Recently, Apple released the official version of the system update iOS 15 to users around the world. As the main version of the system update, iOS 15 has been tested for more than three months and has ushered in a new upgrade of UI interface design and functional experience, prompting a large number of iPhone users to upgrade, let’s take a look at some of the new features.
Live text
The most practical and amazing feature in iOS 15 is “Live Text”, which allows you to quickly and easily extract and apply text from photos. Whether it’s a photo taken with the camera, a previously taken photo, a screenshot, or a web page image, photos can display text throughout the system when clicked, and support copy, paste, search and translate.
For example, if the camera is on, the live text icon will appear when the camera detects the text, and you can click on it to operate the text content. Information such as phone numbers and geographic locations can also be recognized as a link for a quick jump. Long press on the text on the image in the album to quickly select it. The experience of the last months has shown that the recognition accuracy is very high and even handwritten fonts can be recognized.
Currently “Live Text” supports 7 languages: English, Chinese, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese. It can be operated on iPhone, iPad and Mac. It should be noted that only models with A12 and higher chips can use this feature.
Notification
Notification brings the most noticeable changes since the iOS 15 update.
Before iOS 15, only the iMessage icon was displayed when receiving SMS notifications. In the new version, the notification banner not only displays the contact photo directly but also enlarges it along with the original app icon so that you can see the message clearly.
The newly added function “Notification Summary” is very “personalized”. Open “Scheduled Summary” in the notification, follow the instructions to select the app, set the time and frequency, and it can send a group of notifications in batches at the specified time. And intelligently arranged in order. This is a great feature to manage notifications. Do not worry about missing your friends’ messages, because most of the content grouped into “Notification Summary” are “non-urgent notifications” with relatively low priority. Previously, swiping the notification to the left and selecting “Manage” only gave you the options “Implicit Push” and “Turn off…”. In iOS 15, options like “Mute for an hour” and “No reminders today” have been added.
Spatial Audio
Thanks to Apple’s dynamic head-tracking technology, another big surprise of iOS 15 is the even more extreme “Spatial Audio” experience of AirPods Pro/AirPods Max. What is “Spatial Audio”? The surround channels are placed in just the right spot, and it’s no problem to turn your head or move the device around at will to create an immersive surround sound experience.
A year ago, when iOS 14 was released, the “Spatial Audio” feature was added, but there are restrictions on the audio source, which can only be implemented under the conditions of Apple’s own Apple TV + and Tencent Video’s “Zhencai Audiovisual”. Now the updated version of “Spatial Audio” in iOS 15 is no longer limited to Apple Music’s Dolby Atmos.
FaceTime
FaceTime now supports “Spatial Audio” mode. Imagine you are sitting on a sofa and your friends are sitting scattered around you. You can feel with your ears if they are left or right, far away or close. This is exactly the feeling FaceTime wants to give you, so you can feel that you are communicating face to face.
You can turn on Portrait mode in FaceTime, blurring the background and make yourself stand out. As Craig Federighi summarized at WWDC21, the updated FaceTime is “more natural, more comfortable, and more lifelike.”
Mic modes mean that the microphone shields the speaker’s vocal cords more from the surrounding noise, resulting in good noise reduction. The Wide Spectrum mode is just the opposite. If you want your friends to hear the live band singing and the dog barking next door, this mode is better.
SharePlay allows you to enjoy shows and music with family and friends, regardless of distance. It also lets you share your screen with others via FaceTime. The first thing that comes to mind is that I can teach my parents to set up phones while I see and talk to them.
Safari
At WWDC21, Safari was introduced with a completely redesigned look that is nicer and easier to use.
The new version of Safari has a more compact tab design and also supports tab group functions. Buttons have been greatly simplified and the main page color is automatically adjusted to integrate the window and the web page.
The new tab bar design lets you categorize and save complicated tabs, and you can drag and drop them directly into an email to share with friends. Tags are no longer pasted into the tab bar, but become a sheet of pages that can be moved and saved, just like the pages of a book. Since the tag group supports seamless syncing between multiple devices, changes made on any one device can be synced to all devices in a timely manner. Maybe this time you can really put Chrome away and try Safari.
Focus Mode
There is also a “focus mode” that extends the notification function.
As the name suggests, “Focus Mode” can help you better focus on important information. It is an evolution of the previous “Do not disturb” mode. With “Settings Focus”, you can preset your status, such as driving, fitness, reading, playing, sleeping, or customize the category, set up different kinds of information display according to your own needs.
Memory mixes
The iOS 15 version of the photo storage feature has also received a major update.
In addition to the brand new look and interactive interface, Apple Music is also integrated. Your photo collection can be the soundtrack recommended by Apple Music, or you can select your favorite songs in your playlist. Open the album, select the “Recommended for you” tab and choose a “Memories” at will, you can see the dynamic interactive effects improvised by the system, and switch with the music beat.
You can also try the newly introduced “Memory Mixes” feature. Swipe the carousel to change the effect, the system intelligently adjusts the rhythm and transition effects and provides professional color settings.
Magnifier
In iOS 15, the Magnifier feature originally included in the Accessibility feature has become a standalone app – it’s the equivalent of a digital magnifier that lets you adjust brightness, contrast, and various filters.
It sounds like magnification when you take a photo. In fact, the effect of the “magnifier” is much better, it is very convenient to use a PPT to take notes during classes or meetings, and to read some menus or manuals.
Weather
Open the new version of the Weather app, and you will notice that the layout has changed a lot.
Yes, Apple has redesigned the Weather app. The new interface features more informational content, including more graphical displays of weather data, full-screen maps, and dynamic layouts. The animated background of the new weather app is very sensitive and can accurately reflect the position of the sun and precipitation. When it starts raining or snowing and when it stops, you can receive notifications through your iPhone.
Memoji
iOS 15 has added a series of simulated expressions. You can use more than 40 new outfit choices, including heart-shaped, star-shaped, and retro glasses frames. You can even select a different color for your left eye and your right eye.
It is worth mentioning that this time Apple has also released 3 accessible design simulant stickers for people with disabilities, including cochlear implants, oxygen tubes, and soft helmets.
Alarm
In the previous iOS 14, the setting of the alarm clock was changed from the rotary wheel to numeric keyboard input. In iOS 15, Apple changed the interface to set the alarm clock back again. Now you can easily set the alarm by dragging the dial up and down, listening to the pleasant vibration of the Taptic Engine before you fall asleep.
