iOS 9
Version of the iOS operating system | |
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File:IOS 9.0 beta homescreen.png iOS 9 beta running on an iPhone 6 Plus | |
Developer | Apple Inc. |
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Source model | Closed, with open source components |
Latest preview | Developers: iOS 9 Golden Master (13A340) September 9, 2015 iOS 9.1 Beta 1 (13B5110e) September 9, 2015 Public: iOS 9.1 Public Beta 1 September 10, 2015 |
Platforms | iPhone 4S iPhone 5 iPhone 5C iPhone 5S iPhone 6 iPhone 6 Plus iPhone 6S iPhone 6S Plus iPod Touch (5th generation) iPod Touch (6th generation) iPad 2 iPad (3rd generation) iPad (4th generation) iPad Air iPad Air 2 iPad Mini (1st generation) iPad Mini 2 iPad Mini 3 iPad Mini 4 iPad Pro |
Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) (mostly monolithic) |
License | Proprietary EULA except for open-source components |
Preceded by | iOS 8 |
Official website | Official website |
Support status | |
Presupported |
iOS 9 is the ninth release of the iOS mobile operating system designed by Apple Inc, as the successor to iOS 8. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference 2015 on June 8, 2015, with a full public release on Wednesday September 16, 2015. iOS 9 focuses less on new features and more on under-the-hood optimizations, as well as battery improvements.[1]
History
iOS 9 debuted at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8, 2015, with iOS 9.0 beta 1 being made available to registered developers straight after the keynote, and a public beta made available to members of Apple's Beta Software Program in July.[2][3] iOS 9 will be released publicly on September 16, 2015.[4] [5] [6]
Features
iOS 9, like all major iOS updates, includes many enhancements to stock applications and integrates intelligence throughout the OS, especially on iPad, as well as improving stability, speed and battery life.
Keyboard
On iPad, a two-finger drag on the keyboard moves the cursor freely like a traditional trackpad making positioning the cursor and selecting text easier. On the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, a press on the keyboard also allows the user to move the cursor like a trackpad. A shortcut bar has been added including cut, copy, paste, undo and redo.
When shift is inactive, lowercase letters are displayed,[7] instead of the all-caps representation on all previous iOS versions, although this can be disabled. There are many custom keyboards for the new version of iPhone, mainly Perkee[8], Swype, SwiftKey, Fleksy and Adaptxt.[9][10]
News
iOS 9 includes a new News app which displays news from sources such as The New York Times, CNN, Wired, and ESPN to bring one unified experience in the way users read, experience, and discover news.[11] Publishers use the Apple News Format to create rich, dynamic articles for iOS users, using diverse typography, layout and full width imagery. The app has been compared to the popular app Flipboard, which also aggregates news in addition to social media posts.[11] It has been discovered that the News application will also have support for RSS feeds from Safari.[citation needed]
Upon release, it will replace the Newsstand app.
News will be available in the US, UK, Australia and Turkey when iOS 9 is initially launched.[12]
Notes
The built-in Notes app has received a number of enhancements, including the ability to draw sketches with a number of different tools, including a ruler for straight lines. Images can also be added, and links to websites and Map locations get a more prominent, visual appearance when added to notes. Attachments including images, links, locations, documents and audio across all notes can be viewed in a single view from the notes list. Advanced formatting options including checked, bulleted, dashed and numbered lists can be added. The iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPad Mini (1st generation), and iPod Touch (5th generation) do not support the Sketch feature of the Notes application.[13]
Notes now sync using iCloud Drive, as opposed to the less secure IMAP system that Apple has used in past iterations of iOS. When a library has been updated to the new Notes format, devices that still use IMAP will no longer be able to view the upgraded notes. The new Notes format also syncs to any Mac on the same iCloud account running OS X 10.11 or higher.[citation needed]
Maps
Apple Maps adds support for transit directions in Baltimore, Berlin, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York City, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Shanghai, Toronto, and Washington D.C., along with several other cities in China at launch, which will expand as Apple maps out more cities.[14] The iPhone 4S does not support the Transit feature. [citation needed] The Maps app now also makes recommendations to points of interest, restaurants, etc. based on what time of day it is or the users' interests. Apple has claimed that information collected by iOS this way will not be shared with the company or third parties. There will also be an icon in the details view of a retailer to indicate that they support Apple Pay.
