Apple’s new features and iOS 9

Every year Apple hold a conference called the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) to showcase all the upcoming developments they have for their mobile system (iOS) and their desktop system (OSX).
This year included the announcement of iOS 9 and some great new features coming soon to iOS, which are:

New Multitasking Features

iOS 9 brings with it an improved multi-tasking system and the biggest improvement is their new app called SplitView which will allow you to have two apps on screen side by side. Also, you can slide in another app from the side using SlideOver, they’re also introducing Picture-in-Picture mode allowing you to have an app running continuously in the corner of the screen.

SplitView will only available for the iPad Air 2 but SlideOver and Picture-in-Picture will also be available to the iPad Mini 2 and 3.

Apple Pay

This feature will only be available to the iPhone 6 models as it needs a Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna. Passbook will allow you to store your credit and debit card details and use your phone to pay in store or online anywhere you can see the apple pay icon.

To pay instore, just hold your iPhone near the contact-less reader with your finger on Touch ID. You don’t even have to look at the screen to know your payment information was successfully sent. A subtle vibration and beep let you know.

HomeKit

HomeKit is Apple’s answer to a smart home which will enable you to communicate to various compatible devices through iCloud, even when you’re on the beach in a different country.

Siri and Proactive

Siri has also been upgraded in iOS 9 and now your Apple companion will offer a ‘Google Now’ service equivalent called Proactive. Proactive will provide location based updates as well as automatically updating your calendar with invites you receive. Also similar to ‘Google Now’ it will provide driving directions, departure times or even playing your workout music when you plug your headphones in at the gym.

Battery Life

Apple claim the battery life of its related hardware products is being optimised for iOS 9, potentially adding an extra hour of battery life on an iPhone. On top of this, it will also be adding a new low power mode.

So, when will we get these?

Current release dates for the new features and iOS 9 are set to start from July and run through to September 2015 with iOS 9 being the final release from these announcements.