Apple introduced iOS 16 at WWDC 2022 this week and we’ve already highlighted quite a lot of probably the most thrilling options in iOS 16, however we wished to try a number of the particular options that can look acquainted to Android followers.
Whether or not you’re an iPhone proprietor that has seemed longingly at some options loved by your Android-owning mates or you’re an Android proprietor that has been contemplating leaping ship to iPhone have been it not for some lacking options, iOS 16 could also be simply what you have been ready for.
Whereas the Android vs. iPhone debate will possible rage on endlessly, the fact is that the working methods are rising nearer than ever and that’s a win for followers of both platform as every firm samples the very best concepts from each other to make the very best OS attainable.
In our early Android 13 impressions, we highlighted a number of the options Android is choosing up from iOS this 12 months. So when you’re searching for the flip facet of this dialogue you’ll be able to verify that out, however listed below are the very best Android options coming to iPhone in 2022.
Lock display screen customization
It’s exhausting to keep away from this one as it will likely be entrance and middle in your iPhone show. iOS 16 contains the flexibility to customise nearly each side of your lock display screen and even add as much as 4 widgets. The customization piece definitely has Android written throughout it, with Google giving renewed consideration to it in Android 12 with the introduction of Materials You theming. Longtime Android customers might recall that the platform did provide lock display screen widgets natively, however it’s a function that was eradicated with Android Lollipop in 2014, with solely At a Look providing a few of this performance in trendy Android.
This additionally borrows from certainly one of Apple’s personal platforms with the flexibility to layer UI parts behind photographs just like what we noticed in watchOS 8 final 12 months. We’ll must get our arms on the beta to try it out, however Apple continues to loosen its as soon as white-knuckled grip on the look of iOS and for years customization has been one of many strongest arguments for Android followers that rejected iOS.
Shared Picture Library
Google Images introduced Android customers shared photograph libraries and recommend sharing again in 2017, permitting members of the family to create teams to share photographs of particular occasions or folks with out having to really ship them to at least one one other.
iCloud Shared Images Library brings a lot of the identical performance to iOS, however it’s a bit extra restricted as you’ll be able to solely share with as much as 5 folks. This could possibly be a privateness concern or a limitation primarily based on Apple’s household sharing, which can be restricted to 5 folks. Regardless, it takes a number of the utility out of the in any other case excellent-looking function for iOS because it received’t work for sharing photographs from a commencement celebration for instance with the entire household.
A number of cease journey planning
Whereas iPhone homeowners may flip to Google Maps on iOS since 2016 for this function, Apple Maps has lacked the flexibility to set a number of stops on a visit till iOS 16. That is precisely what it appears like and Apple isn’t doing something too groundbreaking with it, however you’ll be able to plan your route in your Mac and it’ll robotically sync over to your iPhone, in order that’s a pleasant added bonus for vacationers that prefer to pre-plan their routes.
Wearable-free health monitoring
Whereas the Apple Watch Collection 7 is just about unchallenged as the very best and definitely hottest smartwatch available on the market, not everybody desires to put on one thing on their wrist or have one other machine they should cost each day. For these folks, the brand new iPhone Health app in iOS 16 will help you observe your exercise with out the necessity for an Apple Watch.
As soon as once more Android followers must look again virtually a decade for the introduction of this function as Google Match arrived in October of 2014.
Correct multi-window multitasking on tablets
One break from iOS 16, for an iPadOS 16 replace. Regardless of Apple’s completely unquestioned dominance of the pill market and the desktop-class energy of the iPad Execs and iPad Air with M1, Apple has steadfastly clung to fairly minimal multitasking capabilities. Whereas Android itself can’t take a victory lap on this one, Samsung has led the cost with multitasking on its tablets for years together with the exceptional Samsung DeX, which permits for a desktop expertise out of your pill or Android telephone.
Stage Supervisor in iPadOS provides Apple’s tablets not fairly a full desktop multi-window expertise, however it’s shut sufficient. It should permit customers to simply resize and transfer apps in home windows on their pill and even to an exterior show, with straightforward app grouping that will help you snap to completely different multitasking setups.
Enhanced Dictation help
Whereas Siri nonetheless struggles with many requests for me, Apple’s dictation has been dependable, so the enhancements coming in iOS 16 are all of the extra attention-grabbing. Dictation in iOS 16 will help you swap seamlessly between typing and dictating, even highlighting a bit after which dictating over it. It should additionally allow you to dictate punctuation and even emojis, though I’m unsure if I may stay with myself if I stated “head exploding emoji” out loud. That is additionally taking place on-device, one thing that Google pressed exhausting with the introduction of its Tensor chip on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Professional final 12 months.
Whereas early indications are that Google nonetheless has the sting, iOS 16 is making it a a lot nearer dialogue.
Honorable point out: At all times-on show
This can be a software program function that additionally requires new {hardware}, so I’m solely giving partial credit score as iPhone 14 Professional and 14 Professional Max homeowners will be the solely ones that profit from it this 12 months. Proof of software program help for an always-on show was discovered within the iOS 16 beta code after its launch, so the rumors of that function arriving on this 12 months’s Professional iPhones have heated up significantly.
This function first appeared on Android with the Moto X in 2013 and has been a daily function on flagship Android telephones since at the very least 2016. Significantly with the iPhone’s new lock display screen and notification choices, it’s straightforward to see how a glanceable always-on show could be useful and it must also assist battery life as customers received’t must energy on to see their newest notifications.
