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. 
