Apple iOS 7

[HighestOfHigh]

Apple product lovers, your iPhone and iPad interfaces will look radically different this year.

At Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), held at the Moscone West Center in San Francisco, Apple CEO Tim Cook and other company executives unveiled new operating systems, iOS 7 for i-devices and OS X Mavericks for Macs, as well as a new version of its MacBook Air and a sneak peek at the next MacBook Pro. Although Apple didn't announce any new iOS devices, the big redesign featuring an array of new software upgrades in the iOS 7 operating system will make existing devices seem new. "We want to make the best product that people use more and love more than anyone else's," Cook said.

Let's recap the major announcements:

iOS 7: An Elegant Upgrade

The best way to describe iOS 7's new redesigned interface is that it looks like a crystal-clear pane of layered glass with elegant "flat" icons and features. Simple and clean, Cook said, it is the "most significant iOS update since the original iPhone [debuted]." iOS 7 will be available on the iPhone 4 and newer, iPad 2 and newer, iPad Mini and the fifth-generation of iPod Touch, starting in the fall. Developers can start playing with a beta version of the new operating system today.

Apple's New iOS 7, MacBook Air: First Look

In iOS 7, an active home screen features a new, 3D-like experience when you move the phone around and a semi-translucent keyboard. Swiping up from the bottom of the device brings up the Control Center, which allows users to manage several controls such as turning Wi-Fi on and off, opening apps, changing the screen's brightness and using Flashlight -- potentially killing off existing third-party flashlight apps. Speaking of apps, iOS 7 sports several welcome updates to the iPhone app experience. Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, announced that iOS 7 has improved Multitasking for apps -- basically, separating apps that are used constantly versus apps that get occasional use -- and will allow for better battery life.

Apps will now be updated automatically through Apple's App Store. Apps are big business for Apple. Cook announced today that the company has paid out $10 billion to app developers, and there are 900,000 apps available in Apple's App Store, which has had 50 billion app downloads. There are hundreds of other new features in iOS 7, including the Notification Center, enhanced Photos, Safari, Airdrop, upgrades to Siri's interface and voice, as well as the introduction of iTunes Radio. Airdrop, a feature that allows users to send files from one Mac to another, is coming to iOS devices for the first time, but will only be available on the iPhone 5, the fourth-generation of iPad and the iPad Mini.

For Even More Details about iOS 7, Read our Live Blog
iTunes Radio: Answer to Pandora, Spotify

iTunes Radio, a free Internet radio service based on the music users listen to on iTunes, is Apple's answer to Internet radio giants such as Pandora and Spotify.

Similar to other online music-streaming products, iTunes Radio has over 200 stations and allows users to create stations based on artists or songs, but Apple's version also offers stations based on what others users are talking about, including a Trending on Twitter station and an Artists on Tour station. The feature is built into iOS 7, and will be available on supporting iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad devices, as well as iTunes on Mac and PC and Apple TV. Internet radio has become the new favorite hook of tech giants to attract new users. Just last month, Google announced it was jumping on the online music streaming bandwagon with its All Access service through Google Play.

OS X Mavericks Revealed for Apple Desktops

Previous versions of Apple's iMac desktop operating systems have all been named after cats, but "this is the first OS update delayed due to a dwindling supply of cats," said Apple's Federighi, who is the chief of iOS and OS X operating systems. Behold OS X Mavericks, which Federighi said was inspired by the California setting into which Apple was born: the Mavericks Invitational big wave surfing contest is held annually in Northern California. Lots of new features were included in this upgrade: Tagging, Multiple Displays, Calendar updates, Safari with a new side bar, Notifications and iCloud Keychain updates, as well as the debut of Apple Maps and iBooks, now available on iMacs. With Tagging, users can now tag files to make them more searchable. You can tag your photos or other kinds of content to group things together. The Finder window, which allows users to search through content saved or downloaded to the computer's hard drive, now has tabs, which can be color-coded, so users can toggle between multiple file paths and searches, like a web browser.

