Apple is improving built-in apps that iOS already has and even bringing new default apps to iOS 9. Every-time the company expands functionality of some of its existing apps or introduces new apps it tends to disrupt the business of some of the third-party apps.
In iOS 9 Apple is all set to introduce News which will bring personalised news stories based on the type of articles you read and the topics you are interested in. Sounds a bit like Flipboard right? Apple will be releasing special set of tools to enable publishers to create content for the News app. This content will include immersive design, interactivity and beautiful typography.
These special print style layouts would be great for editorial and in-dept articles.
The Notes app in iOS 9 is getting a lot of love from Apple. The updated app will allow you to do more than just note taking. It now includes creating a checklist, adding photo, map or a URL to your note. Another addition to the app is the ability to sketch with your finger.
I use Notes app a lot and even though my devices have many third-party apps I’ve always gone back to the default Notes app in iOS. These new features would certainly make Apple’s Notes app a whole lot powerful and iCloud syncing will support all these features between OS X and iOS.
Ever since Apple and Google’s maps licensing ended, the company has been hard at work to improve its mapping solution. Apple Maps were initially criticised for inaccuracies and limited features. In iOS 9 Apple is bringing Transit vier with routes and directors. The new maps app will also include Nearby search to find local businesses from categories such as Food, Shopping, Fun, and more.
Passbook has been renamed to Wallet app in iOS 9. It will not just store credit cards you use but also include reward and loyalty cards. You will be able to use Apple Pay to redeem rewards or apply offer.
Apple has pulled the cord from CarPlay for the new cars that support wireless connection to your iPhone. You can have your iPhone in the pocket never take it out and still access CarPlay. The updated app will also support apps developed by car manufactures so that you can use the car’s features without leaving CarPlay.
With iOS 9 Apple has taken multi-tasking on the iPad to a whole new level. The upcoming software update will support slide over, split view and picture in picture which will utilise the true potential of the iPad. Apple has also improved the QuickType feature introduced in iOS 8.
Slide Over allows you to quickly take action in another app without ever leaving the first one. Split View allows you to have work in two apps simultaneously. Picture in Picture takes any video content and floats in on the screen when you press the home button.
Selecting text, copying and pasting while these tasks have been very easy to do on iOS. However, for getting some serious work done receptively selecting text, copying and pasting involves constantly lifting your finger from the keyboard the tap and hold on the screen to have controls appear on the screen. All this is changing with iOS 9. Two finger tap on the new keyboard in iOS 9 for iPad transforms it into a trackpad allowing you to move the cursor and then use dedicated keys for cut, copy, paste, text formatting and adding attachments.
Siri received a major upgrade in iOS 8 and now with iOS 9 it is getting much better. Apple is allowing Siri to search built-in apps to source answers, deliver results faster and even offering suggestions proactively.
Siri can now offer you quick access to different apps depending on the time of the day and your location. It can automatically create events when it detects invitations in an email and much more.
Apple has made a number of under-the-hood refinements to iOS 9 to make its performance faster and even improve battery life.
One of the biggest hurdles in users upgrading to iOS 8 was the amount of free space the software requested for over-the-air update. In iOS 9 Apple has reduced it by more than 70%. A new developer API called App Thinness will allow the App Store to download assets for the app that match the users screen density.
Security has also been improved in the OS. The devices will now require a six-digit passcode. Two-factor authentication will be required when you sign in from anew browser or on a new device.
iOS 9 brings many features that will enhance users productivity in performing day to day tasks. Intelligence and improved multitasking are certainly some of the best new features in iOS 9.
The public beta will be available in July followed by final release this Fall.
]]> https://touchreviews.net/ios-9-apple-next-major-mobile-os-features/feed/ 0The adoption rate of iOS 8 software update has been slower than last years iOS 7 adoption rate. iOS 7 reached 80% in the month of January just four months after release date.
iOS 7 was the first major redesign of Apple’s mobile operating system since the original iPhone. The new flat look was a significant departure from the original user interface which may have lead to an increased interest among users to download the update.
iOS 8 release was met with a number of issues. Since the update required more free space for over-the-air installation many users decided to not update their devices. Later, Apple published a support article stating that users can update their devices without having to delete any data by connecting their devices to iTunes and then completing the update process.
