With iOS 14, Apple made a better version of Android than Google ever will

iOS 14 and Android 11
iOS 14 and Android 11 (Image credit: Joe Maring / Android Central)

If you're reading this article, there's a good chance you've already heard about iOS 14 at this point. The next evolution of Apple's mobile operating system was announced at the WWDC opening keynote on June 22, and in addition to our friends at iMore covering the event extensively, we also had our own fair share of coverage here on AC.

Apple releases a new iOS update ever year, but this one is perhaps the biggest and most important we've ever seen. iOS 14 fundamentally changes how you interact with an iPhone, with many of the noteworthy changes being direct ripoffs of what we've had with Android since the very beginning.

After some initial hesitation, I went ahead and loaded my iPhone 11 Pro with the iOS 14 Developer Beta to see what it was like for myself, and after a few days of using the software, I think Apple may have created a better version of Android than we'll ever see from Google itself. Seriously.

iOS 14 and Android 11

Source: Joe Maring / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Joe Maring / Android Central)

Let's start first with the most obvious change — the home screen. iOS's home screen has traditionally been nothing but pages of your installed apps, but with iOS 14, it now functions a lot like your Android phone. All of your endless app pages are still there by default, but you can go ahead and hide any pages you don't want to show up. From here, you're free to add and remove apps to your home screens as you see fit.

I have my 16 most-used apps on my first home screen, along with eight others that are slightly-less-used on my second page. All of my other apps (which there are a lot of) now live in the App Library, which is accessed with a swipe to the left on your right-most home screen. This is essentially Android's long-standing app drawer, but it functions a bit differently. Instead of having a scrolling list of your apps all laid out alphabetically, they're grouped into pre-made folders based on certain categories (such as Social, Productivity, Utilities, Entertainment, etc.). Tapping on the larger icons directly opens that app, while tapping on the smaller bundle of four expands that folder. Alternatively, you can swipe down or tap the search bar to see an alphabetical list of everything that's installed.

iOS 14 and Android 11

Source: Joe Maring / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Joe Maring / Android Central)

I know a lot of people aren't thrilled with how Apple implemented the App Library, but as a first try, it's actually pretty good. It feels organized, comes with gorgeous animations, and the Suggestions folder is already doing a decent job of predicting apps I may open next.

The App Library could use some tweaking, but it's a massive step in the right direction.

I'd love to see Apple allow users to customize these folders, or better yet, have the option to just view an alphabetical list by default. Even so, just having any sort of app drawer in iOS is a complete re-thinking of the software and makes my iPhone feel less cluttered than it ever has. Just like on my Pixel 4 (opens in new tab), I now have a couple of home screens for the apps I use all the time, while everything else is tucked away and out of sight until I need it.

The second component of the home screen overhaul comes in the form of widgets. Widgets have existed in iOS for a while, but they've been reserved to the left-most page next to your home screens. You can now place widgets on your actual home screen for much easier access — again, just like Android. However, while the App Library is mostly an alternative to Android's app drawer, iOS 14's widgets are a marked improvement.

iOS 14 and Android 11

Source: Joe Maring / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Joe Maring / Android Central)

There are a few reasons for this, the first of which is the design. Widgets in iOS 14 have a cohesive design language and look like they all belong with one another. This is not the case with Android, in which every widget has its own distinct appearance/style. At least to my eyes, this means that iOS 14 widgets look like thoughtful expansions of my home screen rather than something that's just tacked on.

Widgets in iOS 14 are more functional, too. Apple got a lot of buzz for its Smart Stack widget, which automatically cycles through different widgets throughout the day based on what iOS thinks you'll find more useful at any given time. Even cooler, you can make your own widget stacks by dragging one widget on top of another — giving you the option to manually scroll through them or have them do the same automatic switching.

You can make fun of it taking Apple this many years to finally add such a basic feature to iOS, but the implementation here is just so much better in virtually every way.

The tweaks to the home screen are the most notable differences with iOS 14, but there are other things it borrows from Android that further enhance the user experience.

iOS 14 and Android 11

Source: Joe Maring / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Joe Maring / Android Central)

Picture-in-picture, for example, can be re-sized just by pinching and zooming on the miniature video player and has playback controls for rewinding and fast-forwarding by 15 seconds. There's also a feature that allows you to hide the video off-screen to just hear audio, and whenever you want, bring the PiP player back out onto your screen. It took Apple a long time to adopt the feature, but it's more functional and well-thought-out than Android.

For just about every feature Apple "copied," it improved on Google's implementation in one way or another.

Swipe down to access the Control Center, and you'll find Apple Home shortcuts right there with all of your other controls (not hidden away in a power button shortcut the way Google has it implemented in Android 11). You can also (finally) set default apps for your web browser and email, which slowly tears down just a small part of Apple's infamous walled garden.

All of that means that my iPhone now looks and feels a lot more like my Pixel, all while retaining everything that has always made iOS so damn great. It still has iMessage, AirDrop, higher-quality apps, unmatched performance, and is backed by years of software updates on a level that no other company can compete with.

There are certain aspects of iOS 14 that aren't perfect, such as there still being some restrictions on where you can place apps and widgets on your home screens, but it's kind of insane how much it already feels like a more polished version of Android. iOS 15, 16, and beyond are bound to iron out some of the kinks and further expand on the ideas introduced with this latest update, and I cannot wait to see how they turn out.

iOS 14

Source: Joe Maring / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Joe Maring / Android Central)

Does all of this mean Android is suddenly irrelevant and has no reason to exist? Of course not. There are certain things Android still does better, namely managing notifications, app permission handling, and offering users more expansive customization options (being able to place apps and widgets anywhere on the home screen, third-party icon packs, launchers, etc.). But iOS 14 makes the iPhone a lot more accessible to Android fans that have typically been put off by its overly restrictive nature.

For the very first time, my iPhone feels personal and unique in almost the same way my Pixel does. The combination of those core Android staples and the various benefits iOS has had for ages makes iOS 14 a seriously excellent bit of software, and by my account, it's already enough to replace Android.

