It’s developer conference season — Apple’s WWDC (the one we care about most) is in June, Microsoft’s later this month, and Google’s I/O conference kicks off this week. Developer conference keynotes are fun because you get to see what the companies are working on and what new products and features are coming in the future. And sometimes we get a bunch of cool new stuff that non-developers care about too.
Such was the case with the Google I/O keynote, held on Wednesday, which brought a host of new products and features, some of which we hope Apple paid close attention to. Here are five Google I/O announcements we wish had come from Apple instead.
Magic Editor in Google Photos
Magic Editor can fill in the gaps that certain types of image editing can prevent.
Google uses its AI research to create some cool features for its Google Photos app. Last month, it brought Magic Eraser, a previous Pixel exclusive that allows users to easily remove unwanted people and items in a photo, to Google One subscribers. Now it greatly expands the function.
At Google I/O this year, the company unveiled its next AI photo tool, Magic Editor. This feature uses outpainting, the use of AI to create an extension of an image that retains the style of the original. It’s another way to fill an image gap during an edit, but it offers more editing flexibility than Magic Eraser.
One example Google demonstrated was a photo of a child holding balloons while sitting on a couch. Magic Editor selected and moved the child, couch, and balloons, and the software created extensions of the items cut off by the edge of the photo.
Magic Editor is coming to “select Pixel phones” later this year, but it’s certainly possible (and likely) that they’ll bring Magic Editor to the Photos app one day. But for those of us who are fully invested in the Apple ecosphere, these are the kind of features we wish Apple would announce for its own Photos app.
Pixel tablet dock
Google includes the Charging Speaker Dock with the Pixel Tablet at no extra cost.
Google has announced a new Pixel tablet that will compete with the iPad, but it’s not the tablet we’re envious of – it’s the charging dock that comes with it. A docked tablet enters “Hub Mode” and becomes a control center for smart home devices, streaming media, video calls and more, making the Pixel tablet a true two-in-one device.
The dock has a 15-watt speaker with a 43.5mm driver, and Google claims the dock “produces four times the bass than the Pixel Tablet alone.” The tablet attaches to the dock magnetically, which also charges it like MagSafe.
Rumors of an Apple HomePod with a screen have been circulating for a while now, and this is exactly what we’re envisioning. Perhaps Google’s announcement will give Apple the encouragement it needs.
Multiple user accounts
Like other Android tablets, the new Pixel Tablet will allow multiple user accounts. So if it is in a shared environment, say a family household, each person using the device can have their own user account and they don’t have to worry about preserving their settings, the privacy and security of their files, etc.
To this day, outside of a school environment, the iPad does not support multiple user accounts. That means anyone can see the files on a device and users have to adapt to the settings or change them all the time. iPad users have wanted this feature for so long that hope has been lost, but maybe this year we’ll get lucky and Apple will reveal multi-user support in iPadOS 17.
Google Pixel Fold
The Google Pixel Fold looks like the foldable phone Apple would make.
When foldable Android phones hit the market, I scoffed, thinking they weren’t necessary. Then I took a few flights and realized how nice it would be to have a bigger screen than the iPhone Pro Max to watch videos on long trips. Another time I used iTranslate to try and communicate with someone who didn’t know English and wished I had a bigger screen to show both sides of the conversation. A larger screen would also be helpful when shooting videos so I can see more of what I’m shooting. Other times I just want a bigger screen without reaching for my iPad.
The foldable Android phones available right now don’t look like they’ll last very long. But Google’s new Pixel Fold seems to take the right approach – admittedly I’ve only seen photos and videos online, but it seems the design, rendering and construction have been carefully considered based on what the user wants and expects . The edges leave a bit to be desired and we don’t fully trust Google to provide a folding experience that isn’t riddled with bugs, but the approach seems solid.
If there’s a company that can make a foldable phone properly, it’s Apple. We’ve seen some evidence that Apple is working on it, based on rumors and a few patents the company has filed, but that doesn’t mean a foldable iPhone will ever see the light of day. As much as I’d like to see it.
Immersive view for maps
Google Maps’ immersive view for routes is certainly beautiful.
Apple Maps has come a long way since its introduction, but Google Maps is still king, especially as Google continues to innovate and add new features.
The latest is Immersive View for Routes, which provides a rich, digital model of your route with “bicycle lanes, sidewalks, intersections, and parking lots” as you follow turn-by-turn directions. It gives you a better sense of the environment around you than the typical flat chart you see in Apple Maps directions, giving you a better sense of where you’re going and where you are.
The closest thing Apple has to Immersive View is the Satellite View, but it doesn’t come that close. We can’t wait to try it out on Google Maps – and we’d love to see something similar on Apple Maps.
