Google I/O 2023: 5 features we want to see at Apple too

Last Wednesday, Google made new announcements during I/O. And the company was full of pride, because there were certainly some surprises that Apple should actually take over. OMT editor Dennis Mons lists five for you that he would like to see during WWDC.

As Apple fans, we of course also take a look at what Google is doing, both the Android phones and certain services. And in all honesty: during I/O, Google presented quite a few things that we would like to see Apple working on.

Similar Google surprises from Apple during WWDC?

There was a time when we had to jailbreak our iPhones to get a certain feature that an Android had for a long time. That is now unnecessary, because the iPhone has now received many of those features.

Still, it always remains a cat-and-mouse game between the two tech giants. Take, for example, these five examples of Google’s developments that we’d like to see at Apple’s WWDC.

1. Close to home: better AI

A hot topic right now is of course AI. Microsoft is busy with ChatGPT and Google with Bard. Bard will soon be used in Google Maps, Google Docs, Gmail and of course Google Chrome.

One of the big tech companies remains anxiously silent: Apple. It should be clear that the company is just wary when it comes to AI. Still, Siri could really use an update as the service is pretty dumb compared to AI counterparts. Hopefully we’ll hear more about that during WWDC.

2. Will Apple ever release a foldable iPhone?

Is it a matter of time before Apple releases a foldable iPhone or maybe even an iPad? If you see the trend among major competitors you would think so. Google is also tacking and announced the Pixel Fold.

However, there is a good chance that Apple will wait a bit longer, so don’t expect to hear any news about that during WWDC. The market for foldable phones is not that big anyway. But you can bet that when Apple releases such a device, that will change quickly.

3. A better photo app like Google’s

Sure: Apple’s Photos app does what it’s supposed to do. He is also quite smart.

Still, Google is quite a few steps ahead of the tech giant from Cupertino. That was already the case with the Magic Eraser that was introduced in the Pixel 6. Now the company is going one step further with Magic Editor. This uses machine learning to remove an object or person, after which the app itself fills in the missing part. Very impressive.

We may also see big jumps for Apple’s app during WWDC.

4. A smart speaker stand for the iPad is on the WWDC list

Google also announced a new Pixel Tablet. But it is mainly the charging station that we are a bit jealous of. This gives you much better sound than just from the tablet, and the tablet also immediately switches to HUB Mode.

This turns the tablet into a kind of remote control for functions in and around the house. Would be damned handy if the iPad could do that too. Fingers crossed during WWDC.

5. Multiple accounts for one device

What also makes the Pixel Tablet so damn convenient is that you can quickly switch between accounts if multiple people are using the tablet.

Funnily enough, this is not possible on an iPad (except in school mode). So fans have been asking for that feature for years. We may be lucky during WWDC if we are likely to learn more about iPadOS 17.

What are some features you’d like Apple to showcase at WWDC?