Google held an event for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro on Thursday. The tech giant couldn’t help but hand out some nasty pinpricks to Apple. With the iPhone 14 and iOS 16, Apple would have copied a few things from Google.
Apple imitates Google…
Apple likes to pioneer with hardware and software, but Google suggests that the company has looked a bit too much at competitor Pixel. “Pixel has always been a leader in smartphone innovation,” said Brian Rakowski, Google’s vice president of product management.
“We take it as a compliment when others in the industry follow suit, such as the Always-on screen and At a glance, where useful information is displayed directly on your lock screen.” With this, Rakowski refers without mentioning Apple to the renewed lock screen in iOS 16 and the Always-on display of the iPhone 14 Pro.
Rakowski continues. ‘Three years ago we introduced Car Crash Detection’, along with other ways to improve your safety, such as safety check and emergency sharing.’ Crash detection is also a new feature of the iPhone 14 and iOS 16 offers the option Safety Check, a way to protect your privacy. “These are groundbreaking features that were first on Pixel,” the CEO of Google concludes.
… but Google is cheating too
Rakowski forgets to say that Google is committed to the Pixel 7 also has been inspired by the iPhone. Take Cinematic Blur, a Pixel 7 feature that does the exact same thing as the Movie Mode of the iPhone 13 and newer. When filming, a depth effect is created by software, whereby the background blurs and you get a bokeh effect.
Google is also bringing macro photography to the Pixel 7 series with the “Macro Focus” mode. Apple did that more than a year earlier with the iPhone 13 Pro (Max). Like iPhone 13 Pro Max, the Pixel 7 series does not use a special macro lens, but uses the ultra-wide angle lens for macro photos.
Plus, the Pixel 7 is finally embracing facial recognition, with the new Face Unlock. At Apple, Face ID has been the most important biometric security since the iPhone X in 2017. However, with the Pixel, facial recognition can only be used to unlock the device. Face Unlock is not secure enough for making payments.
Do you remember features that the Pixel obviously borrows from the iPhone, or vice versa? Let us know below in the comments!