The new operating system also included "next advanced technology," which meant improvement on battery life. The new system brings down CPU activity by 72 percent, meaning more "compressed memory," Federighi said. CPU stands up central processing unit, which handles the tasks and processes currently running on a computer. The new system can compress inactive memory to free up space for open memory. This makes things like opening documents or reopening an application happen faster. Notifications was also given a new upgrade in Mavericks that makes it a smarter tool. Users can now reply to emails and iMessages right inside a notification. Apps that send notifications to iOS devices will also send them to your Mac now, too.

For Even More Details about iOS X 10.9 Mavericks, Read our Live Blog
New MacBook Air Has 'All Day Battery Life'

What good would all this new software be without some new hardware to play with it on?
Apple today revealed a new MacBook Air, which will start shipping today, featuring "all day battery life," according to Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing. That actually means is that the 11-inch MacBook Air will support nine hours of battery life, while the 13-inch is promising 12 hours of battery life.

Apple's New iOS 7, MacBook Air: First Look

The New Air will also include fourth generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, with a new Intel HD Graphics 5000 clip that boasts up to 40 percent faster performance for gaming and graphics intensive apps. Apple executives said the computer's new flash storage provides speeds up to 45 percent faster than the previous generation and nine times faster than traditional hard drives -- good news for gamers and movie watchers. It will also have dual microphones, a FaceTime HD camera, a high-speed Thunderbolt port and two USB 3.0 ports. The 11-inch MacBook Air will go for $999 for 128GB and $1,199 for 256GB. The 13-inch Air is selling for $1,099 for 128GB and 256GB on $1,299.

Sneak Peek: New Mac Pro Coming Later This Year

Apple teased a new Mac Pro computer, which is a model that hasn't seen an upgrade in a while. But it won't be available until later this year. Billed as the "future of the pro desktop," the computer's hardware features a revamped redesign inside and out. On the outside, a 9.9-inch-tall, black, glassy cylindrical structure replaces the familiar silver aluminum rectangle. On the inside, Apple executives promised the new Pro will have a "unified thermal core," a "revolutionary" system that will include the next generation Xeon Intel processors, dual workstation-class GPUs, Thunderbolt 2, PCIe-based flash storage and ultra-fast ECC memory. In a nutshell, the new Apple computer promises to have "10 times the speed of any notebook hard drive," Schiller said. There was no mention of a price for the new Mac Pro, nor any mention of a new MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

- http://gma.yahoo.com/apple-ios-7-sl...edesign-iphone-213921949--abc-news-money.html

 

[Monster]

I never understand why will people use the Mac Pro? And what is the actual internal specs?

 

[Deleted member 25]

They use it because once it was one of the most powerful and reliable work station avialable, so it has a real name in the pro world (specialy among grahists and video editors) and it still is a quality product.

http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/...13s-mac-pro-completely-redesigned-inside-out/

 

[Cashmere]

I'm very happy with the iOS 7 refresh. It was awesome also hilarious seeing apple mock a lot of their own skeumorphic design elements from the Forstall era.

Blown away by the Mac Pro's design and specs. Still baffles me how such a small form factor will manage the heat and power of monstrous CPUs/GPUs beneath its shell.

Funniest moment of the entire keynote: Phil Schiller directing his sentiments at Wozniak (founder of Apple) and the naysayers amongst the media, just after unveiling the Mac Pro

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Macbook air was a bit of a disappointment as I was hoping they would get Retina displays now that 1440p displays are being mass produced for both 11.6" & 13.3" form factors.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

View attachment 2b00bd88a100bbb927dcf2dbeff5b0b8.png​

​

Apple iOS 7 Is Even Better Than We Could Have Dreamed​

​

Today at Apple’s much-anticipated Developer’s Conference, WWDC, CEO Tim Cook announced iOS 7, “the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone.” iOS 7 is packed with new features, from a completely rethought design featuring new typography, brighter colors, and improved functionalities to additions to the iOS app family you’re going to love. Though earlier we live-blogged an overview of new iOS features, here we give you a more in-depth look at the changes coming to your iOS device this fall.
Control Center

Devices running iOS 7 will feature Control Center. Simply swipe from the bottom of your screen to reveal access to controls for Airplane Mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, and or Do Not Disturb. You can also adjust your phone’s brightness and control music playback with buttons for pause, play, and next. Control Center also offers quick access to often-used apps like Clock, Camera, Calculator, and Flashlight.
Notification Center