Give it a couple of years and some updates to improve on this formula, and it won't even be a competition.

iOS 14 stole these 8 useful features from Android

Joe Maring

Joe Maring was a Senior Editor for Android Central between 2017 and 2021. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoeMaring1.

129 Comments
  • I love how AndroidCentral has become a self-loathing Android centric site. It’s fine to appreciate a competitors achievements. It’s okay to see where they’ve improved on some various things here and there. It’s even great to acknowledge where the competition has done something that Android should do. But lately, the amount of articles that laud Apple and damn Google, Samsung, and the various other OEMs is crazy. If we wanted to see this, we could just follow Rene who was at iMore. Part of the reason for how Android is viewed has to do with how it’s described by various websites. While no one should ever cover over flaws when reviewing, it seems as if nearly every Android review just reinforces certain stigmas about the platform. Note that Apple focused sites don’t do this; or not to nearly the same degree. Android will continue to look like a second rate OS until this stops. I would’ve hoped AndroidCentral wouldn’t continue this trend. But I can see that it’s joining the ranks of Android focused sites doing this if late. Oh well.
  • How is the author wanting android to continue to improve such a bad thing? Man you OS specific fanboys will whine about everything. There are things IOS does better and there are things android does better. Neither is perfect, and both still have room to improve. Hop down off of your high horse and take a deep breath. It's not that serious. 
  • I see you didn’t bother reading what I wrote. I very specifically stated how those things you mentioned were okay. I actually agree. Where I disagree is how the author sums up that basically iOS is just better with the additions gained/copied from Android. It’s been a trend lately from what I read at Android centric sites. Android isn’t without its flaws. I actually, if you had bothered to read, said that it was good to call out Android where it needs improvements. What’s not okay to do is constantly bash the platform. This is a stark difference from what Apple centric sites do. There in lies the problem. Why harp on flaws when we are aware of them all the time? Why not focus more on the positives? Focusing on positives isn’t sweeping problems under the rug. It’s simply showing that those positive aspects outweigh the bad. And yeah...my bad for thinking that a site dedicated to Android would actually make a point to do that. Focus on speaking well of the platform would seem a best practice. As for me being a fan boy....isn’t that the point of being on a site call ANDROIDCENTRAL? Miss me with the nonsense. If I wanted a focus on Apple, there are numerous sites. I actually use an iPhone now, my Pixel 2 XL being my current backup device. Regardless of that, it’s okay to enjoy a platform without putting another down. And last I checked, nothing I wrote in the above post discredited the iPhone in any way, shape, or form. I can only imagine you think your being level headed. You can indeed like both. I do. But I don’t believe you have to bash one to make a point. I don’t think you have to constantly berate one in some hope that it will make the platform better. It’s very simple really. But hey, reading and context and all that stuff.
  • You say about reading and context and then let the point go completely over your head. There are fanboys for every OS (hence the sites such as these), I said OS specific (see reading and context ya know). The author wrote this piece (I assume as a means to show that IOS finally has "caught up" to android in some regards). They aren't going to sugar coat it and make it seem like android is something special (it is in some areas, but not in others). I am not sure how you feel that because the author points this out that they are "continue to look like a second rate OS until this stops" simply because every article doesn't praise the OS.  Also, of course the apple sites are not going to critique iOS, it is a completely different world over there (and Apple is far less ok with letting them talk about the short comings of the OS as shown by them revoking bloggers/writers who talk badly about the OS). As someone who uses an iPhone and an android device on the daily, I welcome these kinds of articles and do not feel in any way that Android is a "Second rate OS." I enjoy what Google has done with android (compared to what it was when the droid line first came out it is a breath of fresh air) and also that Apple finally acknowledged that they needed to change things up and "borrowed" some things from Android.  Maybe I just don't get as offended because 1. it is a phone OS and not a family member, and 2. you can't just praise all the positives and act like the flaws don't exist, which even though you claim is not "brushing it under the rug, it clearly is if they don't point out areas the OS needs to improve. That is how you end up with something like WindowsMobile/Phone/BlackberryOS that got left behind.
  • Wow. I’ll agree to disagree. Thanks.
  • You say the following in your first post: "Android will continue to look like a second rate OS until this stops."
    And in your second post: "I actually use an iPhone now, my Pixel 2 XL being my current backup device."
    You called out Android Central for making Android look "second rate" behind iPhone. Yet, an iPhone is your primary device. An android is your secondary. Do you think that arrangement contributes to making Android look "first rate?"
    I have some extra Windex lying around you can use for that glass house.
  • I can understand this sentiment. I have had similar gripes with AC around their treatment of Google/Pixel vs. Samsung & other OEMs. Basically, to most site editors, the Pixel line is king and other devices are nice, but "not for them." This is completely disjointed from the market reality where the Pixel is a bit player. This speaks volumes about the smartphone market and has a significant impact on the coverage, which you have noted. I'll try to unpack some of this: 1. The iPhone/iOS vs. Android debate is, at its core, more about paradigms than specific products or brands. iPhone/iOS is a vertically integrated HW+SW solution built by a single vendor: Apple. Android on the other hand, has SW developed by Google and an ecosystem of HW vendors that also can control the SW experience so that no two Android devices deliver the same experience. 2. Unlike during the Mac vs. PC desktop wars, the benefits of a HW ecosystem seem less compelling to users. In fact, some would argue that it's a liability vs. Apple where the tight integration between SW and HW yields performance optimizations and user experience improvements. Basically, the primary advantages of a HW ecosystem are cost and availability; the technical benefits around specs and what-not serve an enthusiast population, which is a niche part of the market. 3. When AC editors by and large prefer and recommend Pixel devices, they are underscoring the benefit of vertical HW+SW integration and inadvertently diminishing the value prop of a HW ecosystem like Android or like WinTel/PC. What these folks really seem to want is vertically-integrated alternative to iPhone a la Pixel--not an alternative paradigm. Contrast this with Linux/FOSS users which, IMO, are so invested in the FOSS paradigm that in many cases, it overshadows the technical debate between Linux vs. Mac/Windows. Linux vs. Mac/Windows is more about open-source software vs. closed-source software than it is about underlying technical differences. 