Apple finally previewed what is happening iOS 18 to his annual developers conference. The iPhone’s next major software update will roll out later this year, with numerous infusions of AI (Apple Intelligence) as well as other quality of life improvements to the platform. This is great news for iPhone users, although Android users have already heard it.
In some cases, iOS 18 is catching up to its Android competitors. But iPhone users seem excited about what’s coming – there was plenty of applause in the main audience – and so-called copycat features mean more parity between mobile platforms, which means less Sophie’s choice when purchasing a new smartphone. Here are some new features coming to the iPhone with iOS 18 and how they compare to those already on Android devices.
Move apps wherever you want
Custom icon placement is no longer limited to Android users with time to burn. At WWDC 2024, Apple announced that iOS 18 would finally let you place app icons wherever you want on the Home screen, freeing them from the strict rail they were previously on. You can move apps to either side of the screen with a space in the middle to highlight a subject on your wallpaper.
Tinted Icons
iOS 18 users will have access to tinted icons, which Pixel Launcher has done since Android 13. The iOS 18 developer beta shows that color accents are selected based on your wallpaper and system theme. And if you don’t like the color Apple chooses for you, you can adjust it to something else.
RCS
If you’ve read a tech blog in the past few years, you know that Google had RCS first and will keep reminding us of it. He even took down a giant advertising campaign to refine the message.
However, even if Apple has discreetly announced RCS support this week at its developers conference, Google doesn’t get its victory lap. Apple has devoted no fanfare to its acceptance of the mobile protocol. On the plus side, messages between iPhones and their green bubbles will be able to share features like high-resolution photos and Tapback animations later this year.
Schedule a message
The Messages app on iPhone will let you schedule your messages to send later when iOS 18 rolls out later this year. Google Messages was able to schedule SMS since 2022. This is how I stopped my iPhone-using friends from suing me for texting them late at night, when my brain is most active.
Game mode
iOS 18 will offer a Game mode. Apple says it will minimize background activity to help maintain a consistent framerate. Android got an official game mode since Android 12. Some Android smartphones have even made gaming phones their identity: looking at you, Asus Rog Phone.
Tap on Siri
Okay, I admit that Google’s transition from Assistant to Gemini has it wasn’t smooth. But I’ve been able to type a command to Assistant for years now, enough that I’ll miss it when Assistant finally faces its expiration date.
Well, at least Siri users can type commands, or you will once iOS 18 goes live. I saw a demo of Siri typing at WWDC, which reminded me that this is a feature I’ll miss if/when Google forces me to do it. Gemini. Sob.
Live audio transcriptions
iOS 18 will have a handy feature that lets you record audio sessions with the Notes app, then have it generate a transcript of the session, which you can then combine with other documents and checklists.
Google presented Live transcription At Pixels in 2019. Since 2021, it is integrated into Android system settings.
Control center
iOS 18 will bring more customization to this drop-down part of the iPhone. In addition to Home Controls and Quick Settings, third-party app developers can offer pinnable shortcuts.
Android has always had the notification shade. In Android 7, Quick Settings in the notification area added editable tiles, which were eventually opened up to third-party app developers.
Mirroring iPhone
There’s great news for iPhone users with a Mac on the desktop. iOS 18 will let you live stream your iPhone to your Mac and use it with a mouse and keyboard. You can even easily drop media between desktop and mobile environments.
Android users have been enjoying this type of mirroring sync with their phones since the first third party offered this feature in the 2010s. But ten years later, it’s still up to third parties, as there is no such feature. native implementation between Android and Google’s Chrome OS. Only Samsung’s latest flagships get the added benefit of mirroring phone to PC using Micorosft’s Phone app.
Genmoji, discover Emoji Kitchen
Apple users can generate emojis from a text prompt on iPhone when iOS 18 arrives later this year. Genmoji, as it’s called, is intended to showcase the company’s underlying Apple Intelligence capabilities.
The capacity resembles that of Android Kitchen Emojiwhich has seen success since its launch on the Google keyboard in 2020. Emoji Kitchen is not as advanced in AI as Apple’s Genmoji, but just as fun.
Live audio transcriptions
Apple announced that its Apple Intelligence injection will help power a live transcription feature in the Notes app on iOS 18. The tool will record your call, then spit out a summary after you hang up.
Android was able to do these two things separately but not together. Pixels Live transcription works well, but it’s intended for in-person interactions rather than audio over the phone. And even though Android has allowed third-party apps to enable call recording, the transcription part requires a bit of research to find the right service.
Tap on Siri
iOS 18 will allow you to type a command on Siri. There was a roundabout way to enable this since iOS 11, but this method is more direct and easier to access. It will also be more contextual than Siri ever was, giving us Android users I have a hard time accepting Gemini a little FOMO.
I’ve been typing with Google Assistant for five years. This has been useful to me when I can’t speak out loud, which is why Apple also adopted this feature for iOS 18. This feature is still available on Android devices, although the eventual transition to Gemini may change this functionality.
Bonus: Calculator app on iPad
iPad OS 18 finally has its own optimized calculator app. This isn’t related to iOS 18, but it’s worth mentioning because Android had a calculator for tablets long before Apple.
At the very least, Apple has improved the offering for iPad users with its calculator app by offering Math Noteswhich can be unlocked with the Apple Pencil.