How iOS 16 and Android 13 Could Change the Future of Smartphones

How iOS 16 and Android 13 Could Change the Future of Smartphones

Your smartphone will soon be more closely tied to the non-digital aspects of your life

Your smartphone will soon be more closely tied to the non-digital aspects of your life. That's one of the key takeaways from iOS 16 and Android 13, with new mobile software updates coming later this year from Apple and Google. Both tech giants are working to turn your phone into a digital wallet where you can store your ID and other important documents, keeping your phone closer than ever to who you are. The company continues to improve the way phones communicate with cars, smart home devices and other everyday devices. Both iOS 16 and Android 13 include tweaks and new features, some more important than digital wallets and faster connections (such as Apple's Safety Checkup tool to protect victims of domestic violence and Google's new privacy update). However, the overlap between the two operating systems highlights how phones are changing in our lives.. Based on the latest announcements from Apple and Google about what's happening around What occurs on your phone will be as crucial as what happens on your phone.

The more connected our phones are to everyday items like wallets, credit cards, cars, and appliances, the harder it is to get away from them (or switch between iPhone and Android). This concept is not new. The industry has been moving in this direction for years. But the changes in iOS 16 and Android 13 bring important improvements to Apple and Google's respective approaches, which could accelerate those efforts.
Replacing the physical wallet
Digital wallets were a big focus of Apple’s iOS 16 previews and Google’s Android 13 previews. The main change to Apple Pay is a new option called Apple Pay Later, which divides the cost of purchases into four equal parts over six weeks. In iOS 16, ID stored in Apple Wallet can also be used to verify your age in apps. Last year, Apple became the first company to support digital IDs.

Google unveils its new update

During its I/O conference last month, Google unveiled a substantial update to its Wallet software, bringing it up to speed with Apple. Like Apple Wallet, the new Google Wallet will hold personal papers such as payment and transit cards, vaccination records, boarding permits, and student IDs. Google is also collaborating with government organisations to make digital IDs more accessible.

When taken together, Apple's and Google's improvements reflect yet another step toward their shared goal of making physical wallets obsolete — a development that will surely lead to us becoming ever more reliant on mobile devices.

Google reaffirmed this goal right before announcing the new features at Google I/O in May.

"In reality, there are just two items I don't leave house without these days: my phone and my wallet," Sameer Samat, vice president of product management for Android and Google Play, remarked on stage. "Can my phone, then, take the place of my wallet?"

Corey Fugman, Apple's senior director of Wallet and Apple Pay, said something similar during Monday's WWDC address.

"We're working hard on our aim to replace your real wallet with Apple Wallet," he stated.

Users' attitude towards payment applications instead of credit cards

People have already accepted the idea of using smartphone-based payment apps to replace actual credit cards. According to an eMarketer forecast from 2021, the adoption of in-store mobile payment systems like Apple Pay is likely to surpass 50% of all smartphone users in the US by 2025. Apple's new Pay Later feature, as well as Google's renewed focus on its own mobile wallet, may make leaving your wallet at home even more enticing.

Apple and Google intend to make our phones more helpful offline in everyday life by replacing the wallet. Both businesses also unveiled smartphone camera apps that might make navigating real-world areas of interest easier.

Both Apple and Google feel that the camera will continue to play an important part in how we interact with the world. With iOS 16, you'll be able to use a new camera option in Apple's Convert app to translate text into multiple languages. The business demonstrated how technology could be used to translate an entire restaurant menu into a different language during its WWDC keynote talk. By pressing on text in a photo, you'll be able to track a flight or convert money.

At Google I/O, Google unveiled "scene explorer," an ambitious expansion of its Lens programme that effectively takes its search skills to the actual world. As an example, consider a physical retail store.

When you wave your phone's camera across a shelf of products, it will overlay information and ratings on the screen to assist you in making the best decision. Prabhakar Raghavan, Google's head of search, gave the example of being able to locate nut-free snacks or scent-free lotion in a real store.

The execution may alter, but the concept remains the same. We've become accustomed to ordering food, taxis, and household supplies at the touch of a phone button. Now, Apple and Google want to make our phones an important part of doing those activities in the real world as well, and the camera will play a key role.

Google and Apple have also developed their ambitions for turning our phones into a hub for other items in our environment. Google demonstrated how Android 13 would improve your phone's ability to connect to other devices by allowing for faster pairing, automatic audio switching between devices, and easier message sync between your phone and PC. It also revealed a new split-screen interface for Android Auto, which could help with multitasking while driving.

The new Home application for Apple and its impact

With a revamped Home app for the iPhone, Apple made it easier to manage HomeKit devices. The car, though, is possibly the most significant place where Apple intends to expand the iPhone's reach. Apple previewed a new version of its CarPlay software that appears like a whole operating system for cars, complete with app icons, widgets, and other user interface components inspired by the iPhone and Apple Watch.

The concept of a smart home and a connected car is not new. For years, they've both been an important element of Apple and Google's respective strategies. However, iOS 16 and Android 13 make it clear how Apple and Google envision these devices communicating and interacting.

Apple and Google collaborate to protect the privacy of payment apps

Apple and Google are making the smartphone's appearance more personal as it becomes the link to everything from your credit card to your thermostat and car. Your iPhone will get a brand-new lock screen with support for Apple Watch-style widgets and new photo effects for backdrop photos when iOS 16 launches this fall. Google is adding predefined colour combinations to Material You that can be used across the entire operating system.

More than new wallet capabilities, camera features for scanning real-world objects, and enhanced connectivity are included in iOS 16 and Android 13. These upgrades demonstrate not only how important the phone has become in both our online and physical lives, but also where the industry is headed next.