The iOS Features That It “Borrows” From Android

There’s a saying that pretty much sums up the way Apple operates: build on what’s built. Although this philosophy is not compatible with the opinion of his detractors who accuse him of incorporating his news later than his rivals. The latest complaint has been at the expense of the so-called “widgets”, small applications whose objective is to provide visual information and facilitate access. They will be within iOS 14, a new version of the company’s mobile operating system that will be tested for several months until its official availability with the arrival of the next iPhone model.

The Controversial “Widgets”

The truth is that the “widgets” have been present in Android since 2009 to support them from the Home screen. One of its successes was the image of the clock in the interface. Over time the perception is that it is used less and less among users. Apple will launch into the ring although it will do so with new features such as the possibility of resizing them in three sizes (small, medium, and large).

The company has created these “widgets” for most of its applications but has made a splash with the “Smart Stack” feature: a slide-out menu of “widgets” that uses Artificial Intelligence to display the correct plugin on the screen. right time by crossing some factors like time, location, and activity. For example, a user might see the Calendar widget during the day and the Apple Maps travel time at night.

Less Intrusion On Incoming Calls

Another novelty inspired by the Android ecosystem is that, from the arrival of iOS 14, incoming calls will not occupy the entire screen, disabling the possibility of interacting with other functions or interrupting what is being done at that moment. Something that has been present in Android for several years and that, however, had not been taken into account in the Apple ecosystem.

Siri Better Integrated And Less Annoying

Under that philosophy of being less annoying, when the digital assistant Siri is invoked, the screen will not be left useless. That is, it will not be assumed about the application or task that the user is currently using. The interface will improve and copy that detail from Google Assistant. Thus, when a request is initiated, Siri will appear at the bottom of the screen.

Application Library

Inspired by Android, Apple will introduce an “Application Library” on the home screen in iOS 14. It will be a new space at the bottom of the screen pages that automatically organizes all the applications to make it easier to navigate.

A Translator

With the new version of iOS, Apple is going to catch up in the world of translations with its application for this purpose. Google has had its translation system since 2006 that has been evolving and integrating it as an Android application. In the case of iOS 14, it will have a conversation function similar to that of the internet giant.

Bicycle Routes On The Maps

Apple Maps arrived, it is true, with a crooked foot. His debut in 2012 was accompanied by a torrent of criticism for the existence of glitches and technical errors. Fortunately, that has been corrected and, over time, the service has caught up, although for many consumers it is still far from its rival Google Maps. From now on, bike routes will also be added, which was a feature present in the rival’s tool. It will also report Waze-style speed camera alerts.

From Image To Image

A new feature called “Picture in Picture” will allow iPhones with iOS 14 to play video in a floating window from the screen. A useful idea to make a video call with a friend while you catch up on reading the press. This feature will finally arrive, it was advanced in versions of Android, although it will surpass these in its ability to easily anchor on the screen.