In iOS 7 Notification Center will be available directly from the Lock screen, displaying all your notifications such as missed calls and recent emails. The new Today feature provides an at-a-glance view of the weather, traffic status, upcoming appointments, and your friends’ birthdays the day-of.
Improved Multitasking

While previous versions of iOS gave multitasking access only to certain apps, iOS 7 will enable developers to enable background multitasking for any app with Apple’s new API. iOS 7 does this without losing battery performance by measuring how you use your apps and, accordingly, using intelligent scheduling to update your running apps in the background. iOS will also respond to push triggers so your most-used apps are always up-to-date.

View attachment 25f1aa9d158cf37c6f052c8e65cb60c9.png​

​

iTunes Radio​

A music streaming service called “iRadio” similar to Pandora’s was long-rumored to be announced at WWDC. Though Apple enthusiasts may have failed at guessing the right name, Apple’s new music streaming service is indeed quite similar to Pandora. iTunes Music features over 200 stations, like “Summer Songs” and “Artists on Tour,” created by Apple supported by iTunes’ music catalog. Just like Pandora, iTunes Music will allow you to create stations based around particular artists, songs, or genres and will feature options similar to Pandora’s for favoriting songs you like and blocking playback of songs you don’t like. When you tap a song in iTunes Radio Apple presents you the option to purchase the song from iTunes, share the song with a friend, or create a new station around that song. What’s more, iTunes Radio keeps track of all the songs you’ve listened to on all of your devices so you can continue to preview songs and, if you like, purchase them through iTunes.

You’ll be able to access iTunes Music directly from your iOS Music app. iTunes Radio will first become available in the US and will eventually expand to other countries. Now we know what iTunes Radio does, but we still can’t figure out why it exists…
Photos

iOS 7 also comes with a redesigned Photos app that helps you organize and share your photos with ease. Photos will automatically organize your pictures into Moments, sorted by location and date. Collections are groups of Moments sorted into larger groups. While Moments may sort your photos by a specific location or day, Collections will sort photos into larger groups, such as photos from all days of your vacation, for example. Zoom out to view your photos organized by year. Additionally, each year will feature the locations tagged in your photos of that year.

In addition to enabling you to share your photos with apps like AirDrop, Mail, and Twitter, iOS 7 includes iCLoud Photo Sharing. iCloud Photo Sharing allows your friends and family to contribute their own photos and videos to your shared photo streams. What’s that? I said “videos?” That’s right, iCloud Photo Sharing will also support videos. Plus, the new Activity view will display updates from your shared streams in one place.
AirDrop

Previously a feature only available to Mac users, AirDrop makes its iOS debut with iOS 7. AirDrop is an easy way to share files with people close by over a peer-to-peer WiFi network. No more passwords or NFC hardware to deal with: just tap and go.

View attachment 5d2f75df17e9003774ec19bce46adffc.png​

​

Camera​

iOS 7′s new Camera app does more than any other iOS camera has done before. Now with four cameras to choose from – photo, video, square, and panorama – and added filters and real-time photo effects, you’ll be taking more incredible photos than ever before.
Safari

Safari for iOS receives a new full-screen look. Pulling down from the top of the app reveals one-tap access to Safari’s smart search field and your favorites. Plus, Safari offers new views of your bookmarks, tabs, and links shared by your social media contacts by pulling up from the bottom of the Safari app. With iCloud integration, you’ll also be able to view tabs open on your other iOS devices. A new gesture on iOS, horizontal scrolling will allow you to navigate back and forth in your browser history: a great feature for one-handed browsing. Plus, enhanced Parental Controls allow you to automatically block access to adult websites or only allow access to a specific set of permitted websites.
Siri

Siri’s going to sound a whole lot different with new male and female voices. Besides the voice change, Siri offers plenty of new features:

• Twitter search integration: Hear what people are saying on Twitter
• Wikipedia integration: Now search the world’s most popular reference site by talking to Siri
• Use Siri to control your device: Now ask Siri to change device settings such as turning on WiFi or ask Siri to play back your most recent voicemails
• Integration with Bing Web Search: Now search the web with Microsoft’s Bing

iCloud Keychain Integration

iCloud Keychain is a new feature announced for the upcoming Mac OS X, Mavericks. iCloud Keychain will provide you a simple and secure way to store all your password and credit card information in one place and access it on any device. iCloud Keychain integration with iOS will allow you to seamlessly browse and shop on any of your Apple devices, no matter if you’re carrying your wallet with you or not.

