7 Quality of Life Features iOS 18 Stole From Android
Jun. 12, 20241. Home Screen Personalization
iOS has kept such an incredibly simple yet super useful functionality at bay for so long for who knows what reason. Congratulations, iOS users.
In addition, you can also tint the home screen app icons and widgets any color, which extends up to the app library section of iOS. This is super cool, and adds a certain level of charm to iOS now, which was missing.
It’s surprising that Apple has held back on introducing something as basic as this for so long that it’s obsolete at this point. T9 in the dialermakes finding contacts and giving them a call super easyand fast.
Since time immemorial, iOS users have had to head over to contacts and look for a contact manually to do so. Super annoying, yes. iOS 18 changes that, and now, users can simply start typing a number in the dialer and close matches to it will show up at the top.
While it’s as simple as that, it’s a game-changer for iOS users. Android users have had this for so long that they forgot about its existence in the first place.
While it may seem hilarious at first, believe it or not, iOS users haven’t had call recording for all these years. Android users are surely laughing in the corner. But, iOS 18 has finally brought the functionality and of course, it’s a super useful feature that every smartphone should have.
Previously, the only way to do some call recording of sorts was the Voicemail feature, which worked well enough too. But, then again, it’s notcallrecording, per se. So, it’s definitely good to get a dedicated feature for the same.
App locking and hiding has been around for quite some time now. While Google Pixel doesn’t offer app locking, it recently brought thePrivate Space featureto hide apps on Android 15. However, other skins like OxygenOS, FuntouchOS, and HyperOS offer their renditions of app locking.
This is a very useful feature that lets you hand over your phone to someone without having to worry too much about what they may stumble upon. Moreover, information of hidden apps won’t even appear anywhere, like in the notifications. Hidden apps are then moved to a hidden apps folder, which will require Face ID to get through.
If you ask me, app locking and hiding is core privacy and security feature that no smartphone should miss out on. So, iOS 18 bringing both of these features sure did make me happy.
Well, we did see this coming, didn’t we? For years, Apple has been ridiculed for not providing RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol support to its Messages app. For those unaware, while iOS users could text Android users and vice versa, longer messages were shortened and image/video files were terribly compressed, thereby compromising their quality.
Now, withRCS protocol arriving to iMessages, users can do all of that without any limits. Moreover, they will also be end-to-end encrypted now. In simpler words, full-blown cross-platform chats are finally actually coming to iOS 18-running devices.
The texts and audio messages sent from an Android device will still appear green though. Anyway, thanks to EU regulators as well, who pushed Apple into doing bringing this feature. A win-win in my books.
The Android vs iOS debate has always sparked one question – which is better for gaming? While Apple’s Bionic chipsets have always been ahead in the performance race, they have lacked features to back it up. iOS users have had a gaming-focused mode that only silenced notifications.
But, this time, iOS 18 brings a dedicated Game Mode, whichpauses background activity as well as minimizes latency(only for AirPods Pro Gen 2). In addition, the Game Modealso reduces latency for wireless controllers.
While it doesn’t offer all those touch sensitivity enhancing or other features like Android skins do, it’s still a good start. Most importantly, it goes to show that Apple is finally acknowledging the importance of gaming. With titles like Resident Evil 4 Remake, Assassin’s Creed Mirage and the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows available to play on iOS, it only makes sense for Apple to make this move.
But, Android skins like OneUI (Smart View feature) by Samsung bring screen mirroring to the table. So, understandably, that also allows you to drag and drop files alongside making use of the clipboard and notification sync.
You also have Windows Phone Link that is integrated within phones like the latestVivo X Fold 3 Pro, which allows you to make use of screen mirroring as well. While it’s not as good as Samsung’s Smart View, it brings the functionality nevertheless.
So, I was very thrilled to see Apple introducingiPhone mirroring onto Mac with macOS Sequoia. Moreover, it improves on the feature and keeps the mirroring active even when you turn your iPhone display off. This is something that Phone Link and even OPPO’s multi-screen connect lacks.
Apple has always had its focus on building a solid ecosystem. The addition of this feature has been the final move in favor of it, from the looks of it, for it further solidifies Apple’s ecosystem features.
In my opinion, Apple is gradually leading iOS into itsAndroidificationstage, and I like every bit of it. It’s also surprising how some of these essential features like T9 search in dialer, RCS messaging, and screen recording have been kept away from iOS users for so long.
Well, what do you think about all the Android-inspired iOS 18 features we got to see? Which is your favorite one on this list? Do let me know in the comments down below!
Sagnik is a tech aficionado who can never say “no” to dipping his toes into unknown waters of tech or reviewing the latest gadgets. He is also a hardcore gamer, having played everything from Snake Xenzia to Dead Space Remake.