4. Brand loyalty and community are stronger when they come from a place of support for a product vs. a reaction against a product. Many iPhone users love the iPhone and Apple products and it reflects in their glowing coverage. When it comes to Android enthusiasts, some might love Android or a specific device line, but many use it because it's "anything but Apple" (I was in this camp for a while). You can see this in descriptions of Apple fans as a "cult." By contrast, Android users are more like a loose alliance unified more by their dislike of Apple than by some strong affinity for a particular Android OEM or even Android itself, hence the often critical coverage or "self-loathing." 5. Google itself has a bipolar relationship with Android. Their Android app quality has gotten better, and there are inherent advantages to some Android apps like YouTube due to underlying OS differences (at least until iOS 14). But I recall when Google's own apps would be updated on iOS before Android. That's insane. In fact, it would be interesting to know how many Google employees use Pixels as their primary phone vs. iPhones. If Google itself sends mixed messages about Android, why would we expect any different from its users?
  • Then maybe they should rename the site CellPhone Central and just cover all cell phones no matter the OS! But no...this is ANDROID CENTRAL. Got it?
  • *Mobile Phone Central
  • Finally someone else points it out. I'm getting rid of Android central in my RSS now.
  • Well said. I personally find Android is a better OS. I have way more bugs on iOS.
  • Are widgets scrollable?
    Can apps have permissions to automatically mute and unmute my phone?
  • Joe, the writer of this article is an idiot. With such headlines and shabby content, you guys wants us to abuse you right? Because no way I'm gonna point out the stupid stuff and prove Android better than Apple for you guys! ... Wonder how this article got approved.
  • Your comment is idiotic, I love the small of Android numpties foaming over an opinion which I happen to agree with. iOS is now a better version of Android.
  • not until i can default google maps and do two things at once.
  • It's called clickbait my friend. They want you reacting and filling the comment sections of their site.
  • I don't agree with Joe's ultimate conclusion that iOS is definitively better than Android, but I absolutely agree with him that this release will be huge.
  • This feels more like a bad attempt at trolling than an actual factual and informative article. After reading it, I still don't know what Apple has done that is better than Google. Other than some snappier animations that is...
  • Ummm...Google +, hangouts, duo, allo, umm...whatever else their failed messaging system has been. Garbage...that's it...garbage. Give credit where it's due.
  • Sooooo the addition of crippled versions of an "app drawer" and widgets, makes iOS a better android? Because App Drawer and Widgets makes android what it is, and now Apple does it better? Really. It's really nice to read a positive article about iOS in an "android related" website, but maaaan this is really hard to read without commenting. Sorry, but that's really bad writing, it's written just to create unwanted discussion.
  • The App Library on iOS 14 is better than the Android app drawer, it's better organized unlike the meas that is the Android version. Bite me.
  • can i change the names of the categories?
  • Yes, you can.
  • So the article was purposely written to create unwanted discussion? Why would anyone do something to get a result he doesn't want? What sense does that make?
  • HI, i completely agree with last sentence and overall article, the word is cohesive design, and looks so much better, rounded edges on all widgets, Google cant do that. period.
  • I've got lots of rounded widgets on my Android... For years...
  • Samsung did. Years ago.
  • With iOS 14, I don't ever see myself going back to Android.
  • Oh, how will we ever survive. Bye Felicia.
  • I'll be able to survive pretty easy, especially with asinine comments like the ones posted here.
  • Do worry about her, fan-girl stuff.
  • Same here, although I was already excited to switch back to iPhone with an iPhone 11 anyway and iOS 14 has only reinforced my belief that I'm making the right decision in returning to iPhone and eventually dumping Android for good.
  • Then leave isheep
  • I will eventually leave Android sooner rather than later as the Android community is becoming toxic just like the Android OS itself, a hot meas of fragmentation and OEMs not giving a crap about their users. Thank goodness it's just over a month and I'll be back where I belong and I'll leave you fandroids in your toxic hell stew of a platform.
  • The irony of an iPhone user calling an Android user toxic.
  • iOS 13 was enough to make me finally give the iPhone a try. iOS 14 is just icing on the cake.
  • Psst! That's what you get for using a Pixel. Go check out Samsung widgets.
  • F Samsung widgets,
    Apple's will be better than any Android widget.
  • Not sure how to answer this so.. No.. not even close.
  • Its getting really old with all the dang Apple news on this site. Author, you love IOS so much go write for Apple! I think its laughable that this article would ever be published.
  • I think your comment is laughable and shows how snobbish the Android community is when Android fanboys are telling the author to go and write for Apple, and yeah I think iOS is a better fit for me (and is better overall) than Android, I'm not a techie but know a lot more than the average user.
  • android central finally sealed their own coffin
  • Haven't they kinda already done that when they're promoting cases for phones that came out like 2 1/2 years ago?
  • And I'll not be here much when I get my iPhone 11, I'll only be here to laud it over you lowly Android rabble.
  • With iOS14, AndroidCentral finally became the anti-Android clickbait site it always wanted to be.
  • With iOS 14, Android Central came to it's senses, Android has always been and always will be a money losing platform that's fragmented and a hot mess of poor app experiences (ok it's not as bad as before), janky scrolling and a wondering if my Android phone will get a third platform update. No thanks, this Android user is going back to iPhone where the experience is consistent, reliable, better quality of apps, better accessibility features for those with disabilities like myself oh and I'll get 5 years of software support and when a 5 year old iPhone gets the latest version of iOS (14) it's a damming indictment on Google and Android.
  • This site has really gone down. The iOS love and Android bashing has gotten out of control.
  • Sometimes I think it's apple central
  • So according to you Android isn't allowed to be criticised and only Apple be criticised? You Android snobs need to acknowledge that with iOS 14, iOS is doing a lot of things better than Android now and will lure more Android users who are tired of the hot mess of fragmentation, poor app quality and the wild west known as the Play Store and disgruntled Pixel owners fed up of Google's incompetence with what is another Google failure.
  • You seem to be really butt hurt for some reason. Why are you replying to every comment here. Ok. We get it. You're switching to an iPhone. You could've just said it once.