Multitasking
iOS 9 also adds a number features to the iPad to improve productivity. These include Slide Over, Split View, and Picture in Picture, for enhanced multitasking, similar to the experience found on OS X El Capitan. Slide Over allows the user to pull in a second app with a swipe from the right edge of the display. This app takes up the width of 33% of the screen size, and disables interactivity within the full screen app, which takes up 66% of the display, allowing users to perform quick tasks and then dismiss the app again. If the user taps on the handle next to the Slide Over window, or extends it further towards the left of the screen, the user enters Split View, which allows users to interact with two apps simultaneously side-by-side in a 50%/50% split. Users can switch to another app in either Slide Over mode or Split-Screen view by pulling down on the handle on top of either app and selecting another app from the list to replace the existing one. The Split-Screen Multitasking feature will only be available to iPad Air 2 users at launch. It will also be available for the iPad Mini 4 and iPad Pro. However, the Slide Over feature will be available on the iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2 and higher, and the iPad Pro. [11][15] The iPad 2, 3rd generation, 4th generation, and Mini (1st Generation) will not receive any of these multitasking updates.[16]
When banner notifications are tapped, causing another app to open, a back button at the top-left corner of the screen has been added, bringing the user back to the previous app.
The app switcher is redesigned, with app previews stacked on each other that are swiped through in a carousel effect. It also removes the recent contacts section.
Proactivity
Intelligence is one of the main features in iOS 9, consisting of the newly integrated Siri and Search (previously known as Spotlight), as well as "proactivity" throughout the operating system. iOS is now more aware of contextual information (such as time and location), and proactively provides the user with what they may need in advance to save them time and effort. For example, the Search screen displays suggested apps, nearby points of interest from Maps and current news stories, based on time of day and location. When typing, Search has also been improved to display instant answers in an at-a-glance, widget-like format, similar to that provided in the Siri interface. Search can display current weather, sports scores, news, and more. The Search screen with proactive suggestions can be accessed by swiping to the left of the first home screen, as with the old Spotlight in iPhone OS 3 to 6. The new Search screen is not available on the iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPad Mini (1st generation), and iPod Touch (5th generation). [citation needed] However, the Search field and Siri button can also be accessed by swiping down on any page of the home screen (as in iOS 7/8), but doesn't show any suggestions. The intelligence also extends into apps. For instance, in Mail, events can be automatically added to Calendar if details are found in the message content, and likely additional recipients are suggested during message composition. Siri is also aware of what is currently onscreen when it is engaged by holding down the home button. For example, if a user is shopping for something in Safari, the user can say, "Remind me about 'this' when I get home," and Siri will set a reminder with a geofence and attached link of the current page. The user can also ask Siri "Show me photos I took last June" and Siri will direct into the photos app, similar to the new Spotlight in OS X 10.11 El Capitan.[17]
Wallet
The Passbook application will be renamed Wallet in iOS 9 and will include many new changes such as support for store loyalty cards, gift cards, Discover Credit/Debit Card support, and Apple Pay in the UK.[18]
3D Touch
3D Touch, which is only available on the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, will be deeply incorporated into iOS 9. Quick Actions will be added to the home menu that can only be triggered with 3D Touch. iOS 9 has actions known as Peek and Pop, which lets the user preview all kinds of content and act on it without having to actually open it. For example, with a light press the user can Peek at each email in the inbox, then when the user wants to open one, press a little deeper to Pop into it. If someone sends the user a link to a website, the user can Peek at it without leaving the screen he/she's on. Whenever the user is sent a link, or find one while browsing, press the link lightly and the top of the page appears just as it would in Safari, and once the user lets go, he/she ends up in the original location. If the user wants to open the full page in Safari, press the link a little more deeply to Pop into it.
Battery, performance and security improvements
iOS 9 also includes many under-the-hood improvements such as improved performance with its Metal API, up to an hour more of battery life, improved security using advanced encryption and new 6-digit passcodes for Touch ID-enabled devices (increased from 4).[19] Devices without Touch ID will also be able to use 6-digit passcodes, but it will not be the default option when adding a passcode to the device. A new Low Power Mode has been added, which is said to increase battery life by up to three hours. This feature is only available on iPhone. [citation needed] In addition, Apple has implemented a new feature, currently unnamed, that restricts access to core files within the OS even if the user has gained administrative rights, likely to combat jailbreaking. iOS 9 also introduces a new two-factor authentication system for better security within iCloud Drive.[20]
Beta Additions, Changes, and Removals
In iOS 9 Developer Beta 1, an Apple Pay shortcut was added to the lock screen. Double-pressing the home button on the lock screen on the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus brings up Apple Pay settings. This allows for quick access to quick payment without having to navigate to the Wallet app (previously Passbook). This was directly derived from the Apple Watch. The Mute Switch function can now be changed in Settings on the iPhone and iPod Touch. The function of the switch to lock screen rotation can now be changed, like on the iPad. The default system font has been changed to San Francisco. The previous font, Helvetica Neue, is still available in OS X El Capitan and iOS 9, but is no longer chosen or used by default for all first and third-party applications. The multitasking view has been redesigned. Quick contact access has been removed. Contact photos are now included in the Messages app on the iPhone 6. A search function was added to the Settings application to quick access to a desired setting. Third-party apps now have their own on/off toggles for search as well. Shake To Undo can be disabled in Settings. Siri has been redesigned, as well as the Voice Command feature, which replaces Siri when Siri is disabled. Images can now be quick-selected in the Photos app. Multiple images can be selected by holding down one image and scrolling around, without having to select each individually. There is a new scrubber in the Photos app as well, for quick scrolling through images; this is not available on the iPhone 4S. [citation needed] In the Photos and Camera settings, video resolution can be changed. There is a hidden iCloud Drive app, that can be activated through Settings.
