Apple today released iOS 13, the newest version of the software that's designed to run on the iPhone. Apple's yearly software updates always bring long lists of new features and changes that can make your iPhone feel like a foreign device.
New updates can be intimidating, but installing them is often worthwhile because Apple's updates make sure your devices are safe, up to date, and have the latest feature improvements.
If you're worried about performance taking a hit on older devices, rest assured that Apple has made an effort in both iOS 12 and iOS 13 to make older devices more efficient. In iOS 13, Face ID is faster, apps launch up to twice as fast, and are, in general smaller in size for quicker downloads and updates.
We're going to jump start you with the what you need to know to get up and running with iOS 13 right away with these iOS 13 tips:
1. Try Out Dark Mode
Your iPhone isn't going to look too much different when you install iOS 13, with one exception - a new dark theme that's available if you enable it. Apple will ask you if you want to turn on Dark Mode when you first update your iPhone to iOS 13, and if you do opt to turn it on, prepare for everything from apps to the Home screen to shift to a darker shade.
Dark Mode is one of those features that iOS users have wanted for ages, and it's great if you have eyes sensitive to light or want a darker theme for your apps at night. Most Apple apps, like Mail, Messages, Health, Reminders, the App Store, Apple Music, and more have dark themes that activate whenever you turn on Dark Mode, and third-party developers are also able to develop darker themes to swap to when Dark Mode is activated.
You can turn Dark Mode on permanently, toggle it on when you need it, or set it to come on at a set schedule, such as sunset to sunrise, all of which can be controlled via Settings or the Control Center. The opposite of Dark Mode is Light Mode, which is the same old mode that's been available on your iPhone for years, so that's an option too if you don't like the darker display.
Some of the gestures on your iPhone (and iPad) are a little bit different in iOS 13, but they're easy to adjust to. Here's a quick list of what's been tweaked:
Scrolling - Just grab the scroll bar and drag it upwards or downwards to get where you want to go instead of swiping.
Selecting Text - Drag a finger right over text to select it. Double tap to select a word, triple tap to select an entire sentence, and quadruple tap to select a paragraph.
Cursor Movement - To move the cursor when writing a note or an email, just stick your finger on it and drag it wherever you want it to go.
Cut, Copy, and Paste - Pinch up with three fingers to copy, pinch up with fingers two times to cut, and pinch down with three fingers to paste.
Undo/Redo - To undo and redo, swipe with three fingers to the left or the right.
Selecting Multiples - To select multiple items, like messages, files, or folders, tap with two fingers and then drag.
Can't remember all these? If you tap and hold with three fingers, an edit bar appears with undo, redo, cut, copy, and paste.
Bonus for iPhone XR and iPad owners: 3D Touch functionality is available in the form of Haptic Touch or a long press (on the iPad). Just long press where supported. It's available almost everywhere 3D Touch was available. New iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro users will also need to get used to Haptic Touch instead of 3D Touch.
3. Go Configure These Settings
Silence Unknown Callers
Automatic Safari Tab Closing
Optimize Battery Charging
Location controls for Shared Images
4. Set Up a Messages Profile
When you open up Messages for the first time after installing iOS 13, it's going to prompt you to set up your profile. Your profile is basically just a name and a photo that's shared with people when you converse with them.
Your profile can be customized with an image you took, an Animoji, or just a letter, and you can choose to share it with your contacts, everyone, or no one at all.
iOS 13 has a new "QuickPath" keyboard, which is Apple's fancy way of saying that it's added swipe gestures for typing. You can now slide to type, dragging your fingers over letters instead of picking them up to type as you normally do.
If you've ever used a swipe-based keyboard, this is the same thing. Just swipe from letter to letter to form words. If you hate it, don't worry, you can still tap, or use swipes and taps interchangeably.
6. Memoji/Animoji Stickers for Everyone
Memoji and Animoji have been available on all devices with a Face ID camera, but in iOS 13, Animoji and Memoji are expanding to stickers that everyone can use.
There's a new Animoji Stickers app in the app drawer in Messages, where you can choose from already-available Animoji characters in a variety of poses or create new Memoji stickers that look just like you.
Animoji and Memoji stickers are available on all iOS devices that run iOS 13 and work like all other stickers so you can send them to people in Messages. You can also access your Animoji/Memoji stickers in other apps through the "Recently Used" menu.
Learn how to create and use Animoji/Memoji stickers in our how to.
7. Edit Videos in the New Photos App
When you open up the Photos app for the first time, it's going to look a bit different. There are new Years, Months, and Days organizational options you can tap in the main Photos tab.
Apple's aim with these new sections is to help you find your best photos so you can relive your memories whenever you want.
Editing photos looks different too, but all of the options you're used to are there, with some new editing tools to make your photos look better than ever. You can also edit videos for the first time ever, which is a fun new addition to iOS 13. It works just like editing photos, so it's a simple and quick way to trim down video footage or add cool effects.
For more on what's new in the Photos app and how to use all of the new features, make sure to check out our Photos guide.
8. Look Around in Maps
Maps in iOS 13 more or less looks the same, but Apple has continued to expand its redesigned Maps interface with more detail, so you may notice some changes right when you open the app.
One neat new feature you might want to check out is the "Look Around" option, which is Apple's equivalent to Google Street View. Look Around lets you get a street level look at what's around you or what you search for, which is great for scoping out restaurants, shopping, and more.
Maps has other neat features like lists of Collections and Favorites, and when Siri gives directions, you'll notice that they're much more natural. Siri will say things like "turn left at the next stoplight" instead of "turn left in 500 feet."
You can install iOS 13 if you have an iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XS (and it'll come pre-installed on the new 2019 iPhones). It's not compatible with the iPhone 6 and earlier, so if you have an older iPhone, you'll need to stick with iOS 12 (or earlier).
If you have an iPad, you need to know that instead of iOS, it's going to run iPadOS going forward. Don't worry, though, iPadOS is pretty much identical to iOS 13 and offers all of the same features, with a few other changes designed specifically for the larger screen of the iPad.
