Apple achieved an unexpected number of positives in its series of September announcements. Android users are notoriously underwhelmed when Apple showcases its latest iPhone and Apple Watch annually. The company touts it as the “best iPhone ever” with phrases like “it’s unlike anything we’ve ever made,” yet many of our readers remain skeptical.
However, this time, things are slightly different. Several feature unveilings and announcements genuinely impressed our team at Android Central, and Android users should pay attention.
From a redefined front-facing camera sensor that prompted us to ask, “Why hasn’t anyone implemented this earlier?” to blood pressure monitoring on the Apple Watch, these are the features from the Apple event that the top Android phones and watches should take inspiration from promptly.
A square selfie camera
There are seldom new features on the iPhone that compel me to upgrade, but Apple’s new front-facing camera sensor on the iPhone 17 is one such feature. The CenterStage camera now adopts a square aspect ratio, breaking away from the common 4:3 size typically found on most front-facing smartphone cameras. With a 1:1 aspect ratio, the camera can crop in to offer both portrait and landscape shots without users needing to physically adjust their device.
If you’ve ever tried to hold a large flagship in landscape mode using one hand while attempting a group selfie, you’ll understand why this is significant. It’s simpler to manage your phone in portrait mode, and the revamped CenterStage camera lets you achieve the best of both formats. A quick tap on the screen will change the selfie orientation digitally, enhancing the user experience.
CenterStage can also leverage AI to broaden the usual field of view, ensuring everyone fits into the frame. The resolution reaches up to 18MP for photos and 4K HDR for videos, so you don’t compromise on quality for versatility. I hope every Android flagship considers implementing square sensors in their next upgrade cycle.
Higher base and maximum storage options
Is 128GB of base storage sufficient in 2025? We believe otherwise, and Apple seems to agree. It has elevated the base storage across the iPhone 17 lineup, with the newly announced models starting at 256GB. Impressively, despite tariffs and inflation, Apple hasn’t increased the price of any model to introduce higher base storage.
In the meantime, we are still awaiting Google and Samsung to catch on and eliminate the 128GB storage option from their flagship offerings. This year, the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Galaxy S25 all initiate with just 128GB of storage.
Apple has also enhanced the storage cap for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. You can now feature this smartphone with up to 2TB of storage. The pricing is somewhat amusing at $2,000, but it serves as a valuable option for individuals looking to utilize the “pro” camera system for high-quality video formats demanding significant storage.
Dual Capture recording
When Apple introduces a feature, it often becomes mainstream. That’s the trend we hope to see with Dual Capture recording on the iPhone 17 series. It enables users to simultaneously record both front- and rear-facing camera perspectives, which is excellent for POV-style videos that also reveal what the individual is experiencing in their environment.
Samsung already provides this capability through Director’s View on selected Galaxy phone models. With this feature, you can concurrently record both camera views or alternate between them on your Samsung device. However, it remains relatively unknown among casual users, and other Android manufacturers have been slow to adopt it. Therefore, we would like to see OEMs like Google implement features such as Dual Capture or Director’s View promptly.
Blood pressure monitoring
The Galaxy Watch has included blood pressure monitoring for several years now. Nevertheless, U.S. availability has posed a significant challenge. The Galaxy Watch 8 possesses all the necessary sensors, yet the brand has not enabled this feature in this region, likely due to regulatory reasons. Fortunately, Apple has officially resolved this issue with hypertension alerts on the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3.
While it does not replace medical-grade detection techniques, blood pressure monitoring and hypertension alerts could potentially save lives.
“Hypertension is the leading modifiable risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease, affecting around 1.3 billion adults worldwide,” the company states in a press release. “It is often undiagnosed because it frequently presents no symptoms, many individuals do not visit a doctor regularly, and even during clinical appointments, it can be easily overlooked with a single measurement.”
For these reasons, we are excited to see the Apple Watch supporting blood pressure monitoring in the U.S., and we hope to see Wear OS watches adopt this feature sooner rather than later.
An affordable smartwatch with modern specs
Budget-friendly versions of Wear OS smartwatches typically make several compromises to achieve an affordable price. The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE, for instance, employs recycled
