Features

6 new Apple features that Android already had years before

Welcome to the rest of the world, iPhone

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Apple’s events are always a fun time… for Android fans. It’s practically a tradition now for fans of the other side to check out which of Android’s features that Apple decided to adapt this time. The recently concluded WWDC 2024 is no different. There were a lot of new features that Android fans clowned Apple for. Let’s take a look at what they’re talking about.

AI stands for Apple Intelligence

Okay, props to Apple for presenting their new AI with a more creative name than just “AI”. But Apple Intelligence is essentially just AI. Apple is finally joining the trend that’s been ongoing for the past year or so.

Much like other AIs, Apple Intelligence helps users with text inputs. It generates text based on a prompt. It can also proofread and edit your emails and essays for you.

However, the more interesting bit is how it handles images. Genmoji is certainly an odd addition to Apple’s repertoire of tools. Though it does take your contacts’ looks into consideration, it’s basically just generative AI, even down to how it looks.

On the bright side, it’s an on-device AI. Apple promises that it won’t harvest your data, so that’s a plus.

Celebrating the ability to move icons

Arguably, the strangest “new” feature that Apple added was the ability to rearrange icons on the Home Screen. Starting with iOS 18, users will no longer need another app just to move icons to wherever they want on the screen.

As much as we try to see things in a favorable light, it’s admittedly difficult to justify why it took Apple this long to add a feature that we don’t even think about anymore. Android — or practically every other smartphone — has had that feature since time immemorial.

Oh, and that goes for the ability to change your icon’s colors, too. Google, especially through the basic Pixel experience, already allows users to customize their colors throughout the system.

Photos gets Collections

As someone who tries to control their notifications, the most persistent alerts I get are from photos apps when they remind me of vacations I had years ago. No, Google Photos, I do not want to reminisce about that time I went to Ilocos with my ex.

With the new updates, Apple is entering the same territory. The Photos app now has the ability to automatically organize photos into catered collections — just like Google Photos. If you want to look back on cherished moments, your iPhone has you covered. If you want unexpected reminders of traumatic times in your life… well, let’s see if Photos is your best friend for that, too.

A feature to magically erase photobombers

Speaking of Photos, one of the subtler features that Apple didn’t really dwell on was the new Magic Eraser Clean Up tool. For the first time in an Apple device, users can erase unwanted elements from their photos.

Yes, it’s like Google’s Magic Eraser. Well, it’s not called that, but it’s the same thing.

While it’s true that it’s a copy of the Magic Eraser, it’s a welcome addition. Whenever I show off my Pixel’s Magic Eraser to Apple users, they always say how much they want the feature on their iPhones. It’s pretty good that the iPhone now has the feature for itself.

Snapping windows into tiles

Let’s leave the iPhone for now and look at the MacBook. The upcoming macOS Sequoia now has the ability to arrange windows into convenient tiles on your screen. If you want more than one app running in front of you, the system now supports grids.

The feature is called window tiling. Which is apropos, because Windows has had that feature for quite a while. Like the new Apple feature, Microsoft allows users to automatically snap app windows into equally spaced locations on the screen.

Welcome to a more organized screen, Apple. We hope that the feature will also help out all the indecently messy and unorganized desktops we’ve seen over the years. (We’re kidding. Please don’t judge our also indecently messy Windows desktops.)

RCS finally makes a debut

Finally, let’s give a hand to Apple for finally supporting RCS messaging. Instead of sticking to its guns, Apple can now send hi-res images with those who don’t have an iPhone.

While it’s not technically a revolutionary change to Apple’s ecosystem, it’s a welcome extension to those who don’t use Apple’s devices. It’s also a sign of Apple getting with the program. It shouldn’t matter if we’re all on different phones; security and accessibility are more important.

iPhone users often clap back against the Android-led criticism by saying that Apple popularized these features for everyone. While it’s true that iPhone users are a significant chunk of the smartphone-using world, Android is no slouch either. These features aren’t popular for Android, but only because they’re already ubiquitous. No one using an Android is celebrating the ability to arrange icons because they’ve already had it for years.

Besides, these aren’t unwelcome additions. In fact, it should be celebrated that Apple is finally getting features that others have had. Equality is good for competition. Ultimately, it’ll be good for everyone.

Tutorials

How to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone

It’s as easy as a single tap.

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Apple Pay is officially in the Philippines!

Pushing the country forward into a cashless and cardless future, Apple has now brought its contactless payment system to the Philippines. As with other countries, Apply Pay will work seamlessly and easily even for those who have problems with technology.

Now, despite how easy it is, sometimes we need to be pointed in the right direction. Here’s how you can set up Apple Pay on your iPhone:

Everything starts with the Wallet app. First, open your Wallet app. Tap the “+” button on the top and select “Debit or Credit Card.”

Normally, this is where you can input your card details (which you can still do, by the way), but the default method now is to just tap your card on the back of your iPhone. Your phone does the rest. You might need to confirm with your bank, but it’s as easy as a single tap.

Pick which cards to use. Once you have your cards online, you might need to change which one is the default card. Again, it’s easy. Just drag your preferred card to the front.

Afterwards, you can tap to pay in supported stores by priming the Wallet app for use. Tapping to pay is also available for Apple Watch. Meanwhile, online transactions can also work on MacBook.