For iPads, the new iOS works on iPad Air 2, iPad Air (3rd Gen), iPad mini 4, iPad mini 5, iPad (5th-7th Gen), and any iPad Pro.
We have a lot more information on every new feature in iOS 13, large and small. If you want to learn more about what's new and what you can expect when installing iOS 13, we recommend reading our full iOS 13 roundup.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about the new features in iOS 13 or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
Apple today shared a new trailer for its upcoming TV show "Dickinson," which stars Hailee Steinfeld as poet Emily Dickinson.
The show will be one of the first available when Apple TV+ launches this fall, and the new trailer features "Afterlife," a new song Hailee Steinfeld wrote for the show and released today.
Apple previously released a teaser trailer for "Dickinson," but today's version is much longer and gives more insight into the show, which appears to be a drama with comedic elements.
"Dickinson" was one of Apple's first shows, with the company picking it up back in May 2018. Steinfeld, the show's star, is known for her roles in "True Grit," "Pitch Perfect 2," "Pitch Perfect 3," "Ender's Game," and coming of age film "Edge of Seventeen."
The series will also star Jane Krakowski ("30 Rock") as Dickinson's mother, Toby Huss ("Halt and Catch Fire") as Dickinson's father, and Anna Baryshnikov ("Manchester by the Sea") as Dickinson's sister.
"Dickinson" will be available when Apple TV+ launches on November 1. Apple TV+ will be priced at $4.99 per month and it will come with a one week free trial.
Apple today seeded a beta of iOS 13.1 that's designed to work with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
The new beta can be installed over-the-air after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.
With the new iOS 13.1 beta, the new iPhone models released tomorrow will be able to be updated to iOS 13.1. That will allow beta testers who have already upgraded their prior devices to iOS 13.1 to use an iCloud backup to do a data transfer.
An iPhone backup taken on an iPhone running iOS 13.1 cannot be transferred to an iPhone running iOS 13, which means those who have upgraded will need to also upgrade their new 2019 iPhones before being able to restore from a backup.
iOS 13.1 introduces several features that were announced at WWDC but were removed from iOS 13 over the beta testing period. Shortcuts Automations is back, allowing Shortcuts users to create personal and home automations from the Shortcuts app to have actions performed automatically when specific conditions occur.
Share ETA, a major maps feature, is also available once again in iOS 13.1. With Share ETA, you can share your estimated time of arrival to a location with a friend or family member.
Other new features include new icons on the volume indicator when headphones or speakers are connected (with icons for AirPods, Beats headphones, and HomePod), more detailed HomeKit icons in the Home app, and updates to Dynamic Wallpapers.
Mouse support, an accessibility option in iOS 13, has been improved in iOS 13.1 allowing a long press or 3D Touch to be mapped to the right click function of the mouse. Reading goals now include PDFs, Nike+ is now just Nike, and iOS 13.1 supports HEVC video encoding with alpha channels.
There are some other smaller changes in iOS 13.1, which are outlined in our original iOS 13.1 article. iOS 13.1 is set to launch on Tuesday, September 24.
Apple will release the upcoming iOS 13.1 update and iPadOS on September 24 instead of September 30 as previously planned, according to updated information on its iOS 13 and iPadOS preview pages.
Following the company's September 10 event, Apple initially said that iOS 13.1 and iPadOS would come on Monday, September 30, but the updates will now be just under a week earlier.
The earlier release of iPadOS will allow iPad users to get iOS 13 features on their iPads quicker, with access to Apple Arcade, Dark Mode, and more, while the iOS 13.1 release will bring missing iOS 13 features like Shortcuts Automations and Share ETA.
Apple hasn't made it clear if there will be an iPadOS 13 release, but given that the update is coming on the same day as iOS 13.1, the first version of iPadOS may be iPadOS 13.1.
Apple today released iOS 13, the newest operating system designed for the iPhone, and it is available on the iPhone 6s and later. As with all of Apple's software updates, iOS 13 is free to download.
The update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings > General > Software update. It may take a few minutes for the update to propagate to everyone due to high demand.
There are a ton of new features in iOS 13, but the most noticeable outward facing change is a new systemwide Dark Mode option that changes the entire look of the operating system from light to dark, darkening everything from system elements to Apple's apps to third-party apps (when implemented by developers).
Dark Mode can be set manually or it can be set to turn on automatically when the sun sets, with controls and toggles available both in the Settings app and in Control Center.
Apple tweaked several apps, but the Photos app on iPhone got a complete overhaul with a new Photos tab that curates your entire Photos library and shows you a selection of highlights organized by day, month, or year.
There's a revamped photo editing interface that makes it easier than ever to tweak your images, plus there are new editing tools that put the Photos app on par with more robust third-party photo editing options.
For the first time, you can edit video right in the Photos app too, cropping, rotating, applying filters, and adjusting lighting and color. There's also a new High-Key Mono lighting effect, and for Portrait Lighting in general, you can now adjust the intensity for more granular control over your edits.
Many iOS users will be thrilled to know that the volume HUD has been tweaked so it's much less obtrusive, with Apple now displaying the volume bar on the side of the iPhone (or at the top in some cases) so volume controls no longer obscure the middle of the display when you adjust the volume to be louder or quieter.
A new Find My app combines the functionality of both Find My iPhone and Find My Friends, offering a one-stop app for finding whatever needs to be found. There's even a new feature that lets you track your devices when they don't have an LTE or WiFi connection, using Bluetooth and other nearby devices owned by other people.
Sign in with Apple, a new privacy feature, gives you a convenient and safe way to sign into apps and websites as an alternative to Facebook and Google sign in options. Apple can even generate single-use randomized emails for you so you don't have to give out your real info.
Sign in with Apple does require developers to support it, so it will only be available in apps (and websites) where developers have added the feature.
