All the conversation around Apple in India has centered around tariffs, and for good reason — the brand is aiming to move a bulk of its iPhone production out of China to India. Doing so will undoubtedly be time-consuming, and we'll need to wait and see if the factories assembling iPhones in India can handle the increased demand.

Apple in general is enjoying a heady momentum in India, gaining sizeable market share on the back of strong sales. But what I like the most is the attention the brand is paying to Indian consumers on the software front; iOS 18.4 debuted a month ago, and while it doesn't bring much in the way of bold new features, it adds Indic language integration to the OS, and it is wonderful.

In typical Apple fashion, the brand took a while to add localization to iOS, but having used the feature over the last month, I can say with some confidence that it is a much better implementation than Android. I switched the system language to Telugu on the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Hindi on another device, and both languages have tight integration; it's great to see the attention to detail Apple lavished towards its localization efforts.

There are still a few labels that show up in English — like Apple Intelligence — but everywhere else, you'll see Indic languages as standard. What's interesting about this is that all the sub-menus and details in utilities like Fitness and Health are also translated into Indic languages, and that makes it easier to understand key metrics like calories burned and activity data.

Apple stuck to a standard notation in settings where it transliterated text into Telugu without changing the English naming — it's just that the alphabet has changed. Google does things a little differently where it translates the word into the source language, and it's not as easy to locate menus and sub-menus within settings because of that (at least for me).

If anything, the only limitation I can think of is that Apple Intelligence isn't available with most Indic languages, so you miss out on most of the AI-assisted features. Other than that, Apple did a thorough job integrating most Indic languages into iOS, and it's refreshing to use the iPhone in my native language.

While English literacy is high in India, the ability to use regional languages with an iPhone makes it that much more enticing. This should lead to a meaningful increase in sales, and I know one loyal Android user who's willing to switch to iOS as a result of this change. My dad has been using Android phones for the last decade — he's currently on a OnePlus Open — and while he likes using the device, he's run into several issues with Bluetooth connectivity and pairing with the OnePlus Watch 2.

I suggested he switch over to an iPhone several times in the past, but he's found iOS to be restrictive. But with the switch to Indic languages, he's interested in trying out the platform; he likes to type in Telugu and uses Gboard extensively, and the tight integration of local languages combined with the fact that Gboard is just as good on iOS as it is on Android was enough to get him at least intrigued about switching over.

Another plus point is the broader ecosystem. My dad is very active, and he likes using smartwatches; he's wanted something like the Apple Watch but on Android, and there just isn't something that has a similar design and feature-set. Now that he's moving to an iPhone (I'm giving him an iPhone 16), I'm setting him up with an Apple Watch, and I'm excited to see how he likes the platform.

On the whole, iOS 18.4 is a definite step in the right direction, and combined with the increased attention to the country and positioning its products aggressively, it's obvious that Apple is gaining considerable momentum.

Shortly after Apple released the third iOS 18.1 Developer Beta, I decided to see how well the new "Clean Up" feature would stack up against Google's Magic Eraser and Samsung's Object Eraser. What I ended up with was a thing of nightmares when trying to remove the harness from my dog in a picture.

Samsung and Google both did a good job, but that didn't come as much of a surprise, given that these tools have been available on various phones for some time. Truthfully, I didn't think Apple's Clean Up would be a viable option and that it would just disappear into the night.

As it turns out, the complete opposite happened, as the stable build of iOS 18.2 arrived this week, packed with "Apple Intelligence" features. Hidden in the midst of the new AI features was an update to the Clean Up tool, which Apple has been apparently working hard to improve.

After being prodded a bit, the most obvious way to see if Clean Up is actually better was to try it on the same picture from before, using my iPhone 16 Pro Max. Much to my surprise, Apple didn't try to mutilate my dog, and the entire process was a lot easier than I expected.

Because we're working with smaller objects, there's a lot of room for error when making selections. But after loading the picture and tapping the "Clean Up" option, it was as simple as just tracing a line along the harness. The tool then highlighted exactly what I wanted to have removed before automatically doing just that.

The results were more impressive than I thought they would be, so I figured I would try using Magic Eraser in Google Photos. Seeing as it's been a few months since the last time I tried this out, surely Google would still come out on top, right?

Nope.

First, I tried using Google Photos on my iPhone since it has Magic Eraser. The results were less than stellar, and it took longer because I had to select the harness in sections. Eventually, I got there, but you can obviously see where the edits were made.

Then, I thought that I might get better results by using Magic Eraser on my Pixel 9 Pro Fold. After transferring the full-resolution photo and opening it in Google Photos, somehow the results were worse. There's some weird line along my dog's back, and her ear is even more crooked than normal.

Maybe it's just a fluke or something to do with this picture specifically. So, I did the next logical thing, picking a different picture before using Clean Up and Magic Eraser. This time, I opted for something that would probably be more common — removing people from the background.

I'm not sure if it's just something that I'm doing wrong or what. However, neither the iPhone's Clean Up nor the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's Magic Eraser did a particularly great job. Both results look fine until you start to zoom in and pixel-peep where the people were removed.

When I started writing this, I didn't really have much more to add, hence the first half of the title. But then I went back into Clean Up to make sure that it actually recognized the entire harness at once and that I wasn't just imagining things.

So I pulled up the picture of my dog again, confirmed that the harness was highlighted, and then was greeted with the following.

Imagine my confusion when Apple applied a "Safety Filter" to the picture when all I was trying to do was remove the harness. I tried it again, just to double-check, and again, the Safety Filter was applied.

I understand the idea and premise of such a feature — and yes, it's a feature, not a bug — but this is the same picture that I had already been editing before, and it's just my dog standing outside with her harness and lead attached. So, I'm not even sure of the logic taking place here.

On the one hand, I commend Apple for including the Safety Filter to begin with. On the other, why was it that Apple Intelligence was able to properly edit the photo 10 minutes before, only to incorrectly apply the filter on the same image? It's left me genuinely perplexed, and all I can hope is that this isn't a regular occurrence.

