Apple has introduced iOS 14 as its latest mobile operating system. The new version of iOS brings a list of interface-level changes that include a library of redesigned applications and widgets. The iOS 14 update also comes with Picture-in-Picture (PiP) support, which lets you play videos across the top of your screen. Apple has also brought an updated Siri that no longer has the full-screen interface and can bring widgets to any of its screens. Additionally, iOS 14 comes preloaded with a translation app that is a close competitor to Google Translate and offers side-by-side translations in two different languages. The latest iOS update also includes a new Messaging experience that will offer new Memoji, including ones that support face masks.
iPhone models compatible with iOS 14
iOS 14 the update will be available for download on all iPhone models that are compatible with iOS 13. This means that the new version of iOS will work with an iPhone as old as iPhone 6s and as recent as iPhone SE (2020). Also, the full range of compatible iOS 14 devices includes iPhone SE (2020), iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and the iPhone SE.
iOS 14 new features
One of the main changes that iOS 14 brings over iOS 13 and all previous versions of iOS is the addition of the Application Library view that automatically groups multiple applications on a single screen. The experience seems similar to multiple folders on a home screen. However, it is more than just having folders, as you will get the apps classified into groups, only once you get to the end of your home screen pages.
“We created an easy way to hide pages,” said Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi, announced the view of the app library on iOS 14.
iOS 14 comes with a view of the App Library
There is a “Jiggle mode” that allows you to hide different pages from your home screen and move them to the Application Library view. The mode appears once you touch the dots at the bottom of one of the home screen pages in the edit view. In general, the App Library view sounds similar to how you have an app drawer in an Android device, although with some intelligence offered by Apple of course.
Along with the App Library, iOS 14 brings redesigned widgets that can be placed on any of its home screen pages. There is also a Widget Gallery that you can place at the top of the screen in the edit view by tapping the plus button from the top left of the screen. Also, you can adjust the size of the widgets to fit them along with your existing app icons and folders.
Apple has also brought a Smart Stack feature that displays different widgets throughout the day.
For video lovers, iOS 14 offers Picture-in-Picture support that allows you to access applications on your iPhone while watching a video or speaking on a Facetime call. The experience seems similar to how PiP works on Android devices. However, there is support for pinch-to-zoom, and PiP view works on Apple apps, too. You can also slide the PiP window to one side to listen to the video audio.
The latest iOS also brings Siri in a whole new view, which is visible at the bottom of the screen, instead of taking up the entire screen of your device. “[T]This year, we’ve completely redesigned the Siri experience with a new compact design. It makes tasks like launching applications incredibly smooth, “Federighi said.
iOS 14 includes a Siri update experience
Apple has also elevated the Siri experience intrinsically. The company claims that the voice assistant now has more than 20 times more data than just three years ago. There is also support for more complex questions, such as how do hybrid cars work? Siri has also been updated with the ability to send audio messages by recording audio from your iPhone, without opening the Voice Memos application. There is also dictation support on the device.
Similarly, Apple has brought the new Translate application that works similarly to Google translator and it allows users to translate between different languages. The app initially supports 11 languages, namely English, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Portuguese, and Russian. You, of course, will not receive any Indian language at launch, not even Hindi.
Updating iOS 14 on your iPhone will also bring the new Messaging experience with the ability to pin any of your favorite conversations. There are also new emoji stickers and 20 new hairstyles and hats for Memoji. Apple has also brought a face mask option that you can add to your Memoji character.
Apple Maps On iOS 14, it also received an update with selected guides. There is also support for cycling that will initially be limited to New York City, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as Beijing and Shanghai. Additionally, Apple Maps includes a new EV routing feature designed specifically for electric vehicle owners.
The new iOS also includes an update App store It has support for App Clips, which are meant to reduce clutter on your iPhone and provide you with a standalone experience, without installing the full app. App Clips work with a dedicated App Clips code that is similar to traditional QR codes. Developers could also incorporate App Clip codes into any QR code or any NFC tag.
Apple has also included an update find me with support for finding third-party products and accessories that are part of the new Find My network accessories program. There’s also a new Safari with a Privacy Report feature that lets you see which cross-site trackers have been blocked. The browser also includes password monitoring to help users detect saved passwords that may have been involved in a data breach. Also, there is built-in translation support for web pages.
She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.