Four features the iPhone should steal from Google's Pixel 9

Apple's iPhone 16 and Google's Pixel 9 were released within weeks of each other earlier this year. If you compare the main features, you might suspect that the companies were working under the same model: both chose to focus heavily on developing support for their internal AI platforms. However, dig into the details and you can see how differently Apple and Google approached their task.

Apple Intelligence, for example, is above all there to facilitate daily work: summarizing letters, running contextual queries. When you create something new, Apple makes sure it's clear from the start that the work is not created by human hands, but by an algorithm. It's no coincidence that Image Playground primarily adopts a cartoon aesthetic. Google, on the other hand, offers AI features on the Pixel 9 that can go deep into photo editing and create realistic images.

This is a difference in philosophy, and it is difficult to point to one or the other approach as objectively better. But there are specific areas where we think Google has made smarter decisions, and the iPhone could benefit from the Pixel 9's lead.

1. Get a Serious Power Saving Mode

The Pixel 9 claims a battery life of more than 24 hours. That sounds impressive, but the devil is in the fine print: This figure is based on the use of Extreme Battery Saver mode, which disables many features, pauses most apps, and slows down processing to save time between applications. loads. If Apple offered something similar, it would be able to edge out the Pixel in one of the few areas where Android phones can actually do better.

Apple doesn't even need to take inspiration from its Android competitors; just look at the Apple Watch. Since the launch of watchOS 10, Low Power Mode has allowed owners to get an extra half day of use from their Apple Watches. Although there is a similar mode on iOS, it is nowhere near as effective because it is not that extreme.

In the watch's power saving mode, only the most essential functions remain active, while others are mercilessly suppressed. The iPhone should follow Google's lead and offer a Super Low Power mode in addition to the existing option.

2. Let the photographer join a group photo

When you're taking a group photo at a special event, it's often unfortunately necessary that the person who's best at taking photos – or who has the best camera – gets left out. But Google has found a clever solution to this problem. If you have a Pixel 9, you can take two group photos, using a different photographer each time, then ask the AI ​​to merge the two so that everyone involved is captured in a single click.

For the philosophical reasons discussed above, Apple probably won't do this: it's “wrong”, after all. But it's nonetheless a nice and useful feature that's worth considering for a future Apple Intelligence update.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

3. Use AI to get the best group photo

In any circle of friends, there is bound to be a person with the uncanny ability to notice when the photo is taken and close their eyes at exactly that moment. Then, when everyone gets up to leave, she smiles graciously at the camera.

With this scenario in mind, Google came up with Best Shot for the Pixel 9. This smart feature picks and chooses from a series of photos to compose the best group photo possible, such as pasting a person's face into place. 'one photo to another so that no group photos are taken. we have our eyes closed. Wouldn't it be nice to have this option on the iPhone?

4. Help visually impaired people take better selfies

Apple is a pioneer in the accessibility space, but the company can still learn from its competitors.

The Google Pixel 9 has a cool feature called Guided Frame that lets visually impaired users know exactly how to align the front camera to get the perfect selfie, even if they can't see much of the screen. Instructions are given by other means, either through haptic feedback or voice instructions. Clever lateral thinking that delivers real advantage.