Apple Shows Off iOS 6 with Facebook, Siri, Maps Improvements
Jun 11, 2012, 1:13 PM by Eric M. Zeman
updated Jun 11, 2012, 1:51 PM
Apple today revealed details about a new version of its mobile platform that is expected to debut later this year. During its WorldWide Developers Conference, Apple announced iOS 6 which brings 200 new features to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Siri, the personal voice assistant for the iPhone 4S, gains new powers in iOS 6, including the ability to look up sports scores and stats; make dinner reservations through Open Table; look up movie times, reviews, and trailers; launch other applications; and send Tweets. iOS 6 also includes something called Eyes Free, which is a new effort spearheaded by Apple in coordination with a dozen car makers to bring a dedicated button to cars that wil interact with Siri. iOS 6 also integrates Facebook at a native level, which will allow iOS devices to share to Facebook directly from within other applications, such as Safari of the Photo Library. iOS 6 includes more features for the phone, such as the ability to respond via text message or set reminder alerts for missed calls. It adds a Do Not Disturb feature that will silence the phone and keep it silent during predetermined hours (such as at night), as well as the ability to set exceptions. iOS 6 adds the ability to make FaceTime calls over cellular data networks. Apple says that this feature will unify the user's phone number and Apple ID, allowing them to answer phone calls or FaceTime calls on their iOS device or on their Apple computer. Safari in iOS 6 adds an offline reading list, iCloud tabs (for syncing browsing sessions between iOS and Apple OS devices), as well as the ability to upload photos directly from the browser to other sites. Changes headed to the PhotoStream app include the ability to share folders and images directly with friends, who can comment on them. Improvements to the email client include the ability to add "VIP" senders, and the ability to add photos and videos directly from the email compose screen. Passbook is a new feature in iOS that collects items such as movie, sports event, movie, and transportion tickets and puts them in one easily accessible spot. iOS 6 includes a completely redesigned version of Maps. Apple said Maps in iOS 6 have been developed in house and will no longer rely on Google. It includes business listings, traffic and incidence reports, turn-by-turn navigation, alerts that work on the lock screen, 3D map views, and integration with Siri. The beta version of iOS 6 is available to developers starting today, but the general release for consumers won't arrive until the Fall.
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Comments
OMG!
IOS 6 offers very little over existing phones/features
IOS 6 offers little that is actually New to modern mobile phones.
Siri is the biggest thing going for Apple devices right now.
The features offered by "Eyes Free" and "Do Not Disturb" are already available (Smart Actions on Motorola Droids).
3D Maps... Google Maps has had that for quite a while now. And it also provides location based info on traffic & accidents.
Face Time will FINALLY be able to use cellular data networks and not just WiFi... about time.
While I'm sure the intergration of these features will be great, the actual functionality for many of them has existed on current phones for a while. And I'm not sure how someone already came to the conclusion that Apples mapping will be better than Go...
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Apple????
We've seen what apple can bring to the table, and it's really not all that impressive.
Many of those features listed already exist on many, MANY phones that have already been released, apple is simply playing catch-up, ...
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No one expected them to announce a new phone at this event. It's a developer conference. New iPhones get their own event.
They announce a new iPhone every year. It's coming.
Apple a...
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