  • I'm not butthurt that would be you fandroids over what is a perfectly good article and an opinion that I agree with, and yes I'm very happy that I'm going back to where I belong, iPhone with hot mess that is Android taking a back seat permanently.
  • So go back where you belong. Leave us out of it.
  • Finally, a unbiased article about Apple. Agree Joe, nice shot. Let's see Google response, and that's the thrill !
  • Came to see all the rational comments to this article and I was not disappointed. There are a lot of things I disagree with about Apple’s business model. they lock users in more than other platforms do, and have more restrictions on their products than other platforms do. but the cohesiveness of their ecosystem and product stack cannot be ignored. They make stuff that just works, and works very well. It may not work the way everyone wants it to work, and that’s perfectly ok. There are other options out there. but Apple has a set of goals on how their products work, and they execute that very, very well. Google, on the other hand, does not. Android itself is decently cohesive, but the services and stack behind it is not. Google’s history of constantly adding and then killing services really hurts here. Same goes with the fact that every OEM gets to do what they want with Android. That is one of the platforms greatest strengths, but also greatest weaknesses. Android simply can’t be as cohesive as iOS because every phone is different. that is good for some, and not for others. And don’t even get me started on tablets and chromebooks. Android tablets are a tire fire, and I won’t waste time giving them any mention except to say that I’m done with them because Google hasn’t card about them for years. Android apps on chromebook are a decent idea in theory, but suffer from the same issues as tablets, with the added complexity of being on a chromebook. There are Chrome OS settings and Android settings on a chromebook, and that’s absurd. I have a chromebook that I use regularly, and I eventually jus turned the android apps/play store off entirely since the experience was so poor. Add in linux, and that’s yet another settings panel, and a different ecosystem entirely to support. from a UX standpoint, it is a mess. I’m not here to tell anyone that Apple makes objectively better stuff. They don’t. there are some things apple does that I cannot stand. but for what they are trying to do, apple makes the best product stack in the industry, hands down. the allure of buying a suite of products and. it. just. working. properly. is really enticing. The stuff is good. There are things you have to live with to do that, which is the limitation. But if a user is ok with that, you get a better experience with Apple products. As with everything, both ecosystems have advantages and disadvantages, and it is perfectly ok to acknowledge that objectively.
  • For me, as a visually impaired person, Apple has better accessibility features such as a manifier and also for those who are hard of hearing with with elerts for different sounds like a smoke alarm and more making iOS better, especially with iOS 14. Accessibility is something that is rarely talked about in the tech world.
  • Oh, you're visually impaired...and yet you read, and reply, to more articles than anyone on earth? I knew you were impaired but I thought it was behind your eyes.
  • You Android fanboys are the ones who are impaired in the brain, you give the platform an already bad name to the general consumer, an an even more poor reputation.
  • When the hell was the real last time you used an actual Android phone? 2014? Android has a built in magnifier, it has color inversions. Google also made an optional accessibility thing called Sound Amplifier that helps with hearing. You love to talk about how Android users are "snobs", but you're literally being the most toxic one in these comments. You're being a complete iSheep and just hating on Android simply because you prefer iOS. Not everyone needs Widgets, so not everyone really cares if it improves on them. Not everyone really needs categories for apps. I prefer my app drawer to just be completely alphabetical since that's what I'm used to. Everything you have said about iOS has brought me nowhere closer to wanting to switch to an iPhone. iOS doesn't offer any advantages to me over Android. Go on and suck Apple's **** already, you're not needed here anymore. Everyone knows entirely that you're am iSheep, and you're not helping people switch over to Apple at all.
  • Many of us are not ok with the limitations.
  • What you see as limitations I see as lease clutter, less complications and gimmicks and getting an and enjoying my phone. There's an emotional connection with Apple that you can't get with Android, I tried I really have, I've given 2 and a half years to using Android but I've come to the conclusion and my sibling who knows me best has said that the iPhone is a better fit for me as well as a few others on here and I agree.
  • Do you sit on this page all day? Does this mean that soon to be iPhone users are just giant losers?
  • Nah that the Android gammon that are the losers, at least the ones on here that slate Apple using the same tired old tropes.
  • I fully agree with Joe, iOS 14 is exactly a better version of Android that Google will ever make, that is more polished and the widgets are more functional along with the already better app quality and optimization, so to all those that criticise this article, do you think Joe gives a **** about what you think? You Android snobs are making my decision easier to go back to iPhone, and I can't wait. Android has become a bit mess of fragmentation and stagnation. Tim Cook and the rest of the team at Cupertino has done great while Google and the rest of Android has floundered in the last 2 years, especially Google. And that is not even mentioning the far superior accessibility features that have been improved further with iOS 14 with a feature for those that are hard of hearing that elerts them to different sounds like a smoke alarm and sign language for facetime and more. Apple is the platform for people like myself with disabilities which Android and it's OEMs overlook.
  • Yeah I got hearing loss and I like how apple implemented that in the settings, a nice convenience.
  • I love how your vocab consists of Android snobs. Very convincing my friend. You care too much about other people whom you've never seen and will likely never interact with again. I'm just posting cause I'm killing time and literally see another of your comments every scroll i take.
  • I agree mostly but I think android probably needs to focus on more functionality with the pen. But widgets on IOS just seem better and better thought out. Android is kinda a mess.
  • Exactly and that is why I'm switching back to iPhone because I feel iPhone with its accessibility options are a better fit for me as a visually impaired person, Android still doesn't even have a built in magnifier option and making the font largest on Android results in text being cropped out which isn't the case on iOS because Apple actually things about things like scailing the text properly so it can fit on to the screen when text is made larger.
  • I'm sitting here with one of my iPhones and one of my Androids on the desk.
    iOS 13.5.1 has 20 options for accessibility, Android 9.0 has 22.
  • iOS has a magnifier option built in while Android doesn't, you have to download a separate app for that and Android doesn't really have anything much for those of hearing and remember Android's accessibility features are mostly half baked and experimental. Android may have slightly more accessibility features but Apple has the better quality as Apple has more users with disabilities than Android does.
