Apples World Developer Conference 2023 kicks off on Monday and Apple is expected to unveil iOS 17, the next version of its iPhone software, was present at the event. WWDC arrives about a month later Google I/O 2023where Google unveiled its upcoming smartphone software, Android 14.
In the United States, iPhones have recently been battling for the crown far from Android as the most popular smartphone, but this comes after more than a decade of Android dominance. And Android reigns in the global market, usually by large margins. In South America, for example, Android accounts for about 88% of all smartphones and iPhones follow with about 11%, according to the IT SOS Support site.
But since Apple and Google have fought like Godzilla and King Kong for the superiority of the smartphone market, they have also apparently stolen each other’s ideas. For example, notification badges debuted on iPhones, and Androids had home screen widgets long before iPhones, as Popular Science notes.
Apparently Apple and Android have been copying features from each other for years.
That back-and-forth continued with Android 14, as Android phones apparently copied iPhones again with an updated Find My Device feature and added unknown tracker alerts. We don’t know what Apple has in store for iOS 17, but we think the company should incorporate some of Android’s new features into the software.
Here are the new Android features I think Apple should include in iOS 17.
More lock screen customization options
Personalization of the lock screen it was one of the most substantial updates to land on iPhones when iOS 16 was released in September 2022. With iOS 17, I want to see Apple give iPhone users more customization options, like Google is doing with Android 14.
Android 14 will allow users to change the size and design of the lock screen clock, as well as the font and color, and the software allows users to add shortcuts to the lock screen. Changing the lock screen clock is cool: You can already change the font and color of your iPhone’s lock screen clock, but I’d really like to see Apple add the ability to change or add shortcuts on your lock screen.
I use the flashlight shortcut regularly, but me touch back my iphone to pull up the camera, so the camera shortcut isn’t used that much. Being able to change that link to my Wallet app or a search link would be great in iOS 17.
There are only four lock screen spaces for widgets in current iOS.
It would also be nice if Apple added more widget spaces to the iPhone lock screen. With iOS 16, your iPhone has four grid spaces for widgets, and some widgets, like the Weather widget, take up two. It would be great if iOS 17 gave you at least four more grid spaces for widgets, giving you more ways to access your favorite apps.
Backgrounds generated by artificial intelligence
Android 14 will use artificial intelligence to allow users to create custom wallpapers. People will request their phone, which will use AI to generate some wallpaper options. It would be nice to see Apple roll out AI-generated wallpapers in iOS 17, but I don’t have much hope.
While other companies have begun developing their own AI tools, Apple has not made any public announcements about developing or partnering with another company to produce such tools.
“I think it’s very important to be deliberate and thoughtful in how you approach these things,” Apple CEO Tim Cook he said when asked about generative AI on the company’s earnings call.
It’s possible that Apple will introduce more AI tools and features in iOS 17, like AI-generated wallpapers, but I wouldn’t expect that. I bet Apple will integrate AI tools into features that most people already use, like Siri, before.
More emoji background customization options
Google announced at its I/O 2023 event that some Pixel phones will let you create custom wallpapers using emojis, but this isn’t unique to Android 14. Users will be able to choose up to 14 emojis, the background color, and the layout where the emojis are set. But Apple has already brought this feature to iPhones.
Emoji wallpapers are already available on iPhone.
To create a custom emoji wallpaper on your iPhone, go to Settings > Wallpaper > + Add new wallpaperand under the Emoticons section are some premade emoji backgrounds. Tap any of these and you can change which emojis are used, the layout and background color. However, you can only select up to six emojis.
It would be fun if Apple let you use more emojis and gave you more than six layout options in iOS 17 to further customize these wallpapers.
Cinema wallpaper
Also not exclusive to Android 14, some Pixel phones will allow Android users to create cinematic wallpapers. This feature will allow people to take a photo and give certain elements of the photo a depth effect. After applying the effect, you can move your Android device and the elements of the wallpaper will also move, making the wallpaper look three-dimensional.
Cinematic wallpapers on Pixel devices will give some wallpapers a three-dimensional look.
Apple introduced a similar screen lock feature in iOS 7and this feature moved to Perspective Zoom in some iOS 16 betas. However, the feature is no longer available in recent iOS 16 updates. Apple allows you to apply a depth effect to the lock screen, but this places the clock only behind certain elements of the background. Enabling it also disables lock screen widgets.
Movie wallpapers on your iPhone would be a nice touch to include in iOS 17 and make some wallpapers stand out on your home and lock screen. And if Apple doesn’t allow cinematic wallpapers in iOS 17, it would be great if the company at least allowed widgets to work on the lock screen when depth effect was turned on.
For more information on Apple’s mobile software, check out what The hopes of CNET’s Patrick Holland are included in iOS 17what your iPhone might get into iOS 16.6 and what new features you get iOS 16.5.
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