4 iOS 27 features Android users have had for years

Every time Apple unveils a new version of iOS, Android users tend to nod along with a knowing smile. The pattern is familiar: a flashy announcement, a round of applause, and features that have been standard on Android for years. The upcoming iOS 27 is no exception. While Apple fans celebrate these additions as groundbreaking, many of us on the other side have been enjoying them for quite some time. Here are four features arriving on iOS 27 that Android users will recognize as old friends.

First up is the long-awaited customizable lock screen widgets. Android has offered this level of personalization since the early days of widgets, allowing users to place weather updates, calendar events, or music controls right on the home screen. With iOS 27, Apple finally lets you rearrange and resize these elements, but the core concept has been an Android staple for over a decade.

Next, interactive notifications are making their way to the iPhone. Instead of simply viewing alerts, iOS 27 will let you reply to messages, snooze reminders, or mark emails as read directly from the notification shade. Android users have been doing this since Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, released in 2012. It’s a small but significant convenience that iPhone owners are only now getting.

Another feature Android users have long enjoyed is split-screen multitasking. While iPads have supported this for a while, the iPhone has lagged behind. With iOS 27, you can finally run two apps side by side on the same screen. This has been a core part of Android since Android 7.0 Nougat, and it remains one of the platform’s most practical productivity tools.

Finally, default app selection is coming to iOS 27. You’ll be able to set third-party browsers, email clients, and even messaging apps as your default, meaning links and calls will open in your preferred app. Android has allowed this since its inception, giving users true freedom to choose their digital tools. Apple is catching up, but the flexibility has always been there for Android enthusiasts.

So while iOS 27 may feel revolutionary to some, for Android users, it’s simply a reminder that innovation isn’t always about being first. It’s about refining what works and giving users the control they deserve.