iOS 11 It will be released by the company Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), in just a few tens of minutes, a lot iPhone and iPad to install the update available today. iOS 11 was tested by the Apple company in 10 beta versions throughout the summer, a new record for an iOS update, but this should guarantee the fact that we have the best experience using the operating system on iPhone and iPad.
iOS 11 comes with a lot of news for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, the Apple company taking care to offer over 100 more or less important changes for us. In this article I will talk about the most important news offered for iOS 11 by the Apple company, and this is because it is good to know what you will receive after you install the update in phones and tablets starting today.
File – The application that collects all the files in the Cloud
iOS 11 brings us a new application called Files, from which some hoped it would provide access to iOS system files, but which in the end offers something completely different. More precisely, the new Files application for iOS 11 is intended to be a hub of all the files we have loaded in various cloud services such as iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Box, or Google Drive.
The Files application for iOS 11 does not provide access to the iOS system files and does not even display in a single interface the photos, videos and music from our iDevices. Android has applications that can do this, but in iOS 11 the Files application is designed to retrieve information from various web services and not from iDevices, all probably in order not to affect iOS security.
Apple's idea with the iOS 11 Files application is a good one, because it brings files from all the cloud services used to the iPhone or iPad, regardless of the device. More precisely, files uploaded from iPhone, iPad, Mac, or any other computer, can be seen in the Files application of iOS 11 as long as they go through one of the supported cloud services.
"The new Files app brings all your files together. You can browse, search and organize all your files in one place. And there's a place dedicated specifically to your recent files. Not just from your iPad, but from apps, from other iOS devices, from iCloud Drive, and from other services like Box and Dropbox.”
The new Dock for iPad is present everywhere and with new functions
iOS 11 brings a new dock to the iPad that can be accessed from any application we have open to give us quick access to our favorite applications saved in it, but also to recently opened ones. The Apple company enables the activation of the dock by a simple swipe from the bottom up made on the screens of our tablets, it also allows the addition of a greater number of applications than until now.
Moreover, using this new dock for iPhone and iPad we can switch from one application to another, open in the background, by a simple swipe from left to right in the dock. iOS 11 offers this functionality for all iPad tablets that are compatible with the operating system, the improvement being a major one.
"The new Dock represents a fundamental change for iPad. Now available from any screen. So you can open and switch from one app to another with a simple swipe. Plus, you can customize it with even more of your favorite apps. The Dock changes as you work. Smartly suggested apps — like the ones you opened recently and the last app you used on your iPhone or Mac — appear on the right side of the Dock."
Reimagined multitasking for iPad tablets
iOS 11 comes with a new multitasking system for iPad tablets, combining applications open in the background with Control Center and the new dock, which you can see above. Apple has redesigned the entire multitasking system to allow the use of tablets in a more productive way, all important functions being displayed in a single interface with new methods to close applications open in the background.
Using the new multitasking system, we can drag an application from the dock over an open one to display both on the same screen, they being active in Slide Over and Split View. Moreover, Apple created App Spaces in which we list our favorite applications thanks to a redesigned application switcher for iOS 11, the change being an extremely useful one.
"With iOS 11, multitasking is easier and more intuitive than ever. You can open a second app directly from the Dock, and both apps remain active in both Slide Over and Split View. You can drag the second app in the Slide Over to the left. You can easily find App Spaces with all your favorite apps in the redesigned App Switcher.”
Drag & Drop – drag anything over applications by simple swipes
iOS 11 brings to the iPad a drag & drop function that allows copying content from one application to another, or between various menus using simple selection and dragging. We are talking about functionality that computer operating systems have had for years and years, but which iOS 11 brings to Apple's mobile terminals in a very useful way.
iOS 11 allows using the drag & drop function to move texts, pictures, and files from one application to another by simply keeping them selected on the screen. With the content selected, iOS 11 allows the quick transfer of content between open applications on the same screen, or the opening of new applications in which that content can be inserted, all extremely simple and easy, as it should be normally.
"With Drag and Drop on iPad, you can move text, pictures and files from one app to another. And because it's a feature designed for the iPad's large Multi-Touch screen, you can make these moves like magic. You can touch and move anything anywhere on the screen.”
