Great Expectations – From iOS 6

Are you as kicked about the launch of iOS 6 this fall as us? Apple has been redefining industry benchmarks right from the onset. Even in the face of tough competition from Android and Windows Phone, the iOS still garners a huge loyal base of users who swear by its sleek interface and ubeatable utility. The latest version of Apple’s OS is all set to redefine standards on the mobile computing platform. If you are an iPhone application development company or are looking out to hire iPhone app developers for creating the next big iPhone or iPad app, a curtain raiser of some of the most prominent features of iOS 6 will keep you interested.

With over 200 new features and updates to the iOS 6, we have tried to sift through and filter out the important ones for you.

·         Siri

Right from its inception, Siri has generated much awe and interest. Being an adept personal assistant and knowledge navigator, Siri allows you to use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, make phone calls, etc. When the iOS 6 releases, Siri will be integrated into multiple databases, allowing you to access and use information from a variety of sources including movie and timings info for theaters, sports news and updates, and restaurant information. What’s more, you can actually book a table at any restaurant by asking Siri to do it via its visual interface. Launching apps will be that much easier as Siri takes over this task. Rumors are rife that Apple will make Siri available in cars and that too at the push of a button. To be known as “Eyes Free”, this technology amalgamation is said to include all major automakers and should be available in all cars post 2013.

·         Social Space

The focus of iOS 6 is to provide an enhanced social experience. To achieve this, iPhone developers have embedded Facebook to a deeper layer on the iOS 6. You can easily share photos and Safari links using apps via a simple Share button. Updates are also due for Safari, Game Center, iTunes and the App Store. There is still some time left for the launch of iOS 6 which will allows app developers to come up with their own social networking apps too. The notification center is being spruced up to include Facebook and Twitter, both with direct post buttons. You can use Siri to post to both these services. Compare these updates to the other mobile OSs, and you might feel that Apple’s joined the bandwagon quite late. But as they say, it’s never too late!

·         Photo Streams

Sharing, viewing and commenting on photos and images are activities that almost every social media user engages in. The iOS 6 is all set to address this with Shared Photo Streams. Every time you upload photos, they will be automatically delivered to the Apple devices of the group you created. Suppose you created a group called Pals that included your best friends. Now whenever you upload any photos, this group will be automatically notified and the pictures will be shared with them on their iPhones or iPads. Additionally, this feature uses the iCloud service instead of MMS, making this entire enjoyable experience totally free. iOS 6 even addresses the issue of some of your friends not being on Apple devices. On sharing a photo stream with them, a separate web page is created that is publicly viewable where they can even add comments. In case Apple TV is activated, the Apple TV screensaver displays the latest pictures automatically.

·         The Phone Experience

On the earlier version of the iOS, a call could be received on your iPhone by swiping the screen, and it could be dismissed by depressing a button located at the top of the phone. The iOS 6 is smarter; it allows you to slide the on-screen phone icon vertically to reveal options, such as “Remind me Later” and “Reply with Message”. These options are further subdivided into options that let you decided the timing and location of reminders. You also have default messages that can be issued under “Reply with Message”. What really sets the phone experience apart is a comprehensive Do-not-Disturb setting that blocks all phones, emails and messages. You can customize this setting for a number of hours, thus putting an end of the sudden light-based notifications of receiving an email when in the middle of something important. Further customization also allows you to configure some calls to be ut through to you. A custom group can be created that can reach you in spite of the Do-not-Disturb setting. If you receive a call from the same number twice within a span of 3 minutes, the call is pushed through as the OS perceives it as an emergency. Smart, isn’t it!

·         Navigation with Maps

The iOS 6 improves on all its predecessors by integrating a better Maps app. Ditching Google as the service provider for maps, Apple has now used its own extensive talent pool to come up with a seamless navigation app that is sure to wow users across the world. The app now features a direction arrow, bookmarks, and an address bar. Using vector graphics, the rendition is smooth along with clear text. Along with the current finger gestures, the new Maps are all set to be rotated and tilted using 2-finger gestures. The Flyover feature provides 3D top views of major cities and you can use Siri to provide you a voice-based turn-by-turn navigation experience. The display also provides driving instructions and traffic information is procured from other iPhones in the area. The maps are intelligent to provide alternate routes to beat the traffic.

The Apple iOS 6 will be out this fall, almost in tandem with the new iPhone. We will keep our eyes peeled to ensure we have all the latest information of this interesting hot mobile development segment. We are a company that provides offshore software development services to clients across the globe. Being a leading iPhone app development company, we are attuned to the latest developments in the iPhone development arena. You can hire iPhone experts from us to create or fine-tune your app, so that it’s ready for the big occasion – the launch of the iOS 6.