Apple’s iOS has given iPhones leverage over the competition. This operating system is known best, for being secure and working flawlessly. Apple recently announced the latest iOS 14 update which is set to release in September 2020. It introduces a brand-new home screen design, improvements to Siri, and many other tweaks. It also brings tons of updates for existing apps, updated privacy features, and Apple claims, it is streamlined for a cleaner look.
iOS 14 now supports widgets. You can place multiple widgets on the home screen alongside app icons. The new update has a Widget Stack feature that lets you add up stack 10 widgets on top of each other. This offers a clean interface and it helps to better utilize the home screen. The Widget Stack feature identifies most used widgets and it automatically surfaces the best ones, based on time, location and activity. For example, if you stack the Apple News, WhatsApp and Music widgets, you might see the Apple News widget in the morning, WhatsApp during working hours, and the Music widget when you return home.
Apple has also added an App Library feature that lets you view and navigate the installed apps at a glance. This features automatically organizes apps into folders, categorized as Utilities, Productivity, Fitness, Lifestyle, Games and more. Each folder shows the three most used apps. The fourth mini-app icon in folders lets you view the entire list of apps. This feature also automatically creates a folder of recently added apps.
Incoming calls on iOS 14 now look compact, compared to previous iOS generations. They no longer take up the entire screen and instead, show up as small banners at the top of the display. This means, incoming calls will now be less annoying when playing games or watching videos on your iPhone and iPod. This feature also supports FaceTime calls and third-party VoIP calling apps such as Skype. Apple has also included the picture-in-picture mode that lets you watch videos or make video calls while using other apps. The picture-in-picture window can be resized, and it can be placed anywhere on the screen as per your convenience.
Apple has redesigned the way Siri looks on iOS 14. It no longer covers the entire screen when activated, and it shows up as a small animated logo at the bottom of iPhone’s display. The Siri results now appear in the top banner. Apple claims, Siri on iOS 14 is smarter than before and it can answer a broader range of questions. Siri can now send voice messages and Apple has also retuned Siri’s voice to make it sound more natural. Apple has also added a translation feature to Siri that supports up to 65 languages.
One of the newest features with iOS 14 is App Clip that lets you use certain features of an app without downloading it. For example, if you want to book a taxi using the Uber app, you can use Uber’s App Clip without the hassle of downloading the entire app. It uses Apple’s sign-in to fill your information and payments details. An App Clip can be installed by scanning a QR code, NFC tag, or an Apple-designed App clip code. The iPhone removes the App Clip when you are done, so you don’t have to worry about storage or managing the app.
Apple iOS 14 removes the restriction of using Mail and Safari as default apps. This means, iPhones can now set Google Chrome and mailing apps such as Gmail, Microsoft Outlook as the default handlers. The updated Messages app comes with a bunch of new Memojis and Animojis. You can now pin important messages in the chat and reply directly to messages using the inline replies feature.
Apple has always been serious about privacy, and iOS 14 sticks to that plan. Apple has created a new section in the App Store, to provide an easy-to-read summary of privacy practices before you download apps. Apple has ensured apps require more permissions to collect your data. There is also a new location setting, that lets you share approximate locations, rather than precise ones. This can be useful when you are using weather apps which don’t need your precise location to function.
Apps on iOS 14 now have limited access to photos. For example, if you are editing a photo using a third-party app, it asks for permissions to access your entire photo gallery. However, with the new iOS 14, you can choose to share selected photos with the app rather than allowing access to your photo gallery. Apple has also added a recording indicator, that displays whether an app is using a microphone, camera or if it’s recording the screen in the background.
iOS 14 comes with an NFC-based Car Key feature, that lets you unlock your car by tapping an Apple Watch or iPhone on the door handle. This feature can start your vehicle when the iPhone is placed on an NFC reader or wireless charger inside the car. The digital car key is stored in the Wallet App, and users can share the key with friends and family using the Messages app. However, this feature is still in its testing phase and it may take time to become mainstream.
| iOS 14 compatible devices |
| iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max |
| iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max |
| iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus |
| iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus |
| iPhone SE, iPhone SE 2020 |
| iPod Touch 7th generation |
Apple iOS has always managed to stand out from the competition. With the new iOS 14, iPhone users can now experience the redesigned home screen and take advantage of Siri’s updated capabilities. The updated privacy features also promise to make iPhones more secure than ever before. To know more about iPhones, iOS and the latest on technology, keep following us on www.reliancedigital.in.