In the Maps app, there's a neat new street-level "Look Around" mode that's similar to Google's Street View option, letting you get a close-up look at whatever is around you or a location that you've searched for.
Maps also features Collections and Favorites for saving locations you like and want to get to quickly, and you'll notice that Siri offers up much more natural directions. There are some other minor Maps tweaks that should make the routing experience much better in iOS 13.
There's a whole new look for Reminders that makes it more functional than ever, Siri now supports Live Radio features, Safari has an updated start page and new website controls, and the Health app has been overhauled with new noise and menstrual cycle tracking options.
In Messages, there's a new option to create a profile with a pic and a name that's shared with people you talk to (though you don't have to enable it) plus there are new Animoji and Memoji stickers that can be used in Messages and throughout the operating system. With the Memoji option, you can customize your avatar even if you don't have an iPhone with the TrueDepth camera system.
You can connect multiple sets of AirPods to a single iPhone with iOS 13, which is a neat feature for when you want to share your music with someone else. iOS 13 also brings handoff and multi-user support for the HomePod, allowing it to tell the difference between multiple devices.
CarPlay in iOS 13 has been overhauled with an updated look and all of the new features that are in the Maps app, plus it has a new Music interface, a Calendar app, more natural Siri language, a new Settings app, and support for third-party mapping apps.
You can use a new swipe-based "QuickPath" option when typing on the iPhone keyboard, and there are new gestures for text editing that makes working on your iOS devices easier. The Files app now supports sharing folders and accessing files from external storage devices, and there's a download manager in Safari.
According to Apple, iOS 13 is faster and more efficient than iOS 12. App update times have improved, app launch times are two times faster, and app download sizes have been reduced by up to 50 percent. If you have a device with Face ID, it will unlock up to 30 percent faster after installing the update.
There are important new privacy controls that limit the location data shared with apps so you can better protect your location data from apps that might misuse it, and Apple is making HomeKit cameras more secure with a Secure Video feature that offers on-device analysis and encrypted iCloud access. HomeKit is also being added to select routers.
Apple's release notes for the update are below:
iOS 13 introduces a dramatic new look for iPhone with Dark Mode, new ways to browse and edit photos, and a private new way to sign in to apps and websites with just a tap. iOS 13 is faster and more responsive with optimizations across the system that improve app launch, reduce app download sizes and make Face ID even faster.
This update introduces new features and improvements to:
Dark Mode - A beautiful new dark color scheme that delivers a great viewing experience especially in low-light environments - Can be scheduled to turn on automatically at sunset, at a certain time, or turned on from Control Center - Four new system wallpapers that automatically switch appearances with Light and Dark Mode
Camera & Photos - An all-new Photos tab with a curated view of your library making it easy to find, relive, and share your photos and videos - Powerful new photo editing tools that make it easier to edit, adjust, and review photos at a glance - Video editing with over 30 new tools, including Rotate, Crop, and Enhance - The ability to increase or decrease Portrait Lighting intensity on iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max - High-Key Light Mono, a new Portrait Lighting effect, for a monochromatic portrait with a white background on iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
Sign in with Apple - A private way to sign in to participating apps and websites with the Apple ID you already have - Simple account setup with only your name and email address - Hide My Email to share a unique email address that is automatically forwarded to you - Built-in two-factor authentication to protect your account - No tracking or profiling by Apple as you use your favorite apps
App Store with Arcade - Unlimited access to groundbreaking new games with one subscription, no ads or additional purchases - An all-new Arcade tab in the App Store to browse the latest games, personalized recommendations, and exclusive editorial content - Available to play across iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV - Option to download large apps over your cellular connection - Ability to view available app updates or delete apps from the Account page - Support for Arabic and Hebrew
Maps - An all-new map rolling out in the US featuring broader road coverage, improved address precision, better support for pedestrians, and more detailed land cover - Look Around to explore cities in a high-resolution, interactive 3D experience - Collections for the lists of places you love and can easily share with friends and family - Favorites for quick and easy navigation to the places you visit daily - Real-time transit, real-time flight updates and more natural spoken turn-by-turn directions
Reminders - All-new design with more powerful and intelligent ways to create and organize reminders - Quick toolbar to add dates, locations, flags, attachments and more to reminders - New smart lists--Today, Scheduled, Flagged and All--to easily keep track of upcoming reminders - Subtasks and grouped lists to organize your reminders
Siri - More natural Siri voice, particularly while speaking longer phrases - Personalized Siri Suggestions in Apple Podcasts, Safari, and Maps - Over 100,000 live radio stations from around the world available with Siri - Shortcuts app now built-in
Memoji and Messages - New Memoji customization options including new hairstyles, headwear, makeup, and piercings - Memoji sticker packs in Messages, Mail, and third‑party apps and available on all iPhone models - Your name and photo, or even Memoji, now optionally shared with your friends - Search enhancements to easily find messages with intelligent suggestions and categorization of results
CarPlay - All-new CarPlay Dashboard with your tunes, turns, and smart Siri suggestions on one screen - All-new Calendar app with a view of your day, option to drive to or dial in to meetings, and contact meeting organizers - Apple Maps redesign with Favorites, Collections, and Junction View for China - Apple Music album art to easily find your favorite song - Do Not Disturb while driving now available in CarPlay
Augmented Reality - People Occlusion for apps to place virtual objects naturally in front or behind people using iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max - Motion Capture for apps to understand the body position and movement of a person so you can animate a character or interact with virtual objects using iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max - Multiple face tracking for AR content on up to 3 faces at a time so you can have fun with your friends using iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max - AR Quick Look to view and interact with multiple AR objects at the same time
Mail - Block sender to move all email messages from a blocked sender directly to the trash - Mute thread to stop notifications from an overly active email thread - Format bar with easy access to rich text formatting tools and attachments of all kinds - Font support for all system fonts, as well as new fonts you download from the App Store