Notite - the application that turns into a document scanner
iOS 11 has a very useful function starting this year, the Apple company taking the decision to implement in the Notes application, Notite, a scanner for documents. We are talking about an advanced software that allows the recognition of documents that are placed in front of the camera of a device running iOS 11, being recorded without borders or shadows.
The Apple company tells us in the description below for the document scanning function that it is a very advanced one, iOS 11 offering something that only App Store applications had until now. The function for scanning documents available in iOS 11 is implemented to provide extended support for the Apple Pencil, allowing them to be signed quickly.
To scan documents using the Notes application, Notite, of iOS 11, you just have to open it, enter a note and press the + button. From there you can choose the option to scan your documents to add photos/videos to your iOS 11 notes, all available on any type of iPhone or iPad tablet.
"The new Document Scanner in Notes automatically captures and scans a document, crops the edges and removes any skew or reflection. Fill in the blanks or sign with Apple Pencil, then save and share easily."
QuickType - write more easily with the new keyboard on iPhone and iPad
iOS 11 brings improvements to QuickType, with the keyboard now integrated into the keyboard buttons for easier access to buttons that normally required searching through subsections. The simple long press on a key now displays the options available for each button separately, so we can more easily access everything we need, without having to search for the buttons through the already activated keyboards.
"Letters, numbers, symbols and punctuation are now all on the keyboard. So there is no need to keep changing from one to another. You just press down on a key to select what you need."
Augmented Reality - a technological revolution for iPhone and iPad
iOS 11 brings us an augmented reality platform called ARKit, the Apple company intending to turn it into the next major revolution in the world of mobile telephony. In essence, we are talking about iPhone and iPad applications that in iOS 11 have implemented support for ARKit augmented reality and can display virtual objects over a real-time video feed captured through the iDevices' camera.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72N3or0ZgMU
iOS 11 with ARKit can put dinosaurs, cars, planes in front of us, or take us to unreal virtual worlds, all through the screens of our iDevices and only with the applications that have included support.
“iOS 11 introduces ARKit, a new framework that brings augmented reality to hundreds of millions of iOS devices, enabling developers to build unparalleled AR experiences. By merging digital information and objects with the environment around you, augmented reality brings applications beyond the screen, enabling them to interact with the real world in entirely new ways. For the first time, games and apps open the door to new and exciting worlds. Virtual, but completely realistic.”
Live Photos with a new function of DSLR cameras
iOS 11 brings to iPhone users a new function that until now was only offered by DSLR cameras for those who wanted to take very good quality photos with interesting effects. More precisely, we are talking about a function that allows us to expand the exposure at which pictures are recorded with iOS 11 and the native camera application of the operating system.
The new feature of iOS 11 for the camera is called Long Exposure, and Apple currently offers it only for Live Photos recorded with the Camera application. this Long Exposure function is one of the 4 new ones offered for editing Live Photos in iOS 11, and Apple says that it allows us to create magical effects for pictures, as DSLRs do.
The truth is, if you've taken long exposure photos taken using DSLR cameras, then you know how great they are, and iOS 11 will allow us to do the same. This function uses the video loop recorded with a Live Photo in iOS 11 and creates that longer exposure, and the end result should be a really spectacular picture.
iOS 11 also brings functions that allow the combination of live photos in endless video loops, or bounce-type effects, as you can see in the video clips above.
“Turn a favorite Live Photo into a fun looping video. Choose a picture of yourself or let Photos suggest the ones that best match your Looped photos.”
Camera with new filters and QR code scanning
iOS 11 brings new "professional quality" filters for the iPhone camera that allow us to record photos directly with these effects implemented. The Apple company claims that these filters bring us more natural and expressive photos, but of course you can't take an extraordinarily good photo if the phone's camera doesn't help you.
iOS 11 finally brings the possibility to scan QR codes directly from our phones without third-party applications installed from the AppStore, so you will get rid of this problem immediately.
“New professional quality filters take the iPhone camera to another level. Portrait photos are more expressive. Skin tones look more natural. There are even filters to add a classic look to your portrait photos."
A new and very complicated AppStore
iOS 11 brings a complete change for the AppStore on iPhone and iPad, Apple company offering us the opportunity to enjoy a completely new experience of using the application store. We are talking about rethinking the entire user interface with a much more relaxed design in iOS 11, the conventional rules being forgotten by Apple.
