Apple's been showing off new features for iOS, the company's mobile platform that runs under the hood of the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The latest version is iOS 6 and is arrives on the iPhone 5 with more than 600 new features on board. Read on to learn about the most important changes.
iOS 6 release date
The iOS 6 update will be available for you to download on 19 September, just two days shy of the release of the new iPhone 5 and iPod touch.
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iOS 6 will work on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, as well as the iPad 2 and new iPad, and the fourth-generation iPod touch. That's a healthy selection of gadgets and it's good to see Apple's not leaving the 3GS behind just yet.
Not every new feature will be supported on every device. Scroll down to the, 'Feature compatibility' section at the bottom to see exactly which new treats are arriving on which gadgets.
iOS 6 features
Without further ado, here's what you have to look forward to in iOS 6.
Maps
Apple's gone its own way with iOS 6, ditching Google in favour of its own maps service. The maps offer a 3D view of buildings, making it easier to remotely get to grips with where you're headed. Flyover sets the app to pan scenically around locations, though it's not clear exactly what function this tool performs, apart from looking dead flash. Maybe Spider-Man can use it as a sat-nav.
More than 100 million businesses are listed in Apple's Maps app, with reviews and ratings popping up when you tap on individual buildings. A brand-new feature is turn-by-turn navigation, so the app also functions as a sat-nav. This works with Siri, so you can bark a location at your phone and Siri will find you driving directions.
Maps should arrive stuffed with UK location data -- a good sign for us Brits.
New Siri features
Siri is getting a much-needed update and will be arriving on the iPad in iOS 6.
Siri now knows all about sport. If you have baseball or American football-related questions, it's got you covered of course, but for this side of the pond, Premier League football scores are featured too.
Siri knows more about restaurants too, having partnered with Yelp, and promises to offer movie listings. Best of all is news that Siri now has local information in the UK, making it possible for Brits to ask where the nearest fish and chip shop is, or demand directions to the pub.
Siri can now launch apps. So bark 'launch Spotify' and Apple's robot butler should oblige. Car manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota and Honda will be integrating Siri into cars, with a button on the steering wheel. That should make it easier to use Siri while you're driving, in a feature dubbed Eyes Free.
Facebook integration
Much like iOS 5's Twitter integration, having Facebook baked into the next version of iOS means you'll be able to do things like post photos to Zuckerberg's social network straight from the Photos app. Facebook events and birthdays will appear in the Calendar app, helping you avoid those awkward missed-birthday situations.
You can update your Facebook and Twitter status right from the iOS notification bar too, saving you precious seconds.
Phone app changes
A new tool will remind you to call or text people back later or you can set reminders that will tell you to call someone when you leave your current location.
There's also a 'do not disturb' feature -- push notifications will be muted and the screen won't light up, which means you can sleep in peace. You can ignore calls from certain folks and set it so that if someone calls multiple times, they'll get through, because it could be an emergency.
FaceTime over 3G
At last, Apple's video calling service is no longer restricted to Wi-Fi calling only. That doesn't bode well for the Skype iOS app.
Safari app
The Safari app now uses iCloud to remember tabs you're checking out on other devices. An Offline Reading List lets you download articles, so you can peruse them later, which could be useful for those who travel by train and frequently lose signal. With iOS 6, you'll be able to see web pages in full screen if you tilt your iPhone on its side.
Photo Stream
You can now share photo streams with other people, which means you can see all the photos your buddies take, if you choose to let them into your secret circle of trust.
VIPs in Mail
Messages from people you really want to hear from will go into a special VIP mailbox, and missives from these folks will be highlighted on your device's lock screen. A sorely sought tweak means you pull up in mail to refresh messages.
Passbook
This one's brand new -- Passbook collects all of your tickets and passes in one bit of software. Gig tickets, coupons, gift cards or boarding passes or things like your Starbucks card could be added to this app.
Changes to the events you have in Passbook get updates, so for example, if your flight is delayed, you'll see that in the app. Currently this is only confirmed for US carrier United Airlines.
Security will be an issue for this app -- customers will want to know that their tickets and passes are completely secure.
Guided Access
This accessibility feature means parents can disable on-screen controls, making it impossible to exit an app. Single App mode, meanwhile, could stop students from exiting a test application, for instance.
Other niceties include 'lost mode' for Find my iPhone, which lets you send a phone number to your errant mobile, for anyone who finds it to call. iOS 6 will also let you use multiple email signatures, so you don't subject your buddies to your boring business sig.
Feature compatibility
Not all these new features will be present on every device. iPhone 4 owners will be bereft of turn-by-turn navigation and 3D Flyover mode in Maps, and Siri. iPhone 3GS owners miss out on all those items, as well as shared photo streams, 3G FaceTime and the VIP smart mailbox. There's no offline reading in Safari either.