When Apple released a maintenance update iOS 8.0.1, it resulted in No Service error. The company was quick to investigate and release follow-up updates to provide a stable version of iOS 8. Apple released a number of updates including iOS 8.1, iOS 8.1.1, iOS 8.1.2, and most recently iOS 8.1.3.
The latest update reduces the amount of free space required to install a new update along with fixing other glaring issues such as spotlight not showing search results.
iOS 8 didn’t get the perfect launch that Apple would have hoped for. However, despite all the bugs and slower adoption rate, as iOS 8 install base continues to rise Apple shouldn’t have to worry about anything.
Just as iOS 8 distribution looks impressive for an update that was released just four months ago, Android’s adoption rate is in a dire situation. Lollipop, the latest version of Android operating system released in November, is installed on just 1.6% Android devices.
]]> https://touchreviews.net/ios-8-install-base-reaches-72-initial-rough-start/feed/ 0iOS 8.2 includes support for the WatchKit SDK, paving the way for developers to create and test apps for Apple’s upcoming Apple Watch. The exact release date for iOS 8.2 is still unknown however, it may be made available publicly few weeks ahead of the Apple Watch launch.
Apple’s new wearable device will work in sync with the iPhone. Using WatchKit SDK app developers can add support to their apps to enable notifications and glances on the Apple Watch.
iOS 8 upgrades haven’t gone very well for users recently as after upgrading users complained about WiFi, battery life and bluetooth issues. With increased use of devices’ storage capacity many users were unable to install over-the-air update and had to resort to installing the update by connecting to iTunes. All these problems combined resulted in slower adoption rate initially when compared with last years release of iOS 7.
Apple touted iOS 8 as the “biggest iOS release ever”. It brought many new features for users and new possibilities for iOS app developers. Notable enhancements included all new Messages app, continuity, added features to camera app, third party keyboards, iCloud Drive, Health app and much more.
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iOS 7 is now available for download over-the-air for iPhone, iPad, iPad mini and iPod touch. Apple’s latest mobile operating system is the biggest update to the OS since the original iPhone.
Every little detail in iOS 7 has been either largely improved or given an all-new look. While installing the new OS you will also notice the new progress bar as the new update prepares your device. In the new version you’ll easily notice the changes in font, icons, gestures, motion effect and of-course over 100 new user features.
The year Apple’s mobile OS has been stripped off all the heavy textures and ornamentation and what we are left is clean and simple design. Even as the focus has shifted from heavy textures to simple UI, the OS continues to provide an essence of depth and succeeds in establishing relationship between different gestures and features.
For example, when you launch an app it zooms into view to occupy the whole screen and when you press the home button and shrinks back to its icon. This helps in establishing a relation between your action and how visually the features work. There’s also translucency present in the entire OS that helps to understand the hierarchy of menus and the entire OS.
In addition to a completely new look, iOS 7 includes features like Control Center, new notification center, new multitasking UI, improvements to Siri, pages in folders, iTunes Radio, live camera filters and much more.
A few users have reported issues when downloading iOS 7. Due to high download rush to get the new update, it’s possible that Apple’s servers are under a huge load. If problem persists, it is recommended that you close the settings app then try to download again.
Have you been able to install iOS 7 on your device? Do you like the new design and features? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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Apple has yet to release an iOS 6.1 update, which is currently still in beta mode but has already released a new update for the new iPhone 5 and iPad mini. The update, called iOS 6.0.2 was released to fix a bug which sometimes caused the WiFi connection to falter or to not operate at all on the iPhone 5 and iPad mini.
