide to switch to a more budgetary analogue of the “apple” or want to have two phones with different operating systems.

Editor’s Choice

OnePlus 8 Pro 12 / 256GB

The editors of Healthy Food Near Me consider this smartphone the best, as it has 4 excellent cameras with laser autofocus, optical stabilization and macro mode. Thanks to the powerful 8-core Snapdragon 865 processor, 12 GB RAM and the Adreno 650 video processor, this device can handle any applications, “heavy” games.

The 120Hz touch screen sensor responds instantly to your fingertip. The smartphone has a capacious battery that holds a charge for up to 3 days, there is a fast charging function: in 25 minutes the battery is 50% full, the charger comes with the smartphone, there is a wireless charging function. Reverse charging is useful for smart watches, headsets or headphones. The fingerprint scanner is built into the upper left corner of the screen, there is also a face recognition function.

AMOLED screen with high definition and brightness, resistant to scratches and fingerprints. The iPhone 12 series, which have similar hardware specifications, has fewer pixels per inch of the screen than the OnePlus 8 Pro 12/256GB and the OLED display, which is slightly worse than AMOLED. This Android 10 smartphone is a worthy alternative to the iPhone for less money.

Main characteristics

Screen6.78″ (3168×1440) 120 Hz
Built-in Memory256 GB
RAM12 GB
Main (rear) cameras48 MP 3x hybrid f/1.78, telephoto 8 MP F/2.44, ultra wide-angle 48 MP F/2.20, 5 MP F/2.40
Max. video resolution3840 × 2160
Front-camerayes, 16 MP
Battery4510 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

Powerful cameras with laser autofocus, optical stabilization and macro function, powerful processor and RAM that support “heavy” applications, wireless charging function, capacious battery, AMOLED screen is resistant to damage and fingerprints, there are fingerprint and face recognition sensors .
With an optical XNUMXx zoom, the photo quality is reduced, the strongly rounded edges of the screen are inconvenient when using some applications, there is no headphone jack, the battery heats up in game mode.
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Top 10 Best iPhone Alternatives in 2021 According to KP

1. HUAWEI P smart 

This 10-inch budget smartphone based on Android 6,67 OC is characterized by high performance and autonomy, while there is a fast charging function. The power button is located in a small recess on the right and is combined with a fingerprint scanner. The smartphone is available in three colors, it is pleasant to hold it in your hands because of the rounded edges.

Thanks to the powerful quad camera, excellent shots are obtained both in the daytime and at night. The iPhone 11 series has only 2 or 3 cameras, depending on the specific modification, with a higher price of the phone, and night shooting is of poor quality. HUAWEI P smart has a slot for memory cards up to 512 GB. The smartphone is sold without Google services, but you can install them yourself. 

Main characteristics

Number of processor cores8
Built-in Memory128 GB
RAM4 GB
Main (rear) cameras4x 48MP F/1.80 Ultra Wide 8MP F/2.40 Depth Sensor 2MP F/2.40 Macro 2MP F/2.40
Max. video resolution1920 × 1080
Front-camerayes, 8 MP
Battery5000 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

The battery provides high autonomy, there is a fast charging function, 4 cameras with good quality day and night shooting, a fingerprint identification function, a built-in 512 GB memory slot, there is a headphone jack.
Google services not installed, no face recognition, IPS screen type, not AMOLED, no moisture protection, no face recognition sensor, small built-in memory, the image is grainy due to the small number of pixels per inch.
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2. HONOR 10i 6/128GB

The smartphone is equipped with a Kirin 710 processor and 6 GB of RAM, which ensure the smooth operation of applications. The 6,21-inch screen is convenient for watching videos and playing games. GPU Turbo 2.0 technology optimizes the performance of the GPU and provides a stable gaming experience. The device has three cameras with autofocus and macro function. 24 MP main camera, wide-angle lens with Quad Bayer color filter provide high quality day and night shooting. 

The front camera takes bright and clear selfies in frontal and backlit conditions. The Asahi Kasei AK4376A audio processor is specially built for high-quality music listening. The battery provides 19 hours of talk time, fast charging charges it up to 20% in 50 minutes. HONOR 10i 6/128GB compares favorably with the iPhone of any series by the ability to install an additional memory card.

