ARKit, Apple's new platform for developers, will bring augmented reality experiences to the iPhone and iPad, akin to Pokemon GO.
Apple's new mobile OS is great, but it's also saying adieu to 32-bit apps
Published: Thu 15 Jun 2017, 9:00 PM
Last updated: Thu 15 Jun 2017, 11:07 PM
Another cycle, another update for iOS.
And just like in the past, anticipation was high for what's new in Apple's mobile operating system. Matter of factly, oohs and ahhs were aplenty on a number of new things iOS 11 has to offer. The new iteration specifically empowers the iPad more, just as predicted.
To recap:
- With iOS 11, the iPad now has a customisable dock, similar to what is seen in Macs. It provides quick access to apps and documents from any screen and, combined with the new Drag and Drop, makes it easier to navigate between apps, even in Split View mode.
- The new Files app keeps files in one place, whether locally or on the cloud (iCloud plus other providers).
- ARKit, a new platform for developers, will bring augmented reality experiences to the iPhone and iPad (remember Pokemon GO?).
- Siri has been bumped up once again, and this time Apple's friendly digital assistant can translate five languages (Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish). Siri also makes suggestions on certain apps based on what you've, say, surfed on Safari.
- New effects were introduced in Live Photos, plus Portrait Mode images can now be snapped with OIS, True Tone flash and HDR. Apple also introduced a new file format: High Efficiency Image File, cutting a file size down to half while maitaining its quality.
- A peer-to-peer function was introduced for Apple Pay, and Apple made it simple. Just how simple? You can send money to or pay someone via Messages. Or just order Siri to do it.
- For more safety on the road, iOS 11 introduced the new Do Not Disturb While Driving. An iPhone can detect when you're driving, which silences notifications and blanks the screen. An auto-reply capability is also added, letting others know you're busy with the wheel.
- The App Store has been refreshed with a new design. Categories are now on dedicated turfs, and browsing through apps has been made more interactive.
- The Control Center has been revamped, with better layout and controls.
- Apple Maps adds indoor maps for airports and malls. It also adds lane assists when turning.
- Apple Music now has a new way to discover music with friends.
- One-handed keyboard mode on the iPhone has a new QuickType keyboard, giving quicker access to numbers and special characters.
- The lock screen and notifications center are now one.
- There's also a new document scanner. Need to sign and send something? That's an app for that.
. For good measure, there's also a built-in screen recorder on the Control Center.
Now, two things stand out from that whirlwind of features:
- To double down on that iPad thing, the iOS 11 blessings effectively transforms Apple's tablet into a mini-Mac. And that's a good thing; it makes the iPad more useful and powerful, and those looking for a laptop would now give a good, long and clean look at the iPad before making a buy - especially with the release of the new 10.5-inch iPad. Makes sense, right?
- That ARKit could be giving us a glimpse of what to expect from the 'iPhone 8'. AR is pegged to be one of the biggest - if not the biggest - feature on the upcoming device. Basically, ARKit allows you to place virtual stuff on what you see with the camera. (We told you; Pokemon GO.)
Those were the good. And the bad?
The worst part of all of this is that with the new iOS, Apple will be ending support for older devices, which would include the iPhone 5 and 5c, plus the fourth-generation iPad.
iOS 11 will also only operate in 64-bit devices, meaning Apple will remove support for 32-bit devices - which is where those three devices above fall. More horribly, if an app isn't updated for 64-bit iOS devices, then you'll be encountering some trouble with them when you install or restore them to your device. This is on developers, though; they've got to keep up with the pace.
Even more bad news from venture capitalist Sean Cook, who discovered an 'end of an era', pertaining to social media.
He tweeted: "Social accounts have been removed from Settings in iOS 11. Third-party apps no longer have access to those signed-in accounts."
Which means, if you use Facebook to login to some other app, well, good luck.
You can go to Settings > General > About > Applications > App Compatibility to see which apps are in need of some makeover. And the warning there is stark: "These apps... will not work with future versions of iOS is they are not updated. If no update is available, contact the app developer." Sheesh.
(Let's just hope something like that obnoxious restart loop that plagued iOS 10 in its early stages won't happen again, or that Maps fiasco on iOS 6, prompting Apple CEO Tim Cook to issue a rare apology.)
However, we won't be seeing iOS 11 on our devices soon enough - unless you're a registered developer for Apple. If you're not, yet still insist to get it for bragging rights, get ready to shell out $99 (Dh364) to download it. Beware, though: it's still in its early stage, so if anything happens that'll mess up your device, well, you've been warned.
Apple will make a public beta available in the coming weeks, and getting yourself into that programme is free of charge. But seriously, just wait when fall comes in the US, when it's expected that the full version of iOS 11 will be available. Even better maybe, just wait for the next iPhone in September, because it's expected that those new devices will ship with the new iOS.
The general sentiment is that iOS 11 is a welcome change for Apple's devices. If the crowd - developers, specifically - at the Worldwide Developers Conference is to be considered, they are all excited with the new possibilities they'd be able to bring to the table.
As the video intro to the WWDC depicting an 'Appocalypse' said at the end, 'Keep making apps. The world is depending on you.'
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com
The biggest features of previous iOS versions
iPhone Firmware 1 (Aug 1, 2007) - iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, international keyboard support, location awareness, customisable home screen
iPhone Firmware 2 (July 11, 2008) - iPhone 3G support, Genius playlist creation, decrease in call failures, Google Street View
iPhone Firmware 3 (June 17, 2009; would be known as iPhone OS from 3.1) - Copy and paste, Bluetooth stereo streaming, Voice Control of iPhone and iPod, App Store Genius, features and functionality added for iPad
iOS 4 (June 22, 2010) - Multitasking, unified e-mail inbox, iBooks, HDR photos, Game Center, all iOS 4 features brought to iPad, Find My Phone
iOS 5 (Oct 12, 2011) - Support for iCloud and iTunes Match, Twitter integration, Japanese support for Siri
iOS 6 (Sept 19, 2012) - Do Not Disturb, new Maps, Passbook, Facebook integration, Turn-by-turn directions
iOS 7 (Sept 18, 2013) - New user interface, iTunes Radio, Control Center, AirDrop, Touch ID on iPhone 5s, iCloud Keychain, Password Generator, CarPlay support, new Siri voices including Mandarin and Japanese
iOS 8 (Sept 17, 2014) - Notification Center widgets, third-party keyboards, HealthKit support, HomeKit support, Wi-Fi calling, iOS-to-Mac AirDrop support, Apple Pay support, iCloud Photo Library beta, Apple Watch support, multicultural emojis support, Apple Music
iOS 9 (Sept 16, 2015) - Maps with mass transit directions, 3D Touch on iPhone 6s, Live Photos, smaller file size for apps, new emojis, iPad Pro support, Night Shift
iOS 10 (Sept 13, 2016) - Raise to Wake, Lock Screen revamped, stock apps can be uninstalled, more emojis, Bedtime, unsubscribing to mail lists, new Mail interface, more interactive Messages, copy and paste across Apple devices, voicemail transcription
iPhone | iPad
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