Notes - Gallery view with your notes as visual thumbnails helping you find the note you need - Shared folders to collaborate with others giving them access to entire folders of notes - More powerful search for visual recognition of images inside your notes and text in items you've scanned - New checklist options to easily reorder checklist items, indent them, or move checked items to the bottom of the list automatically
Safari - Updated start page with favorites, frequently visited, most recently visited websites, and Siri suggestions - View options in the Smart Search field for quick access to text size controls, Reader view, and per‑site settings - Per‑site settings to choose Reader view, and enable content blockers, camera, microphone, and location access for individual websites - Download manager
QuickPath - Slide to type on the keyboard for easier one-handed typing when you're on the go - Slide or tap to type interchangeably, even mid‑sentence - Alternate word options in the predictive bar
Text Editing - Scrollbar scrubbing to directly drag the scrollbar for quickly navigating long documents, web pages, and email conversations - Faster and more precise cursor navigation--just pick it up and move it to where you want - Text selection improvements for easier selection by just tapping and swiping on the text
Fonts - Custom fonts are available from the App Store for use in your favorite apps - Font management in Settings
Files - External drives supported in Files to access and manage files on a USB drive, SD card, or hard drive - SMB support to connect to a server at work or a home PC - Local storage for creating folders on the local drive and adding your favorite files - Zip and Unzip support for creating and expanding Zip files
Health - New Summary view of personalized data, including alerts, favorites, and relevant highlights from frequently used apps and devices - Highlights of health data from frequently used apps and devices showing trends over time in helpful charts and graphs - Cycle Tracking feature to log information about your menstrual cycle including flow level, symptoms, and fertility metrics - Hearing health data types for environmental audio levels from the Noise app on Apple Watch, headphone audio levels, and audiograms from hearing tests
Apple Music - Time-synced lyrics make listening more fun with perfectly timed lyrics - Over 100,000 live radio stations from around the world
Screen Time - 30-day usage data to compare Screen Time numbers over the previous weeks Combined limits to include multiple app categories, specific apps, or websites in one limit - "One more minute" option to quickly save your work or log out of a game when a Screen Time limit is met
Privacy and Security - Allow Once location permission with the option to share your locations with apps only once - Background tracking alerts now notify you when an app is using your location in the background - Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enhancements help prevent apps from accessing your location without your consent - Location sharing controls give you the option to easily omit location data when sharing photos
System Experience - Wi‑Fi networks and Bluetooth accessories selection in Control Center - A redesigned, unobtrusive volume control in the upper-left corner - Full-page screenshots for web pages, Mail messages, iWork documents, and Maps - Redesigned share sheet with intelligent suggestions to share content with just a few taps - Dolby Atmos playback for a thrilling surround sound experience from content with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, or Dolby Digital Plus soundtracks on iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
Language support - Support for 38 new keyboard languages - Predictive input in Cantonese, Dutch, Hindi (Devanagari), Hindi (Latin), Najdi Arabic, Swedish, and Vietnamese keyboards - Separate emoji and globe keys make it easier to quickly switch between languages and select emoji on iPhone X and later - Automatic language detection for dictation - Bilingual dictionary support in Thai and English and Vietnamese and English China - A dedicated QR code mode in Camera, accessible from the Control Center, for improved QR code performance, a flashlight option, and enhanced privacy - Junction View in Maps for drivers in China to more easily navigate complex roadways - Adjustable handwriting area on the Chinese keyboard - Cantonese predictions on the Cangjie, Sucheng, Stroke, and Handwriting keyboards
India - All‑new Indian English male and female Siri voices - Support for all 22 official Indian languages with the addition of 15 new keyboard languages - Bilingual keyboard for Hindi (Latin) and English keyboard, including typing predictions - Typing predictions on the Hindi (Devanagari) keyboard - New Indian language system fonts for Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Kannada, and Odia for greater clarity and ease when reading in apps 30 new document fonts for Assamese, Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu - Contacts with hundreds of new relationship labels to help more accurately label your contacts
Voice Control - A new way to control your iOS devices, entirely with your voice - Comprehensive navigation with just your voice to open apps, search the web, tap, swipe, pinch, zoom, press the Home button and more - Accurate dictation using the Siri speech recognition engine - Rich text editing to make corrections using just your voice, or select from word and emoji suggestions - Custom words, such as legal or medical terms, to ensure Voice Control recognizes words you commonly use - Seamless transitions from text dictation to voice commands - Attention Awareness to keep Voice Control off when you turn your head away from True Depth camera on supported iPhone models - On‑device processing so your personal data is kept private
Performance - Up to 2x faster app launch* - Up to 30 percent faster Face ID unlocking on iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max - 60 percent smaller app updates on average* - Up to 50 percent smaller apps from the App Store*
Other features and improvements - Silence unknown callers to get calls from known numbers in Contacts, Mail, and -Messages, while sending all other calls to voicemail - Optimized battery charging to slow the rate of battery aging by reducing the time your iPhone spends fully charged - Low Data Mode to reduce your data usage over your cellular network or specific Wi-Fi networks you select - PlayStation 4 and Xbox Wireless Controller support - Find My iPhone and Find My Friends combined into a single app with the ability to locate a missing device even if it can't connect to a Wi-Fi or cellular network - Apple Books reading goals help make reading a daily habit - Apple News+ options to remove downloaded issues, follow a title, or browse the back catalog from the More button in the My Magazines section - Stocks app with business stories from Apple News+ - Calendar supports adding attachments to events - Family sharing hotspot for your family's devices to automatically connect to your nearby iPhone personal hotspot - Home app redesigned controls for HomeKit accessories with a combined view for ones with multiple services
There are a ton of other major new features that are included in iOS 13, so it's worth reading through our iOS 13 roundup to get a complete overview of what's new. iPad users should also take a look at our iPadOS roundup, as iPadOS, the operating system for the iPad, is set to come out later this month.
Along with the key features, there are dozens of smaller but still notable changes that are worth knowing, and many of these can be found in our separate tidbits article.
