5 Android phones you should buy instead of the iPhone 18 Pro Max

Apple isn’t the only tempting option. 5 Android phones you should buy instead of the iPhone 18 Pro Max. The ongoing RAM and memory crunch hasn’t helped, and while Apple certainly isn’t the only brand feeling the pinch, $1,299 for the base 256GB iPhone 18 Pro Max is still a lot of money.

And that got me thinking about what else you could get for the same money. On the Android side, some seriously good phones don’t just compete with the iPhone 18 Pro Max — they offer features and experiences you really won’t get on Apple’s flagship. So, if I had $1,299 to spend on a phone today, these are the five Android phones I’d consider buying instead of the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Which phone would you buy over the iPhone 18 Pro Max. 37 votes Google Pixel 11 Pro XL 16 % Motorola Razr Ultra (2026) 35 % Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 41 % Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra 5 % Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 3 % Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Shimul Sood / The Google Pixel 11 Pro XL is probably the closest Android alternative to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, not just because of its size, but because of the way the whole phone looks, feels, and works.

Apple’s upgraded Siri AI could remain unavailable in the European Union for several months yet, according to Bloomberg ‘s Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said a delay of around five months would be the "absolute best-case scenario," with European users potentially facing an even longer wait while Apple negotiates its compliance with the bloc’s digital rules.

Gurman reckons Apple is withholding the upgrade to pressure the European Commission, hoping that frustrated customers will push for changes to its approach, and he compared the situation with Apple Intelligence’s delayed EU rollout. Note that Siri AI is not available in the EU on iPhone or iPad, but EU users have access to it on Mac.

‌ Tags: European Union, Mark Gurman, Siri, Siri AI This article, " EU iPhone and iPad Users Could Still Face Months-Long Wait for Siri AI " first appeared on com Discuss this article in our forums. EU iPhone and iPad Users Could Still Face Months-Long Wait for Siri AI.

‌ Tags: European Union, Mark Gurman, Siri Guide, Siri AI [ 30 comments ].