iOS 9 is coming. Every fall Apple releases a new yearly update of its mobile device software. I have been using iOS 9 Public Beta on my iPhone for the last month or two and am overall pleased with what Apple has improved. I know many will overall be disappointed as the new update has no major new features. Instead Apple has focused more on performance and battery improvements. Some new features of the OS:
* New News and Notes apps
* Passbook now Wallet
* Multitasking on iPads
* Smarter and predictive Siri
* New Search screen
* Faster performance, smaller iOS update sizes, new system font, and one hour of improved battery life
News and Notes
The News app is Apple's attempt to get into Flipboard-like delivery of news content. You can select certain news agencies and magazines to follow for content and are given a great reading experience for its content. I find this app somewhat useless as I would use Flipboard instead, but for some it may be nice to not have to get another app. Only downside - cannot delete the News app.
However, the new Notes app is a great improvement over the old. Notes now supports drawing within the app. You can also insert pictures, billeted lists, to-do checklists, and different font styles. I greatly love this update. I use notes constantly and have always wanted to add pictures to certain things.
Wallet
Apple's new replacement for the Wallet app does not change many things. However, it looks to be promising in the future. Apple is working with many major merchants that use Apple Pay to roll out the same functionality with reward and gift cards. Soon you will be able to use your iPhone to redeem reward cards and not just credit cards. Interesting stuff.
Multitasking on iPads
Probably my favorite feature, multitasking is finally coming to iPads. The new iPad Air 2 will be able to have two apps open side by side, much like apps on a Windows tablet. Other tablets will be able to slide an app in side by side, but it cannot be evenly split. A really cool feature that will also be on all iPads is picture in picture. Don't you hate it when you watch Netflix or YouTube and when you exit the app to do something else your video ends? Well now Apple will shrink the video into a smaller square at the bottom of the screen so you can continue to watch your favorite program even in another app. Very cool feature!
Siri Not as Dumb
Oh Siri you were such a cool feature when the iPhone 4S came out. Now you are mainly an annoyance. Siri is getting a much needed makeover in iOS 9 with Apple promising a smarter Siri that will be better able to understand what you ask. Also, a new predictive feature is somewhat cool and creepy at the same time. For instance, I usually will check Twitter when I wake up in the morning. After a week with iOS 9, it now offers me Twitter as an app when I wake up the morning. Same happens when I plug in my headphones - it offers the Spotify app. This predictive feature is nice but it also worries me about my security.
New Search Screen
When you swipe left on the home screen, a new Search screen is available that shows you major headlines, apps it thinks you'd like to open, suggested contacts, and helpful links to find a nearby restaurant, gas station etc. This is somewhat useless to me. I never have used anything from this other than to search for an email I lost or something along those lines.
Under the Hood
Apple is promising iOS 9 to be a better performing OS for all devices as far down as the iPhone 4S. Also, Apple promises a one hour extension of battery life under this update, but I have not seen that huge of a difference. A new system font, San Francisco, is all over the system but it may not be that big of a difference for most users. Lastly, future iOS updates are going to be 1GB or less to help with tight-spaced phones.
When iOS 9 lands this fall, I would highly recommend that users wait a week or two. Apple usually has a major bug with each iOS release and I generally recommend to wait due to those issues. Overall, iOS is a great improvement for iPhones if Apple can pull off the under the hood items it has promised.
