As soon as upon a time, early September was fairly thrilling, because it normally marks the launch of a brand new iPhone. Nevertheless, now that Apple’s iPhone 16 “Glow Up” presentation has come and gone, we’re left questioning how the corporate managed to stretch this into an virtually two-hour occasion.
Whereas the iPhone 16 sequence positively presents some stiff competitors to the finest Android telephones, the strains between iOS and Android have gotten extra blurred by the day. With iOS 18 across the nook, Apple is already “borrowing” a bunch of options from Android in the way in which of customization. In the meantime, the iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Collection 10 are “borrowing” just a few extra issues that we first discovered within the Android area.
Sleep Apnea warnings – Galaxy Watch 7 and Extremely
Though Apple performs it up fairly nicely, there’s actually not all that a lot that is totally different between the Collection 9 and Collection 10. Actually, Samsung beat Apple to the punch by a month, as one of many defining options introduced through the Collection 10’s introduction — Sleep Apnea warnings — is already out there on the Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Extremely.
Making issues even worse for Apple is that this performance is predicted to be made out there on final 12 months’s Galaxy Watch 6 sequence. In the meantime, the identical cannot be mentioned for the Apple Watch, because it seems this new characteristic is just out there for the Collection 10.
Coaching Load – Garmin, COROS, and others
One other unsurprising characteristic coming to the Apple Watch is “Coaching Load.” Apple describes this as “an insightful new approach to measure how the depth and period of exercises impression a consumer’s physique over time.” As you would possibly suspect, this is not something new within the wearable area, because it’s already out there on smartwatches from the likes of Garmin and COROS.
Google is even getting in on the enjoyable with the Pixel Watch 3, as “Fitbit Cardio Load” is being added. Giving credit score the place credit score is due, Coaching Load is not restricted to the Apple Watch Collection 10, as it is going to be out there on older Apple Watch fashions when watchOS 11 rolls out.
Devoted ‘Digital camera Management’ button – HTC EVO 3D
When the iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max had been mentioned to be able to capturing 3D content material, I identified that this was first out there on the HTC EVO 3D in 2017. Whereas the cameras on the iPhone 16 Professional and Professional Max have been improved, now providing Spatial Audio Recording, that is not the most recent characteristic Apple is borrowing from a seven-year-old cellphone.
As an alternative, it is the Digital camera Management button discovered on the body of your complete iPhone 16 lineup. In contrast to the Evo 3D and different Android telephones that provide devoted digital camera buttons, the iPhone 16 makes use of a capacitive button. In doing so, you are capable of make changes and change between modes simply by tapping and swiping left or proper. The issue is that being a capacitive button implies that it may not work as marketed in the event you’re taking photos within the rain or simply have moist arms.
I by no means actually would have thought that Apple could be harkening again to a cellphone that was just about a right away flop.
Visible Intelligence – Google Lens and Circle to Search
One of the crucial standard new options to return to Android this 12 months has been Google’s Circle to Search. This allows you to merely circle one thing in your show and immediately get details about it. It is principally a supercharged model of Google Lens, analyzing what’s in your display versus needing to open the Digital camera app.
Through the iPhone 16 announcement, “Visible Intelligence” was launched, which was described as being “like an amalgamation of Circle to Search and Lens” by Android Central Editor in Chief, Shruti Shekar. Level your iPhone at a restaurant and immediately see opinions. Are you going by a live performance poster and need to add it to your calendar? Use your iPhone. Do you need to understand how a lot one thing prices on-line? Simply use your iPhone.
All of this was already doable with Android, and even a few of it’s doable on the iPhone with the Google app. Nevertheless, Apple did give us a tease for ChatGPT integration, as it seems that you may additionally be capable of use Visible Intelligence paired with ChatGPT sooner or later.
Report movies in 4K/120fps – Samsung and Sony
The brand new Digital camera Management button might be going to garner extra headlines, however those that use their iPhone to seize video will most likely be joyful to see 4K video recording at 120fps. Regardless of the way you take a look at it, this can be a welcome addition, however the fact is that Apple wasn’t first.
Though there aren’t very many Android telephones that provide the flexibility to document video in 4K/120, the iPhone is not the primary cellphone to take action. As an alternative, Sony’s Xperia 5 Mark IV was the primary in 2022, however we have additionally seen this arrive for the Galaxy S24 Extremely, and Vivo X100 Extremely. We are able to additionally assume that it is going to be out there on the Galaxy S25 Extremely, which will likely be right here earlier than we all know it.
Is there something left for Apple?
I am probably not certain what else is left for Apple to steal from Android telephones. I can not assist however really feel as if the strains are getting an increasing number of blurred, which is nice, but it surely additionally might imply extra folks bounce change to the iPhone. Nevertheless, there’s one factor that you just will not discover on Apple’s web site, and that is a foldable cellphone.
After all, I needed to shoe-horn foldable telephones into this, but it surely’s additionally the truth. Rumors and studies counsel Apple continues to be no less than a 12 months or two away from releasing a foldable cellphone. However, it is going to be attention-grabbing to see what occurs within the meantime.