The iPad 2 gets all the new features and apps, but not Siri. The snarky assistant is exclusive to the new iPad and iPhone 4S.
Are you excited about iOS 6? Which features have you on tenterhooks? Will the latest edition of Apple's mobile OS be able to compete with Android? Let me know in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 38
Add your comment
anonymous 9 June, 2012 14:55
Do you really call yourself journalists?
Title:
iOS 6 news: Release date, features and other rumours
- focus on "Release date"
Body:
No date has been confirmed just yet, but I reckon it comes down to the release date of the iPhone 5, or new iPhone or whatever it's called. That's currently rumoured for October.
- focus on "No date has been confirmed just yet"
Terrible writing skills, even somebody on work experience could create a better article. I'm off to Engadget.
anonymous 10 June, 2012 19:10
I can't wait for all the new featurers that I hope will be true.
I can't wait for widgets on my home screen!
professerclever 11 June, 2012 10:30
We suppose and suspect that we guess that the word is that new speculation has rumoured that the news might be conjecture and surmise that a supposition is postulated. Of course that is just a theory! FACT!
anonymous 11 June, 2012 11:33
apple fans need to grow up and stop crying about old tech, yes apple is an old tech. all the feautures they bringing out in ios6 in already available in ginger bread google os, moreover , ICS is even more productive and samsung has done everything apple intend to do in years to come. So basically, Apple future tech is Past in samsung world.
Do you get it now. ok. if you get it the head on to samsung uk website and see for your self.
Samsung and Android is the future and no manufacturer will ever come close. Yes will never come close.
My name is yommy and if you want me to enlighten you more about mobile future and why you should keep up to make your work and life more productive. ykcustoms@gmail.com.
anonymous 11 June, 2012 20:30
Apple is a boring company. Honestly, the iOS UI and the Macbook Pro design reflects that. I know you they say "If it isn't broke...." but come on. None of the features of iOS are tempting enough for a software update, let alone a hardware one. Yawn.
anonymous 11 June, 2012 20:32
Did you sprain a muscle whilst saying that
anonymous 11 June, 2012 20:39
does anybody know if Ireland is included under the UK for Siri Location Services for iOS6?
anonymous 11 June, 2012 21:42
seriously. is no one out there making anything of interest anymore? as a consumer i really dont know what phone i'm going to get next. im drawn to the nokia phones but not thinking about getting any wp hardware until we see what they got coming up with appollo or whatever. android phones with good battery life like the razr maxx are nowhere to be seen in the stores and the iphone5 is still a long way away and other than the bigger screen nothing in ios6 has caught my interest. galaxy note for something different??
anonymous 11 June, 2012 21:53
anonymous 11 June, 2012 11:33
I wouldn't say apple is old tech. Personally I like Apple and google but I'm not that much of a fan of Samsung. Their software on the S3 is terrible at least with Apple they refine their software to be as intuitive as possible in a beautiful slick design. They both have pros and cons in terms of their software in relation to ios and android so it really depends on what you use your phone for.
I think saying that apple fans need to grow up and stop crying about old tech is a bit childish on your part. Just let people buy what they want, it's not your money obviously being spent on apple products, so why get upset about it?
I was an avid windows fans for years but the os has become bloated and doesnt target on what general customers actually use their computer for these days. This is where Apple seems strongest and it why I bought a macbook pro. It's a beautiful piece of kit from years of using plastic laptops from dell. I'm not sure how you can argue their design is old as other computer companies are trying to catch up to them. Anway's each to their own. I'm a fan of google and Apple products and if I wan't to spend money on a product it's my hard earned cash not yours. I think you should let people buy what they want and if you don't like the product don't buy it simple.
Howard10000 11 June, 2012 22:08
I wonder if iOS 6 will make my generation 1 IPad work properly again.
Previous updates have turned it (and that of hundreds of thousands of other owners) into a laggy brick.
Nice.
Ichi_Bear 11 June, 2012 22:58
I'm an Android fan but if people I know are determined to get an iPhone, I'm not going to slag it off! The Android platform is not perfect and iOS does some things very well. Android can take a lot of things from the iPhone user experience. I think it's great that the iOS update includes the 3Gs. It's not always about what platform is the most advanced. It's about what the end user needs and wants from a smartphone.
Peter Hudson 11 June, 2012 23:46
Howard. I don't think the 1st gen iPad will be getting iOS6
I know what you mean though, iOS5 crippled my first gen iPad and ruined safari on it
Ruffus Stone 12 June, 2012 01:40
Most of the leading car makers, particularly premium brands, are integrating Siri into their new cars. Mercedes are integrating iPad into forthcoming models too.