View attachment 9894436b2d60589623711ee88e0ef956.png​

​

App Store​

Finally, the feature we’ve all been waiting for. – Drumroll please – the new App Store does away with those pesky red app update notifications; instead, App Store will automatically update your apps for you. Besides this glorious update, the revamped App Store makes it easier than ever to find the apps most useful to you. iOS 7 will feature Popular Apps Near Me, a new way to find apps based on your location, as well as a new Kids category that allows you to discover apps for children based on age.
Additional New iOS Features

iOS 7 will also include the following new features:

• A new way to find your iPhone: Activation Lock requires your Apple ID and password before you can turn off Find My iPhone, erase data, or re-activate a device after it’s been remotely erased. Hopefully this will stem the insanely high rate of iPhone theft
• Night Mode in Maps: Maps’ new Night Mode will responds to ambient light when you use it in the dark
• FaceTime audio: FaceTime audio allows for high quality voice calls over a data network
• Notification sync: Now when you dismiss a notification on one device it is dismissed on all of your devices
• Phone, FaceTime, and Messages blocking: Soon you’ll be able to prevent specific people from contacting you
• Enhanced in-car integration: Apple is bringing the iOS experience to your car for the first time. Straight from you car’s dock, you’ll be able to ask Siri to call friends, listen to messages, and use Maps hands- and eyes-free
• More support for Chinese-speaking users: Improvements include Tencent Weibo support for users in China, a Chinese-English bilingual dictionary, and improved Chinese input including handwriting recognition for multiple Chinese characters

With promising new features and a stunning new design, iOS 7 looks like a hit to me. “There is a profound and enduring beauty in simplicity, in clarity, in efficiency. True simplicity is derived from so much more than just the absence of clutter and ornamentation—it’s about bringing order to complexity,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of Design, regarding the design and functionality of iOS 7. “iOS 7 is a clear representation of these goals. It has a whole new structure that is coherent and applied across the entire system.”

- http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/apple-ios-7-even-better-could-dreamed-231443172.html

 

[SKY]

At last this OS is on par with the lastest innovations...

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Apple unveils iOS for the Car

​

​

Today at Apple's 2013 Worldwide Developer's Conference, the House That Jobs built debuted iOS in the Car, an upcoming feature for iOS devices that mirrors what your iPhone can do on your car's in-dash screen. A perfect port of your iPhone's screen wouldn't work, since its dimensions don't match those of most in-dash screens, so what you'll see, according to the demos shown by Apple on stage, is something like an auto-optimized version of the iPhone's new operating system, iOS 7.

Apple says that 95 percent of vehicles sold today are already able to work directly with iOS devices for music and playback control, but iOS in the Car will expand that functionality to also include phone calls, maps/directions, and sending and receiving iMessages using your vehicle's screen or eyes- and hands-free using Siri. It's basically Apple making a move to replace the built-in hardware and software that came with your car, and makes us wonder how automakers will react to all those iPhone users circumventing the OEM's own full-featured infotainment and navigation systems in favor of mirroring Apple's.

We'll find out soon enough, as Apple already has a pretty big list of automakers on board to integrate iOS into their cars by 2014. The list includes Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Ferrari, Chevy, Infiniti, Kia, Hyundai, Volvo, Acura, Opel and Jaguar.

- http://www.autoblog.com/2013/06/10/apple-unveils-ios-for-the-car/#continued

 

[HighestOfHigh]

 

[Sunny]

I know wrong thread, but just want to say I love the ID of the new Mac Pro.

When I build my PC, I know the frustration of being stuck with a square motherboard.

