Apple has introduced a ton of useful features with iOS 26. While they're new on the iPhone, Android users have already been enjoying several of them.

Here's how to check if your carrier supports the messaging protocol, how to enable it and when Apple could bring end-to-end encryption to the protocol on your iPhone.

Google will restrict sideloading with developer verification. The move mirrors Apple's long-standing security approach. Android loses one of its last big differences from iOS. For years, one of the biggest talking points in the Android vs.

OS 26 could finally bring end-to-end encryption to RCS, securing conversations between iPhone and Android users with the MLS protocol.

iOS 26 is Apple's best software release in years. The Liquid Glass design isn't just pretty – it's functional pretty, which is rare for Apple. The AI improvements actually feel useful rather than gimmicky, and the performance optimizations mean your phone might actually last a full day.

Google released the latest Android feature drop. Material 3 Expressive has finally arrived, and it's brilliant. You get more customizations, better animations, and performance. When the latest Android feature drop hit my Pixel 9 Pro a few days ago,

Like iPhone's Contact Posters, Calling Cards lets you set full-screen photos for incoming and outgoing calls. To try it out, download v188 or later of the Phone app. If you don't spot the feature immediately, don't worry. "We're rolling out Calling Cards in phases to ensure the best experience," Google said in a support page on Thursday.