Apple Arcade, Apple's new subscription gaming service, is now available for everyone following the launch of the iOS 13 update for the iPhone.
Apple Arcade offers up dozens of games for one monthly $4.99 price, and reviews of the service have been positive, praising the wide selection of available titles.
Apple actually began rolling out Apple Arcade to iOS 13 and iOS 13.1 beta testers earlier this week, but now it is available to everyone who has installed the release version of iOS 13.
When Apple Arcade first became available, there were just over 50 games available, but more titles have already been rolling out. Apple says that new Apple Arcade titles will be coming out on a weekly basis, with at least 100 games in the works.
While Apple Arcade is priced at $4.99 per month, that price allows up to six family members to access games through Apple's Family Sharing feature. There's also a one-month free trial available, so everyone can give it a try before paying.
You can access Apple Arcade through the App Store using the new Apple Arcade tab in the navigation bar. Apple Arcade looks similar to the standard App Store with apps arranged into different categories like "Start Your Adventure," "New Arrivals," "You Have to Hear This," "No Time to Blink," and more.
Apple's editorial team will highlight standout Apple Arcade titles, but there's also an option to access all available games, and you can search for titles as well.
Right now, Apple Arcade is available only on the iPhone, though iOS 13 and 13.1 beta testers on iPad can install the update. Apple isn't releasing iPadOS until September 30, and tvOS 13 and macOS Catalina also aren't coming out until a future date. For more details on Apple Arcade, make sure to check out our Apple Arcade guide.
If you have a favorite Apple Arcade title, make sure to share it in the comments down below, because there's a lot of available content to go through. Our sister site TouchArcade also has a dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussing games, which is well worth checking out.
Apple today released watchOS 6, the newest version of the operating system designed to run on the Apple Watch. Today's watchOS 6 software update follows several months of beta testing.
watchOS 6 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General -> Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
watchOS 6 at release is limited to the Series 3 and Series 4 Apple Watch models, with Apple planning to release the update for Series 1 and Series 2 models at a later date.
watchOS 6 is a major update that offers quite a few new features for Apple Watch owners. There's a dedicated App Store available on the Apple Watch for the first time, allowing apps to be downloaded on the Apple Watch independent of the iPhone. Developers can now create apps that run on Apple Watch without an iPhone element.
Apps can take advantage of new APIs so you can do things like follow along with a workout or listen to streaming music from third-party services, and some built-in Apple Watch apps can be removed now that they're not tied to the iPhone.
There are multiple new watch faces in watchOS 6, including Numerals Mono and Duo with large numbers, Modular Compact, a new Gradient watch face that shifts over the course of a day, a Solar Dial that visualizes the sun in a 24 hour path around the dial, and a California watch face with a mix of standard numbers and roman numerals.
Taptic Chimes offers up a silent touch on the wrist at every hour, and with sound activated, there's also an audible chime. Holding two fingers on the Apple Watch's display speaks the time aloud.
There's a new Noise app for measuring the noise level of the environment you're in, sending a notification if the sound is loud enough to damage your hearing. There's also a new Cycle Tracking app for tracking menstrual cycles.
Several iOS apps have been ported over to the Apple Watch in watchOS 6, including Audiobooks, Calculator, and Voice Memos. There are new complications you can add to watch faces, including decibel level, cellular strength, rain probability, and more.
Siri can now pull up full webpage results, displaying the info right on the wrist, and Siri can look up song lyrics using Shazam even when your iPhone isn't nearby.
The new Animoji and Memoji stickers from the Messages app work on the Apple Watch, and for Mac users, the Apple Watch can approve some Mac security prompts.
Apple officially releases iOS 13 in just over an hour, and a host of new iPhone features are coming with it, including a system-wide Dark Mode, a Find My app, a revamped Photos app, updated privacy features, and street-level Maps, not to mention hundreds of smaller new changes and tweaks.
This article covers some of the things you can do to prepare your iPhone for Apple's latest mobile operating system, including storage maintenance tips, backup advice, and a few other useful tidbits to consider before upgrading. First though, you'll need to make sure your iPhone is compatible with iOS 13.
iOS 13 Compatibility Check
If you own an iPhone 6s or later, your device will run the latest operating system. Still unsure? Here's Apple's official compatibility list for iOS 13.
With the release of iOS 13, Apple is improving the way apps in the App Store are packaged together, and it says users can expect app downloads that are up to 50 percent smaller, resulting in less storage space taken up by apps. However, before you can benefit, you'll first want to make sure your device has adequate space to download and install the new operating system.
With that in mind, it's worth looking at what apps you currently have installed on your devices and whether you really need them. Swipe through your home screen and check inside your folders to root out any long-forgotten apps that are taking up precious storage space.
You can delete apps by holding a finger on them and tapping the X that appears at the corner of their icon. Alternatively, go to Settings -> General -> iPhone Storage, tap any apps you don't use, and select Delete App. Be ruthless – you can always re-install removed apps at a later date if you change your mind.
Check on the size of any social media or messaging apps you have installed, such as Facebook and WhatsApp. These apps can often balloon in size after long periods of activity because of chat history, media caching and the like, so you might want to delete and reinstall them to start afresh.
Also, be sure to heed any personal recommendations on the iPhone Storage screen, like keeping high-resolution photos in iCloud and smaller-size versions on your device, or letting iOS automatically offload any apps you don't use often.
Create an Archived iTunes Backup
It's best practice to have an iTunes backup of your device stored on your computer in case something goes awry, or the worst happens and installation of iOS 13 fails. If you need to downgrade shortly after installing a new iOS update, making an archived iTunes backup beforehand is necessary.
An archived iTunes backup saves the current state of your iOS device and prevents it from being accidentally overwritten by subsequent backups. Here's how to do it on a Mac. (Note that if you're a Windows user, the iTunes procedure varies slightly and you will need to rename your iTunes backup folder or move it to another location to prevent it from being overwritten).
