As an Android phone enthusiast, for years the iPhone has had one feature I’ve secretly envied more than any other – not the camera, or iMessage, or even AirDrop – but MagSafe.
The little magnetic ring hidden under the iPhone’s glass back is genius, and for me as a content creator – it’s a game-changer. Whether slapping your phone quickly on a gimbal like the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro, dropping it onto a tripod, or sticking it onto a chest mount so you can film hands-free, it's just quick, solid, and strangely satisfying.
That’s why Google’s new PixelSnap on the Pixel 10 is such a big deal. Finally, a mainstream Android phone with magnets built in!
On Android, you could sort of do the same thing, but only with a clunky MagSafe-compatible case, which always felt like a compromise. I’m a case hater. They spoil the look of your phone, add bulk, can block accessories using the USB-C port, and in my experience – the magnets were never as strong as Apple’s.
This may sound like a small detail, but for anyone making content, it’s a big deal. Apple has owned the creative crowd for years, and not just because of its MacBooks being the best photo-editing laptops. The iPhone has long been the default phone for shooting video, and accessory makers followed. Gimbals, rigs, and mounts are all marketed with iPhone users in mind.
And yet, video quality on Android has quietly caught up. Brands like Samsung, Oppo, and Google can all shoot footage that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Apple. With magnets baked into Google’s flagship, there’s no reason accessory brands can’t now market their magnetic gizmos directly to Android creators too.
Apple still keeps a trump card in DockKit, its clever system that lets iPhones talk directly to gimbals and PTZ cameras for smooth subject tracking. Right now, Google doesn’t have an answer, and while third-party AI tracking add-ons do exist, they don’t feel as seamless.
But if there’s one company that can close that gap, it’s Google. Its AI smarts are already creeping into framing with its new Camera Coach feature, and it’s easy to imagine Google building in proper AI tracking soon.
At the end of the day, we’re talking about something as trivial as magnets. But sometimes it’s the small things that completely change how you use a device. With PixelSnap, the Pixel 10 feels like the first Android phone that doesn’t just match the iPhone for creators – it actually feels ready to rival it. And as someone who’s spent far too long juggling cases and weak magnets, I couldn’t be happier.
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For more options for content creation, check out our guides to the best camera phones or the best cameras for vlogging.
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