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After Math: Business as Usual

Latest in Apple

After Math: Business as Usual

Tech CEOs sign letter urging Trump to keep immigrant protections

iOS six

Engadget

Users eighty two Reviews

• Type Mobile / embedded OS
• Architecture 32-bit
• Source model Closed

Beginning tomorrow, iOS users will be prompted to update their devices to the newest iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system. As difficult as it is to believe, we’re already onto the sixth version of the OS, which proceeds to be updated with fresh features on a yearly basis. After pushing out so many upgrades critical to plugging a few major feature crevices, the vast majority of its two hundred advertised enhancements are rigorously granular, as Apple proceeds to grind its popular OS.

That doesn’t mean, tho’, that this build is coming to the masses without any jarring UI switches: Apple has announced independence from Google by adopting its own Maps, added a few nice features to Mail and iCloud, thrown Facebook integration into the mix and introduced the Passbook for paperless tickets. The question is, how does it stack up against previous refreshes? Read on to find out.

Engadget Score

• Voice turn-by-turn navigation
• Improved overall spectacle
• Siri has improved functionality

• App Store layout is difficult to navigate
• Lots of minor improvements, few major revisions
• Fresh maps are decent, but still a work in progress

Summary

iOS six packs in slew of improvements, but lacks the pizzazz we’ve seen in previous updates.

Compatibility

As in years past, not all iDevices will have the privilege of receiving the latest and greatest software revision. Two iOS five products weren’t able to make the cut for one reason or another: the original iPad and the third-generation iPod touch. Apple isn’t suggesting any insight into its decision; fortunately, the three-year-old 3GS (which curiously debuted prior to the very first iPad) made the cut yet again — but it’s excluded from a few major updates in iOS 6. Very first, a quick rundown. Here’s the utter list of devices that can run the fresh version of iOS:

When it comes to operating systems, one size doesn’t necessarily fit all, which means it’s significant to note which features will be enabled on which chunks of hardware. What you see below is a listing of most major firmware enhancements that aren’t available across the board, and we go into detail on their availability for each device. Very first, let’s look at the iPhones:

Now, let’s see which features are available to iPad and iPod Touch owners.

As you can see, iPhone 3GS users will have a different user practice than folks who have already upgraded to a newer model. The key question, then, concerns the spectacle of the older hardware; as history is quick to remind, the 3G didn’t fare so well on iOS Four. After a brief period of time using the 3GS, we noticed that some features work better on iOS six than its predecessor. The animations are still choppy and lack the buttery-smooth behavior of newer iPhones, but firing up the camera and maps are slightly more peppy. Typing, unluckily, resumes to give us fits. While it’s still slower than we’ve become habitual to with later generations of devices, it emerges that the iOS practice won’t be any worse for current 3GS users than it already is — but it likely won’t be any better, either.

General layout

To ask Apple to depart from its tried-and-true user interface in favor of something different, unique or (dare we say) revolutionary after six years would be like asking a dentist to stop brushing his teeth. The company is loathe to stray very far from its proven UI, and as a result each subsequent iteration has felt like Apple checking off missing features on a to-do list. If a time traveler went back to two thousand seven and displayed off the iPhone as it looks today, Joe Cool off the street would not only be able to tell it’s running the same OS; he’d likely be able to master it without any further instruction. That’s not to say Apple doesn’t make large switches to the way iOS looks and feels — over the years, the company has thrown in fresh user interface elements such as the App Store, multitasking and the Notification Center, among other things. But Apple has sprinkled in these additions without violating from its mold. Aside from the larger screen size and extra row of icons on the iPhone Five, iOS six hardly switches the way you’ll interact with the iPhone and iPad. Unless you’re looking at the fresh Passbook icon or the Facebook option in your Notification Center, you may have a difficult time telling which version you’re using without diving into the settings. Just because the general layout is ultimately the same, does that mean Apple hasn’t progressed? Well, not exactly — again, it’s added around two hundred fresh features to the mix. Still, we can’t jiggle the feeling that this latest update is the most granular we’ve seen to date. Let’s break down the firmware refresh by section and demonstrate you what iOS six has to suggest.

