The start of June sometimes marks the launch of the subsequent iteration of the platforms that energy the iPhone and iPad lineup, and this 12 months was no exception, with Apple debuting a radical new software program route for its current and future units.
Like Google and the Materials 3 Expressive design on Android 16, which was unveiled simply earlier than Google I/O 2025 in Could, Apple selected WWDC 2025 to debut an entire new design language, dubbed Liquid Glass. It’s constructed upon VisionOS, which powers the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, and it brings the identical interface to Apple’s different units, together with the Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.
I’ve been utilizing the beta on my iPad, iPhone, and Mac for a number of weeks, and whereas the brand new design is refreshing like Android 16, it additionally represents a big shift in Apple’s method to software program. Because of this, iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 are main leaps ahead in each performance and usefulness.
This contains Safari, which straight advantages from Apple’s new method to context menus and the simplification of the platform. To me, that is the place Google must take a web page from Apple’s guide.
Liquid Glass is greater than only a new design
As an alternative of the segregated method to apps and options like earlier than, the brand new Liquid Glass design is concentrated on being as versatile as potential for the tip person.
Alongside many new options, Apple additionally launched a variety of small, but important, quality-of-life enhancements that make the platforms far simpler to make use of. As an alternative of requiring a number of clicks, the brand new platforms and redesigned first-party apps are designed to require much less.
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Apple did showcase a few of these enhancements through the keynote, together with the brand new unified dialer, in addition to the improved Information and all-new Preview apps. Every of those new options additionally highlights among the best, but underrecognized, quality-of-life enhancements within the OS: context menus.
As a part of its drive in direction of higher flexibility, Apple now contains extra menus and shortcuts all through the OS, and likewise supplies direct entry to the app’s settings web page within the international settings menu. These little enhancements are additionally clearly obvious within the new Safari, which has gained a big benefit over Chrome for Android.
The brand new Safari gives true desktop searching on cellular
When you’ve ever used an iPhone, you’ll most likely know that Chrome for iPhone is totally different in design, options, and rendering engine from Chrome on Android. One different factor it’s possible you’ll know is that Safari on iOS can be extra superior than Chrome on Android.
Regardless of additionally carrying one of many finest Android telephones, usually together with one of many finest folding telephones with a bigger show, I normally turned to the iPhone or iPad for all my searching. Till final 12 months, Safari provided a key function that Chrome didn’t — native web page zoom that you can management like a desktop laptop, which made it best for searching on the go.
Chrome ultimately added this function, however now Safari has gained one other key function: desktop-level searching historical past. Specifically, the best way it’s applied. As an alternative of requiring the person to faucet the again and ahead keys like Chrome on Android, the brand new Safari gives an simply accessible checklist of your searching historical past.
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It’s applied in a near-identical interface to the one you’d discover on a desktop browser, and it’s a enormous quality-of-life enchancment that ensures I’ll most likely nonetheless use an Apple gadget for searching. It’s a disgrace, as I really like folding telephones, and I’m eagerly awaiting the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is about to launch very quickly.
It is value noting that that is nonetheless a developer beta, and Apple has already switched from a central again and ahead historical past menu to the person keys pictured, so it could change additional earlier than the general public beta subsequent month and the discharge within the fall.
The expanded menus are my sleeper hit to date, however a improbable throughout replace nonetheless pic.twitter.com/QevANX6xm7June 14, 2025
The brand new context menus additionally influence your searching expertise in small and important methods, particularly on the iPhone. For instance, press and maintain a cellphone quantity, and you’ll select to name it from both of your energetic SIM playing cards, in addition to from internet-based apps, akin to FaceTime, WhatsApp, Telegram, or Google Voice.
Up to now, you’d have needed to copy the quantity, open the corresponding app, after which place the decision. The brand new method requires fewer steps and supplies a considerably improved expertise.
Each Android cellphone can place a name straight from the browser, however few allow you to select which SIM card to make use of for the decision, and I don’t recall one other cellphone maker that has built-in third-party apps like Apple. Relating to third-party apps, calls from these apps are additionally integrated into the dialer app, simply as they have been within the early HTC Sense Android interface.
Google must take Chrome on foldables significantly
The most important problem for Google is that Chrome on Android is designed to work on each single gadget, which may make it more difficult to supply optimized experiences for newer type components.
This method has been profitable for years, nevertheless it has meant that Chrome on Android is normally slower to roll out new browser options. Whereas Chrome has gained key Safari options, akin to on-page zoom, Apple continues to steer in general searching expertise.
Google ought to think about Apple’s general method to iPadOS 26 as a warning, not only for the finest Android tablets, but additionally for the finest foldable telephones. Apple is extensively tipped to launch an iPhone Fold late subsequent 12 months or early the next 12 months. It’s additionally fairly possible that Apple will proceed to optimize Safari and will introduce new iPhone Fold-specific options in Safari as nicely.
The unique iPhone was billed as a breakthrough web communicator, and the rumored larger major display screen on the iPhone Fold will make it best for net searching. Safari already has a step up over Chrome, however Google wants to make sure that it optimizes Chrome so this hole doesn’t develop.
The iPhone and iPad are larger rivals than ever
Total, iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 have been stunning as a result of they really feel extra like Android than they ever have earlier than. Apple makes it simpler to do issues; the UX crew lastly realized that fewer clicks are higher, and the outcome is among the most intuitive software program platforms ever.
But, there are nonetheless many ways in which Android 16 is an enchancment over its Apple various. The iPad positive aspects an entire new windowing engine (under) for radically improved multitasking, which has similarities however distinct from the new windowing choices in Android 16. Nonetheless, this function remains to be not obtainable from the iPhone.
Whereas iOS 26 is a significant enchancment for the iPhone, it’s additionally not so good as Android 16 for general productiveness, though it does now lastly assist background duties for true multitasking. That stated, the brand new platforms are visually and functionally radically improved over earlier variations. Because of this, they’ll make the iPhone and iPad larger rivals than ever earlier than to the very best Android telephones and tablets.