In iOS 9 Developer Beta 2, a new app icon is available for the built-in Podcasts application. The "Apple Watch" application was renamed to simply "Watch". The Handoff feature, which works between iOS and OS X devices running iOS 8 or 9, or OS X Yosemite or El Capitan, has been merged into the multitasking view. Automatic app deletion for updates has been implemented in this version. This allows the OS to make enough space for the update files. Once it removes those files, it will automatically reinstall the apps deleted, with user data intact.[21][22]
Following the release of iOS 8.4, iOS 9 Developer Beta 3 added Apple Music support to the Music application. Currently, the only difference between the Music app in iOS 8.4 and iOS 9 is the addition of a toggle for "High Quality on Cellular", and the return of "Home Sharing", both of which can be enabled in Settings. Minor changes have been made to the Messages app to prevent accidental sending of pictures or voice messages. In the Photos application, two new albums have been added. One is named "Selfies", for any pictures taken with the front-facing camera, and "Screenshots", for any screenshots taken of the screen. Inside the iCloud settings, there will be a new option for two-step verification. Siri App Suggestions have been added into Search. The trackpad feature on iPhone and iPod Touch was removed. App folders on the iPad now display apps in a 4x4 arrangement instead of a 3x3 arrangement, allowing users to see more apps in a folder at a glance. Noticeably, in the Settings application, there is a squared "Battery" icon, in comparison to the rounded icons for all other app settings. This is most likely a bug that will be fixed in the next beta version of iOS 9.[23]
In Developer beta 4, the icon for "Notifications" in Settings is red. A glitch with the volume rocker in the Camera app was fixed. The Handoff switcher was added into the multitasking pane as a banner at the bottom, not as an actual card. Also, app suggestions will be worked into the same area. In Safari, the user can now upload items to websites from iCloud Drive, as well as from more 3rd party apps. The squared "Battery" icon in settings has been fixed. The issue with the status bar disappearing for a second after exiting an app has been fixed. Support for the iPod Touch 6 was added.
In Developer beta 5, the "Regulations" information was moved to Settings, in the General section. The Shift and Backspace keys were redesigned on the virtual keyboard. Siri can now take notes again, as well as modify system settings, which were both broken in the previous beta. Speed improvements were made to opening apps, and stability improvements were made to the Search menu, and the app switcher. Wi-Fi calling was added to compatible AT&T iPhones. Also, Wi-Fi Assist was added, which disconnects from Wi-Fi and switches to the data automatically to get better internet speeds.
Version history
Pre-release history
Pre-release versions of iOS 9 are typically released to developers and public beta participants on a two-week schedule. Each update includes stability, speed, security, and battery improvements, possibily with new features, removed features, and bug fixes.
On June 23, 2015, Apple seeded iOS 9 beta 2 to developers, including a fix for iPhone 6 Plus where users may notice a sudden decrease in battery life.
On July 8, 2015, Apple seeded iOS 9 beta 3 to developers. Apple Music and News was added in this beta release.
On July 9, 2015, the public beta equivalent of iOS 9 beta 3 for developers was released. It started the series of public beta updates, and requires a different profile than the iOS 8 public beta profile to download and install.
On July 21, 2015, Apple seeded iOS 9 beta 4 to developers, adding support for the sixth generation iPod touch.
On July 22, 2015, iOS 9 Public beta 2 was released to the public. It is the public beta equivalent of developer beta 4.[24]
On August 6, 2015, Apple seeded iOS 9 beta 5 to developers, and also released the public beta equivalent, public beta 3 with new wallpapers.
