Buzz
The upcoming iOS 14 operating system has already stirred up discussions and excitement on various tech forums, even before its official release.
1. List of iPhones Updated to iOS 14
The highly anticipated iOS 14 operating system, although not officially launched yet, has already sparked debates and buzz on tech forums.
Highlight Features on iOS 14
Let's take a look at some predicted standout features expected on iOS 14:
New Applications and App Features
- Exercise App: Apple is actively working on a fitness app for iPhone, Apple Watch, and Apple TV, allowing users to download workout-related videos guiding them through various exercises.
- Augmented Reality App: Apple seems to be planning to introduce a new augmented reality app in iOS 14 called Gobi, enabling users to see their surroundings through AR technology.
- New Features for iMessage: Apple is testing a range of new features for iMessage such as contact tagging, retracting iMessages after sending, marking messages as unread,...
- Activity App: Instead of tracking burned calories, the Activity app for Kids Mode will monitor movement time, considered more suitable for children.
- Photos App: Apple might integrate photo challenges on iPhone into the Photos app, allowing all iPhone owners to submit their photo results and view challenge outcomes within the app.
- Sleep Tracking - Health App: The rumored sleep tracking feature will integrate with the Health app on iPhone, where users can set personalized sleep goals. The app will also provide recommendations to improve sleep.
- Find My Phone: The new notification feature will provide alerts when someone doesn't arrive at a specific location at the expected time during the day. Parents can set alerts for when a child arrives at school. If the child doesn't arrive on time, a notification will be sent.
- CarPlay: iOS 14's CarPlay may support custom wallpapers, displaying wallpapers on the CarPlay interface. Wallpapers will also switch between light and dark mode based on the time of day.
- Apple Maps: Apple Maps may provide additional information for selected businesses in iOS 14, such as specific services offered by Apple Store, IMAX showtimes at theaters, and discounted locations for children.
- Carkey: Allows the iPhone to be used to lock, unlock, and start a car, assigning keys to friends and family members through the Messages app, using their devices as replacements for physical car keys.
Apple HomeKit Smart Home Features
Some new features of Apple HomeKit are in the works, and these features may be introduced in the iOS 14 update. The Night Shift feature will automatically adjust the color temperature of lights based on the time of day. In the morning, the lights will be set to a bluer tone to match outdoor lighting, but at night, the lights will transition to a warmer hue.
The new addition to HomeKit Secure Video feature now enables security cameras to detect specific individuals, distinguishing between family members and strangers. Supported identification targets include: people, animals, and vehicles.
5G Support
This could be the most anticipated feature that Apple will bring to the iOS 14 operating system. Unfortunately, as we've seen with other 5G phones, this feature cannot be applied to older iPhones, only the latest phones with the newest chipset and modem have the capability to leverage 5G.
Apple AR Glasses Support
According to Bloomberg's report, Apple is planning to release AR glasses around 2020 alongside the iPhone 5G. Initially serving as iPhone accessories to display text messages and map directions, it may evolve over time to run exclusive applications.
With several years of experience that developers have built with ARKit, it would be no surprise if Apple utilizes iOS 14 to maximize the potential of AR glasses.
Possibly Adding Home Screen Widgets
iOS 14 may also introduce home screen widget options, allowing widgets to be freely moved like app icons on the home screen. Few details are available on this feature at the current time, but iOS 14 indicates it differs from the widget options available in the Today section of the notification center when swiping right.
More Wallpaper Options
Other leaks suggest that more wallpaper options will also be added in iOS 14, so you can add dynamic, flat, and gradient options.
New App Switcher
According to Neowin, iOS 14 is expected to bring a new multitasking user interface similar to what we have on iPadOS. Instead of the current conveyor belt effect, it displays a grid of squares for each app. The difference is, unlike on iPadOS, users won't see the Control Center in the multitasking user interface.
Option to Choose Third-Party Apps as Defaults
Starting from iOS 14, Apple may allow iPhone and iPad users to set third-party mail, browser, and music apps as defaults instead of Apple's own apps.
This change will enable apps like Google Chrome and Gmail to be set as the default apps on iOS devices, so clicking on links or email addresses won't open Apple's own apps. The change will also allow music apps to be used on HomePod with Siri, a feature currently limited to Apple Music.
Smart Call Blocking Tool
While iOS 13 introduced the ability to detect and block spam calls, it wasn't very intelligent. Instead, iOS 14 will show smarter warnings indicating potential spam calls with different filtering levels, even filtering out potentially fraudulent calls.
Support for Foldable iPhone Screens
Currently, this is still a somewhat uncertain rumor as there is no information about a foldable iPhone in 2020. However, Apple is almost certainly testing this technology in its R&D labs.
In the future, if Apple introduces a foldable iPhone, it's highly likely that their operating system will support this new technology.
Expected List of Upcoming Devices
An Instagram account named 'spectrumreport' posted an expected list of devices, including iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches getting updated to iOS 14.
However, this is just a tentative list, and Apple may update and change the devices after the official launch.
Looking at the list, you can see that iOS 14 will likely be supported on iPhone devices from iPhone 7 and above, and iPod 7th generation. As for iPadOS, the supported upgrade devices include iPad Pro, iPad Air 3, iPad 5,6,7, and iPad Mini 5th generation.
With iOS 14, iPhone 6s/6 Plus, and iPhone SE 2015 won't receive upgrades. This is understandable given the age of these device lines.
However, anything is possible with Apple; they might provide an iOS 14 version to continue supporting these older devices for another year.
In addition, the watchOS 7 platform will also receive upgrade support for Apple Watch Series 3 and newer devices with exciting features to be unveiled at the upcoming online WWDC 2020 event.
