In the 1860s, the greatest piece of communication was believed to be the pony express. But in the year 2017, technology now includes artificial intelligence that’s connected to the Internet, face recognition ID, and the ability to find information in a second.

On April 21, Google released their new Android Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus ($549.99), followed by the release of the Google Pixel ($649) on Oct. 19. Then, on Sept. 22, Apple released their new iPhones 8 and 8 Plus ($35-700 depending on the data plan). In addition, the new iPhone X was released Nov. 3 ($56-1,700). In the battle between the two major rival companies, which phone is actually worth the hundreds of dollars?

For one, the new Google Pixel is water-resistant, has a long-lasting battery, and a low-light camera. Instead of a better camera, the new Android comes with a feature called Google Assistant. It is the Siri of Android, but based on Google searches. Users can tell it to do things, ask it questions, and even get help from it just by saying “OK Google.”

“I would be more prone to buy a Pixel because I am already so used to Android technology and the camera takes amazing photos,” junior Mark Mendez said.

In a recent poll of 30 students, 82.8 percent of participants said they own an iPhone and 17.2 percent own some sort of Android device. In addition, 72.4 percent of participants think the most advanced system is iOS (Apple) and 20.7 percent think Android is the most efficient (Google).

According to freshman Cameron Fetter, the iPhone seems to be the more popular brand on campus. Freshman Cody Quach said the Apple chip is much faster than Android’s processing chip.

“Apple also has a better camera … because its camera takes more vivid and natural-looking photos while some Android cameras make photos look washed out,” Quach said. “Apple products are also much easier to use.”

The new iPhone X, for example, can wirelessly charge, is water resistant, and is made entirely out of glass. It also has a new camera that uses dual-domain pixels, which give consumers a clear view of the screen from almost any angle.

Overall, both phones offer a more advanced experience and digital tools that target this generation’s needs.

“Android has the potential to be the most efficient and most advanced system. However, the user needs to be willing to put in the time to adjust the settings and interface of the phone to their liking for ease of use,” senior Louis DiBernardo said. “From my experience, iOS is a very easy phone to use, manipulate, and is perfect as an everyday system. Literally you could pick up a new iPhone and begin using it within minutes.”