10 things iOS 16 ‘stole’ from Android: The dust has yet to settle from WWDC ’22, where a number of Apple executives and team members went to the stage to demonstrate what’s to come. In addition to the Apple M2 processor, new MacBook Air and Pro models, and improvements to watchOS, we also got a sneak peek at what iOS 16 has in store for the iPhone.
In certain ways, Apple is ahead of the curve when it comes to software innovations, but Apple has a habit of waiting years after something was originally discovered on Android before releasing it. When it comes to iOS 16, this feeling rings true, and here are ten things iOS 16 copied from Android.
The installation of Lock Screen widgets on iPhone is the most clear and obvious feature that Apple is implementing for iOS 16. Developers may now design widgets that give brief, glanceable pieces of information right on the Lock Screen thanks to improvements to Apple’s WidgetKit framework.
Widgets may only be put below the clock and can be adjusted in three separate parts. Apple is also restricting the amount of widgets available to only four, all of which must be tiny. However, you may mix and match various widgets, as some, like as the Calendar app, offer either a 1×1 or 2×1 widget.
So, how long has Apple been lagging behind? The option to add up to six widgets to the Lock Screen was introduced in Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which was only roughly ten years ago. Unfortunately, the functionality didn’t last long, since privacy concerns arose, and Lock Screen widgets were removed in Android 5.0 Lollipop. There are some third-party applications that restore this capability, but we’re “stuck” with built-in features like At a Glance if we don’t fidget.
Something to consider with this new functionality, at least if you’re a tablet user: While the clock typeface on the iPad has changed, you still can’t add widgets to the iPad’s Lock Screen. It’s a strange omission, and it reminds me of when Apple originally introduced Home Screen widgets on the iPhone before introducing them to the iPad.
This one is a bit of a trick, as it’s not a feature that’s accessible in the iOS 16 Developer Beta for even the iPhone 13 Pro models. However, the eagle-eyed crew at 9to5Mac(opens in new tab) discovered references to new frameworks that relate to the iPhone getting an always-on display. As previously said, this feature isn’t accessible for current iPhone models, but new reports say that Apple will include an AOD with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max when they launch later this year.
Surprisingly, the always-on display wasn’t even invented on Android; it was first shown on the Nokia 6303 before making its way to Nokia phones with an OLED panel in 2010. It truly took off with Nokia’s Windows Phones before Samsung took the functionality and ran with it on the Galaxy S7 back in 2016. Needless to say, if this comes to actuality, it’ll be another another long-awaited feature that iOS users will eventually get to experience.
The AOD was initially reported for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max with their OLED panels, so there’s always a catch. However, due to worries about a reduction in battery life, the functionality was removed at the last minute.
Live Text
During the I/O 2017 Keynote, Google debuted Google Lens, a (at the time) all-new image recognition tool. Since then, Google has continued to add improvements to the service, including the ability to aim your camera at something and retrieve data.
Google also revealed “scene exploration” as a new feature at I/O 2022, which allows you to utilise the finest Android phones to detect numerous goods around you. You can discover more about those goods, including ratings and the ability to filter out some of the results, with just a tap. This isn’t a function that’s publicly available right now, but Google claims it’s coming soon.
Rather of relying on Google to provide Lens to iPhone users, Apple has created its own image recognition technology, known as Live Text and Visual Look Up. This was initially shown at WWDC ’21 before being included in iOS 15’s final release last autumn. Your iPhone can detect text and other things using “on-device intelligence,” allowing you to interact with what’s on your screen, such as translating a sign when travelling in a foreign nation.
Visual Look Up is also getting some love in iOS 16, with the function being expanded to detect “birds, insects, and sculptures.” The ability to press and hold on a topic inside a picture, lift it from the backdrop, and then place it in a separate app is one feature that iOS 16 does not take from Android.
Shared Photo Libraries
One of the most aggravating elements of attempting to share images or photo albums with friends and family is that there isn’t a single spot where you can do it collectively. At least, that’s the case for iOS users. Shared Libraries have been accessible in Google Photos since version 3.0, when it was released with Suggested Sharing. For comparison, the most recent version of Google Photos has a version number of 5.92, indicating that it has been accessible for quite some time.
The iCloud Shared Photo Library is roughly the same in most ways, but there are a few possible stumbling blocks. The first is that you may only share albums with up to five other individuals at any given time. It’s fantastic to have a single area where you can share images and videos with your friends and family. However, you’ll most certainly reach the five-person limit quite shortly. It’s not really a fair comparison, because Google Photos not only allows for infinite “contributors” to an album, but it also allows you to set up Partner Sharing with a loved one.
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Standalone Fitness app
It’s been eight years since the Google Fit app was published for Android, allowing users to register their various exercises and health information in a single app. Given how much the Apple Watch is adored (and rightfully so), it’s incredible that the Fitness app hasn’t been released as a standalone app. The Fitness app in iOS 16 will most likely be a feature that people will say, “Oh, that’s good, but I’ll never use it.”