 

[LaArtist]

I want that pro

 

[Sayyaaf]

I want everything Apple

They have new awesome HD too they call it time capsule blablabla I couldn't catch the name. Also there is a new AP ? I am not following ...

 

[HighestOfHigh]

I know wrong thread, but just want to say I love the ID of the new Mac Pro.

Lol...I actually meant to post that earlier. It's fine since this is pretty much an Apple Thread.
-------
What better place than a room full of developers—people accustomed to harnessing as much computing power as they can get their hands on—to unveil a brand new Mac Pro? And so that’s just what Apple did on Monday, devoting a large portion of the 2013 WWDC keynote to a product we’ve long been hoping for—and even predicting. It’s a new Mac Pro, not at all like the old Mac Pro, and it’s coming later this year.

Jason SnellThe new Mac Pro on display at WWDC 2013.

I got a chance to get my hands on one, albeit briefly, on Monday afternoon. It’s a gorgeous piece of hardware, though it does somewhat resemble the wastebasket I have in my bedroom. The new Mac Pro is a black cylinder dense with high technology, from powerful Intel workstation-grade processors to two shockingly fast graphics cards to an array of expansion ports.

It was a stunning debut for a product that’s unlike any computer you’ve ever seen. But that surprising design comes with many changes compared to the current Mac Pro. Here’s a rundown of the biggest questions that Macworld editors have heard about the new Mac Pro, along with the answers that my colleagues and I know so far.—Jason Snell
When will the new Mac Pro models be available?

Apple hasn’t announced a specific date when the new Mac Pro will ship. The company has stated only that the computer will be available “later this year.” We suspect that means sometime this fall, but it could be as late as Dec. 31.
How much will they cost?

Apple similarly hasn’t announced prices for the new Mac Pro. Macworld editors have been taking wild guesses around the office, with estimates ranging from $2000 to $4000. (By way of comparison, the current Mac Pro costs $2499 for the 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon-powered standard configuration and $3799 for the 12-core model with two 2.4GHz Xeon chips.) On the one hand, the new Mac Pro is roughly one eighth the volume of the current Mac Pro, and it uses fewer internal components, as well; on the other hand, Intel’s newest processor won’t be cheap, and the new Mac Pro uses pricey solid-state storage and two high-end video cards, even on the low end.
What’s up with that design?

Given that the current Mac Pro looks essentially the same as the 2003 Power Mac G5, any new design would stand out, but the new Mac Pro’s design is dramatically—nay, shockingly—different. Instead of the traditional blocky “cheese grater” tower, the 2013 Mac Pro takes the shape of a black cylinder made of polished aluminum.

It’s a dense, heavy object, but much smaller than the old Mac Pro: just 9.9 inches tall and 6.6 inches in diameter. You can actually pick it up—and we did—with one hand by grabbing it by the top. That’s because while the Mac Pro’s case ends at the top of the cylinder, the internal housing, made of the same aluminum material as the exterior, ends an inch or so below that with a ringed vent above a single fan. You can grab the top of the external housing anywhere around the ring and pick it right up.

Underneath that fan is a key reason for the Mac Pro’s unique design: the “unified thermal core.” This is Apple’s name for the large, triangular space in the middle of the cylinder, with its sides made up of the two video cards and the processor card—each of which vents its heat into that central core. The top-mounted fan sucks cool air from beneath the Mac Pro, pulls it up through that core, where it cools the components, and then blows the warmed air out the top. (Apple says the fan is very quiet, because it’s a large, single fan with an efficient design.)

Apple also added some of its typical design flourishes to the new Mac Pro’s design. For example, if you turn the tower around to connect or disconnect a peripheral—more on that below—the computer automatically senses the movement and illuminates the back panel to make it easier to see the ports.
Will the new Mac Pro be faster than current models?

It would be difficult for the new ones to be slower than the current models, which (minor speed bumps aside) have been largely untouched for years. For starters, the 2013 Mac Pro will use Intel’s latest Xeon chipset, the Xeon E5. You’ll be able to configure the computer with up to 12 cores of processing power that, in Apple’s words, provide up to 40 GBps of “PCI Express gen 3 bandwidth and 256-bit-wide floating-point instructions.” The company claims the new Mac Pro’s processors will be up to twice as fast as the current model’s.

