Get the best of iOS and Windows Phone on your Android
HANKERING FOR FEATURES ONLY FOUND ON RIVAL OPERATING SYSTEMS? THESE APPS CAN GIVE YOU THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS!
ANDROID IS A fantastic operating system, with loads of unique features and in-depth customisation possibilities. But that doesn’t mean iOS or even the now-dead Windows Phone don’t have aspects that are just as good, or even better.
Fortunately, it’s easy to get the best features of other operating systems on Android, thanks to a range of free and paid-for apps. Many of the options come down to personal taste and are not for everyone, but are still worth exploring. For those who recently switched, or are thinking of switching back, being able to keep your favourite features can make or break the decision.
We tested apps on a Nexus 6P running Android 8.0, so menus and settings may be slightly different on your specific phone.
WINDOWS PHONE
Microsoft recently announced it would no longer develop new features for Windows phone — only releasing security updates and bug fixes. As much as we love Android, Windows Phone had some great features, especially when it came to integrating with a Windows 10 computer. Handily, though, some of the best options are well supported in Android. For those wanting to make their Android device look and feel like Windows Phone, the launcher, SquareHome 2 ( squarehome2.
blogspot.com.au) mimics the simple yet effective Microsoft interface.
CORTANA
Microsoft’s digital assistant might not be as powerful as the competition, but is available for Windows, and recently announced a key advantage. Amazon and Microsoft have teamed up so their respective assistants, Alexa and Cortana, can work together, which is big news for anyone with an Echo. Cortana is available for free on Google Play, and is actually quite a good assistant. But our favourite option is to use it to sync Android notifications across to a Windows 10 PC — even if you still use Google Assistant. You need to create or sign into a Microsoft account on both ends, and then enable App Notifications Sync in Cortana on your phone. You can also select what apps to actually sync notifications for as well.
WINDOWS AND ANDROID INTEGRATION
Going beyond just Cortana, Microsoft has worked hard to integrate your Android phone into your Windows PC experience. It works especially well for those who use apps such as Office, Outlook and OneDrive. The place to start is the free Microsoft Launcher ( arrowlauncher.com) available on Google play. It does not attempt to mimic the look of Windows Phone and looks more like Windows 10 itself. The coolest feature is the option to ‘Continue on PC’, where you can start something on your phone, and easily continue it on on Windows 10. For example, you might be editing an Office document on the train with your phone, then push it across to your PC once you arrive at work. It also works with other apps, such as photos, music and website browsing, and can be set as automatic
FOR THOSE WHO RECENTLY SWITCHED, OR ARE THINKING OF SWITCHING BACK, BEING ABLE TO KEEP YOUR FAVOURITE FEATURES CAN MAKE OR BREAK THE DECISION.
reminders for later rather than opened right away.
IOS
In the end, some of the best parts of iOS and Android simply come down to preference, rather than stand-out features. But for those who enjoy a little more Apple flavour to their phone, there are plenty of options to customise Android. You can even emulate the iPhone X style screen notch just for fun. Head to Google Play and download the free app XOutOf10 ( and see what you think.
IOS LAUNCHER
Apple devices have a fairly unique look and feel, but it’s easy to simulate on your Android device thanks to the ability to select a new launcher. One Launcher ( goo.gl/Ya44Dh) is a great option to start with, and is very easy to get set up. While not identical, it gives a very clean, polished iOS feel, yet doesn’t slow down your phone. Another great, though slightly fiddly, option with more customisation is iLauncher i11 ( goo.gl/
eXzKGs) — but watch out for the many other apps with similar names.
IN CONTROL
For those who want a more iOS style control centre, rather than the many different Android versions, you are in luck. The free app Control Panel – Smart Toggle ( goo.gl/Bab3xP) uses an iOS style design with loads of customisable options for controlling your favourite apps, or toggling options such as Wi-Fi on and off.
SMART WAKEUP
While originally launched by Samsung on Android, the Apple iPhone 7 really embraced having the screen automatically wake when the phone is picked up. The functionality is also available on some Android phones, but is easy to add with a third-party app. Our favourite is smartWake – Auto screen On/Off ( goo.gl/I2f3f9) which is available for free via Google Play. Not only does it provide the raise to wake functionality, the app has a range of other customisable options. For example, you can have it wake on notifications, when tilted, by waving a hand over the phone or even with face recognition.