So Apple's WWDC 2019 just flew over our heads and as usual, the company has announced the upcoming iOS 13 updates. Among the updates, the dark mode was one of them which was long overdue and there are many more including improved performance without slowing down older Apple iPhones in order to save the battery. Without further ado, let's take a look at what iOS 13 has to offer.
Dark Mode
Seems that most Internet users are in favour of dark mode these days and Apple is quick to take note of that. It won't be just any dark mode on a certain app but as a whole for the user interface. All of the Apple apps will definitely support it, as well as the notifications and the sliding dock where the user gets access to the shortcuts.
Dark mode
New photo and video editing tools
Perhaps most users' favourite tool, AI will have an important role as it's able to highlight the best images and automatically hide the clutter of similar photos for the whole year. Photo editing tools will come in handier than before with just a swipe and most of this can available for video editing as well, which can be rotated, cropped and filtered on the go.
Portrait Lighting is getting an update where the camera app can move closer to refine the subject's facial features. It sounds like Beauty mode on most Android devices but we don't think that's the case, as one of the features is able to push away the light farther away. The monochrome effect is improved as well.
Portrait and monochrome mode improved (hopefully)
A more neat and tidy Gallery
Better editing tools
Fast, Easy and Private Sign In with Apple
Users are pretty concern about this when it comes to privacy, so it's getting a new update too. Apple will be making some changes such as allowing you to give your location data on a certain app "just once" instead of constantly asking where is your location.
Then for "Sign in with Apple", users can use Face ID to create a new account for a service “without revealing any personal information” as well as allowing developers to log into apps and services. So whenever you sign up for something new that requires you to use your social account like Facebook to fill out the forms, you can skip all the email verifications and password setups with a unique random ID via Apple ID.
In case of the developers asking for your email address to spam you with news, you have the option to keep your email private and share the unique random email instead. Say goodbye to spam emails!
New Apple Maps
Apple Maps will get a revamp and it will have a new mode which works similar to Google Street View, by using 3D photography and a new Look Around feature. To add on to that, there will be a Collections section where you can store your favourite restaurants, travel destinations or places to hang out with friends, as well as a Favourites tab.
The new Apple Maps will start across the USA by the end of the year first, so don't expect to see this in Malaysia anytime soon. Maybe in 2020.
Other updates
- Reminders has a new look and offers intelligent ways to create and edit reminders, with more ways to organise and keep track of them. The quick toolbar makes it easier to add times, dates, locations and flags, or add attachments. With deeper integration with Messages, it’s easy to tag someone in a reminder so that it surfaces when the user messages with that person
- Messages can automatically share a user’s name and photo, or customised Memoji or Animoji, to easily identify who is in the Messages thread. Memoji are automatically made into sticker packs built into the iOS keyboard, so they can be used in Messages, Mail and other apps. Memoji also feature new hairstyles, headwear, makeup, piercings and accessories
- Siri has a new, more natural voice, and Siri Shortcuts now supports Suggested Automations that provide personalised routines for things like heading to work or going to the gym
- CarPlay gets its biggest update ever with a new Dashboard to view music, maps and more in a single view, a new Calendar app and Siri support for third-party navigation and audio apps
- HomePod can distinguish voices from anyone in the home to deliver personal requests, including messages, music and more. Live radio gives Siri access to over 100,000 radio stations from iHeartRadio, Radio.com and TuneIn, and a new sleep timer turns off music after a set amount of time. Handoff enables users to easily move music, podcasts or a phone call to HomePod when they arrive home
- With AirPods, Siri can read incoming messages as soon as they arrive, from Messages or any SiriKit-enabled messaging app. A new audio sharing feature makes it easy to watch a movie or share a song with a friend by simply bringing a second pair close to iPhone or iPad
- Voice Control provides a powerful new experience that enables users to operate their iPhone, iPad or Mac entirely by their voice. Using the latest Siri speech recognition technology, Voice Control gets even more accurate text transcription and editing
- Notes has a new Gallery View, more powerful collaboration with shared folders, new search tools and checklist options
- QuickPath brings easy one-hand typing to the iOS keyboard by continuously swiping through the letters of a word
- Text Editing is enhanced, making scrolling documents, moving the cursor and selecting text faster and more accurate
- Files app introduces the ability to share folders with iCloud Drive and access files from external storage devices like SD cards and USB flash drives
- Health offers ways to monitor hearing health and brings new ways to track, visualise and predict a woman’s menstrual cycle
- Location Services controls give users more choices for how they share location data with apps, including a new one-time location option and more information on when apps are using location in the background
- Performance improvements make the entire system more responsive with faster Face ID unlock, and a new way to package iPhone apps on the App Store that reduces app download sizes by up to 50 percent, makes app updates over 60 percent smaller and results in apps launching up to twice as fast
iOS 13 is set to roll out for iPhone devices starting from the iPhone 6s model onwards. A public beta program will start this month so we can expect it to come together with the new iPhone series by September. If you would like to know more about iOS 13, you can visit the WWDC 19 webpage right here and stay tuned for more Apple news at TechNave.com.
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