One of the most striking switches to the iOS landscape is the Maps application. The winds of switch have been sucking calmly in Cupertino for years: the garment purchased three different mapping companies, beginning with Placebase in 2009, Poly9 in two thousand ten and C3 Technologies in 2011. Since then, it’s also forged partnerships with TomTom and OpenStreetMaps, among other navigation companies. In brief, the writing has been on the wall for a long time, but it’s only now, with iOS 6, that Apple is eventually distancing itself from Google.

Now, before we go any further, it’s worth emphasizing that when it comes to maps, at least, we’re comparing a first-gen product to a mature one. Google Maps has blossomed over the past five years since we very first used it on the original iPhone, so we’re optimistic that Apple’s suggesting will seem more polished a few years down the line. But how does it stack up now, and is it any better than what we had before? After all, iOS previously lacked a good deal of mapping features Android users have long taken for granted. By far, the largest improvement is the addition of turn-by-turn navigation with voice prompts. iOS already had step-by-step directions, but users didn’t have a way to listen to each instruction — a setup that seemed to encourage unsafe driving. Fortunately, Siri comes to the rescue here by lending her soothing half-human, half-robot vocal ropes to a good cause. (Keep in mind that only Siri-enabled devices will have access to this feature, so iPhone 3GS and iPhone four users will still need to rely on third-party apps for voice navigation.)

Gallery: iOS six Maps | twenty eight Photos

Speaking of which, puny icons can be found all over the place as points of interest. Click on a restaurant icon and you’ll be greeted by its name, overall Yelp rating and options to get directions or contact information. You can also go directly into its Yelp page and take a peek at individual reviews. (Apple also cleverly sneaked in an easter egg: all of its stores are represented by an Apple logo.) Google Street View fans will be disappointed to see that there isn’t truly an equivalent feature here. Still, you’ll still be treated to a duo fresh options that aim to provide a similar level of granular detail. Flyover is Apple’s take on the "birds-eye view" feature found on Bing Maps: you get a 3D render depicting an aerial view of large cities as if you were, you know, flying over them. This means you can see streets, parks, buildings and every other aspect of the city — and you can ultimately use multitouch gestures to rotate the maps (again, this was a Google Maps feature sorely missed on iOS). You won’t find the Flyover feature available everywhere yet, but it’s so far available in a handful of major cities, with more to go after.

In case you can’t make use of Flyover, you should be able to take advantage of 3D view, which comes accomplish with Google Earth-like topographical capabilities — pan over a mountain, for example, and you can see the various canyons, slopes and other details. Rounding out the feature list, the Maps application also includes pinch-out maps that let you see a globe view, and information cards for businesses and points of interest.

Big city folk, you’re going to have one significant qualm with the fresh Maps: there are no public transportation options for navigation. The button is present (next to driving and walking) when you ass-plug in your destination, but when you attempt to set up a route, you’re taken to a "Routing Apps" screen that makes references to the App Store. This makes sense, given that Apple is supplying developers with a transit API, but we can’t imagine that homegrown public transit options aren’t already in the works. Until an official solution is put into place, however, this omission is likely to frustrate urbanites who rely on subways and buses as their primary means of getting around.

We also noticed that there may be some amount of concern with the infant Maps search results. Apple has partnered with Yelp, a very respected service with a healthy database of its own, but slew of businesses not aligned with the site may be missing out. In our comparisons inbetween the old Maps and fresh, we found that the results varied frantically inbetween the two: Google typically yielded more results, tho’ we noticed that the fresh Maps was able to find some businesses and points of interest that Google couldn’t. If you’re missing the old Maps, there may be some good news on the horizon: Google is rumored to be working on its own standalone Maps app for iOS, which would give users the best of both worlds. In general, the fresh Maps is a work in progress and won’t be flawless. It may even be frustrating for many users who have grown acquainted to the familiar look and feel of Google Maps. However, we’re intrigued by the direction Apple has taken (pun intended); Apple is now addressing many concerns we’ve had with Maps in the past, and tho’ there are certainly some things that need massaging, we’re optimistic that the app will proceed to expand in scope, coverage and functionality.