That being said, even with the aforementioned hiccup, it's tough to argue with the results. In just a few months, Apple has made some pretty big improvements to its Clean Up feature. Now, I have to wonder whether Google will lean on Gemini to improve its own Magic Eraser or if Apple will end up surpassing it.

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What you need to know

• Code snippets discovered in Google Play Services indicates Google could be copying an iOS 18 accessibility feature.
• The feature, called Motion Cues, tries to avert motion sickness by adding visual cues to the screen that show which direction a vehicle is moving.
• Aside from the Motion Cues name, we don't know what this tool might entail, or when (and if) it will release.

Google may be eying an Android accessibility feature that aims to limit the effect of motion sickness while using a smartphone or tablet in the car. A few code snippets relating to an unannounced Motion Cues feature were discovered in an APK teardown by Android Authority. While not a lot of information about this rumored feature is available, it's likely similar to Vehicle Motion Cues, an accessibility tool in iOS 18 that adds visual signals to your phone screen.

Motion sickness is a common problem that can be made worse by using a smartphone or tablet in the car. That's because while looking at your phone screen, your mind and body aren't able to recognize and adjust changes in vehicle movement. As such, Apple's Vehicle Motion Cues add dots to your iPhone's screen that indicate which direction a car is moving. They're clear enough to give your mind an idea of how the car is moving, while being unobtrusive enough to not significantly impede phone use.

These visual cues, as demonstrated by Apple in the graphic below, are intended to limit the effects of motion sickness. Soon, they could be coming to the best Android phones, too.

In version 24.46.30 of the Google Play Services beta, Android Authority spotted multiple code strings related to "motion sickness." Specifically, the code references a feature that is presumably called Motion Cues. It's described as being used to "show visual cues to mitigate the motion sickness." In other words, it sounds a lot like Apple's Vehicle Motion Cues in iOS 18.

motion_sickness_enabledMotion CuesShow visual cues to mitigate the motion sickness.

The feature isn't active yet, and the code snippets aren't exactly clear on how Google plans to implement these motion cues in Android. However, being that the strings are appearing in the Google Play Services beta and not an Android beta, it's possible that Motion Cues could eventually rollout for multiple Android versions. There's precedent for this, as Android's latest security updates recently rolled out to most devices running Android 10 or higher.

Still, being that this feature is currently in the development stage, it's impossible to know for sure when (or if) it will release publicly.

Much to the chagrin of some of those in the Android space, Apple has largely been considered the "measuring stick" for both hardware and software. Arguments have been made that the likes of Xiaomi, Huawei, and Samsung, among others surpassed Apple in the hardware department long ago. 

The same can't be said about the software, despite Apple locking down iOS and iPadOS in the most frustrating ways. However, after seeing what's happened in 2024, I can't help but wonder if Apple lost its touch.

Over the past year, Apple has entered a new product category with the Vision Pro headset while releasing refreshes of practically every other device in its lineup. Plus, we're expecting at least one more announcement as rumors suggest Apple has an event planned this month to unveil new Macs and hopefully a refreshed iPad Mini.

Apple has proven that companies don't need to reinvent the hardware wheel when releasing a refreshed device. For instance, the only major differences between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro are a new "Camera Control" button and bezels that are ever-so-slightly slimmer than before. 

The majority of the focus from Apple's iPhone 16 event was showcasing the various AI-powered features slated to come to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. There's just one problem though — none of the exciting features are actually available yet. So basically, Apple just took the same approach that we used to lambast other companies in that it announced features that won't actually be available at launch. 

Hardly any of these features were available with the final release of iOS 18, which arrived alongside the iPhone 16 series. Instead, it seems that Apple will be rolling out features in waves, starting with iOS 18.1. MacRumors laid out the rumors of when to expect features to arrive pretty well, and here's how things are looking:

If Apple sticks to this rumored timeline, it means that the company's latest device won't have all of the new features until it's already been on the market for six months. There's also the potential of even more frustration as you can't watch TV for more than an hour without seeing an iPhone commercial touting Apple Intelligence. 

Just a little bit of good old-fashioned deception because we know Apple doesn't want to miss out on the holiday shopping season. 

While delaying features isn't great, it's not as bad as what iPad Pro owners have had to endure. Apple introduced and released the M4-powered iPad Pro back in May 2024. This remains the only device in Apple's lineup to be powered by the M4 chip, which is likely to be rectified later in October. 

The problem is that iPadOS 18 was released in mid-September, and the update was removed for those with the M4 iPad Pro the next day. Some found that after installing the update, the iPad Pro would essentially be turned into a very expensive metal and glass brick. It wasn't until today (October 4) that Apple released iPadOS 18.0.1, which should include the fix for whatever the original issue was. 

That's more than two weeks without being able to use Apple's latest software with its more powerful (and expensive) iPad model. As someone who has an M4 iPad Pro, this has been one of the few times that I'm thankful to be on the "beta train," as I haven't come across any of those problems. 

Originally, I thought this was rather unprecedented for Apple, and then I remembered the iPhone 14 launch. This is when Apple made the move to eSIM only in the U.S., but the company had to rush out a day-one software update as many were unable to actually register an eSIM. So, I guess things have been out of whack for longer than I thought.

I'm not ignorant of what's happened in the Android space, but I would argue that at least Samsung and even Google have leapfrogged Apple when it comes to updates. Both companies announced a plethora of new AI features for its respective devices, and the majority of those features were available as soon as you could download the update. The most obvious exception to this is Zoom Enhance, a feature Google announced for the Pixel 8 Pro, but it didn't actually arrive until the Pixel 9 Pro. 

But as far as hardware goes, I think Apple's basically run out of ideas. First, the Action Button was added, and now we have a Camera Control button. Besides that, how much more does Apple think it can slim down the bezels and use that as a selling point? Oh, and I forgot that the non-Pro iPhones now have a rearranged camera module. Woo-hoo. 

