A short writeup on Apple iOS 5 features which will tell you what's there in store for you in this version of iOS scheduled for release later this year. Continue reading to see how iOS 5 is different from its predecessor iOS 4.3.
As expected Apple Inc. announced its brand new
operating system - iOS 5, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC)
on 6th June, 2011. Even though the actual release date of this iOS
version is still under wraps, it is scheduled for a grand release in
fall 2011. At WWDC 2011, Apple did give a sneak peek of the new
operating system for all those people who were getting restless trying
to figure out what new features iOS 5 will have. At this event, it also
revealed that Apple iOS 5 will be compatible to Apple iPhone 3GS and
iPhone 4, the 3rd and 4th generation iPod touch as well as the iPad and
iPad 2.
An Overview of Apple iOS 5 FeaturesWe were as eager to know about the all new Apple iOS version as millions
of other people out there. With ever-tempting Android devices fast
eating into its market share, even Apple was under tremendous pressure
to tweak its operating system to make it more efficient and appealing.
Come today, the rumors and speculations are history, and the list of
Apple iOS 5 features makes it seem to be as tempting as the new Android
OS - if not more than it. Given below is a list of iOS 5 features which
is bound to make you give a second thought to the idea of going for
Android devices.
| Feature | Description |
| Notification Center | An all new Notification Center which can be accessed by a mere
downward swipe is perhaps the USP of iOS 5. In this iOS version, all the
notifications are shown on a notification bar which only appears when
there are notifications to show. This time around, there is small 'X'
tab alongside the notifications which helps you delete it without any
hassle. More importantly, notifications can also be seen on the
Lockscreen in the new iOS version. |
| iMessage | One of those newly integrated features, iMessage facilitates Wi-Fi
or 3G messaging between all the Apple devices with iOS 5 on board. This
invariably means that even iPod touch and iPad users can join the
conversation now. At the same time, it also allows users send message to
multiple contacts at one time. |
| Reminders App | A location based Reminder app with the To-Do List can work wonders
for you. The next time you want to buy something from the supermarket,
you just need to keep a reminder and your Apple device will remind you
about the same, the moment you step into the supermarket. |
| Twitter Integration | With the Twitter social networking website integrated right into
your iDevice, tweeting has become all the more easier. Add to it the
fact that you can directly tweet from the Safari app as well as
applications like Photos, Camera, YouTube and Map, and things become
even more fascinating. |
| Camera | In the all new Apple iOS 5, you get to open the camera app right
from the Lockscreen mode. While the volume-up button is used to click
the picture, pinch-to-zoom feature and single tap focus add to the
overall experience. |
| Photos | The new - all tweaked, Photos app allows you do all the things that
you have been longing to do right on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.
And when we mean anything, we mean anything - right from cropping and
red-eye removing to creating albums and tweeting these pictures on the
move. |
| Newsstand App | A virtual newsstand which allows you arrange all your magazines and
newspaper subscriptions in an organized format and access them with a
great ease from the new icon on Springboard. Add to it a dedicated
section of the App Store which allows you browse and download newspapers
as well as magazines, and this app becomes all the more interesting. |
| Safari App | The all new Safari app which has been added to the new iOS version
adds more web-browsing features to your Apple devices than ever before.
With this app, you also get to store your interesting reads in a Reading
List to read later. More importantly, Safari Reader displays pages
without ads - which is a welcome change in this iOS version. |
| iCloud | Apple's much awaited cloud service - iCloud, will allow users store
data such as music files on the server for downloading them onto the
Apple devices with iOS or personal computers with Mac OS X or Microsoft
Windows on board. Most important of all, the iCloud service helps you
make the most of all the other features mentioned above. |
| PC Free | This change - which makes your iDevices independent, is perhaps the
most important of them all. Owning a PC is no more a prerequisite to own
the iPhone, iPod touch or the iPad for that matter, as you can simply
download free iOS software update right onto the device without
connecting it to the computer with Apple iOS 5. |
Other than all these Apple iOS 5 features, the list of features also
includes a few more tweaked apps in form of Mail, Calendar, Wi-Fi Sync,
Game Center, Accessibility, etc. The iOS 5 also has some dedicated apps
for each of these Apple devices; such as the LED flash alerts and the
ability to make FaceTime calls without a SIM card for the iPhone 4 only,
multitasking gestures, split keyboard and Safari tabbed browsing for
the iPad and AirPlay and Videos for iPad 2.
With all these features on board, Apple iOS 5 does seem like a tough
contender to beat at the first instance. But will these features
actually come to its rescue when it is pitted against the new Android OS - Ice Cream Sandwich?
While that's something which only time will tell, one thing is for sure
- by adding all these features to its devices, Apple has retained its
fan base as all those who were contemplating the idea of switching over
to ever-tempting Android devices will prefer to wait and watch what's
new in Apple iOS 5.
By Abhijit Naik
