iPhone features vs Android features: 10 features of the new iPhone that already had Android

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iPhone features vs Android features: Apple insists on introducing new features as if they were exclusive to its operating system, but the truth is that many of them already existed in the competition. We are going to discover 10 features of the new iPhone 14 that Android already had.

Apple and Android have been rivals for more than a decade, so the eternal battle between operating systems does not catch anyone by surprise. Despite the fact that it is normal to belong to one side or the other.

A few days ago, Apple presented to the world the iPhone 14 , its new series of smartphones, and the latest version of its operating system: iOS 16. We can appreciate a long list of functions that were already found in older models, but also many very useful new features.

However, the widgets on the lock screen, the ProRAW mode or the keyboard with haptic feedback were already familiar to the operating system of the green robot. These are the 10 features of the new iPhone 14 that Android already had:

Screen always on

The new Apple smartphones, specifically the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models , have Always-On Display functionality.

This means that the screen is always on: it will show notifications, time, calendar and notes . Lock screens are customizable in the new iOS 16 operating system, so these widgets can be configured to suit the consumer.

In addition, the watches also have Always-On Display mode from the Apple Watch Series onwards. If the user has linked their smartwatch to the smartphone and moves away from the latter, the screen will turn off, assuming that they are not near the phone.

However, this function was introduced for the first time in 2009, in a Nokia N86 phone . A few years later, in 2016, Samsung integrated its own version into the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge models.

Car accident detection

Taking into account that all smartphones today make calls, allow you to install applications and have a camera, its value lies in the extra features it has compared to others.

And having a functionality that alerts traffic accidents is something really valuable for almost any user. The apple company has wanted to sell this feature as a novelty of the iPhone 14 against the competition , making use of the gyroscope.

However, this is not true, since Google included this function in the year 2019 through the Personal Safety app. We can enjoy it from the Google Pixel 4, which arrived in Spain in 2021, and automatically calls the 112 emergency services.

Of course, both services work exactly the same , regardless of whether it is used from an Android or iOS operating system. In addition to automatic accident detection, there is an emergency button that shares your location in real time when you press it.

Adaptive refresh rate

When Apple introduced the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max last March, it also launched its own version of the adaptive refresh rate with them: ProMotion. However, it has not been until the launch of the iPhone 14 when they have determined 1 Hz for the Always-On Display screen .

60Hz, 90Hz or 120Hz? Of course, when buying a mobile phone we always look for the highest data. However, what many people don’t realize is that a high refresh rate can kill battery life .

For this reason, Android began a few years ago to include adaptive refresh rates to reduce the energy consumption of the screens. In fact, it’s rare these days to find a high-end Android smartphone that doesn’t have a dynamic refresh rate, as almost all of them hit 120Hz.

ProRAW Photos and Pixel Binning

One of the great improvements of the new Apple series resides in its camera module. Both the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone Pro Max have a 48 MP main camera , which is a huge difference compared to the 12 MP of previous models.

In addition, they have introduced the Pixel Binning technology , in charge of combining adjacent pixels in order to improve the quality of the photographs.

This is something that Nokia already used in 2012, obviously without such precision, in its 808 PureView model.

This will be possible thanks to the ProRAW format, which manages to combine the information from the RAW image format with the iPhone’s own image processor . Phones are capable of capturing images just like a real DSLR, with far more creative results.

Dynamic island

A few days ago, we announced with surprise the arrival of Dynamic Island from the iPhone to Android . It is in the testing phase in the Xiaomi ecosystem, still without approval from the Chinese company, and is called Grumpy UI.

However, it is not the first time that this functionality is presented in a phone with the Android operating system.

In 2018, the LG V10 model had a second screen at the top that housed three pieces of information: date, time, and connection status.

Dynamic Island, also known as a dynamic island, is the new iPhone notch capable of mutating its shape and size through the touches or pulsations made by the user. In addition to completely disguising the phone’s front-facing camera, it will house incoming calls , notifications , a music player, device pairing, and more.

Widgets on the lock screen

Widgets are those small interactive applications that can be added on the home screen of the mobile phone. If you still don’t know what they are for, we are going to explain it to you.

Its function is to make life easier for users , which is why shortcuts are usually created for those apps that we use or consult the most: phone, contacts, date and time, camera, weather application, Google search engine, notepad, etc.

Now focusing on matter, the new iOS 16 operating system allows you to add widgets and customize the iPhone 14 lock screen to your liking, in all its versions. This is very useful for the Always-On Display feature, as we mentioned above.

However, and not to vary, Android once again takes advantage of this functionality. They were the first to offer widgets on the lock screen of their operating system.

Own exercise app

Apple Fitness Plus is the native iPhone application dedicated to training. The drawback of this service is that, until a few weeks ago, it could only be used by users who had an Apple Watch .

It is true that Apple’s smart watch is one of the most common ways to measure a person’s physical condition, but obviously not everyone has one. From now on, any customer with an iPhone will be able to use Apple Fitness Plus, regardless of whether they have an Apple Watch or not.

Point in favor of Google, since it is something that has never prevented anyone. Any user with an Android phone could easily access Google Fit, the official training application of the green robot operating system.

Haptic feedback keyboard

For some users it may be something totally secondary, but another of the great novelties of iOS 16 is this: the inclusion of a haptic keyboard.

What does this mean? Basically, that the keyboard provides a response every time you press any of its keys , either through vibration or sound . A feeling loved by many and hated by many others, but the fun is being able to try it and decide.

Again, Android already included this feature in its smartphones for many years. There is no record of when it was first implemented, so it could be said that it has been with us since time immemorial.

Of course, there is a difference between both operating systems: while in iOS you have to enable the haptic keyboard, in Android it is activated automatically in almost all your phones. Of course, with the option to disable it. In any case, it is useful to have feedback when you write a letter on the screen.

Improved email

The native iPhone email app has always left a lot to be desired. In fact, most regular Apple users stopped using it due to its limitations .

However, the arrival of the new iOS 16 operating system has changed everything. We find ourselves with a new Mail app with a minimalist appearance and perfectly integrated into the Apple ecosystem.

In addition, it offers a series of completely new functions :

  • Tips when starting to write.
  • Schedule the sending of emails.
  • Reminders that notify you of an important email.
  • Undo sending an email up to 10 seconds later.

Of course, they are new features in the iPhone world, because Android already had all of them for a long time. Exactly, we can find them in the famous Gmail application since 2018 .

Routes with stops in Apple Maps

Sometimes we are not aware of how much Google Maps has changed our lives . It’s hard to imagine our day to day without her, even though her birth dates back to 2005…

In addition, we use it for fundamental things in our routine: locate ourselves if we are lost , find out what are the best subway and bus combinations , know what is the optimal route on foot to a place, see the appearance of a place , etc.

As for Apple, their app has put a lot of effort into improving over time, but now it has included a very useful feature: the ability to add stops along a route. This is something that Google Maps has had for a long time, it has even been available on the iPhone since 2017 .

Previously, Apple Maps allowed you to add gas stations, coffee shops, or restaurants that were close to your location, also based on the time of day. However, until now it did not let you add custom stops or an intermediate destination.

On many occasions, it seems that Apple is at the forefront in terms of innovation, but we have just verified that this is not always true. After learning about the 10 features of the new iPhone 14 that already had Android, are there any that have surprised you in particular?

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