There have been numerous WiFi related complaints for the iPhone 5 and iPad mini, which will likely subside if the update does in fact fix the bug. This is the second update for the devices after Apple released iOS 6.0.1 on November 1st to patch up issues pertaining to OTA software updates as well as cellular network issues.
iOS 6.0.2 Software Update
This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:
• Fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi
For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
As far as the release of this update goes, Apple only notes that it fixes the WiFi bug, however, it is unclear if the update fixes any other issues or if the company is awaiting the release of iOS 6.1 to fix any remaining major issues in iOS 6. During the initial release of iOS 6.0.2, many users noted that they were having issues downloading it over-the-air while other users mentioned that downloading through iTunes yielded a higher success rate.
{Via MacRumors}
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On Thursday, the same day Apple released the iOS 6.1 beta to developers, the Cupertino, California based company also released iOS 6.0.1 to users of the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. iOS 6.0.1 addresses a host of issues with iOS and brings minor bug fixes for all iOS devices.
The update addresses an issue where in some instances, the iPhone’s camera flash would not go off, as well as an issue that prevented the iPhone from connected to a cellular network. The full list of issues that iOS 6.0.1 addresses is below:
According to AppleInsider, rumors about the release of iOS 6.0.1 and iOS 6.1 were noted last month. iOS 6.1 is a larger update and is expected to arrive after the holidays. However, iOS 6.0.1 is available for download now as an OTA (Over-the-air) update under Settings on any iOS device and is also available via iTunes when a device is connected.
Apple has also released an “Updater for iPhone 5” which will run on the iPhone 5 prior to installing 6.0.1 which fixes an issue preventing the device from installing updates. After running Updater, the iPhone 5 can then download and install iOS 6.0.1.
{Via AppleInsider}
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On Monday, Apple released a carrier update specifically for Verizon iPhone 5s to address an issue that caused the smartphone to still consume cellular data even while on WiFi, an issue that can be serious with Verizon’s tiered data plans.
This carrier settings update resolves an issue in which, under certain circumstances, iPhone 5 may use Verizon cellular data while the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. Follow these instructions to install the update.
1. Tap Settings > General > About.
2. Wait for the following alert to appear: (top right)
3. Tap OK to install the update.
4. Hold the Sleep/Wake button down until you see “slide to power off”.
5. Slide to power off.
6. After the device powers off, hold the Sleep/Wake button to turn your phone back on.Note: To finish the installation of the update, your iPhone 5 must be turned off and then on again. After your iPhone restarts, tap Settings > General > About, then scroll down to Carrier and verify that “Verizon 13.1″ is displayed.
The update is different from other iOS updates, particularly because it applies to only one of the many carriers the iPhone 5 is carried on. It is delivered in the iPhone’s settings as an Over-the-Air (OTA) update and is marked as important by Apple, likely because the issue is sporadic and may or may not affect a user. It is unclear if this cellular data issue has appeared on other networks such as Sprint or AT&T but there is no word on that at the moment, and appears to be only Verizon at this point.
{Via MacRumors}
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Apple has begun rolling out iOS 6 software download for supported iOS devices. The sixth major release of iOS was announced at this years WWDC keynote event, the update brings in some new features, many enhancements and new API’s for app developers.
The highlight feature of iOS 6 is Apple designed Maps app. Since the original iPhone launch in 2007 Apple had licensed Google Maps to be used in iPhone and all other iOS devices however, with growing differences between Google and Apple and the Cupertino, Calif. based company decided to build its own solution. Maps in iOS 6 brings 3D Maps to iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with a unique feature called Flyover, that offers ariel view of the supported locations.
Apple has also updated Siri for iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPad 3 and iPod touch 5G to support sports, restaurants and movie related searches. Siri continues to remain in beta and availability of features varies from country to country.
After Twitter was deeply integrated in iOS 5, Apple has finally added Facebook in iOS 6. This allows you to post status updates from Notification Center, share webpage, post photos and even allow single sign on for all apps for ease of use.
