Is iPhone better than Android for sound quality?

Summary

iPhones and Android devices are relatively equal in hardware capabilities, but you may need an external DAC for wired sound.
Android tends to win in codec/format support, and in allowing more flexible EQ software.
Both platforms sound great when paired with the proper apps and accessories.

Everyone gets pedantic about their hobby, and audiophiles are no exception. They can be among the pickiest people out there, in fact — some of them rely on speaker or headphone brands you’ve never heard of, and wouldn’t be caught dead listening to music on a Beats or Skullycandy product. They’re why you can still find gold-plated cables at your local electronics shop, despite gold being largely irrelevant in the digital world.

A link in the chain that even audiophiles might forget, though, is their smartphone. Not all phones are created equal when it comes to output. On the broadest level, it’s worth asking — which platform is better for sound, iPhone or Android?

Apple iPhone 16

This year’s iPhone 16 line blurs the line between the “Pro” and the base-level iPhone by offering a new camera button and the Action Button, alongside the A18 chip.
Samsung Galaxy S25

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iPhone vs Android: hardware

A constantly evolving landscape

Apple Music Spatial Audio on the iPhone 16 Pro.

iPhones have traditionally enjoyed an advantage on the hardware side for one reason: dedicated DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) chips. Before the iPhone, Apple had already established its audio credentials with the iPod, and a lot of that expertise carried over. The company even started putting DACs in its Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter cables when it ditched headphone jacks with the iPhone 7. For a long time, Android phones were stuck with low-quality integrated DACs.

Android devices have become increasingly competitive by necessity.

We’re in a different world now, though. Android devices have become increasingly competitive by necessity — Dolby Atmos won’t work without decent onboard processing — and many people no longer use wired headphones at all. To get a high-quality DAC for wired output, expect to buy a USB-C adapter with a DAC chip built in, or a separate DAC accessory, regardless of platform. You may also need to look into the power output of your phone — while something like the iPhone 16 Pro Max can handle just about any set of consumer headphones, older phones may struggle with high-end equipment.

As Bluetooth goes, it’s mostly about codec support. The iPhone 16 series supports Bluetooth 5.3, which isn’t the absolute latest release, but should be more than good enough for range, fidelity, and latency when paired with matching headphones or speakers. Very few Android phones offer Bluetooth 5.4 — the OnePlus 13 being an example — and that update is really about security and advertising, not performance.

You simply won’t find any phones with Bluetooth 6.0 yet, despite that spec being ratified in late 2024.

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iPhone vs Android: software

Android takes the lead

Using Conversation Awareness with the AirPods Pro.

Apple

Software is where things get interesting. While iPhones do support standards like Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital Plus, their format support is limited to AAC, ALAC, APAC, MP3, MP4/M4A, and FLAC. iPhones simply can’t take advantage of standards like Qualcomm’s aptX or Sony’s LDAC. Tracks mixed for Dolby Atmos or Apple Spatial Audio will often sound amazing on an iPhone, but be sure to check for Apple-specific compatibility in the apps and accessories you use if there’s any room for doubt. APAC, it should be noted, is exclusive to Apple hardware.

Another area where Android may win is EQ (equalizer) support.

Android format support varies from phone to phone, but there’s less exclusivity at play. You’re going to find LDAC on a Sony Xperia 1 V, naturally, but it’s also present on phones like the Google Pixel 9, so it’s just a question of shopping around. Android as a whole tends to offer wider compatibility — beyond AAC, MP3, MP4/M4A, FLAC, and Dolby, there’s native support for more niche standards like OGG and MKV. You can even listen to Apple Spatial Audio tracks on an Android device, though you’ll need the Apple Music app, Atmos compatibility, and possibly an external DAC for full fidelity.

Another area where Android may win is EQ (equalizer) support. While many iPhone accessories have perfectly fine EQ options via dedicated apps, there are fewer restrictions on Android, so general-purpose EQ apps thrive there. Apple’s own headphones and speakers use notoriously simple EQ settings, though they do have features you won’t find elsewhere, like the Conversation Awareness and Hearing Aid functions on the AirPods Pro 2.

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Should audiophiles choose iPhone or Android?

No terrible answers here

A woman wearing the Sony WH-1000XM4 with a hand cupped over the right side, demonstrating how transparency mode is activated.

If audio quality is your leading concern with a phone, you’ll probably want a flagship Android device. Diehards may want to pair that with accessories like external DACs and amplifiers, as well as an advanced EQ app to tweak frequency response. And, of course, look for headphones or speakers that support the most advanced codecs.

If audio quality is your leading concern with a phone, you’ll probably want a flagship Android device.

That said, you’ll hardly be disappointed with an iPhone as long as you’re aware of Apple’s quirks, and shop with compatibility in mind. Indeed, there are plenty of high-end audio accessories that work with iPhones, so there’s no real reason to steer clear. It’s better to focus on the overall experiences smartphones offer — if you find an iPhone easier to use, there’s no sense suffering for a marginal improvement in how Mozart or Kendrick Lamar sounds when you’re lounging at home. If there’s any noticeable improvement at all, that is.