Lo Yarnall ’18
Apple’s software update, iOS 11, launched on Sept. 19 and brought a wave of redesigns and new features intended to increase the productivity of iPhones users. There are too many components of the update to talk about each one individually, but the ones highlighted below are believed to be the most crucial to students. So, get out your phone and prepare to discover all the hidden treasures iOS 11 has to offer (spoiler alert: there still isn’t group Facetime).
The Control Center
Swiping up on the home screen reveals the newly redesigned Control Center, perfectly compacted onto one screen. All of the essentials can be found here and there is now the option to decide exactly what shows up in your Control Center. Found in Settings, multiple new features are now available to be added, as well as deleted. Screen recording lets you record a video of the screen while you use it. Do Not Disturb While Driving can be set up to automatically send a message to anyone who texts you individually saying that you are driving and will get back to them when you “get to where you are going.” Also new in the Control Center is four power options on the Flashlight and access to a newly designed Calculator.
Camera
If you think the Camera app looks slightly different, it’s because it is. Apple redesigned the app covers for multiple existing app staples, the Camera being one of them. Users can now enable crosshairs to appear on the screen in Settings when taking photos and the camera can scan QR codes. Live photos received a lot of attention in the update: you can take them during FaceTime, put new Loop and Bounce features on them, trim them and select still images from them. When taking a screenshot, the photo appears in a miniature version at the bottom left corner of the screen and users can instantly edit the screenshot there. If you don’t want to edit it, just swipe the photo to the left and it will be automatically saved into the Camera Roll. In the Camera Roll, you can now drag and drop photos between albums (a feature previously only available on iPads).
iMessage
When you open up a conversation in Messages, there are a lot more apps below the iMessage box. Users can now access apps downloaded on their phones deemed “iMessapps,” such as Google Maps, Starbucks Gifts, Spotify, Venmo and Youtube. New text effects are available when you type out a message and hold down the send button. The regular text has been made slightly bolder as well.
Apple Maps
Apple has paid close attention to its competitors Google Maps and Waze and it shows in their updates to the Maps app. Lane guidance appears at the top of the screen (like in Google Maps) when on the freeway and there is a speed limit sign to tell drivers what the speed limit is for the road they’re on. Also under development is the addition of indoor mall and airport maps, and don’t worry, it covers all floors.
Siri
Siri’s voice sounds smoother and more natural and can translate different languages. Another long awaited feature that has been implemented is you can type your questions to Siri in its message box.
Miscellaneous
- Dark mode display option enabled in Settings
- Share Wi-Fi passwords with other ios11 users
- One handed keyboard that can be enabled in Settings
- Files app replaced iCloud Drive
- Able to disable cross-site tracking for ads and in-app prompts for ratings and reviews in Settings
- Track flights in Safari