The next thing might be to tie up Apple maps and turn-by-turn navigation to built-in in-car navigation, freeing up those car manufacturers from other 3rd party suppliers.
It's not good news for the likes of Tom Tom and Garmin either.
anonymous 12 June, 2012 07:03
Cnet rocks, Yommy????? Like your name your the dumb one who needs enlightening.
Steve Farr 12 June, 2012 08:47
Is this not Just a recylced article from the release of android 2.0? integrated facebook?!? maps?!? and widgets on your homescreen! very advanced stuff lol not seen much to impress here :0( which is a shame cause i was tempted to switch!
anonymous 12 June, 2012 10:17
Cnet rocks, Yommy????? Like your name your the dumb one who needs enlightening.
I think you need to look into your self by calling me names, you are right by the way you are far stupid. PLease do your self a favour and go to other site that host the apple whatever last night and list all the features they claimed to bring out on IOS6. Please list them for me and i will point out all the oudated features with prove.
Ykcustoms.
anonymous 12 June, 2012 10:23
Like the way the reporter makes fun of the American use of the word 'fall' instead of 'autumn' yet in the first paragraph shamelessly wrote 'under the hood'. Shouldn't that read 'under the bonnet'?
anonymous 12 June, 2012 10:26
I'm an Android user, I almost bought an iPhone, but seeing how some of this stuff in iOS 6 is labelled as brand new and exciting, I'm glad I didn't.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, stock ICS is the perfect mobile phone OS. Note that I say stock though, 6 months with a Samsung Galaxy S has put me off modded Android for good, I'm thinking of changing to iPhone or Windows Phone if come new year there isn't a Nexus phone in my price range. If more people used Nexus phones rather than the skins of hardware manufacturers I think Android would be a more acclaimed system. The problems with Google's mobile OS does not come from Google.
Also, I will probably buy an iPad 2 in the next 6 months or so. Will Google Maps still be an option? I'm more likely to use my phone for maps and such, but I remember when Google Maps was a newish service, let's just say, I didn't use it very often, and when I did, I very rarely ended up where I wanted to be. Google has put a lot of time and effort into Google Maps, integrated Latitude and Local (formerly Places) as well as Google+ integration has resulted in a very complete and useful product. Can Apple achieve this in their first release? I'm sure some will say that can, but I seriously doubt it.
Apple does some things better, Google does other things better (search, browsing [Chrome for Android is just superb], customisation, and maps [which I guess counts as search, so I'll throw in email under that umbrella too]. Apple moving away from Google is not a good thing to someone like me who has no bias based on anything other than experience and requirements.
If it weren't for Garageband I would probably be looking at an Asus ICS tab really, as the things Google does better suits me and my needs more than the things that Apple does better. I also have a feeling that Windows RT will be better than both, though I worry about how bloated the OS will be, Windows 8 and it's variations will either be superb or the next Vista, I doubt there will be anything in the middle.
Anonymous at 12:53, 11th June. I agree with much of what you're saying, especially about Samsung. I use a Galaxy S and have used a Google Nexus S running ICS that is far faster and more reliable than my phone running 2.3.6. It's the modifications of Android that is harming it's reputation, I'm convinced of it, and Google need to get away from this, so hopefully their upcoming line of Nexus phones and tablets will solve this.
Do you think Windows 7 is too bloated? My laptop of a few years was getting terrible with Vista, I upgraded to Windows 7 and it has been superb. The OS is lovely, it runs quickly as can be expected for an oldish laptop (I'll probably get an SSD in the autumn to speed up boot times). I'm expecting good things of Windows 8, looks like a lot of emphasis has been placed on speed and slim lining the OS.
I'll be upgrading in a year, probably to an Asus ultrabook running Windows 8, but at £850 I'll certainly be looking at an 11inch MacBook Air. Problem is once I add in the Apple extras, like HDMI adapter for one thing, the small gap in price becomes a gulf. But if Windows 8 flops, it's nice to know there is another option. Competition is a great thing and Windows desperately needed Apple's rise to the top in order to push them to improve. A Windows OS with the speed and reliability of Apple (I can't stand Apple's UI, and I don't even like the looks of the machines so much if I'm honest) would be a dream.
Mister_Andee 12 June, 2012 10:33
"Like the way the reporter makes fun of the American use of the word 'fall' instead of 'autumn' yet in the first paragraph shamelessly wrote 'under the hood'. Shouldn't that read 'under the bonnet'?"
Lighten up you miserable git.
anonymous 12 June, 2012 18:53
the thing about tech is that lots of tech fans are asocial, passive aggressive losers. So tech websites attract more than their fair share of trolls. Some good opinions above; the article was fine; a few loser comments.
