6 features that have been on Android for years but are new to iOS 18

Apple announced iOS 18, the latest software upgrade for iPhone, at WWDC 2024. Many users feel that the newly introduced iOS features are becoming more and more like Android.

The last few iOS releases seem to acknowledge that Android's approach to putting the user in control is the right one. Most of these included the implementation of a home page, widgets and an app library. Next on the list is moving apps around your home screen.
 

1. Place apps anywhere on the home screen

Once you get iOS 18, you'll be able to move an app icon wherever you want. We can say that Apple waited for iOS 18 to let you put everything you want where you want and to realize that Android was right.

2. iPhone home screen color design

iPhone owners can now change Apple's standard color scheme by adding a mismatched color scheme or icon pack to each app on their home screen. Customization now includes changing the color and hue of your app icons. But the most important detail about this addition is that Android has been doing this for years.

3. Locked and hidden applications

The ability to lock and hide your apps, which can be considered another Android feature, will come with iOS 18. Although some of the Android interfaces are bad, Samsung introduced a number of useful features long before Google or Apple.

Given Apple's emphasis on privacy over the last few years, it's surprising that it took so long to add this feature. When iOS 18 launches, you'll be able to lock apps that contain sensitive data and hide apps you don't want people to know you have.

4. Customise the control centre

Whenever you needed to move an icon in your Apple control centre, you had to go to the Settings app. However, with iOS 18, Apple will allow you to move icons without entering the Settings app. Apple users will be new to this feature on Android.

5. Ability to select different lock screen shortcuts

Personalisation has never been a strong point of iOS, but the ability to change elements of your user interface is now being integrated into Apple's mobile software. Starting in iOS 18, you'll be able to change the app shortcuts on your lock screen.

6. Special game mode

The game mode feature that Android phones have been using for years will be available to Apple users with iOS 18. Your iPhone will take your background activities to the second plan, allowing your game to run with as many resources as possible. While it is debated why it took so long for this feature to come to iOS, Android users think that Apple has run out of ideas.