5 iOS 26 options I am glad Apple copied, even when...

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 significant 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 contemporary 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 variety of latest options, corresponding 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 had been among the new options that really feel closely impressed by Android. Listed here are a number of iOS 26 additions I am genuinely excited for — even when they’re clearly borrowed from Android.

5

Name Screening lastly involves the iPhone

An extended-overdue function that Google’s Pixel nailed years in the past

Supply: Apple

Apple and Google continuously copy options from one another’s working techniques, however one function I am genuinely pleased to see lastly arrive on iOS is Name Screening. For the reason that launch of the Google Pixel 3 in 2018, Pixel telephones have provided 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 reliable, you get the choice to reply.

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

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4

Maintain Help: Makes ready on calls bearable

A better technique to sit by means of maintain music

Supply: Apple

One other function Apple is borrowing from Pixel smartphones is the Maintain Help function. It is irritating while 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 supply a neat feature called “Hold For Me” that stays on the road by means of the music and notifies you when an actual human lastly picks up. It is a lifesaver when these minutes really feel limitless, particularly when you possibly can put these minutes to some productive use.

Apple is now bringing an analogous function to the iPhone with Maintain Help. Identical 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

Dwell translation throughout calls is right here

Samsung beat Apple to it — however it’s nonetheless a win

With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S24 sequence 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 shouldn’t be solely bringing this function to the iPhone but in addition taking it a step additional.

Whereas showcasing the brand new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 26, Apple revealed that additionally it is bringing Dwell Translation to the iPhone. Nonetheless, this function 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 unique language than your gadget’s language, it’s going to 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 finest 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 function lately introduced in Google Wallet — Digital IDs.

Like Google Pockets, Apple Pockets will now allow you to create a digital ID based mostly in your U.S. passport. Whereas it will not change your bodily passport, you can use it for home journey, TSA checkpoints, in apps, and in particular person for verification​​​​​​. This function has been out there 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 concept, however nonetheless a welcome iOS addition

Considered one of my favourite AI options has been Circle to Search. This function helps you to simply seek for what’s in your display by simply drawing a border across the object. For instance, while you’re scrolling Instagram, you possibly can 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’ve got chosen utilizing Google Search.

Apple can also be bringing an analogous function to the iPhone. On the iPhone, Picture Search is constructed into the screenshot workflow. So while 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 function referred to as Ask, which isn’t out there on Android, helps you to ask concerning the screenshots’ content material straight through ChatGPT. iOS 26 can even extract related particulars, corresponding 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

General, regardless that flagship units 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 swap 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.

• 

  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 digital camera

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

  Apple’s iPhone 16 Professional line options a number of notable upgrades over final yr’s iPhone 15 Professional, together with a devoted digital camera button, a brand new A18 Professional chip, a much 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 digital camera button and the Motion Button, alongside the A18 chip.