While Apple is sticking to the slab design, almost every other Android phone maker is either working on or has released a foldable phone. Some, like Motorola, have stuck to the flip phone form factor, while the likes of Samsung, Xiaomi, and even Tecno have multiple foldable phone options. 

I have no doubt that Apple already has a foldable iPhone prototype, regardless of whether it flips or folds. The problem is that rumors indicate Apple continues to push back the release of a foldable device. Back in 2022, we pondered whether Apple was already waiting too long, and currently, the rumor mill points to 2027 as the year that we'll finally see Apple get into the game. 

We can only surmise that this is because Apple wants to do everything it can to avoid the backlash that other phone makers have seen with folding screens that break unexpectedly. Even in 2024, it's still a problem that occasionally crops up with new devices and is more common with older models. But at some point, when is Apple just going to take the leap?

Taking a leap is exactly what Apple did with the Vision Pro, its first foray into the world of VR headsets. Supposedly, this is meant to be Apple CEO Tim Cook's "legacy," and while that may be true, the current iteration is simply out of reach for many, especially at a time when you can walk into practically any big box store and walk out with a Meta Quest headset and don't need to sell a kidney to do so. 

The Vision Pro was always going to be quite expensive, not just because of the R&D that went into it but also because of the hardware and technology it packs. For reference, the Vision Pro features a per-eye resolution of 3660 x 3200, while the Meta Quest 3 is equipped with a per-eye resolution of 2064 x 2208. Plus, Apple relies on micro-OLED displays, whereas Meta's headset utilizes LCD displays. 

I know it's not really fair to compare a $500 headset with one that starts at $3,500. But that's part of the point that I'm trying to make, as Apple is already so far behind in its appeal to the general consumer that I don't know if future iterations will be able to capture the masses. 

The longer Apple waits to release a foldable phone, the more likely it will end up being far too expensive compared to the competition. I don't have a crystal ball, and we have no idea what the foldable phone market will look like three years from now. But it's 2024, and we already have tri-foldable phones with the Huawei Mate XT. Plus, companies have been working on phones with rollable displays, although I think those will be even less popular than the current crop of foldables. 

Part of me thinks that Apple is just coasting as much as it can. The company probably didn't expect to see the explosion in the popularity of AI, so the "brain trust" came up with ideas and announced them, even though they were nowhere near being ready for primetime. 

Another aspect is that Tim Cook has been CEO of Apple for more than 13 years, and there are rumblings that he may be eyeing retirement. With much of the focus being put on trying to leave a lasting impression in the form of a hardware release, I can't help but wonder if we won't see anything revolutionary again until after someone else takes up the mantle. 

As someone who spent time as an iPhone fanboy before pivoting to Android (and now dual-wielding), I'm just kind of disappointed. There are still some things I think an iPhone and iPad offer over their Android equivalents, but that list has never been smaller. 

Apple's iPhone 16 lineup is finally official, and it's all set to go against Samsung's Galaxy S24 series and other heavy hitters of the Android world. As has been the case for the past few years, both manufacturers have launched multiple smartphones, but we're going to be focusing specifically on the 'Plus' models, namely the iPhone 16 Plus and the Galaxy S24 Plus.

Comparing Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus makes perfect sense, as these are two of the best high-end phones available in the market right now. Each offers top-of-the-line hardware specifications, AI-enhanced software features, and a truckload of other goodies. But as stacked as both of these devices are, which one of them is a better value for money? Let's find out.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus: Design and display

Barring a few changes, both the Apple iPhone 16 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus are virtually identical to their respective predecessors. This isn't meant to be a criticism; there's only so many ways you can design a rectangular slab, and these are still two very premium and well-built smartphones. Both feature flat front and back panels (made by Corning), a brushed aluminum frame, as well as an IP68 rating for ingress protection.

The Galaxy S24 Plus has a triple-lens rear camera setup with the lenses arranged vertically, similar to the last-gen model. The iPhone 16 Plus sports a dual-lens camera system with a similar lens arrangement, ditching the diagonal lens layout of the previous-gen model. With the iPhone 16 Plus, you also get the new 'Camera Control' pad, as well as the customizable 'Action Button' that debuted with the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Although both Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and Apple iPhone 16 Plus have absolutely gorgeous 6.7-inch OLED panels, only the former's display uses LTPO technology for better energy efficiency. The screen on the Galaxy S24 Plus also has a faster 120Hz refresh rate, and its slimmer bezels allow the smartphone to have a slightly smaller physical footprint.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus: Hardware and cameras

To no one's surprise, both smartphones come with the absolute best in terms of hardware. While the iPhone 16 Plus is helmed by Apple's homegrown A18 (3nm) chip and has 8GB of RAM, the Galaxy S24 Plus is driven by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) SoC and packs 12GB of RAM. The former can be had with up to 512GB of internal storage, while the latter is available with up to 1TB of onboard storage.

So, what do these specifications mean? To put it simply, blazing-fast performance. Whether it's multitasking, 4K video recording, or playing resource-heavy titles like Genshin Impact, the iPhone 16 Plus and the Galaxy S24 Plus rank up there with the best Android phones available in the market. These hardware specifications also power the various AI-based features (discussed later) that the two smartphones are packed with.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and Apple iPhone 16 Plus have all kinds of connectivity and I/O options including multi-band 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, and USB Type-C with DisplayPort functionality.

Coming to cameras, now this is where things are a bit different. The iPhone 16 Plus features a dual-lens rear camera setup with a 48MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide module. The main 'Fusion' sensor can capture full-resolution photos or use sensor crop to shoot 2x 'optical-quality' zoom images, whereas the ultrawide module can also capture macro photos.

The Galaxy S24 Plus, on the other hand, comes with a proper triple-lens primary camera system having a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide module, and a 10MP ultrawide unit with 3x optical zoom. Of course, the camera arrays on both of these smartphones are complemented by a wide range of software-based features such as auto HDR, live photos, creative image filters, editing tools, and more.