Connect your iPhone to a Mac with the latest version of iTunes installed (click iTunes -> Check For Updates from the menu bar to make sure) and click on the device's icon in iTunes' interface.
Under backups, select This computer, choose Encrypt iPhone backup and then set a password. An encrypted backup retains all your account passwords as well as your Health and HomeKit data, whereas a non-encrypted backup doesn't.
Click Back Up Now and wait for the backup process to finish. It should take between 5 to 25 minutes to complete depending on how much data is stored on your device.
Archive the Backup
To archive the backup, select Preferences from the iTunes menu and click on the Devices tab. Right-click the new backup and choose the Archive option.
After the archival process is complete, a backup is labeled with the date and the time that it was archived.
Archived backups can be viewed at any time in iTunes' Preferences section. You can also delete an archived backup from here – simply select the backup in question and click the Delete Backup button.
Installing iOS 13
When iOS 13 becomes available (likely around 10 AM PST/1 PM EST on the official release day, based on past releases) it will be delivered to your device either via iTunes when you plug it into your computer, or as an over-the-air update. Make sure your device is fully charged before you start the process over Wi-Fi, as it may take some time to complete.
Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store with its iconic glass cube entrance in Manhattan reopens to the public Friday following multi-year renovations, and ahead of time, the media was invited to the store for a preview.
The underground store has been nearly doubled in size with a higher ceiling and more natural light coming in from 62 skylights added to the store's plaza at ground level. The plaza has also been lined with 28 honey locust trees, linear fountains, and benches for the public to gather around.
Visitors enter by walking down a new stainless steel spiral staircase, or by riding a circular elevator. The staircase is designed with 43 cantilevered stair treads that support a floating cylinder of glass, and the backlit ceiling above combines natural and artificial light to match the sunlight throughout the day.
The store is now equipped with a Forum for Today at Apple sessions, which begin Saturday with a special series that "captures the creative spirit of New York." The area dedicated to Geniuses has also doubled, which will "dramatically increase" the store's ability to serve customers and service products.
Steve Jobs personally welcomed the first customers to Apple Fifth Avenue when the store opened in 2006. Since then, Apple says the location has had over 57 million visitors, and more visitors on an annual basis than other New York City landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building.
Our customers are at the center of everything we do, and Apple Fifth Avenue is for them, to inspire them, and to provide the very best place to discover our newest products. It's unique among Apple stores, and today it returns even more welcoming, and even more beautiful than ever. We're so proud to be a part of this great city where so much happens every day.
Apple Fifth Avenue reopens Friday at 8 a.m. local time and remains the company's only retail store open 24 hours per day and 365 days per year. Apple says the store will be staffed with 900 employees who speak over 30 languages.
In a feature for WIRED, Om Malik sat down with Apple's marketing chief Phil Schiller and chipmaking engineer Anand Shimpi to discuss the A13 Bionic chip in the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Malik first provides an overview of the A13 chip's specs and performance improvements:
8.5 billion transistors, an approximately 23 percent increase over the A12 chip's 6.9 billion transistors
Six-core CPU: two 2.66GHz high-performance cores named Lightning and four efficiency cores named Thunder
Quad-core graphics processor, an Apple-designed image processor, and an octa-core neural engine for machine learning that is capable of one trillion operations per second
Up to 20 percent performance increase across all of the main components, including the CPU, GPU, and neural engine
Up to 30 percent more power efficient than the A12 chip
Schiller told Malik that one of the biggest examples of the performance increase this year is text-to-speech on iPhones.
"We've enhanced our iOS 13 text-to-speech capabilities such that there is much more natural language processing, and that's all done with machine learning and the neural engine," Schiller explained.
Shimpi noted that when designing its A-series chips, Apple focuses on both performance and efficiency. "We talk about performance a lot publicly. But the reality is, we view it as performance per watt. We look at it as energy efficiency, and if you build an efficient design, you also happen to build a performance design."
The article notes that Apple's chipmaking team will study how apps are being used on iOS devices to optimize future chip designs. "For applications that don't need the additional performance, you can run at the performance of last year's and just do it at a much lower power," Shimpi said.
Machine learning also plays a big role in the A13 chip, helping to manage battery life and optimize performance, according to Schiller. "There wasn't machine learning running ten years ago. Now, it's always running, doing stuff."
iPhone owners will now be able to use their Apple Card in T-Mobile stores and receive three percent Daily Cash as a reward. The news was announced today by T-Mobile, and is timed to coincide with the launch of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max tomorrow, September 20.
The carrier specifically said that shoppers will be able to use their Apple Card with Apple Pay and get three percent Daily Cash at any T-Mobile store. This makes T-Mobile the only current wireless provider to support three percent Daily Cash on the Apple Card.
“We’re all about giving customers the best value in wireless, and we’re doing it again by offering 3% Daily Cash on Apple Card,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. “More options. More value. And cash back, including on Apple’s newest products. It’s just the Un-carrier way.”
As of now, Apple Card supports three percent Daily Cash with Apple itself, Uber, Uber Eats, Walgreens, Duane Reade, and now T-Mobile. Apple announced in August, amid the Apple Card launch, that it would be expanding merchant support for three percent Daily Cash, and it has continued to do so over the past few weeks.
Apple Card offers three Daily Cash reward tiers: one percent for all purchases made with the physical Apple Card, two percent for Apple Card purchases via Apple Pay, and three percent for these select merchants. You can apply for Apple Card in the Wallet app on iPhone.
T-Mobile is also highlighting its current offer where you can trade up and get 50 percent off the iPhone 11 Pro. If you're interested in the iPhone 11, you can also get 50 percent off with a qualifying iPhone trade in. More information on these offers can be found on T-Mobile's website.
Netgear has opened pre-orders for the latest version of its Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi System, which features 6th-generation Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax technology that supports gigabit wireless speeds.
For those unfamiliar with Orbi, it is a multi-node mesh Wi-Fi system, some models of which Apple sells in its retail stores. The idea behind a mesh system is to provide multiple access points throughout the home, ensuring high-speed Wi-Fi coverage in all rooms.
