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At the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California, Apple announced updates to tvOS, macOS, watchOS and iOS. Last year, Apple’s release of iOS 10 included improvements to the Lock Screen and its stock apps such as third party integrations in the Messages and Maps app. And this year, Apple is especially focusing on productivity for the iPad with iOS 11.
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Developers can download a preview of iOS 11 through developer.apple.com now. There will be a public beta program available for iOS users later this month at beta.apple.com. And the public release of iOS 11 will be available in the fall for the iPhone 5s and later, all iPad Airs, all iPad Pros, the iPad 5th generation, the iPad mini 2 and later and the iPod touch 6th generation. This article contains a roundup of all the major iOS 11 features.
Redesigned App Drawer On Messages
Redesigned App Drawer on Messages
In iOS 11, Apple has redesigned the App Drawer feature on the Messages app. You will notice that the redesigned App Drawer makes it easier to share content through the Messages app such as Apple Music songs or Starbucks Gift Cards.
Messages App Syncs Across Multiple Devices
Messages App Sync
Now the Messages app will sync across multiple devices. So if you delete a message on the Messages app on your iPhone, then it will also delete on the iPad and the Mac and vice-versa. This feature is supported with end-to-end encryption.
Pay Your Friends Through Apple Pay
Send payments through Messages app
One of the best new features in iOS 11 is the ability to transfer money to friends using Apple Pay. You can do this by opening Apple Pay through the Messages app and sending money from debit and credit cards via your Apple Wallet.
Send payments through Messages app
If there is a discussion about money on the Messages app, then Siri may suggest you to use Apple Pay to send or receive money. You can also ask Siri voice commands to pay someone.
Apple Pay suggestion on the QuickType keyboard
Upon receiving payment, users will see the money appear in their new Apple Pay Cash account. And then they can use that money to make purchases using Apple Pay in stores, apps and on the web or transfer it to their bank account.
The person to person payments and Apple Pay Cash will be available in the U.S. on the iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, iPad Pro, iPad 5th generation, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 and Apple Watch this fall.
Siri To Offer Multiple Results And Translate Languages In Real-Time
Siri has substantial improvements in iOS 11 and performs many functions behind the scenes. Some of the changes in the Siri app itself includes multiple results when you search for a query and there are built-in real-time translations. So you can ask Siri “how do you say what are the most popular dishes in your restaurant in Chinese?” And this is what the result will look like:
Siri Translate
Initially, Siri will support real-time language translations for Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish. And more languages will be added in the future. Plus Siri also has new male and female voices that are “more natural and expressive.”
“Siri extends beyond voice, using on-device learning to deliver more personal experiences and offers suggestions based on personal usage of Safari, News, Mail, Messages and more. For example, as Siri learns topics or places a user is interested in while browsing Safari, they will be suggested when typing in Mail, Messages and other apps,” wrote Apple in its iOS 11 informational page. And this intelligence syncs across iPhones, iPads and Macs.
For example: If you are researching Iceland in Safari, then the Messages app may suggest you to write Reykjavik as you type in “Re” in a text message. Plus the News app may show you more relevant news about Iceland going forward.
Camera/Photos/Videos App Update In iOS 11
The Camera app has been updated to support high-efficiency video coding (HEVC). This means that it supports up to 2x better compression, but the video quality will not go down.
Live Photos are now editable
Live Photos are also editable so you can trim the video loops. You can also select the key photo, mute the Live Photos, create Loops, Bounce the Live Photos (reverse the animation) and easily set up Long Exposure.
Live Photos are now editable
And while watching Memories movies in the Photos app, you can rotate it to portrait or landscape mode. Then the iPhone and iPad will automatically adjust the video so it is optimized for that viewing experience.
The Photos app in iOS 11 also utilizes a new technology known as the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF). This reduces the file size of every photo taken with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus without compromising the quality.
Redesigned Control Center
New Control Center
Apple has redesigned the Control Center feature in iOS 11. The new Control Center interface also supports 3D Touch. So you can push down the Volume icon to adjust the volume. And you can push down on the Music interface on the Control Center to control your playlist.
Lock Screen Improvement
Updated Lock Screen notification feature
The Lock Screen in iOS 11 has been improved so that you can see all of your Notifications in one place. To see all of your Notifications, simply pull it down like a cover sheet from the top of the screen. Then you will be able to see both your recent and missed notifications in one place.
Maps App: Indoor Mall And Airport Maps / Lane Guidance
Indoor Maps in Maps app
Apple announced that the Maps app in iOS 11 will support indoor mall and airport maps. The indoor maps will allow you to see which restaurants are past airport security. And you can also see which stores are on what levels in the malls.
Lane guidance on Maps app
Another useful feature that has been added to the Maps app is lane guidance. This feature will help you avoid missing a turn or exit by recommending the lane you should be in while navigating. And Apple Maps will show you the speed limit of the road that you are driving on.
Do Not Disturb While Driving
Do Not Disturb While Driving
Apple iOS 11 has a very useful safety called Do Not Disturb While Driving. This feature helps drivers stay focused on the road by automatically silencing notifications. And you can send auto-replies to your contacts in your Favorites so that they know you are driving.
Speaker Support In The Home App
Speaker support in the Home app
In iOS 11, there is going to be multi-room support for speakers in the Home app. So you can control the volume and playlists for your speakers in the living room speaker or your kitchen speaker.
AirPlay Update
AirPlay 2
Apple is updating AirPlay to AirPlay 2 in iOS 11. AirPlay 2 offers multi-room audio streaming. And you can easily control AirPlay 2 using the Control Center, Home app or Siri.
