5 iOS 26 features I’m glad Apple copied, even if Android had them first

After greater than a decade, Apple lastly determined to revamp the design language of its working techniques at WWDC 2025. The corporate kicked off the keynote by highlighting how iOS and different Apple platforms hadn’t shared a constant design language, and that iOS itself hadn’t seen a serious replace in over a decade. With that, Apple unveiled a brand-new design language referred to as Liquid Glass.

Liquid Glass marks Apple’s shift to a recent visible theme throughout its OS lineup, together with iOS 26, with transparency and glass-like shine results unfold all through the system. You will now see glass-inspired supplies throughout the interface, that includes blurred backgrounds that reply dynamically to no matter’s behind them.

Alongside this design overhaul, iOS 26 introduces a spread of recent options, comparable to updates to the Messages app, a redesigned Phone app, and enhancements to core Apple apps like Pockets, Maps, and Music. Nonetheless, what stood out to me most have been a few of the new options that really feel closely impressed by Android. Listed below are a couple of iOS 26 additions I am genuinely excited for — even when they’re clearly borrowed from Android.

5

Name Screening lastly involves the iPhone

A protracted-overdue characteristic that Google’s Pixel nailed years in the past

Supply: Apple

Apple and Google regularly copy options from one another’s working techniques, however one characteristic I am genuinely pleased to see lastly arrive on iOS is Name Screening. Because the launch of the Google Pixel 3 in 2018, Pixel telephones have supplied a Call Screen feature that solutions cellphone calls from unknown numbers in your behalf.

Utilizing Google Assistant (and now Gemini), the Pixel responds to unknown calls, figuring out whether or not it is spam, a robocall, or an actual particular person — all whereas displaying a reside transcription on-screen. If the caller is respectable, you get the choice to reply.

With iOS 26, Apple is now bringing an analogous characteristic to the iPhone. Call Screening works alongside Stay Voicemail, prompting callers to clarify who they’re and why they’re calling. Much like Google’s implementation, it then enables you to determine whether or not to reply or ignore. This characteristic has been unique to Pixel telephones till now, but it surely’s lastly arriving on iPhones with iOS 26.

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4

Maintain Help: Makes ready on calls bearable

A better approach to sit via maintain music

Supply: Apple

One other characteristic Apple is borrowing from Pixel smartphones is the Maintain Help characteristic. It is irritating if you name buyer care and get placed on maintain for 20 minutes, listening to annoying maintain music whereas ready for a buyer care agent to reply.

Pixel telephones provide a neat feature called “Hold For Me” that stays on the road via the music and notifies you when an actual human lastly picks up. It is a lifesaver when these minutes really feel countless, particularly when you’ll be able to put these minutes to some productive use.

Apple is now bringing an analogous characteristic to the iPhone with Maintain Help. Similar to on Pixel telephones, it holds the decision for you and alerts you when an actual particular person is on the road.

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3

Stay translation throughout calls is right here

Samsung beat Apple to it — but it surely’s nonetheless a win

With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S24 collection in 2024, Samsung went arduous on Galaxy AI features. One of many standout additions was reside translation throughout calls, permitting customers talking totally different languages to speak with real-time translation. With iOS 26, Apple will not be solely bringing this characteristic to the iPhone but additionally taking it a step additional.

Whereas showcasing the brand new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 26, Apple revealed that additionally it is bringing Stay Translation to the iPhone. Nonetheless, this characteristic not solely works throughout cellphone calls, however can even work throughout different apps, together with FaceTime and Messages. So, at any time when your iPhone detects a message or name in a special language than your machine’s language, it should immediately translate it for you.

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2

Apple Pockets lastly will get critical with digital IDs

It is catching up with Google Pockets’s greatest options

Much like Google Pockets, Apple Pockets has lengthy supported storing bank cards, flight boarding passes, and even digital automobile keys. With iOS 26, nevertheless, Apple is lastly including a characteristic just lately introduced in Google Wallet — Digital IDs.

Like Google Pockets, Apple Pockets will now allow you to create a digital ID primarily based in your U.S. passport. Whereas it will not substitute your bodily passport, you can use it for home journey, TSA checkpoints, in apps, and in particular person for verification​​​​​​. This characteristic has been obtainable on Android smartphones for over six months now, and can lastly be coming to iPhones within the fall.

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1

Visible Search now works like Circle to Search

A well-recognized thought, however nonetheless a welcome iOS addition

One in all my favourite AI options has been Circle to Search. This characteristic enables you to simply seek for what’s in your display by simply drawing a border across the object. For instance, if you’re scrolling Instagram, you’ll be able to merely maintain the navigation bar and draw a circle across the product you prefer to get shopping for hyperlinks to it. You’ll be able to even seek for context concerning the object you have chosen utilizing Google Search.

Apple can also be bringing an analogous characteristic to the iPhone. On the iPhone, Picture Search is constructed into the screenshot workflow. So if you take a screenshot, you will get choices like share and markup on the high, however on the backside, you will see options like Spotlight to Search and Picture Search.

Highlighting part of the picture will work equally to Circle to Search, letting you be taught extra about merchandise, purchase them, and so forth., whereas a brand new characteristic referred to as Ask, which isn’t obtainable on Android, enables you to ask concerning the screenshots’ content material straight through ChatGPT. iOS 26 can even extract related particulars, comparable to calendar occasions and addresses, for varied call-to-actions.

Android led the way in which, however I am glad iOS customers now get to get pleasure from these options

Total, although flagship gadgets from Google and Samsung had these options first, I am glad Apple is lastly bringing them to iOS. These are features I miss each time I change again to my iPhone 16 Pro after testing an Android cellphone, however with iOS 26, I am going to get to get pleasure from them on my iPhone, too.

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  Model

  Apple

  SoC

  A18 Professional (3nm)

  Show

  6.3-inch 1,206 x 2,622 pixel decision 120Hz LTPO Tremendous Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, 1000 nits (typical), 2000 nits (peak)

  Storage

  128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

  Ports

  USB-C

  Entrance digicam

  12-megapixel, f/1.9, 23mm (large), 1/3.6″, PDAF, OIS

  Apple’s iPhone 16 Professional line options a couple of notable upgrades over final yr’s iPhone 15 Professional, together with a devoted digicam button, a brand new A18 Professional chip, an even bigger display, and several other AI-powered Apple Intelligence options.

  
  

• 

  Model

  Apple

  SoC

  A18 (3nm)

  Show

  6.1-inch 2556 x 1179 pixel decision Tremendous Retina XDR, 2000 nits, 60Hz

  RAM

  8GB

  Storage

  128GB, 256GB, 512GB

  Ports

  USB-C

  This yr’s iPhone 16 line blurs the road between the “Professional” and the base-level iPhone by providing a brand new digicam button and the Motion Button, alongside the A18 chip.