Apple is touting its latest mobile operating system, which was
released today at 10 a.m. PT, as the "most significant" iOS update since the
original iPhone.
"Downloading iOS 7 is like getting an all-new device," said Craig Federighi,
Apple’s senior vice-president of software engineering, as he walked users
through the company’s newest operating system on Tuesday. "One that's so much
more useful and elegant than ever before."
Apple's new iPhones spark class war
Apple CEO Tim Cook predicted that when the iOS 7 becomes publicly available
for free on Sept. 18 it will "quickly become the world’s most popular operating
system."
Here’s a look at some of new features Apple users can expect:
1. New look
The redesigned operating system has a cleaner look for everything from the
icons to the lock screen. Users may not immediately recognize the
brightly-coloured, simplified Apple application icons. The user interface design
aims to de-clutter the screens.
2. Control centre
This is a brand new addition to the operating system. The control centre is a
pull-up menu accessible from any app or screen when using iOS 7. The handy
feature offers fast access to the most commonly used features and settings such
as airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, camera, calculator and more.
3. iCloud Keychain
For anyone who struggles to remember a myriad of passwords, the iCloud
Keychain will be the standout feature of the new operating system. It can
remember account names, passwords and credit card numbers, which Safari will
automatically enter when the user logs into a site. It doesn't, however, store
the credit card security code.
The feature is not restricted to iPhones. Passwords, which are stored in
iCloud, can be synced to all trusted iOS 7 devices, including computers using OS
X Mavericks. Apple says it's highly secure and uses 256-bit AES encryption. The
feature also helps users generate strong passwords.
4. Improved Find My iPhone
With all those passwords stored in the new iOS, users may feel a bit worried
about losing their valuable devices. Fortunately, to keep devices safe, the iOS
7 also includes a number of new and improved security options. The Find My
iPhone activation lock is one of them.
iPhone 4, 4s and 5
iPod touch 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB (Fifth generation)
iPad 2, iPad with retina displays and iPad mini
If Find My iPhone is turned on and the device is stolen, the phone's data
cannot be erased and the feature cannot be turned off without the owner's Apple
ID and password. The owner can also remotely erase information from the device
and then a custom message can be displayed on it. This all makes it a lot harder
for the device to be used by others or sold off.
5. Siri becomes male or female
Siri, the in-phone personal assistant, has a new look, sound and
capabilities. Users can now choose between a female and male voice, though
novelty voices are still unavailable. Siri now checks more sources such as Bing,
Twitter and Wikipedia and can also play voicemail, return calls and read and
reply to text messages.
6. Filters and other camera options
The new camera app has slightly more options than before. Users can now swipe
between four camera options: video, regular stills, panorama photos and square
pictures. Filters can be applied before or after taking the photo. The
redesigned app automatically organizes the pictures based on time and location
for easy searching and sharing.
7. Location-based and kid-friendly apps
The new iOS also updates the App Store with a new feature called Apps Near
Me. This enables users to see a collection of the most popular applications
based on their location. A tourist in an unfamiliar city might find it handy to
pull up these location-based recommendations. Parents also benefit from an App
Store addition: a new Kids category that suggests apps based on the specified
age of the child. And iPhone users can say goodbye to the red alerts badgering
them to update their apps. The App Store can now be set to automatically update
whenever the phone is in a Wi-Fi zone or battery-saving mode.