News App Update
Apple News Spotlight feature
Apple’s News app is being updated with a new Spotlight tab. And the best videos of the day will be shown in the “Today View.”
Revamped Apple Music Profiles
Revamped Apple Music
Apple has revamped the profiles on Apple Music. So you can see what your friends are listening to and check out the playlists that your friends curated. Plus there is a new Music API that gives developers full access to the Apple Music service, 40 million songs, featured content, recent search, Cloud Library access and Users’ For You recommendations.
App Store App Improvements
App Store app revamped
So far Apple has paid out $70 billion to developers since the App Store launched in 2008. And now apps that are submitted to the Apple App Store are generally reviewed within 24 hours. And in iOS 11, Apple is completely revamping the App Store app user interface. What you will notice is that the look and feel of the App Store app resembles the Apple Music app:
App Store app revamped
At the bottom of the App Store, there will be tabs that are titled: Today, Games, Apps, Updates and Search. The "Today" section will highlight featured apps and games based on certain themes. And the “Games” section will feature game app demos, pricing information (including in-apps) and separated rankings.
Game Apps Section
The "Apps" tab will highlight featured apps and contain curated galleries of apps based on various themes selected by Apple employees.
New Apps tab in the App Store
Plus the App Store will have a section called “The Daily List,” which will contain recommendations based on a certain theme selected by Apple employees. During the WWDC demo, Apple showed a list of Zen-themed apps under “The Daily List” such as Headspace, Simple Habit, Zen and Sway.
"The Daily List" section of the App Store
iOS 11 For iPad: More Apps In The Dock, Slide Over, Drag And Drop, New App Switcher, Files App
More apps in the iPad dock
As mentioned earlier, iOS 11 emphasizes on productivity with the iPad. Some of the features that will be coming to the iPad with the iOS 11 update include support for a bigger app dock, a new slide over feature, drag-and-drop and a new App Switcher.
The Slide Over feature allows you to drag an app over another one without having to switch over. So if you receive a text message while editing a photo, you can slide the conversation over to the side.
Slide Over feature on the iPad
The new App Switcher feature is akin to Launchpad on the Mac. Essentially, the new App Switcher allows you to quickly find, organize and open your apps on the iPad:
App Switcher on the iPad
The drag and drop feature on the iPad makes it easy to drag-and-drop URLs, text and images to apps like Mail and Messages. This is an example of where the URL was dragged from Safari to a Mail message:
Drag and drop feature on iPad
There is a new Files app for the iPad that allows you to quickly find, open and edit your cloud files on iCloud Drive and third-party apps like Box, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive and Adobe Creative Cloud:
Files app on the iPad
Files and folders can be added to the “Favorites” section of the sidebar in the Files app and it can be “tagged” with certain colors.
iOS 11 Update For Apple Pencil
Searchable handwriting feature on iOS 11
The functionality of the Apple Pencil will be improved as part of the iOS 11 update. For example, the Notes app will support searchable handwriting, inline drawing. And tapping on the Lock Screen with the Apple Pencil will open up your most recently opened note.
Notes Update For iOS 11
Document scanner in the Notes app
There will be a new document scanner feature in the Notes app as part of the iOS 11 update. So when you take a picture of a document using the Notes app, you will be able to edit it using the markup tools.
Automatically Setup New Devices
Automatic Setup
There is a new feature that allows you to automatically setup your new iPhone or iPad. You simply have to hold your new iPhone or iPad near an iOS device or Mac you already own and many of your personal settings, preferences and iCloud Keychain passwords will be securely imported.
One-Handed Keyboard Mode
QuickType One Handed
There is a new mode on the iPhone that makes typing with one hand even easier. Plus there is a new QuickType keyboard on the iPad that offers quick access to numbers, symbols and punctuation.
Screen Recording
Recording what you are doing on the screen using an iPhone currently requires you to use a Mac with QuickTime or a third party app. However, iOS 11 will allow you to record your screen.
Newly Designed Podcast App
Apple is updating the Podcast app in iOS 11 so that it will have a similar design as Apple Music and the new App Store app.
3D Touch Tab Switching For Safari
Apple is adding the ability to switch between websites with a new 3D Touch menu option.
Type To Siri
Sometimes, Siri has a hard time understanding what I am asking. Fortunately, there is a new feature that allows you to type queries to Siri instead. This feature can be activated through the Accessibility Settings once iOS 11 is released.
Apple AirPods Update
According to 9to5Mac, the Apple AirPods users will be able to adjust the double-tap action with new control options using iOS 11. Prior to iOS 11, AirPods users had to decide whether double-tap would activate Siri or play/pause audio.
ARKit Facilitates Augmented Reality Apps For Developers
ARKit example
Apple announced a new platform for developers to easier build augmented reality apps for the iPhone and iPad using the built-in camera, motion sensors and high-end processors. This new platform is known as ARKit. So we will likely see more apps with virtual content overlaid on top of real-world scenes for multiple purposes including gaming, medical and industrial design.
iOS 11 Features For Users In China
In one of the slides during the WWDC presentation, Apple said there are several new iOS 11 features that will be useful for users in China. These features include QR code support, SMS fraud extension, traffic cameras, Shanghainese dictation, English on 10-key Pinyin keyboard and phone numbers as Apple ID.
To learn more about what Apple announced at WWDC, Forbes San Francisco bureau chief Miguel Helft live blogged the WWDC event and Forbes technology reporter Aaron Tilley covered the HomePod smart speaker.
What are your thoughts about the new iOS 11 features? Please leave a comment!
Source: Amit Chowdhry , Forbes