What phones use the Android Authority team? (2025 edition)

We use and review a lot of phones each year to Android authorityCheap phones for flagship devices. But what phones do we really use once the criticisms are published?

We regularly questioned the Android authority Equip over the years to find out which phones are really used as main devices or daily drivers, our last survey taking place last year. So, in this spirit, we thought it was time to ask the team again.

The results

We have broken down the daily pilot smartphones of our team by model and brand. Consult the first table below for models based on models and the second table for a brand-based overview. I also asked the team members to give their phones one out of 10, and you can see it in the third table.

For the second consecutive year, Google was the most popular manufacturer among the Android authority team. Pixel phones represented six of the 15 phones in total (40%).

The Pixel 7 Pro was the most popular individual model with two people – including yours really – using it. Otherwise, the Pixel 7, the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro XL all made an appearance each. It is interesting to note that we do not get foldable pixels or series of the series on the list. We assume that no one uses a pixel phone by series because we are mainly technology enthusiasts living in a bubble, and we will probably buy a flagship phone if we do not have a hanging overhaul. But it should also be noted that no one uses a Pixel Fold serial device. (Publisher’s note: Some of us use them as secondary devices, however.)

Our members of the Pixel owner team have generally praised their phones for the major characteristics of cameras, AI and Gemini, and software, while the senior writer Ryan Haines and the editor in senior functionality Rita El Khoury specifically praised the design and / or the quality of the quality of the Pixel 9 Pro. Rita added that she liked safety characteristics (for example, anti -theft protection, car accident detection), integration of geminies, quick updates and pixel drops.

A constant complaint concerning the team’s pixels (including myself) was the slow load speed, as said by the editor Ollie Cragg:

The load speeds are quite terrible compared to the competition. Quick recharges are not really one thing.

Meanwhile, Ryan deplored the fact that the Pixel 9 Pro had slightly slower load speeds than the Pixel 9 Pro XL.

The Pranob Mehrotra contributor had some different complaints concerning his Pixel 7 Pro:

I do not like the quality of construction of the pixel, the power button fell randomly for a beautiful day and the phone does not feel quite as high -end as the iPhone. The life of the emergency battery and thermal management are also bad.

I can confirm that the lifespan of the Pixel 7 Pro battery is not excellent, and I also reach overheating problems. I also hate the fact that Volte, Wi-Fi and 5G features are not available in unrealized markets, despite imported phones from other brands that work very well.

Samsung was the second most popular manufacturer among the Android authority Team, with four members using a Galaxy phone. The Galaxy S25 Ultra was the most popular option, while two team members turn daily.

The producer of Youtube, Paul Jones, praised the Galaxy S25 Ultra for its anti-reflective display, its rounded design and its video support in the newspaper. Meanwhile, the editor Bogdan Petrovan had good words to say on “well -balanced” cameras, Android skin and the life of the battery.

Interestingly, Paul’s only complaint was the battery life when using QHD +resolution. Meanwhile, Bogdan had some S25 ultra complaints:

At the start, I was not enthusiastic about his conception, but he grew up on me. I wanted him to have Qi2 magnets. And I miss some small quality software features that I had used on my previous phone (an Oppo Find X3 Pro).

Dronerush The editor -in -chief (and the man of many hats) Jonathan Feist was the only person to use the standard Galaxy S25, and he praised the small size, a long life of the battery and the power level.

Jonathan thought, however, that there were some potential areas of improvement:

Where is this ultra camera already?!?!? Seriously, Samsung, I don’t want a tablet in my pocket just to get the best camera experience. The keyboard is a little weird during the slip, but manageable.

Finally, the editor -in -chief of the Matt Horne chords swung the Galaxy S24 Plus, and he praised the phone. Matt said that there was not much that he did not like about the aircraft, but distinguished the camera as “particularly impressive”. He also said he couldn’t think of any “significant” defect during his own use.

Three members of Android authority The team has iPhones. The senior writer and critic of laptops Kaitlyn Cimino still uses an iPhone 11, and she points to the Apple ecosystem.

