The WWDC 2017 had to be the longest event ever to be hosted by Apple. At least it felt that way and, on more occasions than one, I kept stealing a look at my clock to see how much time of my life it had consumed.
But the event wasn’t without its exciting moments. Personally, I flipped when they revealed all the updates coming to the iPad, both in terms of hardware and the software perks that iOS 11 brought with it.
And running a close second on the excite-o-meter were the updates to the iPhone, although this one dealt strictly with software only. We have a few months to go before we can catch sight of the highly anticipated iPhone 8.
Till that happens, let us console ourselves with the changes that iOS 11 has ushered in.
1. Siri On It’s Way to Becoming More Intelligent (?)
Let’s face it, Siri is not the strongest of the iPhone features we talk about in India. She has a habit of turning up her nose at the Indian accent and refuses to try and understand us at all. Still, we’re hoping that some day, Siri will be the best friend to us that Apple wants it to be.
Here are some changes iOS 11 is bringing about in Siri
- A new interface that is slightly reminiscent of Google’s ‘cards’
- Multiple search results for a topic to reduce possibility of errors
- Suggestions of follow up questions you can ask Siri
- A language translation feature that can currently translate from English to French, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, and German
- A new male voice and new voice tones for the female voice (Seriously, Apple?)
- Siri will be incorporated with more third-party apps, allowing it to (hopefully) do more and do it efficiently.
Side note: While these updates sound great, we would even settle for Siri just understanding what we’re saying. Can iOS 11 arrange that?
2. A Whole New Camera App to Pander to Our Self Indulgence. Woweee!
The camera has always been the iPhone’s biggest attraction, and if all else failed, they’ve always been able to hook their audience with the best specs and performance in the market. With iOS 11, people who are highly obsessed with themselves have a new excuse to whip their phones out every other minute.
What does the software upgrade mean for photography/selfie lovers?
- Better low light photography thanks to HDR and optical image stabilization
- Fewer storage hassles since new compression technology will help videos take up less space
- Ability to trim, edit, and grab and save a still frame from Live Photos.
- Make cute little videos by looping a live photo
- More beautiful shots of nature thanks to the long exposure effect
- Professional quality filters for that added effect
3. iMessage Becomes More Convenient to Use
Despite the popularity of WhatsApp, iMessage continues to have a loyal following and Apple is doing everything it can to keep fans from migrating to other IM apps which, to be honest, have some cool features. But iOS 11 is trying to bridge that gap with some offerings of its own.
- A redesigned app drawer makes it a whole lot easier to find and share games, stickers and emojis with friends.
- With better syncing capabilities, your conversations are available seamlessly across various devices. And yes, if you delete a message on the iPad, it will be deleted from your iPhone and Mac.
- For those who enjoy typing with one hand, iOS 11 gives you the option of switching to the QuickType keyboard that moves all the keys closer to your thumb.
4. A Cleaner Control Center Gets Rid of Clutter; Lock screen & Notification Centre Become One
The three-panel control centre is neither the most appealing nor the most efficient way of organising the controls we use day in and day out. iOS 11 reimagines the control centre into a single panel, complete with toggles and sliders, to let you easily change the settings for the things you do most often. It also incorporates 3D touch so that you can unlock more commands.
The lock screen has also been neatly organised to show you all your notifications. When you pull down from the top of the screen, it will display the recent as well as missed notifications in one place. At the same time, you will be able to swipe right to access the camera and left to access your widgets.
5. Do Not Disturb Comes to Apple Car Play
Apple wants you to drive safe and not be distracted by notifications on the phone. And rightly so. That’s why it has introduced the Do Not Disturb feature to Car Play. When activated, it will show you no notifications at all because Apple prefers you keep your eyes on the road. The feature has provision to allow urgent messages to come through and you can turn off the Do Not Disturb mode if you’re not driving.
6. Apple Music Tries to Grab Our Attention with Some More Features
Apple Music has been slow to pick up in India, but it’s gathering an audience bit by bit. iOS 11 brings some interesting features to it to increase its appeal. For instance, using an Airplay 2 Protocol, you can use different speakers to play music in more than one room. Friends and family can make their playlists public, helping you discover new songs. Third party applications like Shazam can automatically add the songs it identifies to your collection.
7. Pay Your Friends With Apple Pay
This is not a feature that’s available in India, but it’s interesting enough for us to make a mention of it. Now you can settle your post-dinner calculations and ‘who-owes-who-how-much’ confusion by sending money to your friends … using iMessage. That’s right … you’re just one message away from clearing all your tabs with your best friends, and Apple has robbed you of the last excuse you had.
We have some exciting times ahead of us and we’re all eagerly waiting for September to download iOS 11 and get a glimpse of the iPhone 8. Gotta stock up on our patience or we won’t last that long.