We already know that the Galaxy S24 Plus is easily one of the best Android camera phones out there, and even though it's probably too early to comment, the iPhone 16 Plus is quite likely to have a comparable camera performance as well. However, there's no denying that among the two, the Galaxy S24 Plus has a more versatile camera setup. No matter how good things like 'Fusion' and 'Camera Control' are, you just can't beat a dedicated telephoto sensor.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus: Software and battery

Running iOS and Android, respectively, the iPhone 16 Plus and the Galaxy S24 Plus are different yet similar when it comes to their software. Sure, these are competing operating systems we're talking about, but both platforms have matured quite a lot, thanks to years of continued development. As far as things like app support, data security, and general user experience are concerned, you can't go wrong with either of the two.

Then there's AI, because it's 2024 and every single gadget needs to have some kind of AI functionality baked into it. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and Apple iPhone 16 Plus have their own collections of AI-based tools, clubbed under the monikers Galaxy AI and Apple Intelligence, respectively. These enable things like live translation of calls, summarizing of textual content, and more.

While I still find the majority of these AI-powered features to be a bunch of hogwash, your mileage may vary. However, even if you do like them, it's worth noting that only Galaxy AI is available as of writing this article. If you prefer Apple Intelligence, you'll have to wait until later this year.

Lastly, let's talk about endurance. As noted by Android Central's Derrek Lee in his review, the Galaxy S24 Plus comes with a 4,900mAh battery that can easily keep the phone running for an entire day. When you do need to top it up, there's support for 45W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.

Conversely, the iPhone 16 Plus sports a slightly smaller 4,674mAh battery, but given the energy-efficient hardware, the phone should last quite a while before needing to be juiced up. You get support for 20W wired charging and up to 25W wireless charging with 'MagSafe' as well.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus: Which should you buy?

Apple iPhone 16 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus are both exceptional mobile devices. They offer premium hardware, top-tier software, class-leading cameras, and just about everything else you could possibly want in a modern-day flagship. With iOS finally allowing home screen customization and Android now offering years of platform updates, the operating systems that power these two smartphones have achieved sufficient feature parity as well. So, the question is, which one should you go for?

Here's our take! With a starting price of $899, the iPhone 16 Plus is the ideal choice if you're already comfortable with Apple's ecosystem and want things to stay that way. The phone has industry-leading performance, customizable physical controls, and the build quality is just amazing.

But if you want to switch from iOS to Android, or simply don't care about platforms and just want the most bang for your bucks, then the Galaxy S24 Plus is clearly the overall winner. Sure, it does have a higher starting price of $999, but those extra $100 give you a smartphone with a much better and power-efficient display, twice the storage, and a superior primary camera system.

This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week, Apple released iOS 18 with RCS support for better texting with Android devices, Samsung may be preparing to launch a rollable phone in 2025, Wear OS is getting some exclusive health features, the Meta Quest 3s price may have just leaked, and we get a look at what Android Automotive 15 will bring.

RCS on iOS 18 makes texting better

Read more here.

This week (Sept. 16), Apple released iOS 18 on eligible iPhones. With it comes support for RCS, which has been supported on Android for some time now. As a result, texting between iOS and Android users gets a bit better, with typing indicators, higher-quality media, better group texting, and more.

Of course, the experience isn't perfect, with features like end-to-end encryption missing (although it's supported between Android devices), and that's likely because Apple went with the GMSA version of RCS, which is different from what Google implements on Android devices. However, GSMA states it's working on bringing cross-platform E2EE and other features, which should further improve the texting experience.

Now, there's less reason to complain about green bubbles (but you know they will anyway).

Samsung may finally give us a rollable phone

Read more here.

Samsung has shown off rollable concepts before, but the latest rumor suggests the company may finally be ready to bring one to market. According to The Elec, Samsung is reportedly switching directions and focusing its efforts on getting the rollable device ready for a launch potentially during the second half of 2024. That puts the device launch roughly around the same time as the Galaxy Z Fold 6 successor.

There isn't much known about the device, but it could unfurl to greet users with a 12.4-inch display with an under-display camera.

According to The Elec, Samsung likely feels some kind of way about Huawei launching the first tri-fold phone, the Mate XT. Samsung likely wants to beat everyone else to the rollable finish line (something we expected from LG years ago).

Wear OS gets a boost for health data

Read more here.

You may have heard of Masimo, the company that almost got the Apple Watch banned for infringing on patents related to blood oxygen monitoring. Well, the company is taking its tech elsewhere and partnering with Google to help develop a new reference platform for Wear OS watches to utilize Masimo's biosensing technology.

According to Masimo, Wear OS OEMs will be free to design their phones however they want, while Masimo will design and test the internal components for health tracking/sensing. This also includes the companion app, although it's unclear how this will be handled.

Nonetheless, the partnership should help boost Wear OS health tracking and may even encourage more OEMs to step in and join the platform. Following the recent Apple lawsuit, the timing of the partnership is suspect, but we're not complaining.

The Quest 3s could be cheaper than expected

Read more here.

Meta Connect 2024 kicks off on September 25, and we are expecting the company to launch some new hardware at the event. One device we hope to see is the Meta Quest 3s, which will likely be a cheaper, more accessible version of the current Meta Quest 3. We weren't sure how much cheaper it would be, but now we may have an idea, thanks to an Amazon leak.

According to the image, the Meta Quest 3s may start at just $299, which is $200 cheaper than its flagship sibling. The image also shows what the Quest 3s may look like, featuring a similar overall design but with two sets of three individual lenses on the front. We also expect the device to be powered by the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 for better performance, although it will likely feature Fresnel lenses instead of pancake ones, which is likely to keep costs down.

If this is to be believed, a $299 price point for a newer VR headset would likely do well, especially ahead of the holidays, for anyone still wanting to get their hands on a Quest VR headset but not wanting to get the older Quest 2.

A glimpse at Android Automotive 15

Read more here.

Android Automotive is Google's integrated car infotainment system, and thanks to Android 15, it's expected to get a big update later this year. Google revealed features arriving in the system on its AOSP page, which users may find helpful on their next drive.

