The gloves are off, and the long-standing rivalry between tech titans Google and Apple has intensified with Google’s latest advertising offensive. In a direct and pointed campaign, Google alleges that Apple’s recently unveiled iOS 26, powered by its new Apple Intelligence, has incorporated three significant features that have been staples of Android, particularly on Pixel devices, for years. This bold claim, delivered through Google’s “Best Phones Forever” ad series, has ignited fresh debate across the technology landscape, forcing a closer look at the constant evolution and occasional convergence of features within the mobile operating system arena.
Key Takeaways:
- Google’s new “#BestPhonesForever” ad campaign directly accuses Apple’s iOS 26 of adopting three features pioneered on Android devices.
- The three features highlighted are Live Translate, Hold Assist, and Call Screening.
- Google claims these features have been available on Pixel phones for years, predating their introduction in iOS 26.
- Live Translate debuted on Pixel 6 in 2021, Hold for Me (now Hold Assist) on Pixel 3 in 2020, and Call Screening on Pixel 3 in 2018.
- Apple introduced these features as part of its Apple Intelligence suite with iOS 26, emphasizing on-device processing and privacy.
- The tech community is abuzz with discussion, noting a long history of feature adoption between the two mobile OS giants.
Google’s campaign centers on a fictional podcast conversation between an iPhone and a Google Pixel 9 Pro. The iPhone excitedly announces its “new” capabilities, only for the Pixel to humorously interject, pointing out that these very features have been available on Android for a considerable time. The three features specifically called out are Live Translate, Hold Assist (Apple’s version of Android’s “Hold for Me”), and Call Screening.
A Deeper Look at the “Copied” Features
Let’s break down each of the features at the heart of Google’s contention:
- Live Translate
Apple announced that iOS 26 would bring Live Translation to Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, enabling real-time translation of conversations. This is presented as a major step forward for cross-language communication on iPhones.
However, Google is quick to highlight that Live Translate made its debut on the Google Pixel 6 in 2021. This feature allows for automatic translation of text messages and phone calls, offering a seamless experience for users interacting in different languages. The Pixel’s implementation has been praised for its on-device processing capabilities, minimizing reliance on cloud services for privacy and speed. Google’s narrative suggests Apple has taken at least four years to bring a comparable feature to its ecosystem.
- Hold Assist (Google’s “Hold for Me”)
One of the pain points of modern communication is being put on hold, often for extended periods. Apple’s Hold Assist, introduced with iOS 26, aims to alleviate this by letting the iPhone wait on hold for the user and alerting them when a live agent becomes available. This frees up the user to focus on other tasks instead of passively listening to hold music.
Google’s Pixel devices have had this functionality since 2020, with the “Hold for Me” feature first appearing on the Pixel 3 and later models. “Hold for Me” utilizes Google’s Duplex AI technology to listen to hold music and identify when a human voice takes over the call, notifying the user to take action. Google’s ad emphasizes this almost five-year head start, presenting Apple’s “new” feature as a late arrival to the party.
- Call Screening
The pervasive issue of spam calls and unwanted interruptions is something both operating systems have sought to address. With iOS 26, Apple introduced Call Screening, which automatically answers unknown callers, prompts them to state their name and reason for calling, and then provides a live transcript to the user, allowing them to decide whether to pick up the call or let it go to voicemail. This aims to significantly reduce unwanted calls and provide users with more control.
Google points out that Call Screening has been a cornerstone feature of Pixel phones since 2018, launching with the Pixel 3. Pixel’s Call Screening similarly uses AI to interact with unknown callers, filtering out spam and providing transcriptions in real-time. This nearly seven-year lead gives Google a strong argument in its claim of Apple’s feature adoption.
The History of Feature Exchange: A Tech Tradition?
While Google’s current ad campaign is direct, the concept of mobile operating systems borrowing features from each other is hardly new. The tech industry has a long history of competitive development where successful features on one platform often inspire similar implementations on others.
For instance, Android adopted home screen widgets, a customizable app launcher, and even quick settings toggles long before iOS introduced comparable functionalities. Conversely, Apple’s iOS pioneered intuitive gesture navigation and a robust, integrated ecosystem, which Android has, over time, also sought to emulate and expand upon. Even features like Live Voicemail in iOS 17, which transcribes incoming voicemails in real-time, drew comparisons to Google’s similar offerings.
The debate often boils down to implementation and refinement. While one company might introduce a feature first, the other might refine it, integrate it more deeply into their ecosystem, or present it with a user experience that resonates more broadly. Apple, with its tight hardware-software integration, often focuses on delivering a polished and intuitive experience, even if it means waiting for a feature to mature elsewhere. Google, on the other hand, often prioritizes rapid innovation and a broader range of experimental features, leveraging its AI and cloud capabilities.
Apple Intelligence: A Key Differentiator?
Apple’s announcement of iOS 26 was heavily tied to “Apple Intelligence,” its new personal intelligence system. The company emphasized that many of these AI-powered features, including Live Translate and Call Screening, are designed to run on-device, prioritizing user privacy and data security. This focus on on-device processing and a “private cloud compute” model is a key differentiator Apple is pushing, suggesting a different approach to how these features are powered and how user data is handled.
Google’s Pixel phones have also increasingly emphasized on-device AI for features like Call Screening and Live Translate, leveraging their custom Tensor chips. However, Google’s broader ecosystem also heavily relies on cloud-based AI for many of its services. This nuanced difference in underlying architecture and privacy philosophy is a significant aspect of the ongoing rivalry.
Public Reaction and the Future of Mobile Innovation
The tech community’s reaction to Google’s ad has been mixed. Some users on platforms like Reddit and Quora echo Google’s sentiment, pointing out the perceived delays in Apple’s adoption of certain features. Others argue that healthy competition drives innovation, and feature parity ultimately benefits consumers. There’s also the perspective that “copying” is a strong word, and that similar ideas often emerge independently or are adapted to fit a specific platform’s design philosophy.
This ongoing “feature rivalry” serves as a constant push for both companies to innovate and improve their offerings. As AI becomes increasingly central to smartphone functionality, the race to deliver smart, intuitive, and privacy-respecting features will only intensify. Whether it’s “copying” or “inspiration,” one thing is clear: users are the ultimate beneficiaries of this relentless competition, as both Android and iOS continue to evolve with increasingly sophisticated and helpful capabilities. The public will be watching closely to see what new “coincidences” emerge in future operating system updates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What are the three Android features Google claims iOS 26 copied?
A1: Google claims iOS 26 copied Live Translate, Hold Assist (Apple’s version of Google’s “Hold for Me”), and Call Screening.
Q2: When were these features available on Android devices?
A2: Live Translate debuted on the Google Pixel 6 in 2021, “Hold for Me” (now Hold Assist) on the Pixel 3 in 2020, and Call Screening on the Pixel 3 in 2018.
Q3: What is “Apple Intelligence” and how does it relate to these features?
A3: Apple Intelligence is Apple’s new personal intelligence system that powers many of the advanced features in iOS 26, including those Google claims were copied. Apple emphasizes that many of these AI-powered features are processed on-device for enhanced privacy.
Q4: Is it common for Apple and Android to have similar features?
A4: Yes, it is common for both operating systems to introduce features that are similar to or inspired by those on the competing platform. This competitive dynamic often leads to innovation that benefits users.
Q5: What is the purpose of Google’s “#BestPhonesForever” ad campaign?
A5: The “#BestPhonesForever” ad campaign is Google’s marketing effort to highlight the perceived advantages and longevity of Pixel phones, often by drawing humorous comparisons to iPhones and pointing out feature disparities.
