Apple debuted its subsequent set of working programs — iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 — at WWDC 2025 in the present day, and so they’re accessible for developer beta testing now. Among the many enhancements and upgrades are a number of options that appear, effectively, impressed by Android and Put on OS. In some instances, Apple did not even hassle to alter the title of the characteristic they copied from Google and Samsung.
It is at all times satisfying to look at Apple give iPhone customers options that individuals who every day drive one of the best Android telephones have been utilizing for years. If that is proper up your alley, the WWDC 2025 keynote did not disappoint. Apple “borrowed” a number of concepts from fan-favorite Android instruments like Gemini Reside, Circle to Search, and plenty of extra. Let’s recap all of the methods iOS 26 and watchOS 26 copied Android 16 and Put on OS 6 at WWDC this yr.
Visible Intelligence seems to be quite a bit like Gemini Reside and Circle to Search
Visible Intelligence is Apple’s model of Gemini Reside with reside video streaming, and it is truly accessible now with iOS 18. Nevertheless, the characteristic is proscribed to digicam utilization and may’t entry a person’s iPhone display. That is altering with iOS 26. Visible Intelligence will have the ability to view what’s on a person’s iPhone display and take actions on their behalf. It could actually discover gadgets on-line or add an occasion to their calendar primarily based the contents of their display.
Sound acquainted? It ought to, as a result of it is precisely what Android already presents with Gemini Reside’s display sharing characteristic and Circle to Search. For effectively over a yr, Android customers have been in a position to circle a portion of their display and be taught extra about it. For months, they have been in a position to share their whole display with Gemini Reside and have a natural-language dialog about it.
The actual kicker is that iPhone customers have been in a position to entry these similar options by way of the Google Chrome and Gemini apps on iOS. Irrespective of which method you take a look at it, Google was first, and Apple is just now planning so as to add these capabilities to iPhone with iOS 26.
iMessage backgrounds are clearly WhatsApp-inspired
Inform an iPhone person to obtain WhatsApp, and also you may get some pushback. Properly, that is going to get more durable for iOS followers to justify, as a result of iMessage simply stole a preferred WhatsApp characteristic. With iOS 26, customers can set customized backgrounds for his or her iMessage conversations. The app can even let customers generate customized backgrounds with AI utilizing Picture Playground. To notice, 73% of WhatsApp customers are on Android telephones.
In the meantime, WhatsApp has provided chat themes and wallpapers for chats on iOS and Android for years. It is nonetheless higher than what’s provided on iOS 26, as a result of WhatsApp customers can alter the colour of their dialog bubbles in tandem with their backgrounds. iMessage customers nonetheless must cope with these pesky blue and inexperienced bubbles, no matter which colourful background they select as a part of iOS 26.
So, perhaps WhatsApp wasn’t such a nasty messaging app in any case?
Name Screening is a blatant Pixel Name Display screen ripoff
Typically, Apple would not even attempt to cover the truth that it is copying a helpful Android characteristic. With iOS 26, the corporate is including two “new” instruments for telephone calls: Name Screening and Maintain Help. They will display unknown requires you, making certain you do not waste your time with spam calls or scammers. iOS 26 can even maintain requires you and notify you when it is time so that you can take over once more.
Name Screening is simply Apple’s model of Name Display screen on Google Pixel telephones, right down to the near-identical names. For these preserving observe at dwelling, Pixels have had this characteristic relationship again to the Pixel 4 in 2019. Maintain for Me, a characteristic that does precisely what Maintain Help will do in iOS 26, has been accessible on Pixels for practically as lengthy. Apple is sort of actually including options to iOS 26 that Google Pixel customers have had for half a decade.
Liquid Glass is the antithesis of Materials 3 Expressive
Liquid Glass is the brand new design language for Apple’s software program merchandise heading into 2026, together with iOS 26. Nevertheless, Apple wasn’t the primary to introduce a radical new person interface for cell working programs this yr. Google did it earlier with Materials 3 Expressive, a vivid, daring, and colourful UI for Android 16 designed to fulfill customers the place they’re. The corporate’s research confirmed that Materials 3 Expressive is not simply handsome, it is also simpler to make use of.
Whereas nobody would mistake iOS 26’s Liquid Glass aesthetic for Android 16’s Materials 3 Expressive look, the timing is fascinating. Apple is attempting to realize the identical factor as Google with its new UI, however the two corporations are simply going about it in fully other ways. Nonetheless, Google will get a little bit of credit score for unveiling its imaginative and prescient for the way forward for cell user-interface design earlier than Apple.
Wrist flick is simply the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7’s Shake to Dismiss
With watchOS 26, Apple is introducing a brand new method to dismiss Apple Watch notifications. Besides, it isn’t truly that new. Samsung presents the same software on the Galaxy Watch 7 referred to as Shake to Dismiss. It is technically extra versatile than Apple’s upcoming “wrist flick” software, for the reason that Galaxy Watch 7 model will also be used to dismiss different issues, like alarms.
Actually, the gestures accessible on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 can put its Apple Watch rivals to disgrace. Along with Shake to Dismiss, you may as well twist your wrist twice to say no an incoming telephone name. Whereas the wrist flick will most likely turn out to be useful for Apple Watch customers, it is nothing new for Put on OS customers.
Apple Maps’ Visited Locations is a Google Maps Timeline clone
One other neat characteristic heading to iPhone customers for the primary time is Visited Locations in Apple Maps. It will keep in mind the locations you’ve got visited with end-to-end encryption, utilizing Apple Intelligence to establish habits and every day routes. As an example, you possibly can see what number of instances you’ve got visited your favourite restaurant or metropolis.
It sounds fascinating sufficient for those who’re an Apple Maps person, however Google Maps customers have had this characteristic for years. It is referred to as Google Maps Timeline on the opposite facet of the walled backyard, and Google describes it as “a private map that helps you keep in mind routes and journeys you’ve got taken and locations you’ve got been primarily based in your Location Historical past.” On the Android facet of issues, it really works with Android Auto, too.
Reside Translation solely modified a number of letters from Reside Translate
Lastly, Apple is giving iOS 26 customers the power to translate calls, messages, songs, and extra in real-time. It is such a helpful characteristic that Android customers could be shocked to be taught it wasn’t already accessible on iPhone earlier than WWDC 2025. Google and Samsung each have their very own Reside Translate options, with Galaxy telephones in a position to translate 13 languages in real-time with the Galaxy S24 and newer.
It comes simply after iOS 18 added help for setting Google Translate as your default translation app, which is fascinating timing.
After all, there are some things Google can be sensible to steal from Apple. iPadOS 26 simply retains getting higher, and at WWDC 2025 it gained macOS-like window administration and productiveness choices. It is unlikely that one of the best Android tablets will catch as much as the iPad at this fee.
Nonetheless, it is at all times value which options Apple is just now including to iOS 26 and watchOS 26, however Android and Put on OS customers have been utilizing for years.