Main characteristics

Screen diagonal6,21 in.
Built-in Memory128 GB
RAM6 GB
Main (rear) cameras3 pcs., 24 MP F/1.80, 8 MP F/2.40, 2 MP F/2.40
Max. video resolution1920 × 1080
Front-camerayes, 32 MP
Battery3400 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

The presence of a slot for memory cards, a capacious battery holds a charge of 19 hours of talk time, a screen with excellent contrast, fingerprint and face unlock sensors, a main camera with a macro mode, a processor and RAM support heavy applications and games, beautiful design due to the gradient effect on the back.
The smartphone does not have moisture protection, in bright light the screen contrast is low, after 1 year of use the screen sensor spontaneously triggers, the device is not equipped with a USB Type C connector, there is no fast charging function, there is no moisture protection.
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3. Google Pixel 5 8/128GB

This smartphone is one of the best for gaming and watching videos thanks to its 6-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 1080p, and 128 GB of internal memory is enough to store a lot of photos and videos. The operating system on this smartphone is Android 11, there are no third-party applications, but the device is provided with long-term software support from Google.

The device is equipped with two Sony cameras with autofocus and optical stabilization, there is a function of contactless payment and fingerprint identification. The iPhone XR is more expensive for the same amount of storage and screen size, and the camera isn’t sharp enough. The large battery capacity of the smartphone ensures high autonomy. The device is equipped with two SIM-cards: one physical, the other electronic, installed on the motherboard.

Main characteristics

Screen Typecolor OLED, 16.78 million colors, touch
Diagonal6 in.
Built-in Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
Main (rear) cameras2 pcs., 12.20 MP F/1.70, ultra wide-angle 16 MP F/2.20
Max. video resolution3840 × 2160
Front-camera8 MP
Battery4000 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

A large amount of memory, there is wireless charging and a fast charging function, the battery provides high autonomy, 2 SIM cards, one of which is electronic, there is a fingerprint reader, special scratch-resistant glass.
It is sold without third-party applications, there is no face recognition function, the speaker is located under the screen and distorts the sound, according to user reviews, the screen is small, accidental clicks occur due to rounded edges and the fast charging function is not very fast.
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4. OPPO A53 4/64GB

This inexpensive device is a good choice due to its versatility and small size. The corrugated texture of the smartphone body beautifully refracts light, resembling the facets of a diamond. The combination of light weight and size makes it comfortable to use, it can be operated with one hand and carried in a pocket of clothing. Despite the small size, it has a powerful battery that holds a charge for up to 2 days and provides fast recharging. The standby optimization function makes battery consumption even more economical. 

You can be sure that even with active use, the device will not turn off unexpectedly. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor and 4 GB of RAM support various applications, but the processor is weak for games. The smartphone has 4 cameras: 3 main and 1 front. According to user reviews, photos of large objects are “grainy”. The amount of internal memory is small – 64 GB, but there is a slot for memory cards up to 256 GB. Expensive iPhone XS series with the same amount of memory, approximately the same dimensions and hardware characteristics does not have a memory slot. To increase the storage space, you need to buy another device with more memory.

Main characteristics

Screen diagonal6.5 in
Built-in Memory64 GB
RAM4 GB
Main (rear) cameras3 pcs., 13 MP F/2.20, depth sensor 2 MP F/2.20, macro 2 MP F/2.40
Max. video resolution1920 × 1080
Front-camerayes, 8 MP
Battery5000 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

Small dimensions and original design, powerful battery provides high autonomy, there is a headphone jack and a memory card slot, a fingerprint reader on the rear panel, equipped with 3 main cameras and 1 front camera, the screen glass is scratch resistant.
According to user reviews, it slows down when typing, the camera is weak: photos of large objects are “grainy”, when recording video, the camera is unstable, when watching videos, a strip appears on the screen.
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5. Samsung Galaxy S10+ 8/128GB

This model has absorbed all the best from the Samsung Galaxy line. It has an 8-core processor and 8 GB of RAM, which guarantees stable operation of video games and high-capacity applications. These characteristics differ from the iPhone 8 Plus, which has a 6-core processor and 3 GB of RAM. The Samsung smartphone is equipped with 3 powerful cameras, the iPhone 8 Plus has 2 of them with worse characteristics. Support for LTE provides high-speed Internet, there is a fingerprint and face scanner. The ceramic case of the device protects it from moisture and dust. Built-in memory is 128 GB, but it can be increased as the device has a memory slot up to 512 GB. 

