A FRESH BITE: HOW iOS 18'S NEW FEATURES COMPARE TO ANDROID'S EXIST­ING INNOVATIONS

It’s the tech world’s lushest orchard, but there’s a fruit that just dropped: Apple’s iOS 18. Have a bite from the corner of the fledgeling fruit? Here’s a little birdie whispering that it may not be as fresh as it looks when compared with the seasoned fruits pinned by Android. A hot take on the devices’ similarities and differences, this deep dive sows the seeds from which the Apple vs Android debate has become an everlasting controversy.

THE EVOLUTION OF APP PLACEMENT: PLAYING CATCH­UP?

The flexibility to allow apps to be placed anywhere on the home screen has always been a sign of Android’s customisability, and those iPhone users who have pined for such freedom can stop groaning into their wheatgrass shooter when iOS 18 launches – it will allow them to create a wallpaper that harmonises with the apps they choose to arrange and use.

A SPECTRUM OF SHADES: TINTED ICONS ON IOS 18

Taking a page from the aesthetic flexibility of Android 13’s Pixel Launcher (which can layer its icons in shades of your chosen wallpaper and system theme), iOS 18 will splash its icons with colours coordinated to your wallpaper and system theme to give your device a splash of visual flair, helping the user interface to seem less sterile and more dynamic.

THE RCS REVOLUTION: ENHANCING IPHONE MESSAGING

Google is not popping any confetti, but the launch of iOS 18 on the iPhone has finally ushered in one of the biggest upgrades ever to messaging on Apple devices. RCS, known as Rich Communication Services, will allow iPhone users to exchange high-resolution photos and expressive animations with authority unlike ever before.

MESSAGE SCHEDULING: TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Soon, you’ll be able to do it on your iPhone, too. A significantly more useful feature – the ability to schedule messages – that Android users have enjoyed since 2022 will arrive with iOS 18. ‘Send that late-night message without keeping anyone up,’ says the website. ‘Schedule your notes to arrive just in time.’

GAME ON: IOS 18 INTRODUCES GAME MODE

In a bid to provide uninterrupted gameplay, iOS 18 has a new feature called Game Mode to keep distractions to a minimum and optimise performance. For those who remember when the Apple faithful could sniff at any mention of the Android OS, it would go some way to providing parity with Google’s pride in being a go-to platform for the gamer.

TYPING TO SIRI: CONVERSATIONS MADE SIMPLER

With the ability to type commands to Siri added in iOS 18, Google Assistant has some catching up to do. With more people not feeling comfortable talking while on a bus, flight or in a clinic, this is another feature that helps level the playing field by providing a more discreet and accessible virtual assistant experience.

THE ART OF TRANSCRIPTION: LIVE AUDIO IN IOS 18

Live audio transcribing into text is a giant leap for iOS 18, a feat that Android has had the capacity to do live since 2019. This promises to be a game-changer in the realm of note-taking and ‘Capturism’, where, with this feature, words that flew will be caught.

A NOD TO CUSTOMIZATION: REVAMPING THE CONTROL CENTER

iOS 18 will bring some long-overdue customisation to the iPhone’s Control Centre, and it’s ripping off Android for reference. Under iOS 18, users will be able to access more third-party apps – probably the ones they use the most – and even toggle more of their frequently used settings and controls.

MIRROR, MIRROR: IPHONE AND MAC INTEGRATION

The ability to stream your iPhone to your Mac, a feature of iOS 18, is something Android has been doing since its inception. While Android is largely hacked together by third-party components, Apple’s ecosystem promises a natural, slick experience that will help boost productivity as well as interaction between devices.

EMOJI INGENUITY: ENTER GENMOJI

iOS 18 introduces Genmoji, which summons malleable emojis through Apple Intelligence­powered text commands. It is the kind of fun, user­generated content that Android’s Emoji Kitchen had already experimented with before Apple followed suit.

THE SUM OF ITS PARTS

As we traverse the grid of iOS 18’s offerings, it becomes clear that, although Apple’s most recent update may be bringing iPhone users a litany of long­anticipated features, the seeds of all of them have already matured on the Android stalk. This commitment to feature­sharing is not a contest; it is simply the influence of a maturing technology, one that reflects the ripples of innovation rather than causes them.

DECODING APPLE'S CORE

During this technology tussle, Apple has shown its strengths in innovation and what can be achieved with its devices. The devices embrace the idea of keeping it personal, stylish and functional as well as being interconnected. Apple’s journey in iOS 18, that I’m sure is in their pipeline, is to make the world of technology more pleasing, inclusive and user­friendly. Eventually, the Apple­Android debate is a dynamic symphony of progress and its every note is part of the orchestra of technology advancement.