Among these additions is the ability to connect personal Bluetooth headsets to your car, which could be nice to have for passengers or while parked while you listen to music or enjoy a YouTube video. Another useful feature is a persistent hotspot, which could allow riders to connect their devices while on multiple trips.

Android Automotive may also gain an Android Auto feature with a homescreen dock, which would allow users to pin apps for faster access.

Read more about what's expected in the next major Android Automotive update, which is expected at some point this year. However, it's worth noting that OEMs will be free to implement the features they see fit in their devices.

Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:

• Android 15 volume panel will have useful audio controls for Pixel Buds Pro users
• The OnePlus 13 could offer something no other flagship phone will
• Google TV just made finding free content on The Roku Channel even easier
• Garmin makes satellite messaging more useful with InReach Messenger Plus
• Our dream of synced notifications on Android might finally come true
• Google might keep four phones for the Pixel 10 as its codenames leak
• Early ROG Phone 9 leak teases an 'upgraded' display
• Leaked Galaxy S25 Plus renders suggest Samsung is in its thin phone era
• The Galaxy S23 Ultra's camera is acting wonky after One UI 6.1.1
• Google Contacts just gave its contact creation a fresh coat of paint

What you need to know

• Apple announced its iOS 18 update is starting to hit iPhone devices and the blog post held a little surprise for Android users.
• The iOS 18 update includes RCS support between iPhone and Android phones, bringing E2EE, read receipts, sharper photos, and a better chat experience over SMS.
• The fight with Apple to adopt RCS is extensive as Samsung got in on Google's campaign to help push the competition into the new standard.

Apple is starting to roll out its iOS 18 software to iPhones, but it packs a little something for Android users, too.

The company detailed its major iOS 18 patch in a Newsroom post, including a blurb about text messaging. According to Apple, the latest software update brings improved RCS support and messaging between iPhone and Android devices.

The post states this upgraded support brings "richer media" and "more reliable group messaging" capabilities over the old SMS/MMS standards. Both aspects of this update should aid in removing pixelation from shared photos and a host of other chat/group chat problems between iOS and Android.

This fight over unity in our text messages has been going on since Google launched its #GetTheMessage campaign two years ago. The purpose was to bring better reliability and a worthy experience to texting between iOS and Android. Through the SMS/MMS method, text messages, images, and the like were terrible. The latter were often fractured and nowhere near as crisp while the former was broken.

With RCS support arriving, users will notice typing indicators, read receipts, and they'll gain the ability to text over Wi-Fi. This struggle with Apple to finally adopt the RCS standard saw the likes of Samsung join Google's campaign.

Apple's iMessage lived another day following the EU's "gatekeeper" status investigation for the Digital Markets Act (DMA). However, the EU took another look into it to determine if the texting service could be considered a "core platform service." Despite the investigation, Apple confirmed two months later in November 2023 that it would bring RCS to iOS.

Not everything will work cross-platform with iOS 18 and RCS. During WWDC 2024, RCS was an afterthought and its new iMessage features didn't even consider it. The company's new "Send Later" will not work with RCS chats and its new "Tapback" emoji choices are a toss-up by this point.

Still, it's nice to see RCS support finally arriving for iOS and Android users. But the green-blue bubble aesthetic is still upon us.

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Apple has been working on iOS 18 for months now, but all of the cool and potentially useful AI features won't be arriving until iOS 18.1. This is likely to launch after the iPhone 16, which we expect will come with iOS 18 out of the box. What this means is that many of the defining features of Apple's latest OS likely won't be available with the company's newest phones on day one. 

It didn't take long for people to notice that the first iOS 18 Developer Beta was missing a few things. Namely, anything to do with Apple Intelligence, which was rather disappointing when you consider just how much time was spent talking about the upcoming features. 

Not long after iOS 18 was released to developers, Apple made a surprising decision: It introduced the iOS 18.1 Developer Beta. This is where the real fun was expected to appear, and that's exactly what has happened. 

While there are still a few features that we're waiting to try out, iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 3 introduced Apple's response to Magic Eraser. Since Google has the best name for this feature, Apple had to come up with something else, deciding to settle with "Clean Up."

Needless to say, Apple's a bit behind the times here, as Magic Eraser has been widely available for years and is even available for iPhones. Even Samsung has its own competitor, Object Eraser, which attempts to match what Magic Eraser has to offer, but from within the native Samsung Gallery app. 

Seeing as my personal iPhone 15 Pro Max is enrolled in the iOS 18.1 Developer Beta, I decided to take these three photo editing tools for a spin. Without going overboard, I only picked four different pictures for this round of tests. For reference, I used the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and original Pixel Fold. Yes, I know Magic Eraser is built into the Google Photos app, but that would have taken away some of my fun. 

Without further adieu, let's take a look at how each of these features stack up to one another. 

For the first picture, I chose something rather basic, aiming to remove the cars and signs in a view from my balcony on a recent trip to the beach.

What came as a bit of a surprise was that Apple Clean Up managed to do its best to ditch the cars that were parked in the street. Well, it's at least the most convincing of the three, as Magic Eraser inserted a random black patch in the road. Which is still better than Samsung's Object Eraser, as it decided to not only add the black patch but also thought that an overgrown bush was planted in the road.

Apple also gets points here for being able to remove both of the signs in the background without much hassle. For some reason, I couldn't get either Magic Eraser or Samsung Object Eraser to do anything with these.

Next up is a picture that I thought would be a great example of why you would want to use one of these features in general. Signs are great for providing information but aren't exactly ideal for when you're taking pictures. So this time, I decided to get rid of all of the signs besides the one in the top right corner.

Perhaps this one was a bit too easy, as all three managed to get rid of the signs and the wooden fence without any trouble. Best of all, there's practically no artificating to speak of.

So, instead, it just looks like an accidental picture on a path, as opposed to what the original image portrays.