Main characteristics

Screen Typecolor AMOLED, 16.78 million colors, touch
Screen diagonal6.4 in.
Built-in Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
Main (rear) cameras3 pcs., 16 MP F/2.20, 12 MP F/1.50, 12 MP F/2.40
Front-camerayes, 10 MP
Battery4100 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

Equipped with a powerful battery, there are fast and wireless charging functions, a memory card slot up to 512 GB, a headphone jack, a powerful processor and RAM sufficient for resource-intensive applications, there are face and fingerprint identification sensors.
The inconvenient location of the fingerprint reader, there are complaints from users about its unstable operation, the screen rounded on the sides often leads to false positives of the smartphone, when used without a case, the back panel quickly gets dirty, there are many commercials in pre-installed applications.
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6. BQ 6430L Aurora

BQ 6430L Aurora is an inexpensive, compact and convenient smartphone with a contactless payment function. The 20 MP front camera can take good selfies, and the rear quad camera is better in its characteristics among models of the same price category, with its help you get clear high-quality photos in the daytime. The smartphone has a face and fingerprint recognition option, the sensor is located on the rear panel, and there is no moisture protection for the case. 

The device comes with no applications installed. The processor power and screen resolution are enough to watch video content, and games take a long time to “load”. The iPhoneX has a more powerful processor, but less RAM, and also has problems when running resource-intensive applications.

Main characteristics

Screen diagonal6.4 in
Built-in Memory64 GB
RAM4 GB
Main (rear) cameras 4 pcs., 16 MP, 2 MP, 0.30 MP, 0.30 MP
Front-camerayes, 20 MP
Battery4000 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

It comes with a quad camera and a front selfie camera, fingerprint reader, face unlock, a slot for memory cards up to 128 GB, autonomy provides a powerful battery, the kit includes a charger and a USB Type-C cable.
There is no fast charging function, the device does not come with installed applications, the body does not have protection against moisture and dust, the body is plastic, fragile, the quality of night photos is inferior to photos taken in good light.
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7. ZTE Blade V2020 Smart 4/64GB

Big screen smartphone with quad rear cameras, long battery life and HD display. A good aspect ratio allows it to occupy almost the entire front panel. The front panel has a waterdrop notch for the front camera. The thin plastic body is pleasant to hold. The fingerprint scanner to unlock the device is located on the side and is aligned with the power button. Also unlocking the smartphone is possible using the face recognition function. 

All four cameras are located on the back side and do not protrude beyond the edges of the case, keeping the rear panel of the device flat. With reverse charging of your smartphone, you can charge external accessories that have a wireless charging option. If we compare ZTE Blade V2020 and iPhone 8 released 2 years apart, we can see that at three times the price of iPhone 8, its battery is less powerful, the camera resolution is lower, and the screen area to body size ratio is also smaller than ZTE Blade V2020.

Main characteristics

Built-in Memory64 GB
RAM4 GB
Main (rear) cameras4x 16MP F/1.80, 8MP F/2.20 Ultra Wide, 2MP F/2.40 Macro, 2MP F/2.20 Depth Sensor
Front-camerayes, 8 MP
Battery5000 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

The presence of reverse charging, high-capacity battery, convenient location of cameras and user identification scanner, contactless payment option, large screen in relation to the body area.
According to user reviews, it is difficult to find a suitable case and protective glass, poor quality of night shooting, lack of fast charging, slippery body of the device, the battery runs out quickly in standby mode.
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8. Xiaomi POCO X3 NFC 6/128GB RU

This smartphone is good for gaming and other applications thanks to its fast screen refresh, powerful processor and 4GB of RAM. The device has 4 cameras: 3 rear with autofocus and macro mode and 1 front. With the help of the rear cameras, you can take photos with a resolution of 48 MP. The smartphone is equipped with a powerful battery that holds a charge up to 48 hours of battery life. Its battery is more capacious than that of the iPhone 11 – at 2000 mAh. 

