Apple introduced its daring new iOS 26 redesign at WWDC 2025 final night time – however simply how daring is it, precisely?
As has turn out to be the norm when discussing a brand new cell OS, the web has swiftly stuffed up with Android followers stating that a number of of iOS 26’s new options have been borrowed wholesale from Google. Usually these options had rolled out onto Pixel telephones a few years in the past.
In fact, inspiration flows each methods within the two horse race that’s the trendy cell OS scene. However there are undoubtedly some iOS 26 options that we might flip to proper now on our Google Pixel 9 telephones, to not point out a number of of its predecessors. Listed below are just a few that caught our eye.
Gemini Reside and Circle to Search
It’s an accepted proven fact that Apple has just about bungled its AI implementation, however iOS 26 means that it’s getting there. Slowly.
Nonetheless, the brand new Visible Intelligence options present up some acquainted parts. Particularly, the flexibility to make use of Apple Intelligence to grasp what’s on the display screen and supply contextual help is similar to Google’s Gemini Reside and Circle to Search instruments, the latter of which has been lighting up Pixel telephones (and non-Pixel Android telephones) since January 2024.
Apple
Name Display screen
Think about if iOS might intelligently display screen your requires you? Now it will probably with Name Screening. It’s going to collect info from an incoming caller then provide you with the data so you’ll be able to determine if you wish to discuss to them or not.
That’s nice, however such a facility has been out there on Google’s telephones for the reason that Pixel 4 in 2019 within the type of Name Screening. Even the identify is comparable.
Maintain for Me
Right here’s one other Cellphone app function that Apple has belatedly introduced over from Google’s Pixel telephones to iOS 16. Maintain Help will monitor while you’ve been positioned on maintain, and can then notify you when a dwell particular person rejoins the decision on the different finish.
It was a super-useful function when it appeared on the Google Pixel 5 in late 2020 as Maintain for Me, and it’ll probably be a super-useful function when it seems on the iPhone 17 in late 2025.
Reside Translate
Apple introduced a brand new Reside Translation function for iOS 26, and because the identify suggests, it’ll let iPhone customers translate textual content and audio on the fly.
The identify Reside Translation suggests one thing else, too. Google launched its personal related Reside Translate function with the Pixel 6 again in 2021.
Apple
Google Maps Timeline
At WWDC 2025, Apple introduced a brand new Apple Maps function known as Visited Locations. It sees the app securely logging all of the locations you’ve visited, creating an automatic private timeline.
Speaking of timelines, Google launched its Google Maps Timeline function – previously often called Location Historical past – for Pixel and different Android telephones a few decade in the past. It made the function device-specific (and thus extra privacy-focused) in December 2024.
Wrist gestures
Stepping away from iOS 26 and into the thematically linked world of watchOS 26, Apple is introducing an intuitive wrist-flick gesture to rapidly dismiss notifications.
Helpful – however Pixel Watch (and Galaxy Watch) wearables operating Put on OS have had gesture management for some time now. What’s extra, on Google’s platform you can even shake your wrist to return or cancel and motion, open the app and settings menus, and extra.