iPhone 17 Air or Android flagship? Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, Pixel 10 Pro and other alternatives in similar price range
Apple’s newly launched iPhone 17 Air has entered the Indian market with a starting price of ₹1,19,900 for the 256GB variant, rising to ₹1,59,900 for the top-end 1TB model. While the device introduces a slimmer design and carries the Apple ecosystem advantage, it comes with a major trade-off, a single 48MP rear camera. This decision has raised eyebrows among buyers who expect more versatility from a premium phone in this price bracket.
In contrast, several Android flagships are emerging as compelling alternatives, offering more powerful camera setups, faster charging technologies, and larger batteries at similar or even lower prices. Here are five Android alternatives to the iPhone Air:
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Among alternatives to the iPhone Air, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has positioned itself as a direct rival. Priced at around ₹80,499 for the 256GB model, it offers a 200MP main sensor alongside telephoto, ultrawide and periscope lenses, delivering one of the most versatile quad-camera systems currently available. It also brings the added advantage of the S-Pen, a larger battery, and Snapdragon’s latest Elite chipset.
OnePlus 13
OnePlus is also eyeing this space with its OnePlus 13, priced at roughly ₹76,999 for the 16GB RAM with 512GB storage. It features a triple 50MP Hasselblad-tuned camera array, a huge 6000mAh battery, and 100W fast charging, making it a value-for-money proposition compared to Apple’s slimmer but less feature-packed iPhone Air.
Pixel 10 Pro
Google continues to target photography enthusiasts with the Pixel 10 Pro. Retailing at just over ₹1,02,990, the handset pairs a triple-lens system with Google’s AI-powered computational photography, promising superior stills and long-term software support with seven years of updates.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
This smartphone is a direct rival to the iPhone Air. It is priced at ₹1,04,999 for the 12GB RAM with the 256GB storage variant. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge runs on Android 15 and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor clocked at 4.47GHz, paired with 12GB RAM. It features a slim design measuring 5.8mm, built with a titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 for durability. The device includes a 200MP AI-powered camera system, supports Samsung Knox security and Samsung Wallet, and is equipped with Galaxy AI capabilities. An all-day battery is also integrated to support performance and multitasking on One UI.
Vivo X200 Pro 5G
The Vivo X200 Pro 5G operates on Funtouch OS 15 based on Android 15 and is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor with a CPU speed of 3.626GHz, supported by 16GB RAM and 512GB internal storage (LPDDR5X and UFS 4.0). It features a 6.78-inch AMOLED Armour Glass display with a resolution of 452 PPI, 2160Hz PWM dimming, and a refresh rate ranging from 0.1Hz to 120Hz, with peak brightness of 4500 nits.
The rear camera system includes a 50MP Sony LYT-818 main sensor, a 200MP HP9 telephoto sensor with 3.7× optical zoom and 100× digital zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide sensor, all supported by the V3+ imaging chip. Powering the device is a 6000mAh semi-solid state battery with 90W fast charging support. This device is priced at ₹94,999 for the 16GB RAM with 512GB storage variant.