  • Did Oneplus short you? All those options were on my phone out of the box.
  • Maybe but there's one accessability feature that is definitely not there in Android and that's the inverted colours option which I used but to be fair, dark mode makes that redundant mow but there's definitely one accessability feature that isn't available on Android, that I used on iOS and that's the a special button that's like a dark shade of grey which helped me to see when I'm pressing the back button which isn't available on Android at all.
  • Man, recently I've been getting more and more annoyed with american Android blogs (specifically Central, Authority, Police). 9 out of 10 articles are now some variation of "Android/Google bad", "Apple good" or both. I'm not saying Google and Android don't have problems or things to improve, of course they do, but the message in all these articles always seems to be "Google sucks and Android is doomed". Also, I hate it when some bloggers write that iOS has "higher-quality apps", like that is an unquestionable fact and don't give a single concrete example. It usually comes down to one or two apps that they use and prefer the iOS version for some reason. It's sad that lately I seem to find more balanced, optimistic coverage about Android and Google on more general tech sites like the Verge, than I do on blogs where the central topic is Android. And before someone calls me an Android/Goole fanboy, please know that I use both Android and iOS products everyday and I'm actually looking forward to testing out iOS 14 when the public beta comes out.
  • I think some people here at AC have issues with the OS and they're tired of trying to sugarcoat it and seem to be more honest with how they feel about it. I can say for certain Jerry is pretty outspoken and he's usually correct on what he says but I feel even the hardcore android guys are getting kinda tired of the mediocrity and seem to want something else. I think the app development is a problem, the tablet flops also as well. I love android but having IOS I don't think I can go back until I feel better about the OS going forward, I want to see faceID ala Apple on Android and I want to see better haptic feedback in typing and just a better keyboard experience. I kinda prefer android smaller app sizes since they take up less space and prefer the SD and higher quality screens on android it's just the mediocre user experience that's my main issue. I can't tell people how much better I type on this 700 dollar 11 than all my android phones combined. FaceID is a godsend, no fingerprint nonsense and a flat-screen is too. I prefer android phones look wise as I feel it's a bit more masculine than iPhone but the user-experience has to be improved. When I had an android I didn't have many widgets but the ones I used were decent, can't complain.
  • Like i said above, I use both Android and iOS. In terms of phones I specifically use a Pixel 4 XL and a iPhone XS Max, and I wouldn't the experience on the Pixel "mediocre" in any way. Is it different than the iPhone? Sure, though it's getting progressively closer with each OS update, and I only see Android 11 and iOS 14 bringing them even closer. Keyboard, haptics, face unlock, etc are all top notch on the Pixel. Of course my experience on the Pixel might differ than the one another OEM offers, but that's the problem of comparing a more locked down OS, meant to run on a few phones and one that runs many different hardware configurations. Your mileage may vary acording to your device. And why it's just baffling to see a title saying "With iOS 14, Apple made a better version of Android than Google ever will".
  • Awww did the authors of Android Central upset you by telling the truth that Android isn't all unicorns and rainbows? Good because everything they've wrote is true, iOS has better quality apps and this is apparent when you use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
  • Seriously?! I've seen you flip-flop between Android and iOS over the years and everytime you do the OS you switched from is always garbage... unitil you return to it a few years later. I never claimed that Android is all "all unicorns and rainbows", but neither is iOS. And neither of them are absolute crap either. I am not a fanboy. Also, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram... That's your benchmark for quality!?
  • I'm not going to be flip flopping between the 3 platforms anymore, i feel that iOS is a better fit for me and Android is far too technical for me a
    along with being a hot mess.
  • This is not how you write an article and that headline...wow. It's like purposely trying to incite some readers. I love what the new iOS14 will offer and I'm tempted to buy an iPhone myself by end of the year but unless you can predict the future stating Apple made a better version of Android than Google ever will is a bit jumping the gun. I couldn't finish reading this article and I was going to the next one and it reads "Rear fingerprint sensors suck and I'm glad they're going extinct"....Geez...are the writers in high school? I've always loved this site but I think I'll be getting my android news elsewhere going forwards.
  • I want to see more articles like this, because the Android fanboys need putting in their place. iOS 14 is showing that Apple is evolving while Android has stood still.
  • Richard? Is that you?
  • Biggest clickbait ive ever seen
  • Is it just me, or does "beno" seem like the Richard Yarrell of iOS? 😂
  • Haha I miss so much yarrell he was a blast to read 😂
  • Was he the dude always banging on about his device being "the gold standard"?
  • It's about time.
    It's still not enough personalisation for me to switch
  • Good, stay with the hot mess that is Android, I don't care for customisation, never have and never will, i just want my phone to work as intended out of the box and with iPhones the user experience is better, the app quality is better, typing on am iPhone is better I only care about arranging my apps and changing my wallpaper and maybe my ringtone but that's about it, iOS 13 would have already been enough for me to switch back but iOS 14 is the icing on the cake.
  • This is a borderline troll article. I mean to the point where, if I were to post the same words in the comments, I wonder if I would be violating the TOS. :P It's possible to praise iOS 14 without resorting to bottom-feeding clickbait. While I now find iOS compelling for once, I'm not sure how much praise is in order for a company that is making its first substantive UI change since 2007. They'd bloody well better have an app drawer and widgets in 2020! And yet, EVERY time I get interested in iOS, I find out about something that it does (or doesn't do) that would just infuriate me as someone who appreciates the freedom of Android. This time was no different, but it's nice that for once Apple is at least *trying* to appeal to users like me.
  • No they don't have to have an app drawer and widgets in 2020 who the hell are you to demand anything from Apple, Android fanboy? Apple is now doing Android better than Android.
  • Ha ha you want. Last time I looked iOS was still locked down, you could only use iOS on hardware Apple says you can. No thank you Apple.
  • The article itself was largely okay, but man what a click-baity title.
