If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Google is definitely blushing right now. One of the key features Apple introduced alongside iOS 5 was the Notification Center, a panel that aggregates notifications and other information into one simple list that can be dragged down and revealed from the top of a device’s screen. Sound familiar? That’s because the feature was unabashedly “borrowed” from Android. Companies “borrow” from each other all the time of course, and it looks like another major mobile platform maker liked Android’s notification interface so much that it decided to “borrow” it in an upcoming software release.

According to leaked images posted by Windows fan blog Winphollowers, Microsoft is getting ready to debut a brand new “Action Center” in Windows Phone 8.1.

According to the images, the new feature will combine shortcuts to settings with aggregated notifications from various Windows Phone apps into one simple interface, just as many vendors have done in Android. Apple chose to separate notifications and settings into two separate panels — the Notification Center and the Control Center — but it’s not exactly a mystery where it drew its inspiration from.

The leaked images follow below and Microsoft is expected to unveil all of the new features that will be included in Windows Phone 8.1 this coming April at its annual BUILD developer conference.