iOS 18 packs several new features that further bridge the gap between iPhones and Android devices. However, it still misses out on some features that Android devices have had for years now. Below is a look at some of them.

1 Custom Icon Packs

iOS 18 introduces several new Home Screen customization options, including the ability to place app icons anywhere you want. Apple even lets you tint the Home Screen icons. Despite these additions, iOS 18 lacks support for custom icon packs.

This has been a staple customization feature on Android for years, allowing you to quickly refresh your Home screen's look by applying an icon pack downloaded from the Play Store. Admittedly, the stock launcher of Android devices does not support third-party icon packs. You can still change and customize app icons on Android using other methods, though.

There are also ways to customize your iPhone's Home Screen with app icons, although the process is tedious and limited compared to what Android offers.

2 Multi-User Support

My nephew frequently takes my phone to play his favorite games. Since Android supports multiple user profiles, I have created a secondary guest user profile for him, ensuring he cannot access apps I use or view my personal data. Apple added multiple privacy features to iOS 18, but creating separate users or guest profiles isn't one of them.

Due to this limitation, my wife is always apprehensive about handing over her iPhone to our nephew, as he can open other apps, change system settings, etc., which can affect her workflow. With a guest profile or private space, I can hand over my phone to a friend or family member without worrying about them snooping on my files or apps.

The lack of multi-user support is even more problematic on iPadOS 18, as tablets are generally shared among multiple family members.

3 Split-Screen Multitasking

For all the improvements iOS 18 brings, it misses out on split-screen multitasking, a feature Android phones have had for years. It's 2024, and you still can't run two apps side-by-side on my iPhones, which is disappointing.

Although split-screen multitasking is more useful on foldable phones and tablets, it can also come in handy on phones in some cases. I frequently use it on my Pixel 8 Pro when comparing documents or taking notes in Google Keep from an email.

You can even run apps in windowed mode on Samsung phones, which can greatly benefit your workflow. I frequently used Google Keep and Calculator apps in windowed mode on my Galaxy S23 Ultra for calculations or taking notes when going through large documents.

4 Granular Control Over Notifications

The iPhone's notification system is a mess, and Apple has done little over the years to improve it. With Apple Intelligence in iOS 18, your iPhone will automatically summarize and prioritize important notifications. This does not solve the problem of unwanted notifications from apps, though.

On Android, I can limit Uber to sending me delivery updates and block all other marketing and promotional notifications. Similarly, I can set a different notification sound for each Android app on my phone.

Such granular control over notifications is not available on iOS. This might not seem like a big deal initially, but as you install your favorite apps, unwanted notifications can quickly fill up your iPhone's Notification Center.

5 The Ability to Change Default Maps or Launcher

Currently, iOS only lets you change the default browser and mail app. Apple hasn't expanded the functionality to other app types since its introduction in iOS 14. As a result, iPhone users are limited to using Apple Maps as their default navigation app. While Apple Maps is a viable Google Maps alternative in the US and Europe, it's not as reliable in other countries.

This is unlike Android, where you can replace Google Maps with another mapping app you download from the Play Store. Similarly, you still cannot change the stock launcher on the iPhone—you must use the default iOS launcher whether you like it or not.

Again, Android trumps iOS here, as you can download a third-party launcher app from the Play Store and set it as your default choice. Using third-party launchers, you can give your Android phone a fresh look in just a few taps and completely change the experience of using it.

If that's not enough, you can even replace Google Assistant with another voice assistant on your Android phone. On an iPhone, you are stuck with Siri regardless of whether you like it or not.

6 Remotely Install Apps on Secondary Devices

Apple's App Store hosts superior-quality apps, but Google's Play Store is more flexible. I can browse the Play Store on the web and remotely install apps on any of the devices linked to my Google account.

Even better, I can remotely install apps from the Play Store on my Android TV box or the Pixel Watch 2 right from my secondary Android phone. And if I forget to open the newly downloaded app, a notification will automatically appear from the Play Store within 24 hours to remind me.

The iPhone lacks such a feature, and iOS 18 does not introduce any such App Store-focused changes. At best, I can enable an option to automatically download any purchased app on all devices linked to my Apple account.

Even if you're an iPhone user, you can probably tell how useful some of the features are. These advantages make Android the preferred OS for power users who value customization and personalization. It provides a lot more flexibility than iOS.

While Apple managed to bring many Android features to iOS 18, it still has a lot to catch up to. On the bright side, I'm glad that iOS 18 further narrows the gap between iPhones and Android devices. It's probably just a matter of time until Apple introduces some of these missing features in future iterations of iOS.