Next up, I decided it was time to turn things up a tick, attempting to remove the lead and harness from a picture of my dog. I think this one speaks for itself. Oh, and if you're wondering why the Apple Clean Up image is so much brighter and washed out, it's because of a bug when taking screenshots of an HDR image. 

Ignoring the cranked up brightness, your eyes aren't deceiving you. Instead of trying to fill in the gaps left behind by the harness, Apple's Clean Up feature opted to just slice my dog up. To be frank, it's rather unsettling to see, considering that Google and Samsung at least understood the assignment.

If you "pixel-peep," you can see that there is some artifacting in both of the other edited images. However, I'll take that all day over whatever Apple decided to do to my dog.  

Last but not least, I figured this picture from the view of my room on an earlier Summer getaway would be fun. It's a great picture, save for the sliding glass door divider that is annoyingly in the way.   

Another way to solve this would have been to go onto the porch, but there was a nest of spiders that I had no intention of disturbing.

It doesn't take long to recognize that Apple Clean Up did the worst job of the three. For some reason, it changed the shape of the top of the chair, while also getting rid of the armrest and legs completely. This also has the most artificating of the trio, making it seem like there's a non-existent glare.

With Samsung's Object Eraser, it attempted to fill out the rest of the chair, doing a pretty okay job at it. But, I was surprised that in place of the beam, Samsung opted to add another opening in the woods bordering the lake. Meanwhile, Magic Eraser seemingly had a tough time with everything, as the trees don't look natural, and the chair looks like it's recovering from an unfortunate incident with a bonfire.

Google's Magic Eraser still reigns supreme, but nothing is perfect

I must admit that I'm surprised it took Apple this long to introduce such a feature, especially considering how much of a focus the company puts on photos and videos on the iPhone. Even still, it's interesting to see the feature arrive at all, given that you can already use Magic Eraser on practically any smartphone, provided that you rely on Google Photos and have a Google One subscription.

Of the three, between Samsung and Apple, I'd probably put a bit more faith in Apple "getting it right" as opposed to Samsung. That's not to say that I don't want Samsung to continue trying to make improvements, but I believe Apple is better suited to work out the kinks.

I was also surprised to see Google's Magic Eraser struggle a bit, even with the curveball of the last image. But of the three, I'm definitely going to stick with Magic Eraser whenever I need to get rid of some signs or remove some people from the background of my pictures.

The saving grace in all of this is that even if Apple's Clean Up feature fails spectacularly, not all hope is lost. For one, this only just arrived in iOS 18.1 Beta 3, so Apple should have plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments. So it's something to keep an eye on, but in reality, you should just download Google Photos and let Magic Eraser take care of the rest. 

While many iPhone users are rejoicing about the potential of the revamped Siri experience and the ability to place icons anywhere, others are more excited about RCS. Despite not being available with the first iOS 18 Developer Beta, RCS Messaging has been enabled with the second beta, released this week.

The promise of RCS is pretty simple, as it aims to provide a much smoother and feature-rich messaging experience. The easiest comparison is to think of it as using something like Telegram or WhatsApp but from the built-in Messages app. This includes things such as read receipts, typing indicators, message reactions, and high-quality media. 

For years, Google has tried to get Apple on the RCS train to no avail, and it wasn't until late 2023 that Apple caved. In its surprise announcement, Apple confirmed it would be bringing RCS compatibility to the iPhone, while "also working with the GSMA to improve the RCS standard."

After installing the latest iOS 18 Developer Beta, I jumped into the Settings app to confirm that the RCS toggle was available. Not only was it available, but it was already enabled. Then, I opened the Messages app and started to send a text to my colleague, Nick Sutrich. 

To my surprise, the Messages app informed me that it was sending a Text Message and that it was using RCS. A few minutes later, we found that a lot of things worked just as we'd expected. Typing indicators appeared, videos sent either way were crystal clear, and Tapback reactions popped up as soon as they were made.

It's also evident that Apple has some work to do. Nick tried reacting with a Photomoji to the video I sent. However, instead of showing up just like a Tapback reaction, it came through to my iPhone as an MMS with a message that said, "Reacted with a photomoji."

About a minute later, the conversation switched back to RCS from SMS/MMS. This is where another hiccup appears, as one would hope that the transition back and forth would be instantaneous. Although, I guess it's better than needing to go back into the Settings app and toggle RCS off and on.

An earlier report from 9to5Mac stated, "RCS support on the iPhone relies on Apple working with carrier partners to get them to update their bundles." At the time of that writing, it was reported that RCS Messaging was only available on AT&T and T-Mobile. 

This no longer seems to be the case, as my personal iPhone 15 Pro Max is on Verizon and was used in the above screenshots. That being said, don't expect this to work across all carriers, primarily the MVNO carriers such as Mint Mobile or Visible, just yet. We've also seen reports of users with older iPhone models not being able to use RCS without a workaround despite being enrolled in the iOS 18 Developer Beta. 

We're still early in the development cycle for iOS 18, as the latest software isn't expected to arrive until this Fall. That gives Apple ample time to work out the kinks before the final release. But this showed us what messaging between iOS and Android should have been all along. 

It didn't have to be this way

I've long complained about not being able to use iMessage on Android, as it's one of the primary ways I keep in touch with family. As a result, I've turned to workarounds such as AirMessage, Bluebubbles, Sunbird, and Beeper. But, after security issues exposed Sunbird and Beeper failed to win the fight against Apple, I've all but given up on the idea.

The reality of the situation is that it should have never been this way. Apple might be one of the most valuable companies in the world, but it also holds the distinction of being among the consumer-hostile companies.

It's not like RCS is a standard spawned out of thin air, nor is it something brand new. In fact, RCS has been around since 2008 and was made available on Android phones through Google Messages back in 2020. 

Meanwhile, it wasn't until the Beeper debacle, paired with another threat from the EU, that Apple decided to change its tune. What makes the entire situation maddening is that it's never needed to be this way. 