The AppStore in iOS 11 looks much more cluttered than in iOS 10, with the application sections and recommendations being displayed in a completely new way. Those from Apple have changed the menus available to us, so that now on the first page we have a section called Today, in which the applications recommended by Apple for installation in iOS 11 are displayed.
Apple wants to help developers promote their applications more easily, and the Today section in iOS 11 was created specifically to facilitate this. All the applications displayed in this section called Today in the AppStore for iOS 11 are specially chosen by Apple employees, so we will see everything they want us to install on iPhone and iPad.
After the Today section, iOS 11 has a new special section dedicated to games, which is also the most downloaded application category for iPhone and iPad. There, the Apple company displays recommendations for iOS 11 for download, the format being identical to that for the Today section, except for the short video clips that present the gameplay.
The third section is for common applications available in the App Store for iOS 11, which are different from those in the Today section. In this section of the App Store for iOS 11, Apple tries to show us which of the old applications are popular and worth buying, or installing, in the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch at the moment.
Finally, the new version of the AppStore application has two other sections where we see the available updates for the applications installed in iOS 11 on the iPhone or iPad. The last section allows us to search for applications available in the App Store, those that do not have support for 64-bit processors, not being displayed in iOS 11 in the application store.
"The App Store has been redesigned from the ground up to help you discover new apps and games you can't live without. You'll see daily articles from experts, a dedicated Games tab, lists for all kinds of apps, and more. It's the greatest thing to hit the App Store since Apps."
Apple Music – listen to your friends' music
iOS 11 brings an exciting improvement to Apple Music, as Apple helps us discover new music based on what our friends are listening to. Of course, we must have friends added to Apple Music, and from that point the Apple company will give us recommendations to listen to music based on the songs they listen to, from simple songs to albums or radio stations.
The idea behind this change for Apple Music in iOS 11 is to convince us to listen to Apple Music more often, so it remains to be seen how successful it will be.
"Now friends can help you discover new songs and artists. Everyone can have their own profile on Apple Music, where they can see the playlists shared by others, as well as the albums and radio stations they listen to most often."
AirPlay 2 brings new functions for smart homes
iOS 11 comes with AirPlay 2 for interconnected devices in homes, this technology offering the possibility to control any kind of audio systems existing in our homes. The new technology offers the possibility to simultaneously control several systems from various rooms in the house, we can adjust the volume segmented in each room and we can schedule the start of music playback, on some speakers, or all at once.
"With the new AirPlay 2, you can control your audio system and speakers from around the house. You can play a song in the living room and kitchen at the same time. You can adjust the volume in each room. Or schedule songs to start instantly on all your speakers, simultaneously."
Control Center with new design, more complex and harder to understand
iOS 11 has a colossal change for the Control Center on the iPhone or iPad, Apple completely changing the way this control menu of iDevice functions is grouped. Although the basic principle for control remained the same, the Control Center in iOS 11 is still grouped in a single page, Apple cramming all the options there.
In iOS 11, the Control Center has several toggles for controlling iPhone and iPad functions, so we can activate or deactivate mobile internet as well. Moreover, now the toggle for Wi-Fi in iOS 11 also shows us when the iDevice is looking for a network, or the name of the one to which it is connected, so we no longer have to access the settings application for this.
The menu to control music in the Control Center on iOS 11 is much smaller now, and the orientation lock and Do Not Disturb buttons are crammed next to it. Apple has included new buttons to adjust the brightness of the screen and the sound level of the speakers in iOS 11, the old system being still much more useful than the current one.
Next, we have the same possibility to use 3D Touch to control certain functions of the Control Center toggles in iOS 11, but for some there is no longer the option to access their menu from the settings application. I have to admit that this latest change for iOS 11 is not one I agree with, but maybe it will be reconsidered by the fall.
Finally, the Apple company allows us to add various other toggles in the Control Center for iOS 11, the menu in the settings application offering the option to delete the current ones and add others. Unfortunately, only some created by Apple for the native applications of iOS 11 are available, so we have nothing else for third-party applications.
