iOS 15

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
iOS 15
A version of the iOS operating system
IOS 15 logo.png
IOS 15 Homescreen.png
iOS 15 running on an iPhone 12
DeveloperApple Inc.
Source modelClosed with open-source components
General
availability		September 20, 2021[1]
Latest preview15.0 RC[2] (19A344)[3] (September 14, 2021; 5 days ago (2021-09-14))
Platforms
iPhone

iPod Touch

Kernel typeHybrid (XNU)
Default
user interface		Cocoa Touch (multi-touch, GUI)
LicenseProprietary software with open-source components
Preceded byiOS 14
Official websitehttps://www.apple.com/ios/ios-15/
Support status
Beta
Articles in the series
iPadOS 15 (derivative for iPad)

iOS 15 is the fifteenth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple for its iPhone and iPod Touch products. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 7, 2021 as the successor to iOS 14, and will be released on September 20, 2021.[4]

History[]

Further information: iOS version history § iOS 15 / iPadOS 15

Updates[]

The first developer beta of iOS 15 was released on June 7, 2021, and the first public beta was released at the end of June 2021, six days after the release of the second developer beta. The second public beta was released on July 16, 2021.[5][6][7]

Version Build Release date Notes
15.0 RC 19A344 September 14, 2021
15.0 beta 8 19A5340a August 31, 2021
15.0 beta 7 19A5337a August 25, 2021
15.0 beta 6 19A5325f August 17, 2021
15.0 beta 5 19A5318f August 10, 2021
15.0 beta 4 19A5307g July 27, 2021
15.0 beta 3 19A5297e July 14, 2021
15.0 beta 2 19A5281j June 30, 2021
15.0 beta 2 19A5281h June 24, 2021
15.0 beta 1 19A5261w June 7, 2021

Legend:   Past   Current   Beta

Features[]

Focus[]

The Focus allows users to set their "state", such as work, sleep, do not disturb or a custom one. Based on the selected state, users can set the type of notification they want to receive and from which application. It is also possible to choose which pages and then apps to show on the Home based on the state. The state can change automatically based on where the user is or a time. Some Lock Screen settings can be controlled based on the state: for example, the Dim Lock Screen feature, which darkens the lock screen from not showing notifications on that screen, can be automatically turned on or off based on the state.[8]

Focus also controls the interactions with Contacts: the do not disturb state can be shared to iMessage contacts so that they can see that the user is in the do not disturb state, where the messages are delivered silently. It is also possible to decide which specific contacts can "disturb" the user.

Focus is synchronized automatically across different iOS devices on the same iCloud account.[9]

iCloud[]

Backups to iCloud can now also be made on 5G cellular networks.[10]

Notifications[]

Notifications receive a new look with contact photos for all communication apps and larger app icons. The Summary allows the user to group and postpone the notifications coming from the chosen apps, delivering them at a scheduled time in a single big notification called summary notification.

Live Text[]

Devices with an A12 chip or newer support Live Text in stock apps which can transcribe, copy and paste text from images and photo camera in real-time.[11]

Smart stacks with suggested Widgets[]

The Widgets in iOS 15 are more dynamic: depending on the context, the system can add or remove widgets to existing stacks. For example, near the start of a certain event in the Calendar, the system can decide to add the Calendar Widget to an existing smart stack, if it is not already present, and then remove it at the end of the event.

Cross-App Drag and Drop[]

Users can now drag pictures and text from one app to another.

Home[]

Users can now reorder the various Home screens.

Per-App Text Size[]

From the Control Center, the text size can be set per app, each app can have a different text size which is remembered.

Spotlight[]

The global search function has been enhanced and it is also available on the lock screen by pulling the page down.

Dictation[]

Formerly limited to 60 seconds, the Voice-To-Text dictation available in the keyboard is unlimited.[10] Moreover, it is faster and more accurate.

System-wide Translation[]

System-wide translation allows user to translate text in any languages by simply selecting it and tapping on the Translate option that appears.[12]

RealityKit 2[]

The new version allows apps to build more immersive AR experiences using new APIs to capture objects even faster, custom shaders, dynamic assets, custom systems and character control.[13]

Adjust video playback speed[]

The system default player, used for videos and by many apps, has the control to adjust the playback speed.

Video Effects and Mic Mode[]

Video Effects and Mic Mode are two new commands in the Control center that allow the user to add Portrait effect to the camera and set Microphone mode to Voice Isolation on any apps.