That’s because iPhone users, whether or whether they possess an Apple Watch, are likely to already use a health and metric tracking software. It’s similar to what occurred with Google Fit for years until Google seems to care more about it recently.
Improvements to Mail
No, we’re not referring to Elon Musk’s campaign for editable tweets. Apple’s built-in Mail app for iOS, on the other hand, pales in contrast to practically every other mobile email programme. Even the macOS edition of Mail.app is a completely different experience from the iPhone one. Apple, on the other hand, is adding long-awaited capabilities to its mobile email apps, including the option to Remind Later, Follow Up, Schedule, and Undo Send.
All of these capabilities have been accessible in Google’s Gmail mobile and desktop apps for years, but some of them came from the now-defunct Inbox app. Since 2018, Nudge, Snooze, and Undo Send have been available, and the option to schedule emails will be available in 2019. To be honest, we’re excited to see additional capabilities added to the iOS client, if only because most third-party email programmes are clunky or lack functionality.
Apple Maps was released in September of 2012, and it has gone a long way since then. You won’t have to worry about Apple’s Maps software taking you down the wrong route on a one-way street any more. And, if you haven’t used it in a while, the general information offered is far more substantial than you may imagine. However, it’s perplexing that Maps still lacks the option to add several stops to your itinerary.
This feature was added to Google Maps in 2016 for both iOS and Android, making it much easier to plan out your excursions. It’s one of the reasons why some iOS users prefer to use Google Maps, which does more than just get you from point A to point B.
Proper app-windowing on tablets
After spending time with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, I’ve changed my mind on Android tablets. I’m a big admirer of the iPad Pro and often dismiss the Android tablet experience. It made me realise that the iPad Pro and iPadOS were in desperate need of effective app windowing. This is, of course, a function that has been accessible on Android tablets for years, and it has now been extended to the finest folding phones with their iPad Mini-like screen size.
Despite the strange name, Stage Manager not only adds app-windowing to the iPad, but it also improves support for connecting to a monitor. It’s not a full-fledged desktop replacement, as we’ve seen with Samsung DeX, but it’s something for iPad owners to consider. But, in typical Apple fashion, it’s locked behind a wall, since it’ll only be available to people with an M1-powered iPad when iPadOS 16 launches this autumn.
You’re either all for it or all against it when it comes to haptic feedback when typing on your phone. When setting up a new phone, some individuals disable the ability, while others want as much haptic feedback as possible. Despite having perhaps the finest haptic engine in a smartphone, haptic feedback when typing on the native iOS keyboard has not been available for whatever reason.
There were jailbreak tweaks back in the day (during the early days of the iPhone) that enabled haptic feedback for anyone who wanted it. However, you still had to jump through a few hoops simply to hear your phone vibrate when you hit the keypad. Thankfully, iOS 16 has a slider in the Accessibility settings that allows you to enable haptic feedback. Although it isn’t enabled by default, it is now available.
Dictation powered by on-device Machine Learning
“Machine Learning” is one of the newest buzzwords to hit the smartphone market. Google provides(opens in new tab) the following according to its definition:
It’s one of the reasons Google’s Tensor processor was so anticipated: it allows your smartphone to learn from how you use it, resulting in a more customised experience. Dictation has long been available on our different devices, but with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, Google took things to the next level. You wouldn’t have to worry about dictating punctuation or pausing to manually select the appropriate emoji. Simply press the button, start chatting, and let your phone handle the rest.
For iPhone users, iOS 16 brings the same feature, with a “new on-device experience that allows users to smoothly switch between speech and touch.” Not only will you be able to switch between speaking and typing, but Apple will also make some of Google’s most current capabilities available to the general public. What remains to be seen is whether Apple will restrict the availability of these capabilities to certain smartphones once iOS 16 is launched, or if they will be available to any iPhone running the most recent platform version.
Is Apple’s iOS closing the gap to Android?
The answer to the question is very self-evident. Between iOS and Android, Apple is closing the gap. It’s easy to get hung up on a few capabilities that Android has had for years, but the fact is that more features are virtually never a negative thing. At least, choosing between an Android phone and an iPhone shouldn’t be a life-or-death decision.
There are many people, including me, who utilise both platforms on a regular basis just because we prefer having choices. What remains to be seen is whether Apple will go through the same maturation process as Android. One example is the inclusion of Lock Screen widgets in Android 4.2, which were later removed in Android 5 to make way for the availability of an Always-on Display.
When compared to Android, Apple still has a long way to go in several areas. However, there are still areas where Google still falls short, such as my favourite issue of “ecosystem.” Overall, we’re glad to see these improvements make their way to iPhone users, even if it means we’ll have less excuses to complain when new features are added to iOS in the future.