Passbook

Back when it was announced in June, Passbook was the one addition to iOS that had many people predicting the iPhone five would come with Near-Field Communications (NFC) built-in. Why? The feature’s main function is to act as a wallet of sorts: instead of hunting through your iPhone to find a barcode, coupon or boarding pass, you can find these types of items bundled together in one place. It wouldn’t be difficult to imagine this application being expanded to include mobile payments and maybe even work badges, hotel room cards and car keys compatible. As you may have seen in last week’s keynote, such wireless technology didn’t even get a mention. The iPhone five does not, in fact, have NFC, and gossip-mongers will likely turn their attention to next year’s model (the iPhone 5S?). But this doesn’t mean Passbook is futile in the meantime. On the contrary, anyone who shops, travels or attends concerts and other events will likely find it convenient. As fresh items begin to pour into your Passbook, they’ll showcase up as a stack of tabs, each one spanning the width of an iPhone screen. Pull up any tab and it’ll be introduced as a card, finish with barcodes and any other relevant information. (Delta boarding passes, for example, will look very similar to the ones you’d find in the official iOS app, and are just as scannable.) Whenever you have numerous items in a specific category — let’s say you’ve purchased tickets to more than one concert — they’ll display up under the same tab. The very first card will be seen, but you’ll need to swipe horizontally to check out the rest. This can be a little confusing the very first few times you use it, so be careful not to lose your bearings. Fortunately, Passbook has also been integrated with the iOS lock screen, which means your boarding passes and event tickets will show up there as notifications when the time approaches. Overall, the convenience of this fresh feature intrigues us, and it should become even more useful over time as more developers take advantage of it. We sadly weren’t able to test it with real boarding passes or coupons, but we were able to generate a few sample cards via a third-party website to get a good idea of the user practice (have a look at our screenshots to see what we’re talking about).

Find my Friends / Find my iPhone

iOS five users will likely be familiar with these two geolocation apps — Find my iPhone can help you locate a lost or stolen device, while Find my Friends will let you hunt down your family, friends and colleagues — and with iOS 6, they’ll look much the same. However, they’ve still been enhanced with fresh features that should make the apps even more tempting to use. For starters, Find my iPhone is now introducing a "Lost Mode," a fresh option which triggers an alert sound on the device and provides a remotely set phone number for good Samaritans to call and coordinate a place to comeback it.

IOS six review

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iOS six

Engadget

Users eighty two Reviews

• Type Mobile / embedded OS
• Architecture 32-bit
• Source model Closed

Beginning tomorrow, iOS users will be prompted to update their devices to the newest iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system. As difficult as it is to believe, we’re already onto the sixth version of the OS, which resumes to be updated with fresh features on a yearly basis. After pushing out so many upgrades critical to plugging a few major feature crevices, the vast majority of its two hundred advertised enhancements are rigorously granular, as Apple resumes to grind its popular OS.

That doesn’t mean, however, that this build is coming to the masses without any jarring UI switches: Apple has proclaimed independence from Google by adopting its own Maps, added a few nice features to Mail and iCloud, thrown Facebook integration into the mix and introduced the Passbook for paperless tickets. The question is, how does it stack up against previous refreshes? Read on to find out.

Engadget Score

• Voice turn-by-turn navigation
• Improved overall spectacle
• Siri has improved functionality

• App Store layout is difficult to navigate
• Lots of minor improvements, few major revisions
• Fresh maps are decent, but still a work in progress

Summary

iOS six packs in slew of improvements, but lacks the pizzazz we’ve seen in previous updates.

Compatibility

As in years past, not all iDevices will have the privilege of receiving the latest and greatest software revision. Two iOS five products weren’t able to make the cut for one reason or another: the original iPad and the third-generation iPod touch. Apple isn’t suggesting any insight into its decision; fortunately, the three-year-old 3GS (which curiously debuted prior to the very first iPad) made the cut yet again — but it’s excluded from a few major updates in iOS 6. Very first, a quick rundown. Here’s the utter list of devices that can run the fresh version of iOS:

When it comes to operating systems, one size doesn’t necessarily fit all, which means it’s significant to note which features will be enabled on which chunks of hardware. What you see below is a listing of most major firmware enhancements that aren’t available across the board, and we go into detail on their availability for each device. Very first, let’s look at the iPhones:

Now, let’s see which features are available to iPad and iPod Touch owners.

