iOS 9 is Apple’s newest operating system for iOS devices like the iPhone and the iPad, introduced at WWDC on June 8. iOS 9 builds on the content introduced with iOS 7 and iOS 8, bringing subtle design changes, refined features, improved functionality, and performance enhancements.
iOS 9’s biggest focus is on intelligence and proactivity, allowing iOS devices to learn user habits and act on that information, opening up apps before we need them, making recommendations on places we might like, and guiding us through our daily lives to make sure we’re where we need to be at the right time.
Siri is at the heart of the changes, and the personal assistant is now able to create reminders and search through photos and videos in new ways. Swiping left from the home screen also brings up a new screen that houses Siri Suggestions putting favorite contacts and apps right at your fingertips, along with nearby restaurant and location information and important news. Deeper search capabilities can bring up results like sports scores, videos, and content from third-party apps.
Many of the built-in apps have been improved. Notes includes new checklists and sketching features, Maps now offers transit directions, Mail allows for file attachments, and there’s a new “news” app that learns your interests and delivers relevant content you might like to read. Apple Pay is being improved with the addition of store credit cards and loyalty cards, leading “Passbook” to be renamed to “Wallet” in iOS 9.
The iPad’s gotten some major feature additions in iOS 9, like split screen multitasking that lets two apps be used at once and a picture-in-picture function that lets you watch a video while doing something else on the tablet. The keyboard on the iPad has deeper functionality with the addition of a new toolbar, and on both the iPhone and the iPad, there’s anew two-finger swipe gesture that makes it easier to select content, cut, paste, and move the cursor on the screen.
Other changes include wireless CarPlay support, an optional iCloud drive App, built-in two factor authentication and optional longer passwords for better security.
Along with these features, iOS 9 features significant improvements. Battery optimizations provide an additional hour of battery use under typical conditions, and a new Low Power Mode further extends battery life up to three hours.
With app thinning and size improvements, many app install sizes are smaller and Apple’s own iOS updates will take up much less space, so iPhone and iPad owners with only 16GB of space will be able to install iOS 9. iOS 9 will also run on all devices capable of running iOS 8, including the iPhone 4s and the iPad 2.
iOS 9 is currently available to developers and will see a public beta testing period that starts in July ahead of a fall launch.
Apple’s described iOS 9 as being more “intelligent,” thanks largely to Proactive Suggestions. Proactive Suggestions, the major feature addition in iOS 9, turn the iPhone into a lifestyle management tool and make Apple’s personal assistant Siri more responsive and able to complete more tasks than ever before. Proactive suggestions are systemwide and will work in myriad ways, offering up apps and recommendations at appropriate times.
For example, if you often listen to music in the morning, iOS 9 will automatically open the Music app to a favorite playlist when you plug in your headphones. If you always open up the weather app to check what’s going on outside, it might open it automatically after your alarm goes off.
Split-screen multitasking has been a much anticipated feature for the iPad that’s been rumored to be in the works for over a year. With Split-screen multitasking, it’s possible to use two different iOS apps on the same screen, so you can read a website while on a FaceTime call, or watch a video while composing a message in Mail.
iOS 9 includes three different multitasking features: Slide Over, Split View, and Picture in Picture.
Slide Over can be activated within any app by swiping left from the right side of the iPad. This gesture brings up a small side pane that displays a secondary app alongside the first app, in a 1/3 screen space arrangement. Choosing a new app for the side pane can be done by swiping downwards from the top of the screen within the pane.
Picture in Picture, as the name suggests, is a third feature that lets you watch videos or participate in FaceTime video calls while using other apps. When on a FaceTime call or when watching a video, tapping on the home button sends the video to a corner of the iPad’s display. From there, it’s possible to use other apps while you view the video or continue on with the FaceTime conversation.
In iOS 9, there’s an optional iCloud Drive app that can be installed through the iCloud section of the Settings app. The iCloud Drive app lets you see, access, and manage all of the files that you have stored within iCloud Drive, and will be a welcome feature for customers who have asked for such an app.
So, as you can see it’s going to be Awesome! There is so much more, so feel free to come in to us at Small Dog Electronics and one of our staff would be excited to show you more.
Launch date for Beta version is launching in July, so stay tuned….