The sixth version of Apple's OS (iOS 6) for iPhone 3GS,iPhone 4/4S & iPad 2/3,iTouch (4th Gen), is now available on App Store. It will have over 200 new features (No YouTube from this edition). It is free to download.
It was considered that iOS 6 would be a runaway success, but right now it has several glitches even its flagship Apple Maps are not working fine. Most of the App Store applications have updated themselves for iOS 6.
Apple faces a stiff competition with growing popularity of Android which has released ICS early this year (Jelly Bean is still, at its pilot stage), that has many new features. Also, Google has launched its tablet Google Nexus 7 in July this year; Future versions of this tablet can compete iPad in tablet arena also.
Apple iPhone 5 seems to be a runaway success, already 5 million + handsets are sold.
This blog gives you a run through, what one can expect from the new OS from Apple, and also try to answer some burning questions. It will also try to compare the features with that of Android.
Measure Enhancements
Facebook
Along the lines of Twitter integration in iOS5, Facebook has
now been completely integrated into iOS6. Once you login to your Facebook
account in the settings page, you will be able to instantly share photos,
locations, links, game centre scores or a status updates. Your Facebook
contacts will get synced with iOS contacts and Facebook calendar entries (like
Birthdays) will get synced with the iOS calendar app. App Store and iTunes on
iOS will also include the Facebook 'Like' button - making it much easier to
like and share apps with friends.
This feature is already present in Android. This feature is working for a long time on various Android handsets like Xperia Arc, Xperia S, Samsung Galaxy series etc.
Mail
iOS6 will have two new mailboxes apart from the standard one
- VIP inbox and Flagged inbox. the VIP inbox will only show mails from contacts
you have marked as VIPs. If you get loads of mail on a daily basis, you won't
miss out on the more important ones. Plus, VIP mails will always pop-up as
notifications on the lock screen.
The Flagged inbox works in a similar way - it will store
messages that you flag. Photos and videos can be added to a mail directly from
the compose window. And finally, password protected documents can be opened
from within the Mail app.
This feature can be compared to filter feature of gmail, that is embedded in Android platform. One can add several accounts and can sync them simultaneously.
Maps
One of the biggest updates to iOS6 is the inclusion of
Apple's own navigation and maps. The maps use a vectorbased engine that
promises sharp graphics and quick zooming in/out of maps. You will also be able
to adjust the view using a tilt/rotate gesture.
In addition, the maps have a 3D view mode for navigation and
a 'Flyover' mode that shows high-resolution, photo-realistic 3D views of major
landmarks and monuments. Select countries will also get turn-by-turn voice
navigation and real-time traffic updates that will work even if the phone
screen is locked.
Apple Maps currently are having several glitches. Apple Maps are not as responsive as Google Maps, rather at times they do not give correct directions or terrain knowledge. One can even say it is the biggest disappointment in iOS 6.
This one thing that Apple has come up, leaving Google maps behind. But this feature is long present in Android, rather performs quite efficiently.
Photo Streams
Even though this is limited to the Apple device ecosystem,
sharing photographs becomes simpler with iOS6. Take for instance if you share a
few photos with some of your contacts - if they are running iOS6 or OS X
Moutain Lion, the shared photos will transfer immediately and show up in their
Photos app or iPhoto.
Your contacts can then also add comments to your photos. To
share with those who are not using Apple devices, the photographs can be
uploaded to a web album using iCloud, links to which can then be shared via
email.
Safari
Safari now has better integration with iCloud. Thanks to a
feature called iCloud Tabs, you can start browsing on one device and when you
switch to another one, all your open tabs from the first device are
automatically opened on the second device.
With iOS6, Safari can also save full web pages to the device
instead of just links in your reading list - these can be read later even if
there is no Internet access. Finally, a new full screen mode for Safari on the
iPhone/iPod Touch allows webpages to be viewed without the top/bottom bars in
landscape mode.
Safari is a better browser than embedded Android browser. But there are several apps that one can download and have a good browsing experience.
Phone
If you don't want to accept an incoming call, you can now
reject it with a message - choose from a template or write a custom one. You
can also set up a reminder for yourself - to call the number back later in an
hour or when you reach your home/work location.
Another feature called 'Do Not Disturb' can be used to hide
all incoming calls/notifications for a set time period. However, you can still
choose to allow calls from your favourite/important contacts or if a number
calls repeatedly when your phone is in this mode.
Siri
With iOS6, Siri will work on the new iPad as well. It
supports and understands more languages now (Hindi is not present yet). There
are some updates to Siri too - it can now answer questions about sports,
restaurants and movies. You can get scores from live sports events, get movie
reviews/ratings or find restaurants.
Unfortunately, most of these functions will be limited to
the US. Finally, Siri can now also be used to launch an app by just speaking
out the app name.
This feature is still unbeaten, Google voice assistance stands nowhere near Siri.
Some other features
Facetime will work over 3G, it was earlier Wi-Fi only. The
App Store gets a new interface and your phone number and Apple ID will be
unified - you can get notifications/take calls on any authorised Apple device. Rest there are hundreds of new features to wait for.
But one thing is to be noted, all the features that Apple plans to introduce in iOS6 is already present in Android. So lets see how Apple, differentiates or segment itself in the growing world of 'Open Source' !!
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