Apple iOS 10: Top new features, availability and more at WWDC 2016
Apple iOS 10 is finally here and it promises a variety of new features from a smarter Siri to interactive Messages. Here's a quick look.
iOS 10 is finally here with users and developers getting a first glimpse at the new version of Apple’s OS for iPhones, iPads and iPods at the annual WorldWide Developer Conference (WWDC 2016).
Apple CEO Tim Cook called it “the mother of all releases” as it packs 10 major new features for iOS.
This version of the mobile OS also signals an Apple that is more open, as Message and Siri SDKs will be made accessible to third-party app developers. So what does iOS 10 offer and when exactly will be available? Will it be compatible with your current iOS device? Here’s a detailed look at all those answers.
Availability and Compatibility:
First up, the developer preview of iOS 10 is now available to iOS Developer Program members at developer.apple.com. Just like with iOS 9, a public beta program will be available to iOS users in July at beta.apple.com.
iOS 10 will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 5 and later, all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, iPad 4th generation, iPad mini 2 and later, and iPod touch 6th generation.
Messages will be much more fun:
If you look at the iOS 10 page on the Apple website, Messages occupies the most important part of the upgrade, and it’s not surprising. Apple says Messages is the most frequently used iOS app, and this time it gets an upgrade to make it all fun.
Apple is adding animations like balloons, confetti or fireworks that can take over an entire screen to celebrate a special occasion, invisible ink to send a message which is only revealed after a friend swipes over it, and handwritten notes option for more a personal touch.
Emojis will play a big role in the new update Messages app, and iOS 10 will automatically suggest emojis that can replace a particular word in a message. Think words like Happy, Excited, Sad; you can now just go for an emoji instead with a simple tap. It also means you don’t have to keep scrolling forever in the keyboard to find the right emoji.
Tapback is the new feature which let users respond with a simple tap. Users can also send rich links to play content inline (even Apple Music links or open entire articles) without actually leaving the conversation thread.
Apple is also opening up Messages to developers so they can create apps, other experiences within Messages to let users do more in the chat threads. Just like Facebook Messenger wants to add its own App Store, Messages in iOS will have also one. As Apple VP Craig Federighi showed in the demo, it will be possible for users to order food collectively from a group thread in Messages, and even do payments using some of these special apps.
Messages will also support GIFs, ability to edit photos. There’s also a feature called Digital Touch Mode, where users can create fun videos/photos and send them in the app.
Siri gets Smarter and more open:
As was predicted, Apple is opening up Siri to third-party developers by making the SDK available to them. This means app developers can now create commands letting Siri interact with their app. Users will able to call for a cab in Uber or book a table on OpenTable, by using the Hey Siri command.
Apple’s SiriKit will help developers design their apps to work with Siri for messaging, phone calls, photo search, ride booking, personal payments and workouts, or use Siri to control CarPlay apps, access climate controls or adjust radio settings within automakers’ apps.
iPhone and iPad users will find that Siri will be able to do lot more on their devices with iOS 10 update.
Maps:
Apple Maps has also been redesigned and will now have a slide up tab showing time to work, calendar appointments etc. Apple is adding its ‘proactive assistance’ feature to Maps to help figure out your route, based on appointments or daily routine.
Apple Maps also gets new extensions, and again third-party apps can be integrated with Maps. In the US, apps like OpenTable will integrate bookings right into Maps, and services like Uber and Lyft will also be integrated. Google Maps in India is already integrated with Uber, Ola and shows cab options as well. Hopefully the upgrade Apple Maps with extensions will be available to users across the globe.
Once a route is planned, Maps can search for gas stations, restaurants, coffee shops and more and provides an estimate of how the stop impacts the length of the trip. In India, Maps doesn’t support all these features yet.
Photos:
Photos gets an upgrade in iOS 10 to become smarter and help people find photos from forgotten occasions. Memories as Apple calls it, will scan photos and videos and finds forgotten events, trips and people, and puts them in all in one collection. Sort of what Google is doing with its own Photos app.
There’s also the Memory Movie, which is an automatically edited movie with theme music, titles and cinematic transitions.
Apple’s Craig Federighi explained the company is relying on advanced computer vision, facial recognition techniques, object and scene recognition to create these ‘Memories.’ Apple insists that Memories does not compromise user privacy.
Home App:
HomeKit App will now be replaced by a simpler Home app, and this is mostly for those who have a smart home. Home will be a one-stop app to manage all those smart accessories in the house, be it the lights or the curtains. And yes, users can also control them via Siri. Users can also set up automatic triggers according to time of day or action. For most users based in India, this might not be so relevant.
Privacy:
We know privacy is a top-agenda for Apple, and the recent FBI standoff made this quite clear. Apple says in iOS iMessage, FaceTime, and HomeKit will use end-to-end encryption to protect user data, making sure it can’t be read by anyone, not Apple or third-parties.
Apple also says it will use “on-device intelligence” to identify the people, objects and scenes in Photos, and power QuickType suggestions. Additionally data sent from Siri, Maps, News etc won’t be used to build user profiles, even though it will sent to Apple’s Servers.
iOS 10 will see Apple use a technology called Differential Privacy to help discover the usage patterns of a large number of users without compromising individual privacy. Apple says this will help them improve QuickType and emoji suggestions, Spotlight deep link suggestions and Lookup Hints in Notes.
Apple Music:
Apple Music has been redesigned to make it easier to use. The Library, For You, Browse and Radio tabs have been revamped
Apple News:
The News app has also been redesigned with a new “For You” section, support for breaking news notifications and paid subscriptions.
iOS 10 User Experience:
The new ‘Raise to Wake’ function automatically wakes the screen as you raise your iPhone. Lock Screen is now more interactive with richer notifications, which display entire texts, photos, videos.
There’s also a deeper 3D Touch integration with iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus for apps like Weather, Stocks, Calendar.
QuickType:
A smart Siri will offer QuickType option adding contextual predictions when you’re typing based on relevant information. Predictive typing now supports multiple languages without switching keyboards.
Phone app:
In iOS 10, the Phone app adds integration for third-party VoIP calls, voicemail transcription and a new caller ID extension for spam alerts. Apple says it will work internationally, and hopefully in India too.
Safari:
Safari now supports split-view for iPad.
Notes:
Users can now collaborate on a Note, sort of like how sharing works on Google Docs.
Live Photos:
Live Photos can now be edited, and come with inbuilt stabilisation.
Apple Pay:
Apple Pay is being extended to websites on Safari, in addition to paying in-stores and within apps.
To know more cool features of iOS 10 please refer to the following video :