On September 9, 2015, Apple seeded the GM for iOS 9 to developers. This is not available to the public beta users, since GM's are not distributed over-the-air. Also, iOS 9.1 beta 1 was released to developers, and iOS 9.1 public beta 1 was released to public beta users.
Supported devices
All devices that support iOS 8 will also be able to run iOS 9.[25]
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Reception
Initially, the reception of iOS 9 has been generally positive with critics praising all the under-the-hood improvements Apple made as welcome changes especially since iOS 9's predecessor, iOS 8 was known for having bugs and being unstable at times.[26] Reviewers have also praised iOS 9 for including many improvements in user experience such as the new Intelligence improvements. However, many journalists noted that Apple picked up many of the ideas for iOS 9 from other platforms. The Intelligence improvements were seen as borrowed from Google, who introduced the idea of Google Now and Now On Tap which perform many of the same functions as Proactive in iOS 9. Improvements to the iPad experience such as split-screen multitasking were seen in other tablets such as the Microsoft Surface or the Samsung Galaxy line of tablets.[27] Keyboard improvements such as scrolling with a two-finger gesture and upper/lower case keyboard were noted by critics as having been taken from jailbreak tweaks as well (SwipeSelection[28] and ShowCase,[29] respectively). On Sunday September 6, users reported about a notification received by Apple about a software update that did not show up. Apple has not released a statement about this issue.
References
- ^ "Top Features why iOS 9 is the smartest version".
- ^ Griffin, Andrew (June 8, 2015). "iOS 9 beta: users can sign up for beta program to get new iPhone operating system in July". The Independent. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ Curtis, Sophie (June 9, 2015). "iOS 9: what we've learnt from WWDC 2015". The Telegraph. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ "Apple - Press Info - iOS 9 Available as a Free Update for iPhone, iPad & iPod touch Users September 16". www.apple.com. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ "iOS release information - http://www.cnet.com/news/ios-9-release-sept-16/".
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(help) - ^ "iOS 9 details including public release - http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/9/9245073/apple-ios-9-download-release-date-iphone-upgrade".
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(help) - ^ "Here's how Apple finally fixed the shift key in iOS 9". 9to5Mac.
- ^ "Perkee Keyboard".
- ^ "Swiftkey, Swype, and Flesky making iOS 8 Keyboards".
- ^ "KeyPoint Technologies Adaptxt to make entry on iOS as Apple opens up for 3rd party keyboards".
- ^ a b c Seifert, Dan (June 8, 2015). "Apple announces iOS 9, release later this year". The Verge. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ "Apple introduces News app in iOS 9, replaces Newsstand". 9to5Mac. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ Hughes, Neil. "Inside iOS 9: Apple's Notes app is greatly enhanced with drawings, lists, pictures, links & more". Apple Insider. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ^ Tabini, Marco. "Apple Maps in iOS 9 adds public transit, local business search". Macworld. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ Weinberger, Matt. "The Apple iPad is your next work computer". Business Insider. Business Insider. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ Beasley, Mike (June 8, 2015). "Apple announces split-screen multitasking for iPad in iOS 9". 9to5mac.com. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
- ^ Goldman, David (June 9, 2015). "9 things you'll love about iOS 9". CNN.com. CNN. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ "iOS 9 - What's New". Apple.
- ^ Lee, Tyler. "iOS 9 Introduces New Security Improvements". ubergizmo. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ Munson, Lee (June 10, 2015). "iOS 9 enhances two factor authentication, introduces 6-digit passcodes". naked security. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ "Everything that's new in iOS 9 beta 2". Retrieved June 25, 2015.
- ^ "Apple releases iOS 9 beta 2 to developers for iPhone, iPad & iPod touch". 9to5Mac. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
- ^ Clover, Juli. "iOS 9 Beta 3 Tidbits: 4x4 Folders on iPad, Screenshot and Selfie Folders, News App, and More". Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ Clover, Juli (July 22, 2015). "Apple Releases Second iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan Public Betas". macrumors.com. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
- ^ "iOS 9 will run on all iOS 8-compatible devices - CNET" June 8, 2015
- ^ "iOS 9 gets a big boost from under the hood refinements". iPad Insight.
- ^ "7 'New' Features Apple Just Stole From Microsoft, Google, and Itself". yahoo.com. June 9, 2015.
- ^ "SwipeSelection: Jailbreak Tweak to Make iPad Text Editing Concept a Reality". iPhone Hacks - #1 iPhone, iPad, iOS Blog.
- ^ "New Cydia Tweak: ShowCase Tweak for iOS Keyboard Makes Typing A Lot Easier - Unlock iPhone 4, unlock iPhone 3GS, jailbreak iPhone - how to with ziPhone.org". ziphone.org.