Apple iOS 6: Maps Mayhem and What’s New
iOS 6's Best New Features
Apple's iOS 6 is now available to download, and Apple has been quick to tout some "200 new features" over iOS 5. But of those 200, only a select few are noticeable to the end user. While a ton of stuff has been tweaked under the hood to enhance or otherwise modify the OS, not all of it is apparent to the end user. There are a few features, however, that are immediately apparent; here are our favorite new features that you'd be wise to check out.
New Phone Dialer features-
We mentioned this when iOS 6 launched, but it bears repeating: the new phone-related features are excellent. The phone may be one of the most infrequently used features of the iPhone (we're all busy consuming data, right?), but these new additions make it easier to manage calls during the middle of a hectic workday.
Now, with iOS 6, there's another option besides muting a call or sliding to answer. You can hit the 'phone' icon to the right of the answer slide, and when you slide that up, you're presented with a few options. You can have your phone remind me you to ring back, or you can send a text / iMessage instead, in the event that you can't take the call.
Do Not Disturb -
Yes, this should've been in iOS a long time ago. But we shouldn't gripe about free updates to iOS, right? (Kidding, kidding!) Do Not Disturb is a great new feature where you can set your calls and notifications to mute themselves between certain hours. Finally, you can get some sleep without your iPhone buzzing at inopportune hours.
Facebook Integration -
The tight integration iOS had with Twitter is now available with Facebook. You can update your status from the drop-down Notification Center, but unfortunately, you can't do an image update from there. Hopefully, however, we'll see more innovation as Apple and Facebook's partnership grows.
Sharing Menu -
The good news? Any app that supports sharing now has a cleaner menu, complete with a "Add To Reading List" option if it's on the web. Handy! The bad news? Unless it's an Apple app, you may not see it. Sharing a tweet through Twitter, for example, uses an old-style sharing option menu.
Privacy -
Look at that -- Apple has added an entirely new option in Settings. It's one that deals solely with Privacy, which is obviously becoming a greater concern now that identity theft is blooming and more big sites and databases are being hacked.
FaceTime Over Cellular -
Yes, Facetime is now possible with iOS 6. But there are caveats. While some carriers (like Verizon) don't mind you using 3G or LTE to make FaceTime video calls, AT&T won't let you do it unless you're on a Mobile Share data plan. It's great that it's an option, but it's a shame that carriers are able to exert this level of control.
Passbook -
There's no NFC in any iPhone, but Passbook is as close as you'll get. The upside is that this is a great idea. One handy place to keep all of your gift cards, boarding passes, event tickets, etc. Replacing any paper item or physical card with a barcode, with a digital one. The downside is that you can't manually add cards with barcodes. They have to be offered by a supported partner, and for now, there aren't many.
Panorama mode -
Apple's Camera app is woefully underpowered, giving users practically no control over advanced settings, but the new Panorama mode is excellent. It allows you to hold your phone upright (way more comfortable), and it has a line on the screen that you follow so you don't get off-axis while shooting. This alone makes it easier to use than some other solutions, not to mention the great image quality from the sensor in the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.
New Phone Dialer features-
We mentioned this when iOS 6 launched, but it bears repeating: the new phone-related features are excellent. The phone may be one of the most infrequently used features of the iPhone (we're all busy consuming data, right?), but these new additions make it easier to manage calls during the middle of a hectic workday.
Now, with iOS 6, there's another option besides muting a call or sliding to answer. You can hit the 'phone' icon to the right of the answer slide, and when you slide that up, you're presented with a few options. You can have your phone remind me you to ring back, or you can send a text / iMessage instead, in the event that you can't take the call.
Do Not Disturb -
Facebook Integration -
The tight integration iOS had with Twitter is now available with Facebook. You can update your status from the drop-down Notification Center, but unfortunately, you can't do an image update from there. Hopefully, however, we'll see more innovation as Apple and Facebook's partnership grows.
Sharing Menu -
The good news? Any app that supports sharing now has a cleaner menu, complete with a "Add To Reading List" option if it's on the web. Handy! The bad news? Unless it's an Apple app, you may not see it. Sharing a tweet through Twitter, for example, uses an old-style sharing option menu.
Privacy -
Look at that -- Apple has added an entirely new option in Settings. It's one that deals solely with Privacy, which is obviously becoming a greater concern now that identity theft is blooming and more big sites and databases are being hacked.
FaceTime Over Cellular -
Yes, Facetime is now possible with iOS 6. But there are caveats. While some carriers (like Verizon) don't mind you using 3G or LTE to make FaceTime video calls, AT&T won't let you do it unless you're on a Mobile Share data plan. It's great that it's an option, but it's a shame that carriers are able to exert this level of control.
Passbook -
There's no NFC in any iPhone, but Passbook is as close as you'll get. The upside is that this is a great idea. One handy place to keep all of your gift cards, boarding passes, event tickets, etc. Replacing any paper item or physical card with a barcode, with a digital one. The downside is that you can't manually add cards with barcodes. They have to be offered by a supported partner, and for now, there aren't many.
Panorama mode -
Apple's Camera app is woefully underpowered, giving users practically no control over advanced settings, but the new Panorama mode is excellent. It allows you to hold your phone upright (way more comfortable), and it has a line on the screen that you follow so you don't get off-axis while shooting. This alone makes it easier to use than some other solutions, not to mention the great image quality from the sensor in the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.
