iOS 15 is official: everything you need to know

At the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) today, Apple has finally revealed what will be in its next iteration of the iOS 15 software update for iPhones, coming later this year. The changes include improvements and enhancements to notifications, Photos, iMessage, Spatial audio, Facetime, and more.

This year is about having the Operating System adapt to your needs. At least, that’s what Apple wants us to think and focus on.

Staying connected

• • Video calling has become crucial to today’s times. FaceTime has proven to stand out thanks to its intuitive design and end-to-end encryption.
  • In the video, many of the usual cues of the natural world get lost. Now changes will focus on making it feel more natural.

1. Spacial Audio
   1. Voice Isolation so that the service no longer picks up anything other than your voice
   2. Broad Spectrum does the opposite
2. Video 
   1. In Tiles to see everyone’s reaction with visual cues
   2. Portrait mode
   3. FaceTime Links help you schedule calls and even support the web and Android through the browser
   4. SharePlay (has an API to enable third-party apps to work through it)
      1. allows you to listen to music together through Apple Music
      2. watch movies or videos together 
      3. and share your screen just like you currently can with your computer
3. Messages
   1. Easier interaction of photo galleries and easier way to react to specific photos on a grid
   2. Shared With You 
      1. in the News App is a way for you to cue things shared with you from friends on messaging to catch up on later. 
      2. There’s a section in your photo library for whatever was shared with you
      3. Safari, Apple Podcast, and Apple TV app also have features that will help you find things shared with you later

Finding focus

• • Notifications (Brand New look)
    • Notifications Summary
      • On-device intelligence helps you arrange the content. Content is ordered by Priority.
      • Do Not Disturb is now a status automatically shown on Messages
      • Focus is a new way for you to match your device to your current mindset
        • Work allows you only to be bothered by work content
        • Personal Time, you can choose only to be disturbed by friends and family
        • Sleep as well
        • You can set your focus controls as well. There are intelligent prompts as well.
          

Using intelligence

• • Live Text
    • With the camera, the phone will detect text and let you recognize and interact with it differently, from making a phone call to turning it into usable text on your device.
    • Understands seven languages. Works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
  • Spotlight
    • Now your photos will also be searchable
    • Rich results for contacts
    • Rich results for actors, TV shows, etc
  • Photo Memories
    • This intelligently curates moments. There’s a new “For You” tag, and it integrates with Apple Music to help you personalize the experience. The photos even shift with the beat of the song.
    • Memory Mixes even change the mood of photos based on the song

Exploring the world

• • Wallet
    • The company set out to replace your actual wallet
    • Car Keys were the first to be supported through UWB, which ship later this year.
    • House keys will soon be supported
    • Work keys will quickly be supported
    • Hyatt hotels and others will soon support this feature
    • Central list of partners for locks
    • Participating US states will now allow you to take a photo of your ID and have it be used. Even the TSA is currently working on allowing this to be supported.
  • Weather
    • New design for the First Time in a while
  • Maps
    • Still not being affected by the death rattle. Lol
    • US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Australia now support Apple’s new Map design.
    • Now with a globe design that provides further 3D details
    • 3D details are currently endorsed as you drive
    • Transit riders now get more information about their favorite routes, you get alerts when they need to exit, and you can pass all this information to your Apple Watch.
    • Augmented reality map for walking
    • Available by the end of 2021

That’s a lot to wrap your head around, but there’s more. Check out our coverage and let us know what you’re most excited about seeing in iOS 15 in the comments below.