5 iPhone 14 features that Android already has for years
The newest iPhones from Apple, the 14 series and iOS 16, have just been released. The latter is now available for all iPhone models, including the ones from years ago.
The iPhone 14 Pro does offer some functions, meanwhile, that many Android devices have already had. However, Apple is utilising each feature that you will find in Android phones powered by Google in a unique way.
As was to be expected, iOS 16 introduces a slew of what Apple calls “revolutionary” and “groundbreaking” new features and upgrades for the iPhone. That may be the case for Apple’s environment, but Android, Apple’s main competitor, already has several of these functions implemented.
Latest iPhone 14 features
Here are five features exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro that were previously introduced on Android:
Always-on display
Without needing to wake the phone, users of the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will be able to view information such as the time and widgets on the device’s always-on display. However, the always-on display first appeared on Android smartphones with Samsung’s Galaxy S7 in 2016, despite Apple’s bluster about the functionality on its newest flagships. Nokia’s 6303 was the first smartphone to feature an Always-on screen, which debuted in 2008.
As of now, the always-on display feature is available on a wide variety of popular Android smartphones from manufacturers like Xiaomi and OnePlus. While always-on displays are not a novel concept, Apple’s implementation of the feature is distinct from that of its rivals and arguably superior. The iPhone’s screen would dim yet still display the lock screen wallpaper, making it appear as though it is always on. This is made possible with a new 1Hz refresh rate and other “power-efficient technologies” meant to extend the life of the battery. The always-on display will indeed drain the energy faster, but just a little.
Car Crash detection
Car crash detection was another feature featured at Apple’s Far Out event. The Apple Watch Series 8 and the iPhone 14 now have this capability. According to Apple, the function may detect a major vehicle accident using the device’s new dual-core accelerometer, barometer, and other sensors and will immediately call 911 if the wearer is unresponsive after 10 seconds. Phones starting with Google’s Pixel 3 had this functionality first. Similar to the iPhone 14, Pixel phones employ a variety of motion sensors and a microphone to detect a traffic collision and instantly dial 911 if no one is answering.
Selfie autofocus
The big upgrade on the iPhone 14 Pro isn’t just a 48-megapixel camera, but rather the addition of focusing to the front-facing selfie camera. Although it’s great that the iPhone 14 has a selfie autofocus camera, Cupertino isn’t the first firm to do so.
Smartphones running Google’s Android operating system have had this capability for quite some time. For a long time, Samsung has equipped their smartphones with autofocus cameras perfect for taking selfies. For instance, the most recent Galaxy S22 includes an autofocus front-facing camera. As of the Pixel 3 XL (2018), Google had included front-facing selfie autofocus, but this feature has been removed from subsequent models. Even top-selling smartphones like the OnePlus and the Mi lack selfie autofocus cameras.
Fitness App
Apple Fitness+ is now available for iPhone 14 owners. The health and fitness app previously available on Apple Watches is now completely integrated with iOS16 and available to all iPhone users. Google’s health and fitness app has always been accessible, regardless of whether or not the user owns a Google Watch. The Pixel phones come standard with a fitness tracking app that can keep tabs on things like exercise time, calorie intake, and more.
Video stabilization
Smartphones have been plagued by a persistent issue: shaky videos. Phone manufacturers have improved their ability to stabilise video over time, but they still have a long way to go before competing with action cameras like the GoPro. Phones like the Google Pixel 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S20 of 2020 have had Active Stability and Super Steady modes that allow users to record smooth, GoPro-quality footage in motion thanks to improvements in stabilisation technologies and post-processing.
Apple’s new Action Mode, available on all iPhone 14 models, should produce some exciting footage when used while running. Like many other stabilisation techniques, it appears that this setting will “punch in” the image for a more tightly cropped composition. In either case, Apple is lagging behind the competition.