Accessibility improvements[]

  • Per-App Accessibility: each app can have a different accessibility text setting (Bold Text, Larger Text, Button Shapes, On/Off Labels, Reduce Transparency).[14]
  • Image Exploration with VoiceOver: explore people, objects, text, and tables within images in greater detail with VoiceOver. Explore your receipts and nutrition label values intelligently and logically even if they are in a table. Move your finger over a photo to find out a person's position relative to other objects within the images.
  • Voice Image Descriptions in Markup: Markup allows the user to add image descriptions that can be read by VoiceOver. Image descriptions persist even when shared and can be read in a range of supported apps on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
  • Sound Actions for Switch Control: let you control iPhone with simple mouth sounds, such as a click, pop, or "ee" sound, without the need for physical buttons, switches, or complex verbal commands.
  • Background Sounds: play balanced, bright or dark, ocean, rain noises and continuously transmit background sound to mask unwanted ambient or outside noise and help you focus, stay calm or rest. Sounds mix or subside under other audio and system sounds while the device is being used by its owner.

Increased 5G usage[]

iOS 15 allows more apps and system features to use faster 5G connectivity than iOS 14: you can download iOS software updates to 5G without limitations, backup your phone to iCloud and restore it from an iCloud backup to 5G, in the TV app you can download programs via 5G connection with higher picture quality than before. It also allows devices with 5G cellular connectivity to automatically switch to a fast 5G network when experiencing slow Wi-Fi performance or poor signal or when connected to an unsecured or captive wireless network.

Accounts for School and Work[]

It is possible to add to the iPhone the accounts of your organization, managed by schools or companies, without having to use external apps or profiles.

App improvements[]

FaceTime[]

iOS 15 adds several new features to FaceTime including:

  • Grid view for group conversations
  • Portrait mode. Requires A12 Bionic chip or later
  • Spatial Audio
  • Voice isolation mode: the artificial intelligence is able to recognize and remove any noise in the room leaving only the voice of the user who is speaking.
  • Wide spectrum mode
  • FaceTime links and web integration, which allow anyone to join a call including Android and Microsoft Windows users
  • Calendar integration
  • Mute alerts, which let users know when they are talking while muted
  • FaceTime can now take advantage of all rear cameras (on compatible devices)

SharePlay[]

Another major feature of FaceTime is SharePlay, which allows users to listen to music, watch movies, share their screens, and more with other users while on a FaceTime call.[15][16] SharePlay works across iPhones running iOS 15, iPads running iPadOS 15, and Macs running macOS Monterey. The feature is currently not in the operating system, and is expected to be added at a later date.

Messages[]

  • Multiple images in stack: messages now displays multiple images in a stack, making them easier to navigate.
  • Pinned content: it's possible to pin any content, text or link you receive from a contact.

Memoji[]

Memoji have more customization options, including new clothing, two different eye colors, new glasses, new stickers, multicolored headwear, and new accessibility options.[17]

Shared with You[]

Messages also introduces a new feature called "Shared with You", which organizes links and other content shared via Messages in a dedicated section in their native apps for later viewing (for instance, a news article shared via messages is shown in the News app).[9]

Maps[]

Apple Maps receives several new features:

  • Greater depth has be added to the driving maps with the use of 3D modeling which will make it easier to interpret directions when faced with roads that go over or under the one being driven on, including buildings, bridges and trees.
  • 3D globe with a new color palette and increased mountain, desert, and forest detail
  • Increased traffic information, turn lanes, bike, bus and taxi lanes, medians, crosswalks
  • Walking directions in augmented reality on A12 devices or later
  • Redesigned place cards
  • Improved filtering for search
  • Easier to report map issues
  • The night mode set in Maps now follows the night mode set in the OS instead of activating it only at night and the colors are improved.
  • Public Transport Info: public transport routes and times with ability to pin favourite routes to the top. In-app notifications will alert users when they need to get off a bus or train due to improved real-time GPS tracking. This transit information now can be visible also on a connected Apple Watch.

Photos[]

The Photos app allows the user to manually set the time and date of a photo. The app also allows the user to view information about the photo such as the camera used to take the photo and the photo's file size. [18] In the Photos app, the user can now look up places that are inside images, however, this feature only works on the Apple A12 chip and later. [19]

Camera[]

Improved panoramic shooting mode on iPhone 12 and above: less geometric distortion in panoramic shots with elongated fields of view, noise and banding reduction that are formed in the image due to changes in brightness and contrast when moving the camera from side to side other, a less blurry and clearer image even when capturing moving subjects within the panorama.