User identification is possible using a fingerprint scanner, which is combined with the power button, or face recognition. NFC allows contactless payment. Liquid Cool 1.0 Plus technology prevents the device from overheating by maintaining the operating temperature. The screen with a diagonal of 6.67 inches is covered with scratch-resistant glass. There is also a headphone jack and an aptX codec for wireless headsets. 

Main characteristics

Screen diagonal6.67 in.
Image size2400 × 1080 px
Built-in Memory128 GB
RAM6 GB
Main (rear) cameras4x 64MP F/1.89, 13MP F/2.20 Ultra Wide, 2MP F/2.40 Macro, 2MP F/2.40 Depth Sensor
Max. video resolution3840 × 2160
Front-camera20 MP
Battery5160 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

High autonomy, display with a high sampling rate, there is an overheating protection function, a memory card slot, a fast charging function, the camera takes high-quality photos, user identification by fingerprint and face.
Small amount of RAM, large weight and size, no e-sim, both sim cards are physical, no support for wireless charging, color IPS screen type, not AMOLED, a large number of commercials from installed software, heats up when running applications with high power consumption.

9. ASUS ZenFone 7 Pro ZS671KS 256GB

A powerful Android smartphone that supports 5G. The peculiarity of this device is in the rotary three-chamber module on Sony photomatrices. The rear 64 MP wide-angle camera guarantees high-definition shots when shooting panoramic shots. The telephoto camera supports XNUMXx optical zoom. True, the location of the lenses is such that when photographing they are easy to cover with your finger – you need to get used to it. 

The smartphone is equipped with an AMOLED display with durable glass that is resistant to damage, which is not available, for example, on the iPhone XS. This device is suitable for lovers of high-quality photos and resource-intensive video games. It has fingerprint unlock located on the side, face recognition. Autonomy of work provides a capacious battery with a quick charge function. Unlike the iPhone Xs, this device has support for contactless charging.

Main characteristics

Screen Typecolor AMOLED, touch
Screen diagonal6.67 in.
Built-in Memory256 GB
RAM8 GB
Main (rear) cameras3 x 64MP F/1.80 Wide, 12MP F/2.20 Ultra Wide, 8MP Telephoto 3x
Max. video resolution8K
Battery5000 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

Rotatable retractable three-camera module on Sony matrices, enough RAM for games, a separate memory slot up to 2048 GB, there are fingerprint and facial recognition sensors, contactless payment, a capacious battery and wireless charging.
The bluetooth driver does not transmit the call to the headset, the camera mechanism does not completely retract into the case, the location of the lenses is inconvenient, the smartphone does not have moisture protection, according to user reviews, the device is heavy, the case heats up when running energy-intensive applications.

10. Meizu M5s 16GB

Advanced bi-directional fast charging technology allows you to charge the battery by 56% in 30 minutes from a mains voltage of up to 18 watts. A capacious battery can provide battery life up to 24 hours. This is its advantage over the iPhone SE, which has a more modest battery capacity. 5,2 inch IPS HD display provides wide viewing angle and clear image. The curved glass brings colors to life, while Flyme’s intelligent eye-protection mode keeps you comfortable in low light. 

The body is crafted from laser-cut aluminum alloy for absolute smoothness. The M5s octa-core processor ensures fast and long battery life. Comparing the Meizu M5s and iPhone SE, released at about the same time, it can be seen that the “apple” smartphone has a 2-core processor and slightly less RAM. The built-in memory of the iPhone SE is larger, but the Meizu M5s comes with a slot for a memory card up to 128GB. The main camera of Meizu M5s has a built-in image processor. On the front side of the smartphone, a camera with an aperture of ƒ / 2.0 is installed, thanks to which excellent photos are obtained in any conditions. The smartphone does not support the NFC interface, so contactless payment is not possible with it.

