Home Notifications Newsletters Next Share

8 new things Android 7.0 can do that iOS can'thttps://www.businessinsider.in/8-new-things-android-7-0-can-do-that-ios-cant/a-new-multi-window-feature-lets-you-use-two-apps-simultaneously-regardless-of-whether-youre-on-a-phone-or-a-tablet-just-long-press-the-recent-apps-button-once-youre-inside-an-app-and-pick-another-app-to-scroll-alongside-it-apple-introduced-a-similar-multitasking-view-with-last-years-ios-9-update-but-that-only-works-with-ipads-not-iphones-/slidelist/53846976.cms2021-07-26T12:45:23+05:30

8 new things Android 7.0 can do that iOS can't

Jul 26, 2021, 12:45 IST

A new “multi-window” feature lets you use two apps simultaneously, regardless of whether you’re on a phone or a tablet. Just long press the Recent Apps button once you’re inside an app, and pick another app to scroll alongside it. Apple introduced a similar multitasking view with last year’s iOS 9 update, but that only works with iPads, not iPhones.

Another boon for big phones is the new “Display Size” setting. That’s in the Accessibility folder of the Settings menu, and lets you shrink and enlarge the scale of the entire Android interface. Set it to “small,” and you’ll be able to see much more info onscreen. iOS has had a similar Display Zoom setting on recent iPhones, but that doesn’t let you reduce things.

When you have multiple apps running, you can double tap the Recent Apps button to quickly switch between the last two you’ve used. That’s a bit quicker than with iOS, where you double tap the home button, then select from a carousel of open programs.

Nougat also lets you take more control over Android’s Quick Settings menu. There you’ll find an “Edit” button, which lets you exchange and rearrange various options (WiFi, location, etc.) as you see fit.

This, in turn, means you can change which settings show up alongside the notification panel. Developers will also be able to create their own shortcuts, though how much support that gets remains to be seen.

Each of the options in Android 7.0’s Settings menu comes with a quick tidbit of information. It’s not a huge deal, but it can save you a couple taps when you want to, say, view how much storage you have available.

A new slide-out menu lets you navigate all your options a little quicker, too.

Nougat also allows for Google’s new Daydream virtual reality platform. Though it isn’t available just yet, it should help standardize how VR works on future Android phones. Apple has expressed its interest in augmented reality in the past, but as it stands now, Android is the place to be if you’re into mobile VR.

If it wasn’t already obvious, none of this is groundbreaking. In fact, many of Nougat’s improvements are about matching things iOS has already done. Much of iOS 10, meanwhile, is about matching details from Android. The real takeaway here is that we’re still dealing with two very similar platforms, and that the day-to-day differences between them are getting less and less stark. Still, within that context, Nougat is a decent step forward.

Next Story How Billie Eilish has transformed her style with...

View All Latest