One of the exciting new features is Share Photo Streams which can be used if you share photos with friends and family from the Photos app. This makes sharing, commenting and liking photos extremely easy and now you can avoid sending emails with large attachments and view inline comments.
Passbook introduces a new way of managing your tickets, boarding pass, coupons and more. This app updates the loyalty cards, check in timing for your flight and even has location based alerts. We are expecting to see many retailers and airlines to start supporting Passbook fairly soon.
Other enhancements include, FaceTime over cellular for iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and iPad 3. The phone app has also been improved to support sending canned messages when declining a call, Mail now supports VIP list and easy flagging. Safari adds iCloud tabs, offline reading and full screen browsing.
iOS 6 download has been released and should be appearing via over-the-air update for iOS 5 devices. You can also update your device by connecting your device to iTunes via USB cable. It’s advisable to backup your device either using iCloud or manual iTunes sync before beginning the software update.
Have you already downloaded iOS 6 software update? What are your thoughts on the new features and changes? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Here’s the complete changelog of iOS 6:
Today, Apple released iOS 5 beta 6, only two weeks after the company released iOS 5 beta 5. Apple usually releases 8 betas before they release the GM seed to developers that is followed by the public release which is pegged for a release later this fall.
Apple is now releasing betas more and more often, hinting that the final release is right around the corner. The over-the-air version of iOS 5 beta 6 for the iPhone comes in at 144 MB.
This latest beta isn’t known for major upgrades to the OS and instead addresses only “bug fixes and improvements” according to Apple’s description. iOS 5 beta 6 has not yet revealed any major upgrades but more features may become evident as Apple strengthens the betas and releases the last two expected betas including the public release.
Alongside, iOS 5 beta 6, Apple also released a new beta version of iTunes 10.5 with a preview version of Xcode 4.2, as well as iWork for iOS beta 2 and a new beta 5 of the Apple TV software.
Apple is rumored to release the final version of iOS 5 to the public in October alongside iPhone 5. The fifth gen. iPhone is expected to feature 8 megapixel camera, dual-core A5 chip, more RAM and a thinner design.
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Apple on Friday released iOS 5 beta 4 for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The latest beta release brings the highly anticipated over the air (OTA) delta update to iOS devices.
Apple during WWDC keynote event announced more than 200 new features in iOS 5 but, previewed just 10 key enhancements. The company wants users to truly experience the post-PC era and is finally cutting the cord for iOS devices. With the fifth major release of Apple’s mobile operating system users will be able to sync, transfer data, update their devices and do much more without connecting their device to a computer.
It’s worth noting that when we tried to download the update the iPad alerts the user if the device has less than 50% battery charge. Connecting the device to a power source let us download and update the device. The update was just 128MB for iPod touch as OTA update are released as delta updates.
Downloading the update over 3G is also possible however, given the fact that most carriers offer limited data plans it would probably be better to get the update over WiFi.
We noticed a few error messages while trying to manually check for the update but that may have been due to initial issues in Apple’s server.
Overall, it’s great to see that Apple has been listening to its customers and iOS 5 will certainly help Apple stay in the lead.
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The technology to send over-the-air updates already exists. Many smartphone platforms like BlackBerry, Android and WebOS already provide this feature and Apple could be looking at introducing it as a future upgrade during iOS 5 software cycle.
One of the main reasons why Apple’s devices need to be connected to the computer before upgrade is that all contents on your phone are first backed up and then the update procedure is carried out. iOS 5 is widely rumored to introduce cloud services which could enable users to backup the contents on the cloud and thus allow Apple to eventually enable over-the-air updates.
In addition to the back up and music locker service, many believe that Apple will revamp the notification system in iOS 5 and come up with a more seamless and non-obtrusive method.
iOS 5 is expected to be announced during WWDC 2011 however, we might not hear about iPhone 5 / iPhone 4S / iPhone 4G during this years conference. Apple’s fifth gen iPhone is rumored to be scheduled for announcement during fall and will probably coincide with the annual iPod event.
Mockup via Blogs DNA
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