Secure, all the time. If you’re worried about your security especially with online transactions, Apple keeps your information only between you and the seller. They don’t store your data.

Also, it’s not easy to make a transaction without your consent. You need Face ID, Touch ID, or your password. If you lose your phone, you can easily shut your phone down with the Find My app to prevent malicious parties from making transactions.

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Accessories

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

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DJI’s smartphone gimbals have always chased one goal: delivering cinema-smooth footage without forcing you to carry a heavy rig.

The Osmo Mobile 8P (OM 8P) makes its priorities clear right out of the box. This is not a simple refresh. DJI rebuilt how you control the gimbal, and that decision shapes the entire shooting experience.

Freedom behind the lens

The biggest change is the FrameTap remote, and it’s the kind of upgrade that fixes a problem you didn’t realize was slowing you down until it’s gone.

On the standard OM 8, adjusting your framing meant reaching for your phone every time, which broke the flow of shooting and pulled you out of the moment.

FrameTap puts that control back in your hand. You can reframe shots and manage the gimbal without touching your phone at all, and for anyone shooting solo, that alone changes how usable the whole setup feels. Tracking has taken a real step forward too.

ActiveTrack 8.0, paired with Module 2, held onto its subject even after they stepped out of frame for a moment, then picked them back up without much fuss.

It also lets you sit off-center in the shot instead of forcing you into the middle every time, which gives you more room to compose something that doesn’t look like every other gimbal video.

None of that would matter much if the gimbal itself wasn’t solid, and it still is. The OM 8P holds onto the same foldable design, magnetic phone clamp, and built-in tripod that made the OM 8 easy to live with.

And it remains one of the better compact options for stabilization, tracking, and portability in one package.

The tripod legs are a touch wider this time, and that extra width does make a noticeable difference on uneven ground.

The trade-offs in touch

The trade-off for all that new remote functionality is a control scheme that takes more getting used to. More of the gimbal’s functions now live on the FrameTap touchscreen, the joystick is smaller, and switching between shooting modes takes a few extra taps compared to the OM 8. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a learning curve you’ll need to budget time for.

DJI also removed the zoom and focus wheel, so if you leaned on that dial for quick adjustments, you’ll feel its absence here. Module 2 no longer lets you plug a DJI wireless mic in directly either.

You’ll need to connect it to your phone instead, which adds a step to a setup that used to be simpler. Phone compatibility is still a limiting factor as well. DJI lists support for phones up to around 300g and 11mm thick, so bigger phones or ones in chunky cases may not clamp in properly.

Finding your ideal workflow

The OM 8P makes the most sense for solo creators who want dependable tracking and the freedom of remote framing without stepping up to a dedicated camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket.

If you’re already shooting on a phone with a solid camera, this fills the gap nicely. It’s a tougher sell if you prefer physical buttons over touchscreen menus, or if your phone runs on the larger and heavier side, since fitting it onto the clamp might be a problem before you even get to shooting.

Price, availability

DJI is offering the OM 8P in three combos, so how much you pay depends on how much of the ecosystem you actually need.

  • Standard Combo (PhP 7,499): the gimbal itself, with 8th-gen stabilization and the detachable FrameTap remote included.
  • Advanced Tracking Combo (PhP 9,199): adds the Multifunctional Module 2 for the improved subject tracking we tested.
  • Creator Combo (PhP 11,099): the full kit, built for creators who want everything DJI bundles in from the start.

Is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P your GadgetMatch?

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8P asks you to relearn a few habits in exchange for a gimbal that finally lets go of your phone. If hands-free framing and steadier tracking matter more to you than a dedicated zoom dial, this is worth the adjustment.

If you’d rather keep things exactly as they were on the OM 8, that learning curve might be the deciding factor.

Swipe right if you shoot alone often and have been waiting for a gimbal remote that actually works. The FrameTap remote alone justifies the upgrade if reaching for your phone mid-shot has been slowing you down.

Consider this if reliable tracking matters to you, especially if you’ve had a subject wander out of frame and stay lost on older gimbals.

And of course, get this if you already own a capable phone under the weight and thickness limits, and you’d rather invest in a smartphone rig than jump to a dedicated camera like the Osmo Pocket.

Swipe left if you lean on physical dials for zoom and focus, and moving those functions to a touchscreen sounds like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

This is not for you if you use a DJI wireless mic and want it plugged directly into the module without routing through your phone first. Or, your phone runs heavier or bulkier than DJI’s limits allow, since no amount of enthusiasm fixes a clamp that won’t close.

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Features

GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey

A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Westminster Abbey isn’t just another stop on the London tourist trail.

It’s the stage for coronations, royal weddings, and burials that span nearly a thousand years, all still playing out under the same vaulted ceilings that have been standing since before most countries had names.

Once you get past the crowds and the audio guides, a quieter version of the abbey starts to show itself: worn stone steps, poets resting a few feet from kings, light that shifts across the nave like it’s in on the performance too.

While losing track of time in Poets’ Corner (yes, me, playing amateur historian for an afternoon), I unfolded the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and decided the abbey deserved more than a quick tourist snap.


All photos captured using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.

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