Main characteristics

Screen diagonal5.2 in
Built-in Memory16 GB
RAM3 GB
Main (rear) cameras13MP F/2.20
Max. video resolution1920 × 1080
Front-camerayes, 5 MP
Battery3000 mAh

Advantages and disadvantages

Wide-angle rear camera, high autonomy due to a capacious battery, bi-directional fast charging technology, intelligent eye protection mode in low light, built-in fingerprint sensor, stylish sleek body.
There is no contactless payment function, there is no user identification by face, the smartphone case does not have moisture protection, the processor performance is below average, and the case heats up with prolonged use.

How to Choose an iPhone Alternative

The smartphone market is represented by a great variety of models of different companies and manufacturers. To understand which phone to choose, you need to decide on the purpose for which it is purchased. 

A powerful processor, a large screen with good resolution will be necessary for fans of games and watching video content. Those who like to take high-quality photos should pay attention to devices with a quad camera, a telephoto lens, night and macro functions, and there should also be enough memory to store photos.

The Android operating system is an open source operating system. Such a device will be interesting for those who like to “dig deeper” with applications, customize the functions for themselves.

An equally important point is the number of hours of battery life and the presence of a fast charging function. Some models have reverse charging, which is useful for gadgets with wireless charging capabilities. The presence of these functions is a necessary criterion when choosing a particular model.

Read more:
iOS or Android
Which operating system is right for you?
Both operating systems are reliable, convenient and modern. Read and choose the OS that best suits your needs.
iOS 15Android 12

Popular questions and answers

For professional advice on choosing an alternative to the iPhone, the editors of the KP turned to Mikhail Alfa, Leading Developer of Mobile Applications at RSHB Intech (Moscow).

Which OS is more reliable: iOS or Android?
There is no single answer to this question. At this time, it all depends on the user of the device, since both operating systems provide the highest level of security “by default”. Another thing is if you follow suspicious links, download something incomprehensible, or tell someone codes from SMS. A phone, no matter how secure, will not protect you. At the same time, in all systems, both mobile and desktop, and more specific, there are vulnerabilities that are constantly found and constantly eliminated, the expert says. Some of them are unknown to anyone but a small group of attackers or others, and these vulnerabilities can be exploited to gain remote access to your device without you even knowing about it. But few people are given to get into the sample of people who will be of interest to the owners of such technologies, so if you have no suspicions that you are in this sample, you can sleep peacefully, says Mikhail Alfa.
What is the secret of the unconditional popularity of the iPhone?
The iPhone is really popular, and there are several reasons for this: status, inertia in habits, dependence on the ecosystem, lack of experience in interacting with a competing platform that allows you to compare “this and that” and just satisfaction with the device. I have to say that the wording of the question is somewhat biased. The iPhone is definitely popular, but is it unconditional? Absolutely not. According to statistics, the global percentage of users accounted for by iPhone is ~26.34%, while Android is ~72.84%2. But in the environment of every person there are quite a few people who choose the iPhone. This may be some kind of statistical distortion, since you are specifically included in the sample of people who have the finances to purchase an iPhone, and your friends are also included in this sample (and no one has canceled consumer loans). The consequence of such opportunities is the opinion that everyone has an iPhone. Mikhail Alfa also added that modern flagship Android devices, objectively, are technologically superior to any iPhone. Android has the best mobile cameras, Android has the best displays, Android has the best battery life, Android has unique technical features like an electronic pen. Unfortunately, there are very few devices that combine all these qualities at once, but at least some of them are already enough to be better than the iPhone in the aggregate. The market is not limited to iPhones alone.
  1. https://www-sellcell-com.translate.goog/blog/survey-18-percent-of-android-users-would-consider-switching-to-iphone-13/?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=ru&_x_tr_hl=ru&_x_tr_pto=nui,sc
  2. https://www.statista.com/statistics/272698/global-market-share-held-by-mobile-operating-systems-since-2009/

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