11 best features on iOS that Android still doesn't have

Most people consider Android as a mobile operating system with more features. While that's true to some extent, Android still doesn't have some of the features that you get on iOS. In fact, some of these missing features have been an integral part of iOS for years.

If you're planning to switch from an iPhone to an Android device in the near future, you need to know the software functions you'll miss. Here, let's look at the best iOS features that Android devices don't have yet.

1. AirPlay

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AirPlay is one of the best features that Android devices still lack. Since AirPlay is a proprietary protocol developed by Apple, we don't expect it to appear on Android.

While several third-party apps on the Google Play Store let you stream audio and video content from your smartphone wirelessly, there's no built-in solution that comes close.

Back in 2020, Google tried to bring an AirDrop-like functionality called Nearby Share to Android 11 devices. So it wouldn't be surprising if the company came up with something similar to AirPlay. for Android platform.

2. FaceTime

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FaceTime is Apple's video calling service included on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices. Thanks to its simplicity and seamless functionality, FaceTime is extremely popular among Apple users.

On the plus side, Android users can finally join FaceTime calls from their devices thanks to iOS 15's FaceTime on the web functionality, but you still need a friend using an Apple device to actually catch it. start the call and share the link with me.

Android devices have access to a similar built-in video calling feature in the form of Google Duo, but the feature is not nearly as popular as most users rely on third-party apps for video calling . Therefore, users expect Apple to bring the FaceTime application to Android devices at some point.

3. iMessage

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Apple's iMessage service is one of the biggest reasons why most iPhone users are hesitant to switch to Android devices. If your friend circle is mostly Apple users, switching to an Android phone means you feel left out of iMessage groups.

Android users may already know FaceTime through its web functionality, but unlike the video calling service, iMessage will likely never come to Android devices, because Apple knows that it brings great value. many users for its ecosystem.

4. Live Text in video

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When Apple introduced Live Text with iOS 15, Android users were quick to point out that Google Lens has had this functionality for quite some time and argued that Apple was late to the game. With iOS 16, Apple took Live Text to the next level by bringing similar text detection functionality to video.

You can pause any video in Safari or the Photos app to quickly copy text content to your iOS clipboard. Live Text in video can be useful when you want to take notes from an online lecture, tutorial, etc. To use this feature, you will need an iPhone XS, iPhone XR or newer.

5. Separate the subject from the background using Visual Lookup

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Visual Lookup is another feature that works similarly to Google Lens in the sense that you can use it to identify objects like landmarks, plants, animals, etc. and get more information about them. they. However, with the iOS 16 update, Apple integrated a Machine Learning feature into Visual Lookup, allowing you to take an object out of the background and paste it into another app.

All you need to do is press and hold an identifiable object and Visual Lookup will lift it up. You can get really creative with this feature and use it to create fun stickers and emojis or remove the background from any image on your iPhone.

Google Lens doesn't offer a similar feature, and the closest thing you'll find on Android devices is the Magic Eraser tool that Google introduced with the Pixel 6 series. Unfortunately, this tool is the exact opposite - it kind of Remove unwanted objects from the background.

6. Check In

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Check In is one of the hidden features of the Messages app in iOS 17. You can use it to notify your iMessage contacts of your whereabouts and stay safe while traveling. To access it, open a chat with the contact you want to use the feature with, then tap the plus (+) button next to the input field in the Messages app and scroll down.

You can set up check in based on location or time, depending on your preferences. If you select a location, Check In automatically notifies the recipient when you've arrived at your destination. But if you choose time-based Check In, you'll be prompted to notify them when time runs out, and if you don't respond within 15 minutes, your contact will be notified of recent location data your best.

7. NameDrop

NameDrop is one of the best iOS 17 features announced by Apple at WWDC 2023. It is an extension of the AirDrop functionality on iOS devices specifically for sharing your contact information with iPhone users other easily.

To access the NameDrop screen, all you need to do is place the top edges of your two iPhones side by side. You don't have to worry about your privacy because NameDrop requires both iPhones to be unlocked to work. The transfer process is not automatic but is done by the user, and you have full control over the contact details you share with the recipient.

Unlike the other features on this list, Android devices used to offer something similar — called Android Beam — until Google gradually killed it over the years, XDA Developers reports.

8. Hide emails with iCloud+

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Apple is very strict about user privacy across devices, and over time it has made a number of changes to iOS and the App Store to improve security. Besides iOS 15, Apple introduced the iCloud+ service, allowing users to access the Hide My Email feature and a hidden VPN-like service called Private Relay.

While Google already offers a similar VPN service called Google One, it doesn't yet have a feature similar to Hide My Email for Android devices.

For those who don't know, Hide My Email allows you to use a random email address when checking in to websites. This random address automatically forwards all emails it receives to your personal inbox.

Thanks to this feature, you can use a random email address while keeping your personal email address completely private whenever you create a new account on a website.

9. Shared with You in Messages

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Apple has successfully separated the content you receive in the Messages app with the iOS 15 update. Shared with You works alongside Apple's existing apps and puts shared content in the right place. it, so that content is ready when you launch the relevant applications.

For example, let's say your friend shared a link to a website. The next time you launch Safari, this specific link will show up in the Shared with You section on the start page.

Google hasn't yet figured out how to intelligently integrate content with its stock messaging app, and so you'll have to manually scroll and find content your contacts have previously shared .

10. Focus filter

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Focus mode is available on both Android and iOS devices, but Apple upgraded it with Focus filters in iOS 16. Think of this as an extension or enhancement to the existing Focus feature that Apple already has. introduced with iOS 15 in 2021.

With Focus filters, the focus you set can work in Apple apps, like Safari, Messages, Mail, and Calendar, to filter out distracting content. For example, if you have Work Focus enabled on your iPhone, Safari will only show you work-related tabs to minimize distractions.

While Google introduced a similar Focus Mode that can rank distracting apps alongside Android 13, it still doesn't integrate with apps to hide distracting content.

11. Check battery status

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A few years ago, Apple got into trouble for intentionally slowing down iPhones to compensate for battery degradation. Soon after the public backlash, the company introduced a new feature that allows iOS users to conveniently check their iPhone's battery health. When the battery status drops below 80%, iOS will prompt the user to bring the battery in for maintenance or replacement.

There's no built-in way to check your Android device's battery health, but you have other options, including third-party apps that give you additional battery information.

Micah Soto

Update 23 December 2023