On Sept. 18, 2013, Apple released a number of new iPhones and a software update to all of their mobile devices (iPad 2 and above, iPhone 4 and above). This update marked the largest change Apple has made to their mobile Operating System since its release over 6 years ago.
The most user-facing change to the new operating system is its new design. The faux leather accents are gone from the notes application and so is the yellow legal pad. Everything has been nipped, tucked, and refined and while the new design isn’t for everyone, the new features brought along with it are.
The first feature users will want to use in the new OS is known as control center. Control center is Apple’s answer to accessing simple settings such as system brightness or toggling Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and your GPS within one easily-accessed area.
Simply swipe up from the bottom of your screen and it will overlay on top of whatever you are currently doing.
The second feature users will likely want to look at is the today screen in notification center. The today screen outlines your day ahead by telling you the weather, your calendar appointments, reminders, and any other information you need to know every day. The final two additions users will notice are iTunes Radio and the changes made to Siri.
iTunes Radio works a lot like Pandora or any other music streaming service available. Simply type in an artist’s name or a music genre and you will be presented with a curated radio station. The advantage iTunes Radio has compared to other alternatives is its ability to change how broad or narrow these stations are. If you want to hear songs on the fringes of a genre or limit the selection of songs being played, it is a simple click away.
Siri has become a lot smarter in iOS 7. Users can now use the virtual assistant to change settings throughout their phone, bring up more relevant web results, or even read your email. Siri can also be taught how to say unusual names properly, will remember your previous conversations or questions, and can play iTunes Radio stations for you as well.
There are hundreds of other features and changes throughout the OS as well. Other additions include:
- Swiping from the left edge of the screen to the right will move back a page in apps and Safari
- You can now have an unlimited number of apps in a single folder
- Applications will now work in the background to fetch data.
- Moving the icons down on any home screen will bring up spotlight
- New camera filters have been added along with slow-motion video capture (slow-motion is available to the iPhone 5S only)
- You can now use FaceTime for audio-only calls
If these changes seem repetitive, it is because they are. Since Apple released the iPhone in 2007 they have been working to refine their mobile platform. This software update shows Apple’s commitment to refinement and proves they’re not trying to re-invent the wheel. They are trying to make it a perfect circle.