Safari[]

Safari was completely redesigned, moving the tab bar and address bar to the bottom of the screen. It now has tab groups, allowing users to organize tabs and share entire groups of tabs.[20]

Browser extensions are available for the first time in Safari for iOS; they are the same extensions available in Safari for the Mac.[21]

A new start page: it is possible to have a custom page at browser startup that contains one or more sections including favorites, most frequently visited sites, shared with you, privacy reports, reading list, Siri suggestions and iCloud panels.[22]

Safari in ‌iOS 15‌ automatically upgrades sites that are known to support HTTPS from HTTP.

App Clips more discoverable: it is possible to show a full-screen preview of the app clip in Safari. Reduced also the number of steps to open the app clip.

Added support for WebM audio/video codec.

Siri[]

Siri now works offline, offering shorter response times for the most common requests that do not require an Internet connection. Requires A12 Bionic chip or later.

Share with Siri: you can finally just ask Siri “Hey Siri, share this with [name]” (or something similar like “send this to [name]”) and Siri will share the content on the screen to that person using Messages. Items like images, web pages, Apple Music or Podcasts, Apple News stories, and Maps locations will share the actual content (or a link to it). For content Siri can’t share, it will warn you that it can only send a screenshot—but Siri will still automatically take that screenshot and drop it in a Message to that person.

Announce Notifications: with announce notifications update in iOS 15, Siri can now read all incoming notifications and even allow users to respond to them using their voice. The user can choose to enable this for specific apps.

Health[]

It is possible to share health data with family, friends or healthcare professionals that can take care of the user.

There is a new monitored parameter called "Walking Steadiness" which determines the risk of falling using iPhone sensors and sophisticated algorithms that measure balance, stability and coordination.[23]

Added the Trend analysis i.e. horizontal lines that show the trend of the various parameters over the long term.[24]

Lab Results allows to import laboratory results into the Health app from a healthcare provider.

Files[]

Groups is a new view mode that groups files of the same type.

The Built-in PDF editor allows the user to insert pages from existing files or scans, remove pages and rotate pages. PDFs can also be locked with a password.[25]

Notes[]

New #tags allow classifying, organizing, then finding your notes faster. Smart Folders automatically group various notes based on tags.

Ability to share notes with other collaborators and work on them together. The activity view shows a summary of the changes made by other collaborators before your last reading and a day-by-day list of the activities carried out by each collaborator. It is possible to mention @someone in the notes, who will be notified.

Reminders[]

Ability to insert #tags in reminders to classify them.

Shortcuts[]

Sound recognition has been added to the automations, so it's possible to execute a customized command when a certain sound is recognized.

Wallet[]

  • Keys: iPhone is able to unlock select HomeKit-enabled smart locks with a tap. This feature requires an iPhone with an A12 chip or newer.[26]
  • Identification cards and driver licenses: iPhone can store a copy of a U.S. user's state-issued identity card or driver license. Arizona, Georgia, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma and Utah will be the first in states to support the feature.[27]

Weather[]

Weather received an overhaul, with new animations and weather maps in full screen, and the weather icon was updated in the fifth beta.

Next-time precipitation notifications: you’ll get a notification whenever rain or snow is going to start or stop within the next hour for your current location and each saved location, independently.

Security and privacy[]

App Privacy Report[]

By activating this app logging, the user can save a 7-day summary of the times when the various apps access certain data and the domains or websites they visit.[28]

Siri improved privacy[]

On devices with an Apple A12 Bionic system on a chip or newer, Siri now converts audio into words on the device itself instead of sending it to Apple servers.[29]

Mail Privacy Protection[]

In Mail app it masks the user's IP address during the reading of mail messages containing external contents.

Hide My Email[]

Hide My Email allows you to create unique, random email addresses that forward to your personal inbox so you can send and receive email without having to share your real email address.

iCloud Private Relay[]

When browsing with Safari, Private Relay masks the user's IP address, preserving the region but not the actual location. It also protects the DNS query resolution and insecure HTTP traffic in all apps.

However, this feature will not be available in Belarus, Colombia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, mainland China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and the Philippines.

Built-in one-time password authenticator With Autofill[]

The built-in authenticator allows iOS devices to be used to generate verification codes for additional sign-in security of accounts. There is no need to download a separate app because it is integrated into the OS. The verification codes are automatically filled when a user signs in to the site.

