Apple announced an incremental update to its mobile operating system yesterday at Moscone Center. This year's Worldwide Developers Conference was all about bringing improved performance and stability to OS X and iOS with fewer new features. That, however, certainly doesn't mean that we don't get anything that could be called new or at least refreshed.
Some of the major changes and updates seen in the OS include:
- Siri gets "mature" as some are calling it. iOS 9 brings new interface with colorful animation. However, the highlight is that now Siri will be aware of your context and brings much improved support with iOS 9.
- iOS 9 also gets split-screen multitasking for iPad bringing SlideOver and Picture in Picture features to the larger screens. You can read more about the feature in our iOS 9 multitasking post.
- As mentioned in our iOS 9 release post, Apple spent a lot of stage time on the Search improvements in iOS 9. The OS now brings "intelligent" search throughout the system accepting more natural-language search queries. You will notice the new Search pane with features like favorite contacts, suggested apps, and more here too.
- Search in Apple Maps get intelligent too giving better contextual results. Apple Maps also get another note-worthy change and that is Transit. A feature that is being offered a little late, but that's WWDC 2015 for you.
- Another feature that gets some love from Apple is App Switcher. Now re-designed, you will get a card-on-card style with layered apps on top of each other. Icons are now seen on the top and not bottom like iOS 8. No more favorite contacts too.
- Notes app is also one of the few apps that have received major changes. Notes has now been improved with drawing tools, numbered lists and other such changes that make the note taking a little more useful.
Other changes in iOS include some tweaks in Camera app, changes in Music, more options in Settings, new Battery menu in Settings, tweaks in Safari browser and more.
iOS 8 vs iOS 9:
iOS 9 Developer Preview Beta 1 was released yesterday right after the Keynote. This beta usually gives us more insight to the OS build than what Apple shows off in the Keynote and thanks to the folks at PhoneArena, here is an iOS 8 vs iOS 9 pictorial comparison. The new OS is on the right side while iOS 8.3 sits at the left.
iOS 9 brings smaller changes but Apple's plan this year is to improve user experience and give better performance. iOS 9 is set for public beta in July and official public release of final iOS 9 will happen in fall. Until then, download these iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 El Capitan wallpapers to get your devices a refreshed look.
- Source: for more images, PhoneArena
About the author: Rafia joined Wccftech in 2012 as a tech reporter. She is currently working on stories focusing on people and technologies that are turning Microsoft into a “company to watch” again. She is also responsible for collaborating with tech makers and e-commerce platforms to bring annoying but tempting deals to our readers.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