"iOS 11 lets you customize the redesigned Control Center to change settings for the things you do most. Want to be ready when inspiration strikes? Add a button for Voice Recorder. Want to dim the lights in your living room with a simple touch? Add Housing app commands. Or use 3D Touch in Control Center to unlock even more controls.”
Notifications Center gets complicated and is combined with the LockScreen
iOS 11 brings a major change for LockScreen this year, the American company combining it with Notifications Center for a unified user experience. In the video clip below, the Apple company shows us the new way to use the LockScreen and the Notifications Center in iOS 11, with notifications being more difficult to access, in a typical change for the nonsense made by Apple.
In iOS 11, you must first swipe from top to bottom on the screen to display the LockScreen, without locking the terminal, and then swipe from bottom to top to see notifications from the Notifications Center. No one knows why the Apple company complicated viewing the seasons in iOS 11, but now we will have to do 2 actions to see the notifications from the iPhone.
The even more stupid part is that from the LockScreen you can no longer swipe on the notifications in iOS 11 to open them, you have to press on them to do so. Of course, access cannot be done if the LockScreen is blocked in iOS 11, so you must unlock it first, then return to the LockScreen and look for the notification in the Notifications Center.
From my point of view, if this is the LockScreen and Notifications Center functionality in iOS 11 and we are not talking about bugs, Apple should fire the entire engineering team that made the changes. I'm sorry to say it, but sometimes Apple plays tricks with iDevices, and these changes of iOS 11 are the perfect proof.
“The lock screen has even more power. To get all your notifications, pull it down like a cover from the top of the screen. You will see at a glance the recent notifications as well as the lost ones, in one place."
Do Not Disturb while Driving keeps you on the road
iOS 11 has a new function called Do Not Disturb While Driving which aims to prevent road accidents by breaking the link between the iPhone and its owner. This is done by blocking the display of notifications to iPhone users with iOS 11 until something really urgent needs to reach their attention.
Apple wants us to forget about mobile phones while driving, and iOS 11 does this through the Do Not Disturb While Driving mode, its activation completely preventing the display of notifications. The iPhone screen no longer lights up to display notifications if it is closed, unless a person who wants to contact us sends us a message followed by a second message with the urgent text, iOS 11 displaying the first one.
I would recommend you to use the Do Not Disturb While Driving function on iOS 11 after the official release, but I'm pretty sure you won't do it, so I won't go into details and leave you with the video clip.
“iPhone can now detect when you're driving and won't let you get distracted by calls, texts and notifications. Those trying to catch you will automatically be notified that you are driving.”
Apple Maps – maps with the interiors of buildings, guided navigation on traffic lanes and information about road traffic in Romania
iOS 11 brings an extremely important change for Apple Maps because the Apple company has implemented maps of malls and airports in certain cities around the world. For malls and airports, Apple Maps in iOS 11 has detailed maps of their interior, including the stores that customers can find there, and in airports you can more easily reach security points and boarding gates.
Finally, iOS 11 has in Apple Maps, guided navigation for traffic lanes, so you will know which lane you need to stay in for certain changes in the direction of travel. Finally, in iOS 11, Apple Maps also has real-time information about road traffic, like Google Maps, so you will be able to see in advance where there are unusual traffic jams to be able to avoid those areas.
"Whether you're off on a new adventure or simply trying to return to your favorite restaurant, Maps makes all your trips go smoothly. From indoor maps to lane guidance arrows, it's easier than ever to get around.”
Write more easily with a one-handed keyboard
iOS 11 brings to the iPhone a new keyboard that facilitates use with one hand, no matter which of the two minis is used for writing. The Apple company is aware of the fact that iOS 11 needed such a function for the iPhone, and starting today we can use it without problems on our iDevices.
We are talking about a feature of iOS 11 that is integrated directly into the keyboard and allows the keys to be displayed on the left or right side of the iPhone screen while typing. Activating the keyboard is done by long pressing the button for emoji characters, and iOS 11 will display three options there to display the keyboard on the left side, on the right side and in the center of the screen.
"Do you have your coffee in one hand and your iPhone in the other? Tap and hold the emoticon key, select one-handed typing, and the keys will instantly move closer to your finger.”
iOS 11 also has many other interesting, but less important novelties and you can find them all on this page with iOS 11 news.