  • It will be fun, and I look forward to iOS 14... on SOME of my iPhones. On the iPhone 11 and XS, it will be fine. My 6S Plus struggles as it is and my iPhone 7 is barely ok under the current load. I don' really want to burden them more. Then I wonder how many versions will we get before most of the bugs are worked out? iOS 14.6.2.9.12b? The App Library will be one of the most welcome things for me. iPhone users have been forced to do without, until now, but is it really better?
    First problem with the Apple App Library? You have little control over the folders and you cannot arrange them.
    Second problem is that you have to hunt through the folders to find your apps.
    Third problem is it's harder to get to: You have to flip through all your home screens to get to it, or use a widget which displaces a primary app on the bar. In Android, you have full control to go alphabetical, most recent first, or completely custom. There's no hunting through folders that you did not create and that you cannot organize. And of course, the Android app drawer is instantly accessible with one swipe or a tap. But, I'm willing to cut Apple some slack as a beginner in the app drawer experience. Rounded widgets? Got tons of them and had them for years. Not sure I'll use any on my iPhones, but I think it's cute that people who said "I don't use widgets and don't care" will now change their tone. Smart Stack widget? Aka app roulette. When other OEM's had this feature, it was dismissed as a gimmick. Apple users get it and are dancing in the streets. So, did Apple add new functionality? You Bet! Did they make life easier for iPhone users? In some ways. Is it better? Depends.
  • I don't care about having full control over the App Library and neither will most iPhone users, all I care about is that iPhone and iOS making my life easier and I think iOS has achieved that and is a real step forward. And about that smart stack widget? It's better than anything on the Android side. Before Apple introduced widgets I'd never had any interest in widgets before.
  • Not until Apple fixes notifications, they're still a mess
  • Notifications on IOS are worse than ever since they introduced the iPhone X and seperate pull down tabs. Way too many notifications end up lost in tbe Notification Centre only to be found there hours too late. It's a shambles
  • I thought I was reading Android Central???? Are you trying to get me to move over to the Dark Side?
  • What one person believes to be good design may not be good design to someone else. To assume that Google somehow cannot or will not make a better Android is in no way provable (it's purely the author's opinion). Android will survive just fine. Besides, we need competition like this. For years we've witnessed Intel (since Skylake) put out ho-hum processor upgrades while continuing to charge a premium and now that the AMD Ryzen line of processors are all the rage, Intel is beginning to figure out how to take that next big jump. It's a big reason Apple as decided to leave Intel's silicon behind. Intel missed out on mobile processors and now ARM-based solutions are not only catching up in terms of performance, but are exceeding the antiquated X86 platform in performance and at a much lower price point. The same will be true here. Apple wants more converts (as the author implied) and to do that you have to give those Android users who've been on the fence something they'd be willing to go to iOS for. Google (if it's important to them) will make note of this and either innovate to attract and/or keep more Android followers or not. I'll be staying with Android. Go with what works for you.
  • I would love to eventually move to iOS, but the following has to happen;
    1) ability to change the icon's shape and size on the home screen and app drawer. 2) I like the app drawer but I usually have between 4 to 6 home screen pages. This means I have to swipe 4 to 6 times to get to the app drawer on iOS as opposed to just swiping up on Android. 3)Widgets coming in all shapes and sizes isn't necessarily a bad thing. What if I want a circular widget on one of my home screens, how do I get that on IOS?
    On Android, It gives people more options to match their needs.
    Plus, the widgets has to be resizable enough as it is on Android. 4) quick setting tiles is very important to me 5) finally, but the least of my worries, is support for third party launchers. If Apple can get on board with the first four, I would most likely make the switch. I hope they do so within 4 years from now.
  • No thanks I'm happy with the changes in iOS 14 I don't want iOS to go full on Android I want iOS to keep it's identity but I'm happy for Apple to add some more features from Android and make better versions of those Android features.
  • This site has really gone downhill since Phil left...
  • I was a longtime Android user from the days of the OG Droid. When the pixel4 XL was released and was basically a battery disaster I decided to give iOS a try. After some aches and pains I won't be going back anytime soon. I missed widgets and this upcoming update may make the switch permanent. It's a shame Google could not capitalize on the great things Android offers. Maybe it was the demise of the android tablet. I still use google services like gmail and calendar but that is quickly changing as I get used to how Apple does things. 90% of the time they do it better. For a decade I laughed at the fanbois and their lack of customization. Little did I know how much better the other side was.
  • Getting more and more convinced every day that this website was bought by Apple. I don't care which one is better and I don't care about none of Apple's fans who scroll through the comment section just to say "the author is right". The very reason why android central exists is to give Android news. Since it doesn't do that anymore (in any proportionate rate compared to op-ed (especially apple-defending and apple-is-better-than-android op-ed) and compared to news articles about Apple/IOS altogether) I can't see myself following this website anymore. I already follow CNET, The Verge, and so on, which all have these takes and it's alright, this is their purpose, but it is not the purpose to any website with Android in its name (unless it's named androidsucks of course). This platform should go back to 100% Android related content or change its name, simple as that.
  • Good for you, for me Android central had become boring until they started talking about Apple more and I'm more interested in them talking about Apple than Android because Android is becoming boring band and stale and that is Google's fault and one of a few reasons why I'm going back to iPhone besides the poorer quality of apps, inconsistent user experience (yeah I know that's one of the strengths of Android) the fragmentation and the poor updates and along with Apple just being more interesting now and while I'm not leaving Android entirely yet, I will dump Android sooner rather than later.
  • If you had said, "With IOS 14, Apple has integrated ideas from Android better than Google has." I might have agreed. The point where that statement runs aground is that IOS will never have some of the aspects of Android and those aspects are vital. Apple's philosophy of the walled garden and selling hardware in order to hook you into an infrastructure make it undesirable for me no matter how good it gets at widgets and such. Apple will never allow an open file structure. They will never allow enough control over your device that you can change the application loader as in Android. They've already succeeded in making a nice tightly integrated OS and hardware platform. You're right that Android probably never will achieve that particular end. But frankly, I don't want them to. I want the kind of innovations that allow things like the Galaxy Fold to exist. I want the kind of diversity of options that allows so many different styles of Android to exist. In that sense you could say just the opposite of the headline. "In iOS 14, Apple shows that it can add features, but won't ever have the degrees of freedom that Google built into Android from the beginning."
