Apple presents iOS 10
Apple presented iOS 10 at its developer conference WWDC. The mobile operating system is available as a test version and will be released this fall as an update for current iPhones, iPads and iPod touch models.
Apple brings in iOS 10, among other things, a slightly changed interface in menus and notifications. The manufacturer has redesigned the lockscreen. Lockscreen notifications are enabled via 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s series and users can reply to messages without having to unlock the phone. The Control Center also looks different and has an audio menu.
iMessage and Apple Music
iOS 10 includes a new version of iMessage, in which users can see previews of links and videos, among other things. In addition, emojis in the app are now three times larger to make them more visible and the app automatically suggests emojis when typing certain words. In addition, iMessage supports handwritten messages and the addition of ‘invisible ink’ in messages. In addition, the app gets full screen effects.
There will also be apps that integrate with iMessage, via a separate section in the App Store. The chat service will also receive stickers and support for payments via Apple Pay.
Apple Music has also had a major update. The music service is still in the Music app, but now has a different interface. In addition, the New tab has been swapped for a Browse tab at the beginning and lyrics are now baked into the app. The service has 15 million paying users. Spotify’s biggest competitor has 30 million paying customers, according to the latest report.
Siri and Home
Siri on iOS can now be used in third-party apps. Apple gave chat app WhatsApp as an example, where Siri can send a chat message via that service through the integration with Siri. WeChat and Slack will also support Siri with the release of iOS 10.
Siri will have a place in the keyboard to make suggestions for next words and answers. That feature is reminiscent of Swiftkey, which came out on iOS last year, and Google’s automatic replies in Inbox.
Apple is introducing an app called Home in iOS 10, to unite functions of equipment that works with its SDK HomeKit. This allows users to control smart home devices from one and the same app. An Apple TV can also serve as a geofencing device, which detects that the user is at home and then controls devices to turn on lights, for example.
Photos and Maps
The Photos app can now, following Google Photos, recognize faces and automatically link photos. Also, just like the competitor’s photo app, it’s possible to search by words, because iOS devices automatically index the photos by objects and scenes. According to Apple, this happens locally on the phone to protect privacy.
In addition, there will be a Memories feature with automatically compiled albums of photos taken around the same time and location. The Photos app can also automatically compose videos with music underneath. That feature first appeared at HTC on the One M7 under the name Zoe and has since appeared in BlackBerry 10 and in the firmware of Sony’s Xperia phones.
Apple Maps gets a new interface and includes the function to find points of interest along the route. Developers can integrate Maps into their own apps. Apple will release iOS 10 as a test version on Monday, the release will follow this fall. Apple went on to say that there are now two million apps in the App Store, which have been downloaded a total of 130 billion times.
| iPhone | 5, 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, SE | 4s |
| iPad | 4, Air, Air 2, Pro, Pro 12.9″, Mini 2.3.4″ | 2,3, Mini |
| iPod touch | v6 | v5 |
Photos: The Verge