iOS 26 Features Copied from Xiaomi – A Detailed Comparison

Apple iOS 26: Inspired by Xiaomi? A Detailed Look

Apple has made a bold leap from iOS 19 to iOS 26, aligning its OS version with the 2026 calendar year. But what’s grabbing headlines isn’t just the version jump—it’s the surprising number of features borrowed directly from Xiaomi's software ecosystem, namely HyperOS and MIUI. Let's dive into the 7 new features where Apple seems to have followed Xiaomi’s lead.

1. AI-Powered Visual Search: A Xiaomi-First Feature

Apple has introduced AI-powered image search in iOS 26, allowing users to circle or tap objects in screenshots or photos to trigger contextual searches or actions. This mirrors Xiaomi’s Circle to Search and its XiaoAI assistant, which has provided this functionality for years. For Apple users, it’s a welcome enhancement—but Xiaomi users may see it as old news.

✅ What’s new for Apple: Integration with Siri and Spotlight
✅ What Xiaomi already had: AI object detection, contextual search, and instant in-image actions

2. Lock Screen Clock Customization: Catching Up on Aesthetics

Apple has added customizable lock screen clock styles, including elongated fonts and new layout options. These mirror HyperOS's early aesthetic innovations, which offered similar clock themes and placement choices from the beginning. This change signals Apple’s move toward a more flexible visual experience that Xiaomi pioneered.

3. Glass UI Elements: Borrowed Visual Sophistication

The use of translucent, frosted glass UI elements throughout iOS 26 resembles the “Glassmorphism” style widely used in MIUI and HyperOS. Apple used transparency in past versions (like iOS 7), but the current implementation feels more Xiaomi-like—especially on the lock screen and widgets.

4. Advanced SMS Filtering: Security Through Smart Messaging

iOS 26 brings enhanced spam message filtering, allowing for categorization of texts and auto-deletion of promotional content. Xiaomi has long offered robust spam control via MIUI’s built-in messaging app and Google Messages support in global models. Apple is finally catching up to make iMessage and SMS more secure and user-friendly.

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5. AI-Powered Call Screening: Siri Learns from XiaoAI

In iOS 26, Siri now screens calls and identifies callers, much like Xiaomi’s XiaoAI assistant has done for years. It can answer unknown numbers, transcribe messages in real-time, and suggest whether a call is spam or urgent. This improves privacy and control, especially in business and sensitive communication.

6. Gallery App Redesign: Xiaomi’s Influence in UX

The redesigned Photos app in iOS 26 features a bottom navigation bar and floating action buttons, similar to the design Xiaomi has used in MIUI’s Gallery for a long time. While Apple focuses on minimalism and ease of use, Xiaomi continues to lead with smart album suggestions and AI tools for automatic sorting, face grouping, and mood tagging.

7. App Name Hiding: Cleaner Home Screens

Apple finally allows users to hide app names on the home screen, a feature MIUI users have enjoyed for years. This supports a minimalist design philosophy, letting users display icon-only grids, which not only looks modern but also reduces visual clutter. It’s a small detail, but one that users have long requested from Apple.

Conclusion: Apple’s New Direction, Xiaomi’s Old Ideas

With iOS 26, Apple is no longer shy about borrowing good ideas from its competitors—and Xiaomi seems to be the main source of inspiration this time. From AI features and spam filtering to UI redesigns and lock screen customization, many of these iOS 26 upgrades are versions of what Xiaomi already does well.

While Apple will undoubtedly polish these features and make them fit into its ecosystem seamlessly, it's clear that the real innovation spark has been lit elsewhere—and Apple is playing smart by catching up.

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