Jason SnellApple’s Phil Schiller stacks the old Mac Pro (left) up against the new model during the WWDC 2013 keynote.

The 2013 Mac Pro will also have significantly faster memory thanks to a four-channel DDR3 memory controller running at 1866MHz. The computer will use ECC (error-correcting code) memory and will offer up to 60 GBps of memory bandwidth (compared to 30 GBps for the current Mac Pro models).

Also getting a big boost is the Mac Pro’s graphics capability. Unlike the current tower, the new model comes stock with two GPUs, each an AMD FirePro workstation GPU with up to 6GB of dedicated VRAM. Apple says those two GPUs offer up to 7 teraflops of performance—compared to 2.7 teraflops for the current Mac Pro—and can drive not one, not two, but three 4K-resolution (3840- by 2160-pixel) displays.

Storage should be dramatically faster, as well. Whereas the current Mac Pro uses traditional mechanical hard drives, and most of Apple’s other computers use standard flash storage (either SSD or flash memory soldered to the motherboard), the new Mac Pro will use next-generation PCI Express flash storage. According to Apple, this new type of flash storage is up to 2.5 times faster than the fastest SATA-based solid-state drives (1250 MBps versus 500 MBps); it’s up to 10 times faster than a 7200rpm SATA hard drive (110 MBps). (Apple doesn’t say how much faster this new storage technology is than the motherboard-based flash storage on the current MacBook Pro.) The other advantage of PCI Express-based flash storage is that you should be able to easily upgrade it. (More on that below.)

AppleThe Mac Pro’s ports

Of course, the new Mac Pro also—finally—gets faster connectivity, as well, sporting six Thunderbolt 2 ports (which are up to twice as fast as the first-generation Thunderbolt ports on the rest of Apple’s current computers) and four USB 3.0 ports, compared to four FireWire 800 and five USB 2.0 ports on the current Mac Pro. And, finally, Apple has improved wireless performance, adding 802.11ac Wi-Fi and giving the 2013 Pro the same Bluetooth 4.0 circuitry found in every other current Mac. (The new model offers the same pair of Gigabit-ethernet ports as current models.)
How upgradeable is the new Mac Pro?

The new Mac Pro’s RAM is situated in four memory slots and can be upgraded easily—you just slide off the computer’s cylindrical, metal sleeve, pop out the old memory, and insert new DIMMs. Apple's tech info about OS X Mavericks (PDF link) notes that OS X 10.9—which the new Mac Pro will presumably ship with—supports up to 128GB of RAM. The computer’s flash storage is also upgradeable, as it sits on a small card that connects to a socket on the motherboard. This means you can pop out that card and replace it with a new one.

Inside the new Mac Pro

Before the new Mac Pro was announced, one of the frequent comments we heard was that professional-level users want upgradeable video cards. We can’t say anything definitively based on the limited information Apple has provided, but Apple’s website sure makes it look as though those dual GPUs are permanent residents—it doesn’t appear that you’ll be able to swap them out for more-powerful versions down the road.
What about expandability? Will I be able to use my old expansion cards?

Apple calls the new Mac Pro the “most expandable Mac yet.” Many people might dispute that contention, considering that the current Mac Pro offers four PCI Express slots, four internal hard-drive bays, and two optical-drive bays, while the 2013 Mac Pro will offer…well, none of those things.

Apple bases its claim on the fact that with six Thunderbolt 2 ports, on three independent buses, you can connect up to 36 high-performance peripherals—each port supports six daisy-chained devices. Apple also says Thunderbolt 2 provides twice the throughput of the original Thunderbolt spec—up to 20 gbps to each connected device (and up to 25 times faster than FireWire 800). The company points out that those who need PCI Express slots can add a Thunderbolt PCI-expansion chassis. Those Thunderbolt ports also support Thunderbolt and Mini DisplayPort displays, and you also get an HDMI 1.4 port for connecting an HDMI display.
Is there anything else notable about the new Mac Pro?

