iOS 19 is rumored to pack probably the most vital person interface overhaul since iOS 7, with a streamlined visionOS-inspired design for the iPhone. Whereas I’m trying ahead to seeing what these beauty modifications carry, I’m way more within the modifications Apple will carry to the iPhone’s performance.
As a former Android person, it’s exhausting to not see the affect Google’s working system has had on iOS over time. However regardless of Apple already bringing a ton of Android options over to the iPhone, akin to default app choices and superior system customizations, there are nonetheless a number of issues that Android simply does higher. Listed here are a number of software program options Apple must carry to the iPhone.
1. Correct audio sharing
Whether or not I’m operating with a pal or taking the metro with them, I like sharing the identical music queue to synchronize the vibe. iOS has lengthy supported audio sharing, nevertheless it’s restricted to AirPods and choose Beats headphones. So my pal ought to be capable to join their earbuds to my iPhone to listen to what I’m listening to, whether or not or not they’re utilizing AirPods.
Conversely, my pal’s Android cellphone doesn’t care whether or not I’ve AirPods or another model of earbuds—it may possibly stream music to each pairs of earbuds on the identical time. Limiting audio sharing to AirPods is a typical Apple ecosystem restriction designed to advertise the corporate’s personal units. And, regardless that I’m totally invested in Apple’s merchandise, the limitation downgrades my expertise when a pal opts for a distinct model. It’s irritating, as there aren’t any apparent technological constraints barring Apple from elevating the function for all events concerned.
On Android telephones, customers can share audio it doesn’t matter what headphones they’re utilizing..
Foundry
2. Precise multitasking
Manner again after I used to rock a Samsung Galaxy Notice II with a 5.5-inch display, one of many helpful options I actively relied on was the split-screen view, which let me function two apps on the identical time. Whereas I agree that smartphone shows are comparatively small for multitasking, generally you do must open two apps aspect by aspect for fast reference.
At present, Apple sells 6.9-inch iPhones with processors many instances quicker than the Galaxy Notice II’s Exynos chip. But, resulting from its complicated philosophy, Apple refuses to carry Cut up View and even Slide Over to iOS. On the very least, I want iOS 19 would help Android-style floating chat bubbles so we may shortly open, reply to, and dismiss levitating chats whereas performing different duties.
3. A greater keyboard
Whereas the iPhone helps all kinds of third-party keyboards, arguably none of them work in addition to the one which comes along with your iPhone, and it’s excessive time Apple added some overdue options to its inventory keyboard. The principle one I miss from my Android cellphone is the built-in clipboard, which helps you to retailer a number of snippets of copied data, akin to textual content and pictures, so you’ll be able to paste them into apps as wanted. In the meantime, iOS nonetheless limits its customers to a single copied merchandise, which is inconvenient for all however the easiest makes use of, and a mere software program replace can repair that. And whereas we’re at it, an non-obligatory quantity row for the default keyboard is lengthy overdue as nicely.
4. Private always-on show
Apple has lastly taken a lot of the shackles off the Residence Display, Lock Display, and Management Middle, letting customers personalize them in all method of the way. Regardless of that, nonetheless, the always-on show function continues to merely mirror the identical setup on the Lock Display. Whilst you can personalize it in very primary methods, akin to turning off the wallpaper and hiding notifications, you’ll be able to’t do a lot else to customise it by itself.
In the meantime, most Android cellphone manufacturers permit customers to design always-on views from scratch, letting them add distinctive widgets based mostly on their wants. For instance, on Samsung Galaxy telephones, customers can change the clock, add their very own wallpaper, set their very own widgets, and pin memos for fast entry. I’d love to have the ability to do the identical on my iPhone.
The choices for the iPhone’s always-on show are very restricted.
Lewis Painter / Foundry
Within the period of highly effective AI techniques, Apple evidently nonetheless has no thought what it’s doing on this area. Whereas Apple Intelligence continues to be struggling to ship probably the most primary of guarantees, Android cellphone producers are providing their prospects spectacular AI perks with built-in chatbots and highly effective picture creation instruments.
With iOS 19, Apple must take a extra adventurous route and discover deeper AI integrations. Assuming the brand new Siri arrives in September, future replace must go additional with how Apple Intelligence integrates with the cellphone—Android already has issues like a built-in wallpaper generator, real-time conversations with Google’s Gemini Stay, and superior picture manipulation instruments, so Apple has a number of catching as much as do.
6. Class-based notification system
With iOS 18, Apple tried to repair its notification mess by counting on AI. Apple Intelligence can scan alerts, summarize them, floor precedence ones, and filter out the remaining. Whereas that is undoubtedly a step ahead, it doesn’t actually repair the underlying core downside.
This isn’t the primary time Apple tried to repair notifications, however the resolution is correct beneath its nostril: Android’s channels, which divide notifications into granular classes that may be individually turned on and off. This would supply customers with larger management over the alerts they obtain and solely let the vital stuff via.
The iPhone lastly permits RCS, however Apple doesn’t make it seamless.
Petter Ahrnstedt
7. RCS that works with everybody
Apple elevated texting with RCS help in iOS 18, which introduced iMessage options akin to learn receipts, high-quality media, and extra to green-bubble conversations. Nevertheless, in contrast to Google, Apple adopted a carrier-dependent strategy, requiring each service suppliers to help it so as to ship and obtain RCS messages.
Whereas nearly all of related U.S. carriers are actually suitable with RCS, worldwide markets are nonetheless far behind. So, even when your provider helps the protocol, you continue to gained’t be capable to get the advantages of RCS when texting most of your worldwide pals. Apple may handle this by heading the Android means and offloading the service to its cloud infrastructure, nevertheless it has made it clear that it gained’t do this. As an alternative, we’re caught with an inferior service.
8. Charging time estimation
Android customers have identified precisely when their telephones will hit 100% for years, and we have been hopeful Apple was releasing an identical function this yr. A hidden iOS 18.2 beta function revealed that Apple is engaged on a brand new function referred to as Battery Intelligence that estimates how lengthy it would take the iPhone’s battery to cost totally based mostly on the battery remaining and the charger getting used. Nevertheless, it didn’t seem in iOS 18.2, 18.3, or 18.4, and doesn’t look like a part of iOS 18.5.
On condition that Apple hasn’t formally introduced the function as a part of iOS 18, it’s exhausting to foretell when or whether or not it’ll truly materialize, however we’re hopeful it’s coming in iOS 19. However Apple clearly took discover of Android telephones which have supplied an identical perk for years, and I hope Apple will get it proper by the point iOS 19 debuts.
While you cost an Android cellphone, you know the way lengthy it would take—that’s not the case with iOS.
Foundry
9. App cache administration
It is a area of interest gripe, however one factor I fondly keep in mind about my Galaxy Mini is how usually I cleared sure apps’ cache because of the cellphone’s restricted storage. Whereas new iPhones now supply at the very least 128GB of storage, clearing an app’s cache can nonetheless turn out to be useful.
For instance, the Threads app on iOS occupies lower than 100MB of storage for the app itself, however its cached information on my cellphone has surpassed 3GB. The one method to reclaim this vital disk portion is to delete the app and reinstall it. Nevertheless, this additionally zaps something you will have customized or saved relatively than merely purging pointless content material. A easy “Clear Cache” button in iOS 19’s storage settings would handle this situation.