WPA3 Hotspot[]

Hotspot connections now can also use the WPA3 security protocol.

CSAM Detection[]

CSAM Detection[30] enables Apple to identify and report iCloud users who store known Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in their iCloud Photos accounts. This recognition is based on a perceptual hash called NeuralHash[31] which is based on features of the image instead of the precise values of pixels in the image.

Siri and Search are also being updated to intervene when users perform searches for queries related to CSAM explaining to users that interest in this topic is harmful and problematic. The Messages app will warn children and their parents when receiving or sending sexually explicit photos and these photos will be blurred.

Other changes[]

  • New widgets have been added: Mail, Contacts, Game Center, Find My, App Store, Sleep.
  • iOS 13 wallpapers were removed in the first beta of iOS 15.
  • iOS 15 features a new wallpaper in two modes: light and dark.

Supported devices[]

All the devices that support iOS 13 and iOS 14 also support iOS 15. The following is a list of devices that support iOS 15:[32]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-15/
  2. ^ Clover, Juli (September 14, 2021). "Apple Seeds iOS and iPadOS 15 Release Candidates to Developers". MacRumors. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  3. ^ "iOS 15 RC (19A344) - Releases - Apple Developer". Apple Developer. Apple Inc. September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  4. ^ "iOS 15 Preview". Apple. Retrieved 2021-08-20.
  5. ^ Miller, Chance (June 30, 2021). "Apple releases iOS 15 public beta with SharePlay, Focus, and much more". 9to5Mac.
  6. ^ Puli, Juli (July 16, 2021). "Apple Seeds Second Public Betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15". MacRumors.
  7. ^ "iOS 15.x". .
  8. ^ "Apple advances personal health by introducing secure sharing and new insights". Apple Newsroom. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b "iOS 15 brings powerful new features to stay connected, focus, explore, and more". Apple Newsroom. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b "iOS 15: New Features! Everything You Need to Know". MacRumors. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
  11. ^ "iOS 15 Live Text feature can copy and paste text from any image". AppleInsider. Archived from the original on 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  12. ^ "iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey Introduce System-Wide Translation, Translate App Expands to iPad". MacRumors. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
  13. ^ "RealityKit - Augmented Reality". Apple Developer. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  14. ^ Ali, Zaib (25 June 2021). "How To Customize Display And Text Settings On Per-App Basis". iOS Hacker. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  15. ^ Griffin, Andrew (June 7, 2021). "iOS 15: Apple reveals future of iPhone with new operating system update". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  16. ^ Clark, Mitchell (June 7, 2021). "Apple is building video and music sharing into FaceTime". The Verge. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  17. ^ "iOS 15 Preview - Features". Apple. Archived from the original on 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  18. ^ "iOS 15: How to Adjust the Date and Time of Photos". MacRumors. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  19. ^ iOS 15 - Every Feature That Doesn't Work on Older iPhones, retrieved 2021-06-29
  20. ^ Axon, Samuel (2021-06-12). "Here are a bunch of iOS 15 features that Apple didn't mention earlier". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  21. ^ Espósito, Filipe (2021-06-07). "Apple brings Safari web browser extensions to iPhone and iPad with iOS 15". 9to5Mac. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  22. ^ "iOS 15: Check Out Safari's New Tab Bar, Tab Groups, and Tab Switcher". MacRumors. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  23. ^ "Apple advances personal health by introducing secure sharing and new insights". Apple Newsroom. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  24. ^ "Apple advances personal health by introducing secure sharing and new insights". Apple Newsroom. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  25. ^ D, Vlad. "How To Lock PDF With Password On iPhone In iOS 15". iPhoneTricks.org. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  26. ^ "Full Release Notes for iOS 15". iClarified. September 15, 2021.
  27. ^ "Apple Announces First U.S. States That Will Let You Add Your Driver's License to Your iPhone". MacRumors. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  28. ^ O'Flaherty, Kate. "iOS 15: Outstanding New Privacy Features Will Change Your iPhone Forever". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  29. ^ Vincent, James (2021-06-07). "Apple's Siri will finally work without an internet connection thanks to on-device processing". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2021-06-08. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  30. ^ "Child Safety". Apple. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
  31. ^ CSAM Detection - Technical Summary (apple.com)
  32. ^ Faulkner, Cameron (June 7, 2021). "Here are the devices that can run iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, and watchOS 8". The Verge. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
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