On the non-technical side, this Mac Pro is going to be assembled entirely in the United States, marking Apple’s return to American computer manufacturing. Apple’s website refers to “Texas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, and over a dozen other states across America” that have contributed to a product that was, of course, designed in California.

- The new Mac Pro: Hands on, and what you need to know

 

[HighestOfHigh]

The Best Of iOS 7′s Minor Upgrades

Apple revealed a number of notable new features with the debut of iOS 7 yesterday, but there are many smaller features that are now leaking out as developers have had a chance to play around with the new operating system. Though most of these didn’t get a shout-out during Apple’s keynote and accompanying demo at WWDC, they are the “little touches,” which help to make iOS 7 something bigger than an incremental update in terms of the new functionality it introduces.
There are hundreds of new features, tweaks and changes in any operating system update, but below are some of best “little” features in the new release, many of which have been flying under the radar.
Passbook Gets A QR Code Scanner

Apple’s pseudo mobile wallet Passbook, which previously offered a way for users to store their tickets, store cards, and coupons now has another new feature that makes it more utilitarian: a QR code scanner. Spotted in press shots on Apple.com by iMore, the apparent intention here would be to offer another way for users to load new passes onto their iPhone, as opposed to scanning just any QR code found in the wild.

Compass App Becomes A Level, Too

The compass app, like all the other Apple default applications, received a minimalist makeover with a new design. But the compass also got a level feature, too – that is, it now uses the iPhone’s accelerometer to detect how many degrees off of zero a surface is. The feature is accessed by swiping left from the Compass’s main screen. Nifty, but I’m also thankful that Apple did not launch “Level” as a standalone application. (source: CultofMac)

Live Icons…Well, At Least One

With a nod to Windows Phone (!!!)’s concept of live tiles and Android’s widgets, Apple has taken its first baby step towards offering a more real-time interface to its homescreen with the smallest of changes: a live icon for the iOS 7 clock app. Before, this app’s icon was static, but now the app shows the correct time and even includes a second hand that moves. (You can see this in the Apple iOS video here and the unofficial one below).

New App Store Kids Section Groups Apps By Age Ranges

OK, this one did get a brief shout-out during the keynote, but it’s worth a mention. Though most will see this as a minor enhancement, this will actually be huge for parents. In the revamped iOS App Store, apps for children finally gets its own top-level category. (Before, the majority of kids’ apps were found in the “Education” section if remotely instructional, or tucked under the “Games” category if mainly entertaining.)



With the introduction of the Kids section (above screenshot from iDownloadBlog), there’s an opportunity for parents – and their offspring – to better drill down to find those which are appropriate based on the child’s age. And, as The Guardian points out, this also sets up a structure where Apple could begin to enforce specific rules about apps based on those more granular age designations (e.g. no in-app purchases on ages X to Y, guidance on analytics and how in-app ads are used, etc.).
Black & White Mode

Because iOS 7 now uses transparent overlays for things like the Control Center (easy-access Settings you get to by swiping up from the bottom of the screen), the OS will use either black or white for app labels and the icons on the overlay, as appropriate. As iFans notes, the default wallpaper that ships with iOS 7 will serve up the black version, but the white version was demoed during the keynote.


FaceTime Gets Its Own App, Now Does Audio Calls

Previously, iPhone users could access FaceTime from either the Phone app or Contacts app, but now Apple’s voice calling service has its own dedicated app – just like it does on the iPod touch. More importantly, however, the app now supports audio calls in addition to audio plus video. No wonder carriers like AT&T didn’t want to support FaceTime, right?


Live & Panoramic Wallpaper

A concept popularized by Android is the idea of a “live” wallpaper – that is, instead of a static, unmoving image for your background, the wallpaper is animated, often subtly so. Apple’s iOS 7 now ships with at least two live wallpapers, and hopefully this will open up the OS to run third-party live wallpapers as well. (See around 0:30 in the YouTube video below for a demo).
However, even for those who choose to use a static wallpaper as their background, as you tilt your phone the wallpaper stays with you. In addition, panoramic photos can also be used for wallpaper.

