Apple debuted its subsequent set of working methods — 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 obtainable for developer beta testing now. Among the many enhancements and upgrades are a couple of options that appear, properly, impressed by Android and Put on OS. In some instances, Apple did not even hassle to vary the title of the characteristic they copied from Google and Samsung.
It is all the time satisfying to look at Apple give iPhone customers options that individuals who day by day drive the finest Android telephones have been utilizing for years. If that is proper up your alley, the WWDC 2025 keynote did not disappoint. Apple “borrowed” a couple of concepts from fan-favorite Android instruments like Gemini Stay, 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 loads like Gemini Stay and Circle to Search
Visible Intelligence is Apple’s model of Gemini Stay with dwell video streaming, and it is truly obtainable now with iOS 18. Nonetheless, the characteristic is restricted to digital camera utilization and might’t entry a consumer’s iPhone display screen. That is altering with iOS 26. Visible Intelligence will be capable to view what’s on a consumer’s iPhone display screen and take actions on their behalf. It might probably discover gadgets on-line or add an occasion to their calendar based mostly the contents of their display screen.
Sound acquainted? It ought to, as a result of it is precisely what Android already affords with Gemini Stay’s display screen sharing characteristic and Circle to Search. For properly over a yr, Android customers have been capable of circle a portion of their display screen and study extra about it. For months, they have been capable of share their complete display screen with Gemini Stay and have a natural-language dialog about it.
The true kicker is that iPhone customers have been capable of entry these identical options through the Google Chrome and Gemini apps on iOS. Regardless of which means you take a look at it, Google was first, and Apple is barely now planning so as to add these capabilities to iPhone with iOS 26.
iMessage backgrounds are clearly WhatsApp-inspired
Inform an iPhone consumer to obtain WhatsApp, and also you would possibly get some pushback. Nicely, that is going to get more durable for iOS followers to justify, as a result of iMessage simply stole a well-liked WhatsApp characteristic. With iOS 26, customers can set customized backgrounds for his or her iMessage conversations. The app may 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 supplied chat themes and wallpapers for chats on iOS and Android for years. It is nonetheless higher than what’s supplied 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 should take care of 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 spite of everything?
Name Screening is a blatant Pixel Name Display ripoff
Typically, Apple does not even attempt to cover the truth that it is copying a useful Android characteristic. With iOS 26, the corporate is including two “new” instruments for cellphone calls: Name Screening and Maintain Help. They will display screen unknown requires you, making certain you do not waste your time with spam calls or scammers. iOS 26 may 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 on Google Pixel telephones, right down to the near-identical names. For these maintaining monitor at residence, 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 obtainable on Pixels for almost 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. Nonetheless, Apple wasn’t the primary to introduce a radical new consumer interface for cell working methods this yr. Google did it earlier with Materials 3 Expressive, a shiny, daring, and colourful UI for Android 16 designed to satisfy 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 attention-grabbing. Apple is attempting to attain the identical factor as Google with its new UI, however the two firms are simply going about it in utterly alternative 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 affords an analogous software on the Galaxy Watch 7 known as Shake to Dismiss. It is technically extra versatile than Apple’s upcoming “wrist flick” software, because the Galaxy Watch 7 model may also be used to dismiss different issues, like alarms.
In reality, the gestures obtainable on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 can put its Apple Watch opponents to disgrace. Along with Shake to Dismiss, you can even twist your wrist twice to say no an incoming cellphone name. Whereas the wrist flick will in all probability 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 bear in mind the locations you’ve got visited with end-to-end encryption, utilizing Apple Intelligence to establish habits and day by day routes. For example, you’ll be able to see what number of instances you’ve got visited your favourite restaurant or metropolis.
It sounds attention-grabbing sufficient if you happen to’re an Apple Maps consumer, however Google Maps customers have had this characteristic for years. It is known as Google Maps Timeline on the opposite facet of the walled backyard, and Google describes it as “a private map that helps you bear in mind routes and journeys you’ve got taken and locations you’ve got been based mostly in your Location Historical past.” On the Android facet of issues, it really works with Android Auto, too.
Stay Translation solely modified a couple of letters from Stay Translate
Lastly, Apple is giving iOS 26 customers the flexibility to translate calls, messages, songs, and extra in real-time. It is such a useful characteristic that Android customers is likely to be shocked to study it wasn’t already obtainable on iPhone earlier than WWDC 2025. Google and Samsung each have their very own Stay Translate options, with Galaxy telephones capable of 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 attention-grabbing timing.
In fact, there are some things Google can be clever 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 the finest Android tablets will catch as much as the iPad at this price.
Nonetheless, it is all the time price which options Apple is barely now including to iOS 26 and watchOS 26, however Android and Put on OS customers have been utilizing for years.
