Apple’s iOS Peek-a-Boo!!
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Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) claims that the new iOS 6 will take your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch in entirely new directions. Apple released the beta version of the much awaited iOS 6 on the 6th of August 2012. With this the OS developers have moved one step closer to the grand launch.
So what can we expect from iOS this fall?
There have been some major enhancements to the already existing features of iOS. We have listed them down here.
- Maps: Maps has gone 3D and has been beautifully designed. The elements are vector based which means the graphics and text will be incredibly detailed and will not lose clarity even when zoomed all the way in. The panning is amazingly smooth. One can get visual and spoken turn-by-turn navigation and real-time traffic updates.
Image source: http://www.apple.com/ios/ios6/
- Siri: The lovely lady can now speak and understand more languages and works in more countries. Siri can also provide the latest scores and stats of your favorite teams and players. Getting the latest movie reviews, finding the show timings, locate a restaurant, making reservation are all now at your finger tips. Siri can also help you post Facebook updates and Twitter tweets without having to type them.
- Passbook: Now the digital copies of your boarding passes, movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards, and more can be stored in one place. With passbook you can get into a movie hall, check into a flight or redeem a coupon just be scanning your iPhone or iPod Touch.
- FaceTime: FaceTime is now updated to work over cellular networks and Wi-Fi, so it is possible to make and receive FaceTime calls wherever you happen to be. Making and receiving FaceTime calls on your iPad using your phone number is also possible.
- Calling features: iOS 6 also comes with some upgrade to the calling features. Now if you do not wish to receive an incoming call then you can decline it by instantly replying with a text message or set a callback reminder. You can also activate the Do Not Disturb mode with exceptions list.
- Safari with iCloud Tabs: Web browsing experience would now be even better in your device with the new iOS. With the iCloud Tabs its possible to track which pages you have open on your devices, so you can start browsing on one device and pick up right where you left off on whatever device is handy. Safari now also saves the whole web page on your device which allows for offline reading. Also when you want to see the whole picture on your browser, turn your device to landscape and tap the full-screen icon to view web pages without distractions.
With these major upgrades to the existing features, usual bug fixes and hopefully some more new features, Apple will take its OS to a new level. This will help boost the sales of Apple’s iDevices.
With companies like Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) venturing into the hardware market, it is very important that Apple provides a high class product and maintains its customer base.
Microsoft is planning to launch a new tablet named Surface which will run on Windows RT and the Windows 8 Operating System. Microsoft’s upcoming Operating system, Windows 8, with metro look and feel is already creating a stir in the touch devices market.
Google has also come out with its Nexus Tab and is planning to come up with new smart phones after acquiring Motorola Mobility. These devices will provide an ideal platform for the Android Operating system and also allow Google to market its various services and increase its user base.
Currently 90 percent of the smartphone market is ruled by Apple and Samsung. If Apple has to maintain its lead then it has to frequently provide new features and upgrades to its users. iOS 6 is a product which will give some major upgrades and new features to the Apple followers.
What has been surprising about this beta release is that the built-in YouTube application was missing. Apple’s statement to ‘The Verge’ states that “Our license to include the YouTube app in iOS has ended, customers can use YouTube in the Safari browser and Google is working on a new YouTube app to be on the App Store.”
Doing away with Google Maps and YouTube Application makes us think if Apple is just tired of paying license fees to the search giant Google or is it that they want the iOS experience to be free of their competitor’s products. YouTube has been a part of the iOS home screen since 2007. But ever since Google’s Android hit the market in 2010, Apple has been making efforts to trash its competitor’s products.
But then, Google will now have full control over its Maps and YouTube Apps through the App Store. Since its release with the original iPhone YouTube app had seen only a few updates. Now with Google working on the app we can expect some major enhancements to the UI, more frequent upgrades and some cool new features.
Wrap Up
Apple, with these new major upgrades to iOS, has decided to go on a rampage and take out its competitors with head shots. The new Maps application wherein they have started everything from scratch, the great enhancements that are coming to already great apps like Siri, Mail, Safari, and Photos or eliminating the competitors products from its package, all seems to be a part of some big strategy . It will be difficult to resist buying a shiny new iDevice this fall when iOS 6 lands. Any thoughts on this whole iOS thing? Leave ‘em in the comments below.
shinerulz has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Apple and Google. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.If you have questions about this post or the Fool’s blog network, click here for information.