As you can see, iPhone 3GS users will have a different user practice than folks who have already upgraded to a newer model. The key question, then, concerns the spectacle of the older hardware; as history is quick to remind, the 3G didn’t fare so well on iOS Four. After a brief period of time using the 3GS, we noticed that some features work better on iOS six than its predecessor. The animations are still choppy and lack the buttery-smooth behavior of newer iPhones, but firing up the camera and maps are slightly more peppy. Typing, unluckily, resumes to give us fits. While it’s still slower than we’ve become habitual to with later generations of devices, it shows up that the iOS practice won’t be any worse for current 3GS users than it already is — but it likely won’t be any better, either.

General layout

To ask Apple to depart from its tried-and-true user interface in favor of something different, unique or (dare we say) revolutionary after six years would be like asking a dentist to stop brushing his teeth. The company is loathe to stray very far from its proven UI, and as a result each subsequent iteration has felt like Apple checking off missing features on a to-do list. If a time traveler went back to two thousand seven and showcased off the iPhone as it looks today, Joe Cool off the street would not only be able to tell it’s running the same OS; he’d likely be able to master it without any further instruction. That’s not to say Apple doesn’t make large switches to the way iOS looks and feels — over the years, the company has thrown in fresh user interface elements such as the App Store, multitasking and the Notification Center, among other things. But Apple has sprinkled in these additions without violating from its mold. Aside from the larger screen size and extra row of icons on the iPhone Five, iOS six slightly switches the way you’ll interact with the iPhone and iPad. Unless you’re looking at the fresh Passbook icon or the Facebook option in your Notification Center, you may have a difficult time telling which version you’re using without diving into the settings. Just because the general layout is ultimately the same, does that mean Apple hasn’t progressed? Well, not exactly — again, it’s added around two hundred fresh features to the mix. Still, we can’t jiggle the feeling that this latest update is the most granular we’ve seen to date. Let’s break down the firmware refresh by section and display you what iOS six has to suggest.

One of the most striking switches to the iOS landscape is the Maps application. The winds of switch have been deepthroating calmly in Cupertino for years: the garment purchased three different mapping companies, beginning with Placebase in 2009, Poly9 in two thousand ten and C3 Technologies in 2011. Since then, it’s also forged partnerships with TomTom and OpenStreetMaps, among other navigation companies. In brief, the writing has been on the wall for a long time, but it’s only now, with iOS 6, that Apple is ultimately distancing itself from Google.

Now, before we go any further, it’s worth emphasizing that when it comes to maps, at least, we’re comparing a first-gen product to a mature one. Google Maps has blossomed over the past five years since we very first used it on the original iPhone, so we’re optimistic that Apple’s suggesting will seem more polished a few years down the line. But how does it stack up now, and is it any better than what we had before? After all, iOS previously lacked a good deal of mapping features Android users have long taken for granted. By far, the largest improvement is the addition of turn-by-turn navigation with voice prompts. iOS already had step-by-step directions, but users didn’t have a way to listen to each instruction — a setup that seemed to encourage unsafe driving. Fortunately, Siri comes to the rescue here by lending her soothing half-human, half-robot vocal straps to a good cause. (Keep in mind that only Siri-enabled devices will have access to this feature, so iPhone 3GS and iPhone four users will still need to rely on third-party apps for voice navigation.)

Gallery: iOS six Maps | twenty eight Photos

Speaking of which, puny icons can be found all over the place as points of interest. Click on a restaurant icon and you’ll be greeted by its name, overall Yelp rating and options to get directions or contact information. You can also go directly into its Yelp page and take a peek at individual reviews. (Apple also cleverly sneaked in an easter egg: all of its stores are represented by an Apple logo.) Google Street View fans will be disappointed to see that there isn’t truly an equivalent feature here. Still, you’ll still be treated to a duo fresh options that aim to provide a similar level of granular detail. Flyover is Apple’s take on the "birds-eye view" feature found on Bing Maps: you get a 3D render depicting an aerial view of large cities as if you were, you know, flying over them. This means you can see streets, parks, buildings and every other aspect of the city — and you can eventually use multitouch gestures to rotate the maps (again, this was a Google Maps feature sorely missed on iOS). You won’t find the Flyover feature available everywhere yet, but it’s so far available in a handful of major cities, with more to go after.