After using RCS to send messages back and forth to Nick for just a few minutes, I ended up incredibly irritated. The "walled garden" approach is a fantastic idea for offering an unrivaled cross-device experience. Your phone, tablet, and computer all work together without needing to jump through hoops. 

The problem is that Apple doesn't (or didn't) want its customers to think or even consider what's on the other side of the wall. It's why we see ancient phones being used to depict various Android-related features on Apple's support pages. 

Seriously, Apple was using a picture of a chonky, generic-looking Android phone to showcase "FaceTime invite links" in 2021. This was a time when phones like the Galaxy S21 Ultra, OnePlus 9 Pro, and Galaxy Z Fold 3 were making waves. All in an effort to let Apple customers think that the other side of its finely pruned garden was a wild jungle.

It's also why Apple kept up the charade for so long regarding RCS and iMessage. The elitism on display is essentially a Cold War-style attack on the non-Apple consumer. 

Did you want to send your grandparents a video of your newborn from your Galaxy S24 Ultra? Get ready for questions about why it looks like the video was taken on a camcorder from the 90s. Were you left out of a group chat with iPhone-wielding friends? Good luck trying to get everyone to use a different messaging platform, especially if you're the only one with an Android phone. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely happy to see RCS finally come to the iPhone. But after actually using it, it just reaffirmed the stubbornness of a company with the resources and size of Apple. 

What you need to know

• iOS 18 will add support for RCS messaging on iPhones, improving the quality of texting between iOS and Android users.
• Despite this being a notable improvement, Apple barely gave the RCS messaging preview any screen time at WWDC.
• This isn’t surprising because RCS is still not iMessage, and that’s all that matters to Apple.

Apple previewed iOS 18 at the company’s WWDC 2024 developer conference, and there’s one big highlight for Android users — RCS messaging. After years of dealing with SMS and MMS messaging when texting an iPhone user from an Android phone, the experience will improve starting this fall. Android users have been waiting for this for a long time, yet Apple barely spoke about RCS messaging during its iOS 18 showcase. It was an afterthought that came separate from all the other messaging features in iOS 18.

It’s clear that Apple is not thrilled about adding RCS to the iPhone. The company wasn’t technically forced to support RCS, but the industry assumption is that it did so to try and appease the European Union. After all, at one point, iMessage was at risk of becoming a cross-platform service under Digital Markets Act requirements. A few months after Apple announced support for RCS messaging, the EU announced that iMessage wouldn’t fall under the “core platform service” designation.

Make no mistake, Apple’s choice to subtly reference RCS messaging during WWDC was intentional. The company isn’t thrilled about supporting it, and it doesn’t want to undercut iMessage in any way. There was a clear separation between iMessage and RCS in the keynote — both in terms of the times the features were announced and in the features themselves. 

This isn’t surprising at all. Apple dropped the original announcement of RCS right in the hands of 9to5Mac, neglecting to even put out a press release or provide further details about the move, only adding that your bubbles will still be green. Apple doesn’t care about RCS, and to be honest, neither do the company’s users. It’s a move to appease regulators and nothing more, so why give it a bunch of stage time at WWDC?

RCS is coming to iOS 18, but who knows what it will look like

While Apple officially announced RCS messaging would come to iOS 18 at WWDC — before, we knew it was coming in 2024, but weren’t 100% sure when — it didn’t provide any new details. Apple is using the RCS Universal Profile, and this should let RCS messages send over Wi-Fi or data, allow for higher-quality photos and videos, and add key features like message reactions and read receipts. However, we also know that Apple is not replacing iMessage with RCS. Plenty of things that people love about iMessage will still be exclusive to that service. 

We loaded up the first iOS 18 developer beta to see if there were any hints at how RCS might be implemented. When you draft a message in the Messages app on iOS, an empty text field will read either iMessage or Text Message. On iOS 18, the language is further clarified, reading "Text Message SMS." For now, there isn’t a way to send an RCS message in iOS 18. There isn’t even a new setting in the Messages tab in the redesigned iOS 18 Settings app related to RCS.

If Apple really doesn’t want RCS to come to iOS 18, it could delay its addition to the operating system until closer to its public release. We assume that Apple will want this tested externally before iOS 18 fully rolls out, so it’ll probably appear in a developer beta at some point. Until that happens, what RCS messaging will really look like in iOS 18 is anyone’s guess.

Everything new to iMessage won’t work with RCS  

Apple announced a few new Messages features in iOS 18, but didn’t bring up RCS at all during this portion of the showcase. I think this was intentional, making the point that the latest and greatest iOS has to offer won’t work with RCS. You can schedule iMessages for a later date or time, use new text formatting options like bold or strikethrough, and use any emoji to ”tapback” to messages. 

Of these, we know that the Send Later feature won’t come to RCS chats, and neither will the new text formatting options. The new tapback emoji choices might work on Android with RCS, but if they do, it’ll be of no thanks to Apple. Google has already found ways to show tapbacks on Android with clever workarounds, and there’s no reason it couldn’t do the same with an expanded emoji library. After all, Android users have been able to react to messages with any emoji for a while now.

Either way, the point is the same. Apple didn’t talk much about RCS because there isn’t anything to talk about. It’s focused on adding new features to iMessage, and RCS is just there. 

Apple wants you to know RCS still isn’t iMessage

The movement for RCS is twofold. There are technical reasons for wanting RCS, like improved security, more advanced features, and better media quality. Another important reason for wanting RCS on the iPhone is to try to erase the “green bubble” stigma. It’s a real thing, especially among younger generations. iPhone users don’t mock Android users because their texts use SMS instead of RCS. They mock them because any green bubble message is not iMessage. It’s that simple. 

To be clear, I don’t think shaming people for their phone of choice is an okay thing to do, and not every iPhone user behaves this way. However, some do, and it’s why younger generations are flocking to iPhones at impossibly-high rates for fear of being labeled as an outcast. 

For that, the RCS move does nothing. At the end of the day, RCS is not iMessage. And by the way Apple chose to reference (or, not reference) RCS at WWDC, I think it wants to remind users of that. 