Am I a troll now?
anonymous 13 June, 2012 08:25
Howard 10000 - agree, the disdain Apple treated original iPad owners with the release of iOS 5 beggared belief. I found it was a big mistake to upgrade the software and have since struggled with a very slow machine and constantly crashing apps. The software upgrade came with no 'health warnings' I was aware of and barely 18 months after the launch of the original iPad, making my nice piece of kit suddenly a pain to use. At worst, you can see this as a cynical marketing policy by Apple to encourage replacement of kit but when I pay premium prices for equipment, I expect it to last. Beware iPad 2 owners out there with your upgrade to iOS 6. Maybe Apple should put a 'sell-by' date on their products to alert prospective buyers to potential usability problems in the future
anonymous 14 June, 2012 15:26
When release in the philippines ios 6..?
anonymous 15 June, 2012 21:27
wtf is a snarky assistant then?
anonymous 16 June, 2012 07:00
IPhone 5 Release Date announcements. Find out the Apple Iphone 5 release date UK, Canada, Australia and US here: When is the iphone 5 coming out? Iphone 5 rumors and facts.
anonymous 20 June, 2012 12:40
Ive got an i pad3 hopefully ill get all features..if then ill be jailbreaking my device....as and when the ios 6 jailbreak comes out....When will apple listen to people about customizability...people want a dufferent home screen....its home screen is looking old and out of date....
cheers
a j c
anonymous 27 June, 2012 07:09
I don't want to lose Skype. It should still be an option.
1000107479 6 July, 2012 16:47
Great article, but nothing that wasn't in the keynote, still good for anyone who doesn't have time to watch the keynote as I didn't until last night.
The iPad1 owners comments are annoying, they're lucky to have an iPad, I just have a 3GS. There are people who complain when the latest OS isn't available to them, as iOS5 was on iPad, then they complain that it doesn't work properly... which is why that OS shouldn't have been available to them. I guess Apple decided it's better to give them a half working OS than endure the complaints of being left out of iOS5.
I think as 3G and 4G becomes more widespread, then Apple should buy an internet telephony service and integrate with iOS, or maybe they can just do that with Skype anyway. Then maybe we'll get better a value phone contracts that are not specific to one country, although knowing Apple fortunately that one service would get designed primarily for America.
anonymous 10 July, 2012 10:29
The VIP Email addon, for me, will greatly enhance my iOS experience as I receive many emails from YouTube from people commenting on my video! However, here in the UK, we're going to have to be less restrictive about Data connections if Facetime is going to be allowed over 3G. I foresee people being charged an awful lot in the first month of iOS 6 being released!
1000107479 13 July, 2012 19:05
I have a 3GS, and I'm so glad iOS6 will work for me. Sometimes I think about switching to Android, but my dad has one and he has around 25 apps (compared to the 300+ I have on my phone) and he's always having problems installing anything new due to lack of space. I would need to be sure it's his of lack technical skills and not the phone that is the problem, then there are the extra security risks that you get with an open marketplace like Google Play.
anonymous 24 July, 2012 15:42
I don't know anything else but I will have iOS6 and new iPhone as soon as it is in the maket and nobody will stop me!!
anonymous 26 July, 2012 19:43
iOS 6 will be on my iPod the moment it arrives, but there's only one issue I have.
Why is the iPod not getting Siri?
It's been proven that it works on iPod Touch, with ports.
anonymous 1 August, 2012 22:49
Yommy cries like a little girl. Grapes are sour ain't it homie????
anonymous 4 August, 2012 18:45
why dont you just put siri on the iphone 4
anonymous 15 September, 2012 17:15
What does the iPod touch 4th generation get? Is it all of them or just some of them. If so, which ones?
anonymous 19 September, 2012 02:44
Yes there is a release date if u watched the press confrence you would know just type in apple.com then it will show iphone 5 then down lower it will be 2 videos click on the first 1 you need quick time 7 to watch it also shows the new io6 ipod nano ipodtouch (macbook i think) new itunes (earpods headphones) and foo fighters live
Connophones 19 September, 2012 17:16
wtf???
says it is realesed today???
but it isnt...
anonymous 19 September, 2012 18:59
It really is frustrating and a shame that all the features of iOS6 haven't been included with the iPhone 4. I'm sure they could've at least stuck in turn-by-turn navigation. I guess this is Apple's way of getting customers to buy the iPhone 5 and 4S, which obviously isn't new to people who are fans of Apple!
anonymous 21 September, 2012 04:11
Who the hell is that moaning bi*ch?
I enjoyed reading your report, full of info and very querky! Pitty us brits have to use the dudes voice for siri now though! I just want to get a chick to tell me the scores for footy!!!