At Apple’s Wordwide Developer Conference (WWDC) this week, a new version of the iOS mobile operating system was announced for a fall release. iOS 11 brings several improvements and new features to iPhones and iPads, many of which have been long-desired by Apple fans.
Interface Changes
The Control Center has been a central place to get quick access to frequently used tools. iOS 11 makes the Control Center more customizable, and the lock screen is also improved to make viewing notifications easier. For iPads, the new OS will add a customizable dock similar to what you see on Mac desktops and laptops, allowing you to add icons to frequently used apps. iOS 11 also makes changes to the overall look and feel of typography within the system, with bolder text for better visibility.
Siri Gets Elocution Lessons
AI assistants are all the rage in technology recently, and Apple has stepped up their work on their Siri platform. Using machine learning, Siri’s voice will soon sound much more natural and conversational. This new voice applies to both female and male voices and is now available in around 20 languages. Siri will also be capable of interacting with more features of your device, making even more tasks available via voice control.
Apple Pay Tackles Splitting the Tab
Look out Venmo, Apple is getting into the person-to-person payments game. Apple Pay will soon provide the ability for direct person-to-person payments in iOS 11. You will be able to send money to contacts directly from the Messages app, and Apple Pay can even detect when you send a messsage saying that you owe someone money. See the video below:
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/06/ios-11-brings-new-features-to-iphone-and-ipad-this-fall/?videoid=1496631558945
Once cash is sent to someone, it appears in a new Apple Pay Cash account, which can be transferred to a bank account or used for payments directly. Apple Pay has been slowly making inroads in retail settings, and now they’re on the way to even more integration in the P2P space.
Notes Gets a Scanner
The built-in Notes app on your iDevice will get a new scanning feature that will automatically crop and optimize documents. The biggest feature also allows you to sign and send forms, which could make document management much easier.
These examples are just a small sample of what iOS 11 will bring to devices this fall. For more info, check out Apple’s announcement page.