In case you can’t make use of Flyover, you should be able to take advantage of 3D view, which comes accomplish with Google Earth-like topographical capabilities — pan over a mountain, for example, and you can see the various canyons, slopes and other details. Rounding out the feature list, the Maps application also includes pinch-out maps that let you see a globe view, and information cards for businesses and points of interest.

Big city folk, you’re going to have one significant qualm with the fresh Maps: there are no public transportation options for navigation. The button is present (next to driving and walking) when you buttplug in your destination, but when you attempt to set up a route, you’re taken to a "Routing Apps" screen that makes references to the App Store. This makes sense, given that Apple is supplying developers with a transit API, but we can’t imagine that homegrown public transit options aren’t already in the works. Until an official solution is put into place, however, this omission is likely to frustrate urbanites who rely on subways and buses as their primary means of getting around.

We also noticed that there may be some amount of concern with the infant Maps search results. Apple has partnered with Yelp, a very respected service with a healthy database of its own, but slew of businesses not aligned with the site may be missing out. In our comparisons inbetween the old Maps and fresh, we found that the results varied insanely inbetween the two: Google typically yielded more results, however we noticed that the fresh Maps was able to find some businesses and points of interest that Google couldn’t. If you’re missing the old Maps, there may be some good news on the horizon: Google is rumored to be working on its own standalone Maps app for iOS, which would give users the best of both worlds. In general, the fresh Maps is a work in progress and won’t be ideal. It may even be frustrating for many users who have grown familiar to the familiar look and feel of Google Maps. However, we’re intrigued by the direction Apple has taken (pun intended); Apple is now addressing many concerns we’ve had with Maps in the past, and however there are certainly some things that need massaging, we’re optimistic that the app will proceed to expand in scope, coverage and functionality.

Passbook

Back when it was announced in June, Passbook was the one addition to iOS that had many people predicting the iPhone five would come with Near-Field Communications (NFC) built-in. Why? The feature’s main function is to act as a wallet of sorts: instead of hunting through your iPhone to find a barcode, coupon or boarding pass, you can find these types of items bundled together in one place. It wouldn’t be difficult to imagine this application being expanded to include mobile payments and maybe even work badges, hotel room cards and car keys compatible. As you may have seen in last week’s keynote, such wireless technology didn’t even get a mention. The iPhone five does not, in fact, have NFC, and gossip-mongers will likely turn their attention to next year’s model (the iPhone 5S?). But this doesn’t mean Passbook is worthless in the meantime. On the contrary, anyone who shops, travels or attends concerts and other events will likely find it convenient. As fresh items begin to pour into your Passbook, they’ll display up as a stack of tabs, each one spanning the width of an iPhone screen. Pull up any tab and it’ll be introduced as a card, accomplish with barcodes and any other relevant information. (Delta boarding passes, for example, will look very similar to the ones you’d find in the official iOS app, and are just as scannable.) Whenever you have numerous items in a specific category — let’s say you’ve purchased tickets to more than one concert — they’ll display up under the same tab. The very first card will be seen, but you’ll need to swipe horizontally to check out the rest. This can be a little confusing the very first few times you use it, so be careful not to lose your bearings. Fortunately, Passbook has also been integrated with the iOS lock screen, which means your boarding passes and event tickets will show up there as notifications when the time approaches. Overall, the convenience of this fresh feature intrigues us, and it should become even more useful over time as more developers take advantage of it. We sadly weren’t able to test it with real boarding passes or coupons, but we were able to generate a few sample cards via a third-party website to get a good idea of the user practice (have a look at our screenshots to see what we’re talking about).

Find my Friends / Find my iPhone

iOS five users will likely be familiar with these two geolocation apps — Find my iPhone can help you locate a lost or stolen device, while Find my Friends will let you hunt down your family, friends and colleagues — and with iOS 6, they’ll look much the same. However, they’ve still been enhanced with fresh features that should make the apps even more tempting to use. For starters, Find my iPhone is now introducing a "Lost Mode," a fresh option which triggers an alert sound on the device and provides a remotely set phone number for good Samaritans to call and coordinate a place to come back it.

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