For as much time as Apple spent talking about "Apple Intelligence," you might have thought the WWDC 2024 Keynote was four hours long. Surprisingly, it was actually shorter than last year's Keynote by about 20 minutes and was six minutes shorter than Google I/O 2024. With Apple starting to make the developer betas available, we wanted to have some fun and take a look at everything iOS 18 stole from Android.

This number has been steadily rising in recent years, but at first glance, iOS 18 takes the cake. There are a staggering number of things that Apple claims are "revolutionary," completely ignoring the world that uses Android.

Home Screen and Lock Screen

It's only fitting to kick off this list by talking about the "new" customization options. For the first time ever, iPhone and iPad owners will be able to put their app icons and widgets wherever they desire. Until now, installed apps would fill the grid, only letting you change the order they were in, remove them, put them in folders, or push them around with widgets.

I can't help but laugh at this point, simply because this has been possible on Android since the beginning. Not to mention the various third-party app launchers that give you all of the tools you would need to create a truly custom interface.

Speaking of personalization, Material You has come to iOS. Of course, it's not the same implementation that Google uses, but it's basically the same, as iOS 18 makes it so you can change the color of your app icons. While we still hope to see the ability to use app icon packs, it's at least a step in the right direction.

Control Center

For the most part, Apple left Control Center unchanged for the last few releases. iOS 18 changes that, as there are now multiple panels for you to swipe through in order to access different quick toggles and settings. You can even customize the Control Center using a new Controls Gallery, adding various toggles from Apple or third-party developers.

In addition to the "main" Control Center panel, iOS 18 also adds panels for smart home controls, media playback, connectivity, and more. iPhone owners will also be able to resize different widgets here, something that actually would be nice to have on Android.

On-device AI

There was a big reason why Apple did its own speed run through the various product categories, and of course, AI is to blame. The second half of the WWDC '24 Keynote presentation was dedicated to "Apple Intelligence." Apple attempted to explain how Siri is basically being infused with Large Language Models and AI while showcasing different ways we should expect it to work.

Apple also shared that much of how Siri can interact with your phone and apps is handled by an on-device AI model. For times when you're trying to do something that your phone can't handle, it leans on "Private Cloud Compute" servers. And if you ask Siri a question that it can't answer, OpenAI and ChatGPT will swoop in to save the day.

Needless to say, Google got there before Apple with the Gemini Nano model, which is found on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. It, too, relies on servers when the model can't do what you're asking. But it will be interesting to pit Gemini against Siri to see which comes out on top.

Photos

Although I use the Photos app on my own iPhone, the majority of my photo library management still goes through Google Photos. It's pretty apparent that this is also the case for Apple employees, as there are quite a few familiar features making their way to iOS 18.

Collections are pretty self-explanatory and are coming to the native Photos app on iOS 18. A new Collections tab has already been slowly rolling out on Android phones as Google continues testing the feature, although it appears to be a slightly reworked version of the current Library tab with a bit more emphasis on auto-generated albums like People & Pets. Memories are another type of collection, but they are getting juiced up with AI on Apple's Photos app, allowing you to enter a prompt, and your device will create a collage or movie.

Arguably, the biggest addition to Photos on iOS 18 will be the ability to remove unwanted objects from the background. It's just Magic Eraser for the iPhone, but without the need for Google One or the Google Photos app to achieve it.

Mail and Messaging

Getting the boring stuff out of the way first, Apple didn't pay too much attention to its built-in Mail app. However, it is gaining "on-device categorization," meaning that there will be categories based on the types of emails that are residing within your inbox. These are essentially the same as what Inbox by Gmail introduced all the way back in 2015.

Speaking of Inbox by Gmail, the Messages app is getting another feature that Android's various SMS/MMS apps have had: the ability to schedule a message. There's really not much else to explain here other than that you can pick the date and time, type out the message, and schedule it. Groundbreaking.

The topic that everyone seemed to be talking about leading up to the WWDC '24 Keynote was RCS. All of that hype accounted for a split-second mention as RCS will arrive on the iPhone with iOS 18. And yes, the "blue bubble" war will rage on, as non-iPhone users still show up with a green bubble.

In a feature that literally nobody asked for, Apple is trying to "flex its muscles" with its AI-powered "Genmoji." Using the on-device LLM, write a prompt explaining what you want the emoji to look like, wait for it to be generated, and pick from the provided options. While it's not exactly like Google's Emoji Kitchen, the premise of Genmoji is definitely the same.

A dedicated Passwords app

Both Android and iOS have offered ways to natively store your passwords, but weren't available as true competitors to the best password managers. Google began changing that in 2022 with the ability to add a shortcut to your home screen.

iOS 18 is doing something similar, as there's finally a dedicated Passwords app across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and even Windows. Coming as little surprise, there was no mention of an Android version of the app being released.

Game Mode

Looking past the implementations found in gaming phones, introduced Game Mode APIs and Game Dashboard with Android 12. This aims to help improve the gaming experience by reducing the amount of potential interference caused by apps in the background.

After making its debut with macOS Sonoma in 2023, Game Mode is coming to the iPhone and iPad. It hopes to ensure the smoothest gaming experience possible, without needing to worry about a different app hogging up all of the resources. Additionally, Apple claims Game Mode "dramatically reduces audio latency with AirPods, and makes wireless game controllers incredibly responsive."

"Tap to Cash"

This one was pretty funny to me, as Apple is bringing "Tap to Cash" to the iPhone. What makes this funny is that you'll no longer be able to do this on your Android phone via GPay. The "GPay" app has been deprecated in the U.S. in favor of the Google Wallet app, which does not offer peer-to-peer transactions.

iOS 18 is the biggest update in years

I'm sure there are things that I missed, but it appears as though iOS 18 is morphing into an Android skin. Even if you ignore everything in regard to Apple Intelligence, there are so many changes and additions coming that it's enough to make your head spin. Whether you love it, hate it, or don't care, there's little denying that iOS 18 should be a massive step in the right direction for iPhone owners.