“I love the transparent integration between all my Apple devices. Even if I use a Pixel 9 to work and test a variety of smartwatch brands, my unmissable device is an Apple Watch Series 10, “said Kaitlyn. “I also use a MacBook, an iPad and AirPods. The Apple ecosystem is very comfortable for me. ”

Kaitlyn said it was probably time for an upgrade because the phone was quite old now. She also noted that it was a little Laggy now and that the cameras could not hang out with more recent models.

The other members of the Apple paired team used the iPhone 16 Pro. The main writer Aamir Siddiqui described several reasons for his choice:

Reliability between applications, in particular my banking applications. Application experiences are less broken if I choose a random application or an update. I am also very used to the camera, and I have a good idea of ​​the results I will get before pressing the shutter button – which is very important for me for work. I also appreciate Magsafe and the ecosystem that it allows, like popsockets and stands, which I can use without my phone in a case. In addition, the Apple Watch remains a great reason why I come back to this phone, so a good job Apple on the locking of the ecosystem.

Pranob Mehrotra also shakes up an iPhone 16 pro, and its decision comes back to a resale value. He also said he didn’t really like the device, but appreciated integration with his Mac computer.

Aamir and Pranob both had complaints about this particular iPhone model. Aamir deplored the smaller size, wanted better battery life and wanted faster load speeds. In fact, he said that he was close to staying with the OnePlus 13, but that the integration of Apple Watch and the support of Indigenous Magsafe won.

Pranob had some important problems with his iPhone:

I don’t like how iOS manages notifications and how it is not as simple as Apple users doing it. In addition, Apple intelligence is hot garbage.

In addition to Apple, Google and Samsung, two other phone brands have made the list. Paul also had the Oppo N5 found on his list, and he said that the battery life and the quality of construction were the best he experienced on any foldable phone. He also loved the big screen when he trips. However, he deplored limited availability and the fact that it was a fingerprint magnet.

I had the Vivo X200 Pro as my secondary device, and I praised the phone for its cameras, its video quality, its bright screen and its battery life. In fact, I used the phone for some products in recent months. However, I criticized the device for its dull Android skin, the amount of bloatware and the AI ​​features which often required an internet connection.

Other take -out dishes

• Three people said they could not recommend their phones to other people. Pranob could not recommend his Pixel 7 Pro or his iPhone 16 Pro, Kaitlyn could not recommend her iPhone 11, and I could not recommend my Pixel 7 Pro. However, the four owners of Samsung were unanimous in their positive recommendations.
• The iPhone 11 is also the only phone on this list without OLED screen. On the other hand, all the phones on our 2024 list had OLED screens. The iPhone 11 is also the only phone on this list without a high rate screen.
• A single foldable phone has made the list (Oppo Find N5). This is in accordance with our survey in 2024, when the Razr Plus fell in love.
• None of these phones has a headphone jack. What a shame, especially when we had a phone on the list in 2024.
• None of our daily pilots also have a memory card niche. However, two phones had this feature last year.
• Three phones (25%) lack UWB support. Thus, these phones do not have access to advanced tracking capacities and input technology without modern key.
• All phones have water resistance, but the OPPO finds the only one without dust resistance. Ouch.
• The average battery capacity is around 4,663 mAh. Apple iPhones and the standard Galaxy S25 increased us, while the Oppo finds N5 (5,600mAh) and Vivo X200 Pro (6,000 mAh) has increased things.
• Only two of the 15 phones on the list (13.3%) did not have a telephoto lens.
• For the first time in our Daily Driver survey, all the phones on the list have an ESIM support.

Regarding our next smartphone, many team members look forward to the Google Pixel 10 series. Four members have mentioned the optional 2025 pixels. Meanwhile, Bogdan mentioned a Google Pixel in general. We are therefore undoubtedly impatient to see what Google has in its round later this year.

Meanwhile, two of us have chosen the Vivo X200 Ultra. It would be Aamir and I, because we are both looking forward to large camera phones. I really hope that we will see a world version of the phone.

Jonathan and Matt do not seek to get another daily driver anytime soon. This is quite understandable because they have two recent phones in the Galaxy S25 and S24 Plus, respectively.

Only one person is impatiently awaiting a foldable phone, because Ryan was held for the Motorola Razr 2025 series and the Galaxy Z Flip 7. So don’t expect many more team members to use foldables as a daily driver in 2026.