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Holiday Shopping: Picking The Right Phone To Add To Your Wish List

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The holiday shopping season kicks into high gear on Black Friday, but many people have already gotten a head start.

If a new phone is on your wish list, Sree Sreenivasan, professor of digital innovation at Stony Brook University, has some advice for picking the right one.

Sreenivasan says smartphones usually come down to two brands -- the iPhone and the Android -- but this year, the Google Pixel is making a big name for itself.

"The main thing is that they're focusing on what they call computational photography, making the pictures really shine, so they're much better, including dark settings," he said.

The phone also responds to gestures. For example, instead of tapping a button to skip a song, you simply have to wave your hand over the phone.

Prices for Google Pixels start around $699.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIPS: What To Buy For Who, And When To Get It

Apple's newest phone this year is the iPhone 11, which also focuses on improving picture quality.

"I think again, you're thinking about how they make it easy for you to use the camera and blend it into everything you're doing with your phone. And also when you're watching movies and stuff, the picture on the screen and the lens, so think about the lens and the screen as being kind of at the highest level possible," Sreenivasan said.

Prices for the iPhone 11 start around $699 or $399 if you have an older iPhone to trade in.

Aside from the main brands, Sreenivasan says another phone to look into is the OnePlus 7T.

Sreenivasan will be back on CBS2 Sunday Morning News on Nov. 17 to talk about great holiday gifts under $100.

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