There was a time when Android and iOS were two completely different worlds, each with a completely different target audience and experience. But as both operating systems become more mature, the difference between them becomes less obvious. The latest iterations — Android 13 and iOS 16 — are now more similar than ever. Today, we’ve listed some of the latest features that actually help bridge the gap between these two beasts.
Android 13 and iOS 16: Customization
When people think of Android, they think of infinite customization across interfaces – and iOS is seen as the exact opposite. However, this has changed dramatically since iOS 14 introduced custom icons and widgets. In iOS 16, both the home screen and the lock screen can be customized. Apple has also added widget support to the lock screen, which is no longer an option on Android.
On iOS 16, users can choose from multiple widgets, customize colors, and use depth effects with wallpapers for a truly unique look. When it comes to customizing the lock screen, Apple’s iOS 16 actually beats Android here.
In Android 13, the “Material You” theme actually goes one step further, even customizing the app’s icon based on the overall system color theme. That’s not yet an option on iOS 16, but it’s safe to say that both operating systems now offer users a ton of customization.
Android 13 vs. iOS 16: Language options per app
While iOS has supported per-app language switching starting with iOS 13, Android only got it in its latest version. The feature makes apps on both operating systems more friendly to multilingual users who may prefer to access certain apps in a language different from the system default. Once set up, the feature works very similarly on both – although setting it up on either is a completely different experience.
On Android phones running Android 13 — still very limited given the fragmented ecosystem — you can do this directly from the app info page. This can be accessed via the menu that pops up when you long-press any app icon. Meanwhile, on Apple, you need to launch System Settings and search for the app in the app list. Click on it and then you will find that option. Keep in mind that not all apps on iOS and Android add support for multiple languages.
Android 13 and iOS 16: Focus Mode
The feature actually has the same name on Android and iOS, although the two are implemented slightly differently. In fact, Apple’s version recently got a major upgrade with iOS 16. For iPhone users, Focus has dedicated modes such as Do Not Disturb, Driving, Personal, Sleep or Work. You can customize these modes to ensure that only certain apps are allowed to show notifications, and that only selected people can call you. Apple’s implementation even allows you to hide certain parts of the app and show only the parts relevant to your focus.
Meanwhile, Android’s Focus Mode will gray out the icon of the selected app and “pause” it. It also ensures that their notifications are hidden. If you tap the app, it will notice that focus mode is on, but you can choose to use it for five minutes. Android 13 will also let you see a schedule for Focus Mode. So this will be turned on at a specific time each day according to your preference.
Android 13 and iOS 16: Dictation
Both operating systems have supported text-to-speech functionality for several years. But only recently has this become accurate enough that users can really consider giving up typing. The Pixel 6 series introduced a very powerful dictation feature in Android 12 last year, but Apple is catching up this year with iOS 16.
With Android 13 and iOS 16, you can now talk and type seamlessly across both platforms, and handle punctuation automatically. Another common feature is support for emoji, which you can add to your text using just your voice. The steps to start voice dictation are the same – on iOS you just tap the microphone icon in the bottom right corner of the keyboard, and on Gboard on Android it’s in the top right corner.
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