Apple has today announced the launch of its latest operating system for iPhones known as iOS 14. The latest OS comes with a host of interesting features and it is available to Apple Developer Programme members starting from today.
The company has revealed that a public beta will be available next month, while the stable update will be rolled out in fall. The iOS 14 update is available for iPhone 6s and later models. To start with, the update brings a new App Library, which it claims organises all the apps into different folders. The App Library is available at the end of the Home screen pages. This is basically an app drawer, but with some added features. Users can choose how many Home Screen pages to display and easily hide pages for quick access to the App Library.
The company has revealed picture-in-picture support for FaceTime, calls and Siri interactions. The company has also added an App Clip feature that will be designed to be discovered at the moment in need. The company says App Clips are associated with a particular product or business and load within seconds to complete a specific task, such as renting a scooter, purchasing a coffee, or filling a parking meter.
Apple has introduced new features to Messages. Users can PIN conversations to the top of their messages list, easily keep up with lively group threads through mentions and inline replies, and further customize conversations by setting a group photo using an image or emoji. The brand has also introduced new privacy features. The company says that apps will now be required to obtain user permission before tracking.
Later this year, App Store product pages will feature summaries of developers’ self-reported privacy practices, displayed in a simple, easy-to-understand format. In addition, users can upgrade existing accounts to Sign in with Apple, choose to share their approximate location with app developers rather than their precise location when granting an app location access.
Apart from this, the iOS 14 brings new Translate feature the offers translation of voice and text among 11 different languages. It also expands Siri knowledge and one can now send audio messages via Siri. The company has also introduced new Digital car keys that provide users a secure way to use iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock and start their car. . Digital car keys can be easily shared using Messages or disabled through iCloud if a device is lost, and are available starting this year through NFC.