Stolen Features Spotlight at WWDC 2025: Apple's Adoption of Android and Wear OS Advances
Rebootin' the Apple OS:
At WWDC 2025, iPhone's parent company, Apple, rolled out an array of upgraded operating systems - iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 - with a twist: they took some cues from the Android realm. For long-time Android enthusiasts, these updates bring a sense of familiarity that has been missing for iPhone users.
Attendees of the WWDC 2025 keynote were treated to a parade of features that Android and Wear OS fans have been enjoying for years. Here's the rundown on how iOS 26 and watchOS 26 borrowed some tricks from Android:
AI-Powered Assistant Takes a Page from Google's Playbook 📖
Visual Intelligence takes center stage in the iOS 26 upgrade, boasting live video streaming and screen access (finally!), borrowing a leaf from Google's Gemini Live with screen sharing and Circle to Search. Now, iPhone users will have the ability to learn more about contents on their screen, even find items online, or add events to their calendar, all thanks to AI mastery.
Enhanced Messaging Favors WhatsApp's Style 💬
If you ever thought WhatsApp wasn't such a bad messaging app, you might rethink that. iOS 26 steals the show with personalized iMessage backgrounds – a popular feature in WhatsApp chats for iPhone and Android users. With iOS 26, users can set custom backgrounds, even create their own using Image Playground. But watch out, WhatsApp still holds 73% of its user base on Android phones.
Borrowed Call Management 📞
Sometimes, Apple doesn't even bother with code names as they PayPal off a feature from Google Pixel. With iOS 26, the introduction of Call Screening is an uncanny resemblance to the Pixel Call Screen, with upgrades like real-time human transcription and caller data. Simultaneously, the Hold Assist feature, which holds calls for users before they pick up, is reminiscent of the "Hold for Me" feature on Google Pixels that dates back to 2019.
Design Evolution: material 3 Expressive vs. Liquid Glass 🌉
Liquid Glass designs iOS 26's revamped interface, a promising shift set to uproot the status quo in 2026. Google, however, forged ahead earlier this year with Material 3 Expressive, a bright, colorful, and user-friendly design crafted for Android 16. Though distinct, the timing of Apple's revamp is interesting, as it attempts to follow the lead set by Google.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: Watch Flicks and Much More ⌛️
Finally, watchOS 26 inducts wrist flick as a new command, influenced by the Shake to Dismiss feature in the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. This functionality allows users to easily dismiss notifications, offering a user-friendly experience that has been a standard on Wear OS for quite some time. Though Apple keeps up, it's clear that other smartwatches like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 continue to establish trends in the wearable tech industry.
Apple Maps Timeline: Google Maps-Inspired Real-Time Tracking 🗺️
To help iPhone users keep up with their travels, Apple Maps introduces real-time, end-to-end encrypted location data called Visited Places. By remembering daily routes and popular destinations, users can better understand their habits and recent travel trends. A similar feature called Google Maps Timeline has been available on Android for quite some time, offering real-time location in addition to integration with Android Auto.
Live Translation: App Microsoft Missed Out On 🔍
With live language translation for calls, messages, songs, and more, iOS 26 users now have a feature Android and Samsung users have enjoyed for some time. Though Apple prioritizes privacy, it's an interesting turn of events given the recent addition of Google Translate as the default translation app in iOS 18.
Though some features in iOS 26 and watchOS 26 may feel familiar to Android and Wear OS users, it's always captivating to see how Apple incorporates innovation in their products. The popularity of iPhones, iPad, Apple Watch, and other Apple devices promises an intriguing landscape as Apple continues to develop and refine its technology.
In the iOS 26 update, Apple borrowed Google's approach to AI-powered assistance, incorporating live video streaming and screen access for visual intelligence, similar to Google's Gemini Live with screen sharing and Circle to Search.
iPhone users can now set personalized iMessage backgrounds, resembling a popular feature in WhatsApp chats for both iPhone and Android users, indicating a shift towards WhatsApp's style of messaging.