And with Wi-Fi 6, aka 802.11ax, the Orbi WiFi 6 System AX6000 (RBK852) promises faster speeds than any other mesh router, as well as greater network capacity, improved power efficiency, lower latency, and connectivity improvements.
The Orbi AX6000 (RBK852) includes a Wi-Fi router and one satellite, and is designed to cover large homes up to 5,000 square feet. It packs 4x4 radios, 2.4Ghz/5Ghz fronthaul with support for up to 100 devices, and 5GHz backhaul (for connecting individual mesh routers and creating one large Wi-Fi network).
The system offers speeds and bandwidth capable of 4K/8K streaming and online gaming to multiple screens simultaneously without interruption. However, that capability comes at a significant price: The Orbi WiFi 6 System costs no less than $699. Pre-orders are open now on the Netgear website.
Travel photographer Austin Mann typically goes hands-on with new iPhone models to test their camera performance in real world situations, and to test Apple's new iPhone 11 Pro, Mann traveled to China to take pictures.
Mann tested out the new three lens-camera system with telephoto, wide-angle, and ultra wide-angle lenses, the updated Smart HDR, and the new Night mode that's designed for super low light.
The wide-angle lens is the best lens of the bunch with the best shutter range, aperture, autofocus system, and ISO, but Mann says the ultra wide camera still "works really great in normal lighting conditions." It's not the ideal lens for low light, though.
The Ultra Wide works really great in normal lighting conditions and overall I'm thrilled to have it, but you will feel a difference when you move indoors or shoot into the evening. The images are softer than the Wide, and without Night mode you'll be tempted (or forced) to switch back to Wide depending on how limited your light is.
Night mode, says Mann, is "crazy powerful" and easy to use because it activates automatically in situations where lighting is poor. Mann praised Apple's efforts to balance Night mode, preventing night time shots from looking like daytime shots while still preserving detail.
One thing I love about Apple's approach to Night mode is the strategic balance of solving a technical problem while also caring deeply about artistic expression. When you look at the image above, it's clear their team didn't take the let's-make-night-look-like-day approach, as some of their competitors have. Instead, it feels more like an embrace of what it actually is (night) while asking, "How do we capture the feel of this scene in a beautiful way?"
According to Mann, Night mode is the "most dramatic leap forward" we've seen in an iPhone since panorama mode was introduced on the iPhone 5 in 2012. "It's the first time in a long time I've looked at an image and said to myself 'wow, I can't believe I shot this with my iPhone,'" he wrote.
The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro have a new "Capture Outside the Frame" feature that allows more of the scene in front of you to be displayed when taking a photo. What hasn't been highlighted is that this mode also captures a photo.
So, for example, if you take a picture using the wide-angle lens of the iPhone, it also captures a photo with the ultra wide-angle lens, allowing users to decide later how to frame a photo.
Mann said that while he likes the feature, he didn't love the preview of what's outside the frame because it was sometimes distracting when composing an image. For the most part, though, he called it a "great feature" that invites new editing possibilities.
All in all, Mann said that serious photographers should consider getting an iPhone 11 Pro and that the extra cost over the iPhone 11 is worth it.
No matter what iPhone you are using now, if you are serious about shooting photos with your iPhone, this is a year to upgrade. Apple had some serious catching up to do and as a result, this year has brought a tremendous leap in camera capability. Night mode and the Ultra Wide lens will change how we tell stories and express ourselves as artists using our iPhones. Now is a really good time to jump in.
Mann's full iPhone 11 Pro, which has additional details on the technical capabilities of the new phone along with a selection of amazing images, can be read over on his website.
Disney CEO and former Apple board member Bob Iger has a new book coming out later this month, and ahead of its release, Vanity Fair has shared some key excerpts about Steve Jobs, who was Iger's close friend.
When Iger first took over as CEO of Disney, the relationship between the two companies was strained due to Jobs' disagreements with Michael Eisner and the end of a deal that had seen Disney releasing Pixar films.
Iger broke the ice with Jobs and rekindled a relationship by praising the iPod and discussing iTunes as a television platform.
I'd been thinking about the future of television, and believed it was only a matter of time before we would be accessing TV shows and movies on our computers. I didn't know how fast mobile technology was going to evolve (the iPhone was still two years away), so what I was imagining was an iTunes platform for television, "iTV," as I described it. Steve was silent for a while, and then finally said, "I'm going to come back to you on this. I'm working on something I want to show you."
Jobs went on to tell Iger about the video iPod, and asked Iger to put Disney TV shows on it, which Iger agreed to, leading to a solid friendship between the two and ultimately, a new Disney/Pixar deal.
According to Iger, in 2006 just ahead of when Disney was set to announce its acquisition of Pixar, Jobs told Iger that his cancer had returned and spread to his liver, giving Iger time to back out of the deal.
He told me the cancer was now in his liver and he talked about the odds of beating it. He was going to do whatever it took to be at his son Reed's high school graduation, he said. When he told me that was four years away, I felt devastated. It was impossible to be having these two conversations--about Steve facing his impending death and about the deal we were supposed to be closing in minutes--at the same time.
After the acquisition, Jobs underwent cancer treatment and served on Disney's board as Disney's largest shareholder. He weighed in on important Disney decisions like the acquisition of Marvel, and even vacationed with Iger on occasion. "Our connection was much more than a business relationship," wrote Iger.
Iger says that with each Disney success, there's always a moment where he wishes Jobs was there, and further, he believes that if Jobs were still alive, the two companies may have merged.
With every success the company has had since Steve's death, there's always a moment in the midst of my excitement when I think, I wish Steve could be here for this. It's impossible not to have the conversation with him in my head that I wish I could be having in real life. More than that, I believe that if Steve were still alive, we would have combined our companies, or at least discussed the possibility very seriously.
