Apple set to release its new iOS 14 TOMORROW that includes a redesigned home screen

After months of anticipation, Apple is set to release its new iOS 14 Wednesday, September 16.

The announcement was made during the tech giant’s ‘Time Flies’ event, which also unveiled the new Apple Watch Series 6, iPad Air and the 8th Generation iPad.

The software will be available on iPhone 6s and above, giving users access to a redesigned home screen, widget gallery and App clips, along with a new Siri interface.

The firm is also launching its iPadOS 14 that updates Apple Pencil, allowing it to convert handwriting to typed lettering and recognizes Chinese characters in addition to the standard English alphabet.

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After months of anticipation, Apple is set to release its new iOS 14 Wednesday, September 16

After months of anticipation, Apple is set to release its new iOS 14 Wednesday, September 16

Apple announced its ‘Time Flies’ virtual conference last week, but did not release any details along with it explaining what viewers could expect.

Many speculated that it would be the unveiling of the new iPhone, but were instead presented with the new Apple Watch Series 6 and iPads – and the release of iOS 14.

Apple teased the new iOS14 in June at its World Wide Developers Conference, which included new formats for discovering and organizing apps and the ability to unlock a vehicle with your iPhone.

The updated software is also designed with users with disabilities, as it offers ‘Back Tap’ that lets carry out certain commands and tasks to be carried out just by tapping on the back of the device two or three times.

A redesigned home screen is reintroducing widgets that can be placed alongside apps. For instance, a weather widget will allow users viewing their home screens to check the weather without having to open the app individually

A redesigned home screen is reintroducing widgets that can be placed alongside apps. For instance, a weather widget will allow users viewing their home screens to check the weather without having to open the app individually 

Apple announced its 'Time Flies' virtual conference last week, but did not release any details along with it explaining what viewers could expect. Many speculated that it would be the unveiling of the new iPhone, but were instead presented with the new Apple Watch Series 6 and iPads - and the release of iOS 14

Apple announced its ‘Time Flies’ virtual conference last week, but did not release any details along with it explaining what viewers could expect. Many speculated that it would be the unveiling of the new iPhone, but were instead presented with the new Apple Watch Series 6 and iPads – and the release of iOS 14

Among the major introductions is an App library that gives users an easier way of accessing their apps without having to scroll through endless pages.

The feature automatically organizes apps based by grouping like apps together – for instance it pulls up Apple Arcade games into one clickable button. 

And it allows users to hide apps on their ‘main’ home screen to reduce clutter.

A redesigned home screen is reintroducing widgets that can be placed alongside apps. 

For instance, a weather widget will allow users viewing their home screens to check the weather without having to open the app individually.

Users can add or delete widgets in the ‘widget gallery’ and also use a ‘Smart Stack’ widget that automatically pull up apps based on the time of day.

Apple also introduced a system-wide picture-in-picture feature to iOS videos.

Among the major introductions is an App library that gives users an easier way of accessing their apps without having to scroll through endless pages

Among the major introductions is an App library that gives users an easier way of accessing their apps without having to scroll through endless pages

Similarly to macOS, the feature will superimpose videos over other apps so that users can continue watching while texting or doing other tasks.

The window can be adjusted in size and also collapsed into the side of the screen to continue playing in the background.

For the first time ever, iOS 14 will also let users set their own default apps for web browsing and email as opposed to forcing users to stick with its own native apps, Safari and Apple Mail.

This means that users who prefer using Google Chrome, for example, won’t have to go out of their way to use the browser.

Apple also redesigned its voice assistant, Siri, to make it less invasive when it’s activated.

Instead of filling the screen with the Siri interface, a new design will overlay a small bubble at the bottom of the screen that lets you know Siri is working.

Siri will also be able to send voice messages for the first time. Users can activate Siri and then dictate the message in the same way they would for a standard text message.

iOS 14 will also introduce a new Translate app that, similarly to Google Translate, can take text or dictated audio messages and convert them to 11 different languages including English, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Portuguese, and Russian.

Using App Clips, iOS 14 users can scan a QR code to use an app’s key features.

For instance, if a user was trying to use an e-bike they could scan a code for the app and Clips would automatically use an Apple ID and connect Apple Pay, all without having to download and setup a login and enter payment information.

Apple's iMessage will also get some significant updates. Users with iOS 14 will now be able to pin conversations to the top of the iMessage app so that they can more easily access them without having to scroll through recent texts

Apple’s iMessage will also get some significant updates. Users with iOS 14 will now be able to pin conversations to the top of the iMessage app so that they can more easily access them without having to scroll through recent texts

The iPadOS 14 focuses on Apple Pencil Support, part of the company's continuing effort to make handwritten inputs as effective as a keyboard. To that end, Apple has developed 'Scribble,' a new iPadOS feature that will allow users to hand write into every text field offered by any app on the system

The iPadOS 14 focuses on Apple Pencil Support, part of the company’s continuing effort to make handwritten inputs as effective as a keyboard. To that end, Apple has developed ‘Scribble,’ a new iPadOS feature that will allow users to hand write into every text field offered by any app on the system

Apple’s iMessage will also get some significant updates. Users with iOS 14 will now be able to pin conversations to the top of the iMessage app so that they can more easily access them without having to scroll through recent texts.

A more nuanced group thread design will also imbue iMessage with several new capabilities, including the ability to respond to messages in a thread directly.

‘Mentions’ will also mimic a social media-style experience in which users can type the name of the person they’re addressing and notify them that they’re being addressed in a group thread.

The iPadOS 14 focuses on Apple Pencil Support, part of the company’s continuing effort to make handwritten inputs as effective as a keyboard.

To that end, Apple has developed ‘Scribble,’ a new iPadOS feature that will allow users to hand write into every text field offered by any app on the system.

Scribble will also support a new sub-feature called ‘Shapes,’ that will automatically straighten any hand-drawn circles, rectangles, or lines a person draws if they hold the Pencil down for an extra second or two after finishing drawing the shape.

iPadOS 14 has also been revamped with a number of new system-level features that will make it more closely resemble standard macOS features currently used in Apple’s laptops and desktops.

source: dailymail.co.uk