I’m a certified Apple hater, but new Apple Intelligence tools like Spatial Reframe mean I'm considering a switch from Android

Apple Intelligence Photo Tools Hands On at WWDC 2026
The iPhone 13 Pro can take macro mode photos (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I have a reputation on the TechRadar team for being a certified Apple hater. Perhaps it's my staunch love for Android, or the fact that I can sometimes be a little harsh on the Silicon Valley megacorporation — though given it’s valued at over $4 trillion, I think my high expectations are perfectly valid.

Still, I dispute these accusations, especially as recently, my anti-Apple-ness has started to wane.

While I was a little skeptical of the MacBook Neo when it was announced, it’s now the laptop I recommend to anyone seeking an affordable productivity machine that's full of fun. Plus, as I expand my collection of Samsung ecosystem gadgets, I’m starting to understand the benefits of the walled-garden approach Apple has long since championed.

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And ultimately, WWDC 2026 was the best consumer AI showcase I've seen... and I've unfortunately sat through a fair few in recent years.

In the most recent episode of the TechRadar Podcast, I even caught myself defending the new AI-bolstered Spatial Reframe tool against the rest of the panel — it was as if I had fallen into DC's Bizarro World.

Apple Intelligence’s WORST new feature, Siri AI finally catches up and the best of WWDC 2026 - YouTube Apple Intelligence’s WORST new feature, Siri AI finally catches up and the best of WWDC 2026 - YouTube
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In fact, if Apple keeps moving the way it does (and I can’t believe I’m writing this), I might soon start flying its flag.

Apple keeps taking Ws

While watching WWDC 2026, I realized Apple is ticking a lot of my technology boxes with the way it talks.

Its focus on keeping young people safe online — while also balancing parents’ ability to decide what their children are/aren’t ready for — is a tightrope no one else has walked with such detail. Plus, its continued push for privacy tools stands in clear contrast to some of the less-than-ideal approaches its rivals have taken at times.

I’m also a fan of Apple’s continued focus on spatial computing. Sure, the Vision Pro was imperfect, but the device and resulting software continue to see a surprising amount of support compared to other Apple failures (see: the HomePod). Plus, the Vision Pro's influence can be clearly felt in Apple's other devices — whether that's the design language of Liquid Glass, or the aforementioned Spatial Reframe tool which takes advantage of Apple's 2D to 3D image conversion tools.

I know a lot of folks weren't keen on Spatial Reframe, as was discussed in the podcast above, but if it can help some people save a couple of shots from their last vacation or make a one-off family photo look better, I don't see the harm.

With rumors of upcoming Apple smart glasses and a foldable iPhone — two device categories I can’t get enough of — I’m seriously prepared to consider a switch if Apple can maintain its current momentum.

I still love my Android tech, and realistically a total switch is unlikely given how embedded I am in non-Apple ecosystems, but to everyone out there who thinks I have a complete loathing of Apple, let this be a reminder that we tech reviewers are complex beings — and we can sometimes admit that Apple can do great things, even if it hurts a little to say.


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Hamish Hector
Senior Staff Writer, News

Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.

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