  • And your comment sums up why I want to go back to iPhone, I want a walled garden, I want a tightly integrated OS that works in harmony with the hardware to get the best possible performance and I don't care about so called innovations like the niche Galaxy Fold, I'm tired of Android's short comings, poorer app quality, fragmentation and slow updates along with poor software support. I have tried to fit in with the Android community but I'm just not as tech savvy or as nerdy as you guys so I need a platform that caters to my needs and the iPhone is that device as I don't care about controling every aspect of my phone.
  • I ran out of popcorn
  • Just call your site smartphone central 🤷🏾‍♂️ Because y'all talk about Android like she's a dud. And every post I read y'all pretty much hold Apple up to the highest standard ever created. Y'all treat Apple like that company already had these revolutionary new features. Guess what they didn't. So a company catches up to what has already been done and it's immediately the better version of Android 😂 pathetic
  • Y'all act like you don't care about Apple but it's articles like this that get the most comments and clicks and it's making Android Central a better place for it and in case the Android fanbois forget, this still is an Android centric site (boo) and the more you moan and complaint authors about talking about Apple's superior implementations of features Android has had for years then the more I'm happy that I'm going back to iPhone, the platform I should never have left more than 2 and a half years ago. IMore is way more interesting than Android Central, they don't whine and complain if Android phones are more and more like you Android crybabies.
  • Hardware and software being at par, Apple can't beat the Android offerings on price. Apple is overpriced, overhyped.
  • Let me know how your customer service experience is when you have a defective pixel/Samsung/whoever phone after 8 months. Then you’ll see why people pay an Apple premium.
  • I have a Pixel 4 XL. They Tried to get it fixed at a certified Shop nearby. Couldn't, sent me out another the same day.. Pretty sure customer service was spot on.. Anything else?
  • Apple may not be able to beat Android on price but Apple doesn't need to because the iPhone is better, it has better build quality than Android phones, the user experience is better with a better quality of apps along with a better App Store that's policed properly so no malware gets through unlike the Play Store, which the app selection is rubbish and you're more likely to get an app full of malware due to the open source nature of Android. Oh and let's not forget about the poor update, poor software support along with the fragmentation which make Android look second rate against the iPhone and iOS. I used to think that the iPhone was overpriced but it is not, that would be Android flagships that are overpriced, especially with the Android short comings along with poor software support and poor updates which Android OEMs can't justify their prices like Apple can and with iOS 14, Apple just made a better version of Android and with Apple's advantage of controling the software and making the hardware I can see Apple eating into Android's market share especially as iPhones are getting cheaper now.
  • In the U.S. at least, Android vendors have work to do to convey the value prop of Android when stacked against the Apple ecosystem. Price previously was much more of a factor, but with devices like the iPhone XR/11 and iPhone SE, that gap has tightened. Sure, you won't get as much HW bang for your buck with these iPhones, but you'll gain entry into the Apple ecosystem and, perhaps most importantly, iMessage, which is prevalent in the U.S. Even HW is a toss up given Apple's silicon and typically pack-leading cameras.
  • The UK is the same, Apple is really popular here in the UK with Samsung a distant second and Huawei 3rd but a distant 3rd as well.
  • Just rename this site to "Apple Central" and be done with it. The Best part of using Android and a Pixel 4 XL is that neither are made by, or have anything to do with Apple.
  • The best part of using iPhone is that it's not Android with all its short comings, poorer app quality, fragmentation, poor updates more complicated to use, Apple's tight control and optimization along with integration and far superior ecosystem and software support oh and Apple doesn't need carriers to update their phones either. You Android fanboys are the tech equivalent of Nazis.
  • What is going on with AC?
  • After Phil Nickinson left the site went to ****.
  • That headline alone, is why I just removed this page from any of my news apps. How idiotic do people have to be with headlines. Lost interest in the article. Last time I'll visit Android Central, and removed my sub to their YouTube channel... Cheers..
  • Do you really expect any reputable tech website to gloss over the very important fact that you need to spend approximately 1000 dollars to benefit from more than two system updates?
  • You don't need to do that with Apple, the iPhone 11 and SE are their cheapest iPhones or you can use an iPhone from 3 years ago like the iPhone 8 Plus which will still be supported for years to come long after Apple discontinues it.
  • The implications in the title of the article must terrifiy Android fanboys (and the thought that an Android Central writer would have the unmitigated temerity to post such a title on home turf) .
    The idea that IOS 14 will virtually strike the death blow to the "customization/personalization" argument that Android heads have clung to for so long as a significant argument for why they prefer Android, is going to keep them up nights.
    Hence, the savage gnashing of teeth in the comments.
    The natives are absolutely restless as they contemplate the consequences.
  • Although obviously there is an aesthetic impact, the new iOS changes aren't really about UI customization. They improve utility by providing some information front-and-center without launching an app. Apple, at least historically, can tend to obsess over aesthetic details like icon graphics, animations, etc.--it's hard to see the company ever providing the level of UI customization available in Android. If there's a theme store like Samsung's, users might toggle on a new theme, but that's it. They're not going to manually swap icon packs or download new launchers. Just as most folks don't buy a car with the intent of replacing everything the manufacturer put in it, most phone buyers have no interest in customization beyond wallpaper and app icon arrangement. Sure, a few folks will do more, and they are called enthusiasts. But it's simply not a buying criterion for the majority of users and is not the compelling value prop for Android that users on this site tend to think it is.
  • You sir win best comment. The Android fanboys are blowing their minds over this article because the headline of this article is speaking the truth that Apple is doing Android better Google and it's OEM partners.
  • I'm still laughing that, iOS getting three features that Android had for years, and it's such a big deal.