Turn-By-Turn Walking Directions in Maps (& More)

Great for city dwellers, or anyone else who would rather be steered by audio instead of having to peer down at their phone while trying to find their way around, Apple’s Maps app has been updated to offer turn-by-turn navigation for walking, in addition to driving. It also includes inclinometer support so it knows when you’re heading up or down hills, too, and a night mode will kick in when the sun sets.

Access Notifications On The Lock Screen

A minor but ongoing frustration with iOS’s earlier implementation of the Notification Center is that it required you to first slide to unlock your device. That made no sense of course, as often the purpose of notifications is a quick check of what you may have missed – and Apple had required you take an extra step to accomplish this before. Now, you can simply pull down the revamped Notification Center from the Lock Screen. And with the redesign, it appears it will be easier to tap that “Clear” button when you’ve completed your review and want to dismiss the items.


Unlimited Tabs In Safari

Safari’s revamp puts it more on par with something like Google’s Chrome app, with its new interface, improved bookmarks and sync, and more, but one of the biggest pain points has also now been addressed too: no more limits on the number of tabs you have open. For heavy readers and web surfers, this was one of those minor but annoying issues that eventually forced us to other browsers, so it’s good to see it addressed.
Finding App Data Hogs Is Easier



A way to see which apps are eating into your cellular bandwidth is now found in the iOS 7 Settings, according to MacRumors. This is the kind of feature that third-party applications like Onavo have provided in the past to data conscious users. iOS 7 only offers the bare details, though, while Onavo offers tools to keep data usage down as well.
Spotlight Search

The search function is no longer available to the left of the homescreen, but is rather accessed by swiping down from the center of the screen. MacRumors also discovered that you can now configure which search results categories display including things like iCloud documents, iTunes, Passbook updates, Reading List and more.
Twitter Music Gets Its Own Station

Twitter’s good relationship with Apple now sees the app’s new Twitter Music service integrated right into iTunes Radio. Spotted in screen shots on Apple.com, Twitter Music’s “Trending” section is available as its own station within Apple’s streaming music service.
Put Newsstand In A Folder

The app everyone loves to complain about, Newsstand, had been stuck on Apple’s homescreen forever, refusing to bend to your own ideas about app categorization. Fear no more says CultofMac, you can finally shove that thing in a folder. (Which is good, too, because I’m not so sure about that icon!)

Tencent Weibo Integration

A significant new feature that speaks to Apple’s focus on gaining traction in China is the addition of Tencent Weibo, a microblogging site that’s like China’s version of Twitter. Tencent Weibo’s competitor, Sina Weibo, was integrated into iOS 6 last year.
Call And Message Blocking

As reported earlier, the new version of the iOS operating system now offers “Phone, FaceTime and Messages blocking,” allowing users to prevent specific people from being able to contact you.

- http://techcrunch.com/2013/06/11/hidden-ios7-features/

 

[Levi68]

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13...7-shows-how-apple-is-leading-mobile-computing

 

[HighestOfHigh]

This will probably work perfect on the newest products (ipad 4/iphone 5), but I wonder how it will work on the 4s and older ipad models. Sometimes the updates don't always work well on older products.

 

[Levi68]

This will probably work perfect on the newest products (ipad 4/iphone 5), but I wonder how it will work on the 4s and older ipad models. Sometimes the updates don't always work well on older products.

I have iPhone4, and I won't upgrade. Some said it did not work porperly, too many bugs. Maybe iPhone4S with retina display.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Oh ok...Plus I wonder what it might do with the battery life too. The last update is killing my battery.

 

[Monster]

Oh ok...Plus I wonder what it might do with the battery life too. The last update is killing my battery.

It is probably your battery dying. All of my friends with their iphone has experienced significantly shorter battery life after the 1st year of ownership.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

It is probably your battery dying. All of my friends with their iphone has experienced significantly shorter battery life after the 1st year of ownership.

It hasn't even been a year. I brought my phone the end of last summer. The battery was perfect until I downloaded the update last September/October that came out after the iPhone 5.

 

[Monster]

It hasn't even been a year. I brought my phone the end of last summer. The battery was perfect until I downloaded the update last September/October that came out after the iPhone 5.

It seems to be a reoccurring issue with every iOS update.