iOS 13: ALL the features in one article!

Apple introduced iOS 13 during WWDC 2019, revealing several interesting innovations for all iPhone owners. Subsequently, throughout the summer, Apple released several beta versions of the new operating system, bringing as many new features and improvements. In this article we are going to collect all the features present in iOS 13, building a complete overview before the official launch

iOS 13 will be officially released on September 19th, the list of iPhones compatible with iOS 13 :

• iPhone XS and XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone X
• iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
• iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
• iPhone SE

At WWDC 2019 the iPad 13 was introduced for the first time, which will be released along with iOS 13 but dedicated exclusively to iPads. In this article, we will not discuss specific innovations for iPad, as they are no longer part of iOS 13.

Speed ​​and efficiency

Also this year Apple has decided to optimize its mobile operating system, making it faster and more efficient. Applications on iOS 13 open twice as fast, while their weight has been reduced by 50 per cent. The updates have been optimized as well, bringing a 60 per cent reduction in their weight. The release speed of the Face ID has been further optimized, achieving an increase in the release speed of 30 per cent. All this has been designed for both the latest devices, but also for the older ones, still supported by Apple with this new version of iOS.

Dark Mode

After years of waiting Apple has finally introduced the Dark Mode also on iOS. Activated directly from the Control Center, or from the System Settings, the Dark Mode transforms all the light colours of iOS into deep blacks. In this way, the smartphone consumes less energy (especially the OLED models) and makes the use less tiring for the eyes, especially during the night.

Apple has also added specially created backgrounds for Dark Mode, which change depending on the selected mode.

In addition, Apple has released Dark Mode APIs, so developers can also use them. If implemented in applications, changing the mode in iOS, the appearance of the app will also change, just like with native applications.

Photo

In iOS 13 Apple has perfected the native Photos application, introducing new features for the collection and management of our photographs. In the Photos section, you will find a new subdivision of the photographs by year, month and day. The algorithm created by Apple will offer you the best photographs, recognizing similar shots and removing all screenshots and other images not taken with the camera. Making a real scroll down, the application will automatically reproduce the Live Photos and videos in the collection, making the library more dynamic.

The other sections of the application remained almost the same. In that called “For you,” you will find collections of photographs, automatically selected by the Apple algorithm based on the place, subject and shooting date. While the Album section remains identical to that seen on iOS 12.

For videos instead, we find many tools present in the iMovie application, directly integrated into the native Photos app. In particular, we can modify exposure, points of light, shadows, contrast, brightness, black point, saturation, vivacity, warmth, hue, sharpness, definition, noise reduction and vignetting, as well as being able to turn and cut our clip.

This allows us to use an application both for managing and editing photographs, without having to download third-party apps for photo editing and video editing.

Where is it

Apple has renamed the “Find My iPhone” application, calling it “Where Is”, including all the “Find My Friends” features. In one application we can then search for both our lost devices, our friends or relatives, who have chosen to share their position with us.

Thanks to a new localization system, Apple will use other iOS devices to send the location of the lost device. For example, if we lose an iPhone, it will send its location to Apple servers until it goes into a hibernation state due to a power outage. At that time the device activates a function so that it can communicate with other iOS devices. They will send his position to Apple servers for him so that they can be found more easily.

Log in with Apple

In iOS 13 there will be the new “Log in with Apple” feature. The operation is very similar to that used by Google and Facebook to access internet sites and applications, which require a user account. The system offered by Apple will take our personal data saved in our Apple ID and share it to the application that requests it. Obviously the protected data will remain hidden and we will decide which personal information to share or not.

• 

In addition, the “Log in with Apple” system will allow us to register for websites and applications via an e-mail address created specifically for registration. Once the registration confirmation e-mail is obtained, the e-mail address will be automatically blocked. In this way, we do not risk clogging our inbox with useless newsletters and notification emails coming from websites or applications.

The developers of the iOS applications will be obliged to enter the registration via Apple ID if they want to insert those from Google, Facebook or Twitter. This function integrates perfectly with the password manager, already present on iOS 12.

Map

Apple is improving its Maps service year after year. This year, several new information and features have been added to the native application. Furthermore, as the main novelty, the “Look Around” mode has been added, very similar to the Google Street View.#

iOS 13 offers a new crossover view mode, designed to help drivers avoid wrong turns, guiding them into the right lane before a turn or elevated road, and the Siri guide has been improved with more natural language.

For example, Apple says that instead of saying “in 1-kilometre turn left”, Siri will instead say “turn left at the next traffic light”. There are also navigation improvements designed to get you closer to your end-point destination in large locations like concerts.

The real-time transit times are now available in the Maps app, including arrival times, network stops and links for better route planning. Real-time information such as interruptions and cancellations are also listed in the Maps app.

Reminders

The iOS 13 Reminders have been completely redesigned and refined. Apple was clearly inspired by one of the popular “To-Do” applications to create a more complete task manager. Now the application has been divided into four parts: Today, Scheduled, All and Marked. In this way we will be able to better organize the reminders, being able to manage various lists according to the priority level or temporal precedence.

Messages

A personal profile has been added to the Messages application. Just like on WhatsApp, we can define our profile image, which will be automatically displayed by all our iMessage contacts. The search function has also been improved and new customizations have been added for the Memoji, as well as the addition of Dual-SIM support for iMessage.

Small changes

In this section, we will add all the small improvements made to the operating system, which do not deserve a dedicated paragraph but can still be very useful and functional.

• The volume indicator has been changed. Now it turns out to be much less invasive

New controls have been added to limit application access to your personal data.

• Siri has a new voice, much more natural. In addition, Live Radio has been added to Siri, which can have access to iHeartRadio, radio.com and TuneIn.
• CarPlay in iOS 13 has been perfected with the addition of a new dashboard for music, maps, calendar and Siri support for third-party applications (both browsers and music applications).
• The HomePod with iOS 13 manages to distinguish the voices of different people, so everyone at home can have a “private profile” associated with their own voice. Moreover, thanks to the Handoff function, it is possible to transfer a call, music or podcast directly from the speaker to the iOS device.
• Using AirPods, Siri is able to read incoming messages with all applications compatible with the voice assistant. Obviously it is possible to reply to the message directly with Siri.
• With the AirPods it will also be possible to share the audio with another pair of Apple earphones. In this way, two pairs of AirPods can be connected to the same audio source.
• In the Camera application for iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and the new iPhone 11 there is the option to change the intensity of the studio light.

• There are new gestures for moving the cursor when writing text. Other new practical gestures instead allow us to select and modify the text in writing.
• There is the new QuickPath Keyboard, which allows us to write by doing a swipe on the keyboard.

• Now you can connect a Dualshock 4 joystick or an Xbox One joystick to iOS 13 via Bluetooth. More information in this dedicated guide.
• Apple has also introduced ARKit 3 on iOS 13 for iPhone 11, iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and iPad Pro 2018. Thanks to it you can place objects in augmented reality in front of or behind the framed people.
• Now you can add custom fonts on iPhone in iOS 13.

For other small improvements and changes within the operating system, we invite you to visit the changelogs of the beta versions released during the summer.