    Son: "Look mom! Jimmy can tie his shoes at last!"
    Mom: "Well, he IS in high school..." Wake me up when they can actually multitask, or be honest about battery percentage, or get an update right, or finally play high quality music, handle high end headphones, play games without getting hot or having gestures screw you up, let you watch a movie without a stupid notch... The list goes on, but I'm bored, just like I'm bored with my iPhone collection. You guys are bored too, which is why you are so pumped up over little things like this. I think I'll go listen to some music, but don't hate me for not using an iPhone: I have no choice because all my iPhones are too weak to drive my headphones.
  • As an iPhone user yourself you should be happy that iOS is getting features that a lot of iOS users have been wanting for years, multitasking is not a big deal and the features coming to iOS 14 represents a big leap forward for iOS so you shouldn't be sneering at this iOS features just because they came from Android, after all Apple will improve these features as they always do and their implementations will be so much better and easier than their Android counterparts.
  • Oh, I'm definitely happy, and I've already checked for updates four times since yesterday, hoping I get it early. The Widgets should be interesting, and it's easier to get a consistent look when you start from scratch. I've seen a deep dive into the App Library, and it's a bit messy. If you could run the App Library on any phone, I'd still pick the Android App Drawer because I like it better. Anyway, there's specific reasons I use the U12 Plus as a daily driver, and that's over all my phones, not just Apple. It just fits my use better. For example: 1. I need a video camera that can hold onto colors when the lighting is not ideal. It's not an issue for my personal use, but when you get called to film segments in a 90 year old movie theater with no windows, and they are paying you for broadcast quality footage, the U12 nails it. I wanted to do it with my iPhone. It would have been easier for them since the media producer is an iPhone guy. But, we did the lighting tests, and the U12 came out on top, even compared to their own Panasonic and Canon video cameras. Even the producer sent me a text afterwards (I still have that text) and said he loved the U12's color capabilities. Now when I can't make it, they use Adobe Premier during editing to try and match the color standard set by the U12. 2. I need to drag and drop huge video files to my desktop. I can drag and drop large files from my Note, but not my iPhone. It works sometimes, occasionally, but I don't want to tell the editor that my files will be three hours late because I have to wait for my iPhone to upload them to the cloud before I can pull them back down or send a link. And by the way, iPhone's won't upload files like that to iCloud unless the phone is plugged into a charger. 3. Video stabilization. Yes, iPhone video stabilization is great, and there was a time when I, like many people, assumed it was untouchable. Shockingly, HTC's is even better. I didn't believe it myself until I bought a dual holder, made a measurement device, and tested them. Turns out that DxoMark has recognized HTC stabilization as better than iPhone, and not just once. Who knew? 4. Manual controls and good automatic mode for still photography. There's a lot of situations you just need to take control, and Apple does not let you do that. Even 3rd party apps are restricted to limited control ranges. Samsung does give you control, at least on recent devices, but fails me in auto mode when I need to take a quick shot. Even if Samsung has AI that recognizes "Oh, that's a kid!", it ignores the fact that they are running. Whip out the old U12 and "Oh, fast moving kids! Shutter speed 1/1621 of a second!". Bam. Pictures of kids running with both feet in the air and hair flying, all frozen in time with no blur, and you can even count the bricks in the school wall in the distance. Our daughter tried to take pictures of flowers on a windy day with her new LG, and every shot was a motion blur fail. I took twenty shots with the U12, and every shot came out good. She looked and mine and frowned, then said "I need a better camera!". 5. Audio. No need to go deep here. I'm a studio and concert engineer. I don't criticize people for their equipment choices, but for myself, I have to stay acclimated to what sounds good for professional reasons. Samsung and Apple don't deliver in that department. LG does, but their phones don't fit my use in other ways. My current choice is a win/win: Fantastic USonic earbuds that sound remarkably close to what you hear in a real studio control room, and for wired my headphones, the DAC in the HTC 3.5 adapter is Hi-Res Audio certified and handles them all with ease at up to 32-bit/384 kHz, including the high impedance headphones that my iPhones can't quite handle. I tried them on my Samsung, and it did not go well. So as you see, none of this has anything to do with iOS 14, which is exactly my point: iOS 14 won't change the reasons I use an Android.
  • I get it you so professional photography but I still find it hard to believe that while HTC does have good camera, I just can not see how they're better than an iPhone, but I'll take your word for it but it still won't make me use an HTC phone though, I'm not a professional photographer and I've never been interested in using manual mode for my photos which my OnePlus 7T has but I've always been a point and shoot guy and have always preferred to let the phone take control and that's what l loved about the Pixels as well as the iPhone, I didn't have to worry about stuff like a manual mode because I'm not concerned with stuff like that, all I want to do is point and click, and most iPhone users are the same. And on iOS 14, I'm looking forward to it, let's not worry about all the features of iOS 14 being taken from Android, let's focus on the fact that iOS 14 represents real change for iOS and I can't wait to use it when I get my iPhone 11 is 5 weeks now along with an iPad shortly after that and hopefully an Apple Watch before the end of the year. I'd love to be able to get a Mac one day but they're sure are pricey.
  • The majority of my shots are point and shoot as well, but there are those times... lol.
    Most of my photos for work are architectural or technical, and some are spherical 360 photographs that require a special lens and camera mount for my Nikon. It's a pretty cool setup that lets the whole camera pivot around the lens. I modified it myself and I think you'd like it.
    You might have missed it (and there's nothing wrong with that), but several websites including Android Central said the U12 camera was as good as the Pixel 2, and that was before HTC made improvements. They also added an "Auto Zoom" feature that lets you finally zoom smoothly, but I still think the iPhone video zoom control is better.
    Now if you didn't live so far away, I could show you photos and video in person, but things are not so good in the US right now, so where you live is better. You're getting an iPhone AND an iPad? Now I'm jealous! We have an iPad, but it's so old that I think it's the original one. Those Macs are crazy expensive. A guy gave my wife one as a gift, but it's a couple years old and is pretty slow.
  • what iphone you talking about? to transfer big files from iphone you can use mtp protocol which shipped with all windows and mac, or you can transfer files wirelessly with free apps from appstore.