I was really hoping that iOS would fix some of the things that Android has been doing for years. For example, I like to browse Twitter while watching a music video on YouTube. I can do this simultaneously on Android thanks to multi-window support, but Apple App Store and iOS only offer picture-in-picture at best.
Before I can get all into the iPhone, here are five Android features Apple needs to copy first.
Motorola Peek Display
When iOS 16 is always on, you get notifications like cards and you have to light up the screen if you want to see a notification. I don't think this is the most efficient way to deal with always-on-screen notifications.
In this regard, Motorola leads the way with its Peek Display. It always shows the notification icons of each app on the open screen, and pressing and holding the icon will show a notification. All this happens when the phone is in sleep mode - it does not turn on the screen. You can then interact with the application (by unlocking the screen) or leave it alone.
I'm not asking Apple to copy this feature as it is. Apple has the ability to borrow it in such a way that the function is it's own. I would like to interact with the cards by long pressing them on the lock screen. That would be awesome.
Major Productivity Changes
I've said this since I started using the iPhone: iOS is not the most productive operating system. Android is way ahead of iOS when it comes to productivity, and as we head into 2023, the lead will only grow.
Here's what I wish iOS 17 borrowed from its Android counterparts in the productivity department.
Samsung Multi-Window
Samsung One User Interface offers multi-window support, allowing you to use multiple applications at the same time. As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, I tend to watch music videos on YouTube while scrolling through my Twitter feed.
Another example of how I use it on Samsung phones is to search for songs. I open a Chrome tab at the bottom and Google Keep at the top at the same time to keep track of the essential points I found in my research.
I would like to do this on the large screen of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. I feel like iOS 16 doesn't know how to use all the screen real estate on its biggest iPhone. By offering multi-window support, Apple still manages to differentiate its regular iPhone and the Pro Max.
Xiaomi Floating Window
Xiaomi MIUI allows access to one application over another. No, it doesn't just play YouTube in a little window over your Twitter feed - you can launch other Chrome or Twitter apps and it works just fine.
When I use my Xiaomi phone, I mostly use the floating window for the calculator. I earn in USD and need to convert it to INR and do tax calculations. In these situations, I open my bill and also use a calculator to manage my expenses.
Apple's A-series processors have what it takes to achieve this. For whatever reason, Apple chooses not to use it.
Find more:
How to Use Live Activities on iPhone
How to Edit Multiple Photos at Once on an iPhone
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