"The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company" is set to be released on September 23, 2019. It can be pre-ordered from Amazon for $19.60.
The full excerpt, which has a lot more on the history of the deal between Disney and Pixar, can be read over at Vanity Fair.
Apple's vice president of communications, Steve Dowling, is leaving the company after 16 years, reports Recode.
Dowling in 2014 took over from Katie Cotton, Apple's former PR lead who left the company. Since then, he's been running Apple's PR team.
Dowling first joined Apple in 2003, serving as Apple's head of corporate public relations under Katie Cotton until assuming the vice president position after Cotton's departure.
In a memo to staff, Dowling this week said that "it's time" and that he plans to take time off from working.
After 16 years at Apple, countless keynotes, product launches and the occasional PR crisis, I've decided that the time is right for me to step away from our remarkable company. This is something that has been on my mind for a while, and it came into sharp focus during the latest -- and for me, last -- launch cycle. Your plans are set and the team is executing brilliantly as ever. So, it's time.
Phil will be managing the team on an interim basis starting today, and I'll be available through the end of October to help with the transition. After that, I plan to take a good, long stretch of time off before trying something new. At home I have a supportive, patient spouse in Petra and two beautiful children blossoming into their teen years. I'm looking forward to creating more memories with the three of them while I have the chance.
My loyalty to Apple and its people knows no bounds. Working with Tim and this team, accomplishing all we have done together, has been the highlight of my career. I want to thank you for your hard work, your patience and your friendship. And I wish you every success.
I will always bleed six colors.
Dowling
In a statement on Dowling's departure, Apple said that it's grateful for all that Dowling has done for the company.
"Steve Dowling has been dedicated to Apple for more than 16 years and has contributed to the company at every level through many of its most significant moments. From the first iPhone and App Store to Apple Watch and AirPods, he has helped tell Apple's story and share our values with the world. Following another successful product launch, he has decided to leave Apple to spend some much deserved time with his family. He leaves behind a tremendous legacy that will serve the company well into the future. We're grateful to him for all that he's given to Apple and wish him the best."
Dowling will remain at Apple until the end of October. Marketing chief Phil Schiller will take over for Dowling in the interim while Apple looks to fill its lead PR role. Apple is said to be considering both internal and external candidates.
There was some mixed information about the RAM in the new 2019 iPhone models, which has led to confusion over the course of the last week.
Benchmarks of the new iPhones have continually listed 4GB of RAM in all iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max devices, but a rumor sourced from a certification database suggested there was 6GB RAM in the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max.
That led to speculation that perhaps some higher-end capacities might have had 6GB RAM, but it's now been made clear, both through regulatory filings in China and info discovered this morning by Steve Troughton-Smith in Xcode, that every iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max model has 4GB RAM.
Xcode also confirms that no model of iPhone 11 or 11 Pro/Max has 6GB of RAM. All models have 4GB of RAM
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) September 18, 2019
For the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, that's identical to the amount of RAM available in the prior-generation iPhone XS and XS Max, and for the iPhone 11, that's up 1GB from the 3GB RAM in the iPhone XR.
Also of note, Troughton-Smith has confirmed that the S5 processor in the Apple Watch Series 5 is identical to the S4 processor in the Apple Watch Series 4, with no performance improvements.
According to Xcode, Apple Watch Series 5 has the same generation CPU/GPU as the Apple Watch Series 4; I guess the only changes are a gyro and 32GB of NAND? The plus side of that is that we won't have to worry about watchOS being slower on the Series 4 than on a brand new model
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) September 18, 2019
That's not a surprise as Apple mentioned no changes to the chip during its September 10 event and there's no mention of speed or performance increases in the Apple Watch marketing materials, but it's useful to have confirmation.
Internally, the Apple Watch Series 5 is using an updated display that allows for always-on functionality, there's a new compass feature, and 32GB storage, but otherwise, the Apple Watch Series 5 appears to use the same internal components as the Series 4.
Troughton-Smith's Xcode digging has also uncovered new information about the updated 10.2-inch seventh-generation iPad. It is equipped with 3GB RAM, up from 2GB in the previous-generation version.
Apple's new iPhone and Apple Watch models are set to officially launch on Friday, September 20, and teardowns will soon unveil even more information about the new devices. The new seventh-generation iPad will be available on September 30.
Update: Troughton-Smith now says that he's hearing conflicting information about the RAM in the iPhones and is going to look into it further in the firmware.
I'm hearing conflicting things about this, so I'm gonna revise my wording until I can have a closer look at the firmwares this week: there is 4GB of system RAM, accessible by iOS and apps, in the new iPhones. To the user, it's 4GB of RAM
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) September 19, 2019
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced three years ago in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 92 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for JavaScript, WebGPU, SVG, Images, Web API, Service Workers, WebRTC, IndexedDB, Web Inspector, Accessibility, and Security.
The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS Mojave and MacOS Catalina, the newest version of the Mac operating system that was introduced at the June Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Shazam, the song discovery app owned by Apple, was today updated to add Dark Mode support ahead of tomorrow's iOS 13 launch.
Following the update, Shazam will be displayed in Dark Mode whenever Dark Mode on an iPhone is enabled.
Shazam in Light Mode on left, Dark Mode on right
Today's Shazam update also allows users to long press on any track in the app to add it to a favorite streaming app or share it with friends. Swiping two fingers on a list of tracks will also now select them to allow them to be added to a playlist.
We know you're ready for iOS 13 - so is Shazam! Now you can Shazam in style with Dark Mode.
Long press on any track across the app to quickly add it to your favourite streaming app or share it with your friends. Want to quickly select a list of tracks to add to a playlist? Just place two fingers anywhere in a list of tracks and swipe down to multiselect
Apple purchased Shazam last September, and after the acquisition, removed all ads from the app and made it free. Shazam can be downloaded from the iOS App Store, though the song identification feature of the app is built right into the iPhone when asking Siri to identify a song. [Direct Link]
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Apple today 
