Ex-Google SVP says he would never use an Android phone for taking photos

Former Google SVP of Engineering Vic Gundotra has, today, grabbed headlines by saying that iPhone cameras are much better than Android cameras. Gundotra wrote in a Facebook post that the iPhone camera has replaced DSLR for him.

His post was bound to get a lot of attention. However, some users commented on his post saying that the Galaxy S8 has a better camera. The former SVP replied to this by saying that this is not the case for him. Gundotra explained that the core of the problem lies in what Android is. As an open source platform, it takes much more time for Google to keep Android software and hardware on the same page. He believes what holds Android back is the need for it to remain neutral to all manufacturers.

“It’s because when Samsung innovates with the underlying hardware (like a better camera) they have to convince Google to allow that innovation to be surfaced to other applications via the appropriate API. That can take YEARS.” he said. He further commented, ” I would never use an Android phone for photos!”.

In stark contrast, Apple isn’t constricted with all those limitations. They use new hardware and simultaneously upgrade their software to match the new changes. The same problem seems to be haunting Google again as Apple has started pushing into the AR segment. We have already seen some apps set to debut for Apple with AR. They already announced ARKit for developers to get new apps ready for the iPhone 8 launch. While Google did step in the AR segment early, it has just Project Tango-enabled Lenovo Phab 2 Pro.

Finally, he concluded by saying, “The bottom line? “If you truly care about great photography, you own an iPhone. If you don’t mind being a few years behind, buy an Android.”