Is Apple Intelligence Just Playing Catch-Up With Google Pixel's AI? New Ad Feels Something Like That
Apple’s new iPhone ad previews iOS 26’s AI features that closely resemble Google Pixel’s Assistant tools, with an Apple twist on privacy and integration.
Apple’s latest iPhone advertisement offers a preview of the upcoming iOS 26, showcasing Apple Intelligence features that strongly resemble those seen in recent Google Pixel devices. The video highlights the use of natural language to handle daily tasks such as drafting messages, creating events, and setting reminders, all using voice or typed prompts.
While Apple positions these tools as part of its next-generation AI assistant, their similarity to existing Pixel AI features suggests Apple is taking direct cues from its Android rival.
Apple Intelligence Mirrors Pixel’s AI Strengths
The advertisement shows iPhone users asking Apple Intelligence to perform multi-step tasks in plain language, like sending a dinner invitation, summarising messages, or adding calendar entries. These features closely echo Google Pixel’s AI-powered features like Help Me Write, Smart Reply, and Assistant voice commands, which have been live on Android for over a year.
In one example from the ad, a user says, “Draft a dinner invitation to friends next Tuesday and mention the new restaurant that just opened.” Apple Intelligence composes a polished message in Messages, much like how Pixel devices auto-generate emails or replies in Gmail and other apps.
Privacy Remains Apple’s Core Differentiator
Despite the parallels, Apple continues to market its tools around privacy. The ad reinforces that Apple Intelligence processes most tasks directly on-device, using the power of the iPhone 15 Pro or newer models. This differs from Google’s more cloud-reliant AI models.
Apple also claims its assistant can be more context-aware across apps like Mail, Safari, and Notes, though most features still require devices with Apple’s latest chips.
Tighter App Integration Across iOS 26
The AI features in the ad appear deeply embedded across iOS 26. Prompts for messaging, mail, calendar, and reminders are all handled contextually, a design Apple says will make AI support “feel native” to the system.
Users can expect the official iOS 26 rollout alongside the iPhone 17 series this September, with AI tools exclusive to newer Pro models.
Apple’s new ad might seem like a leap forward for iPhone users, but it also confirms that the company is entering a space where Google Pixel has already made strong inroads. The iOS 26 preview reflects a shift where Apple, once cautious with AI, is now racing to match features Android users have had for months, albeit with a signature Apple spin on privacy and design.
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