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Apple Previews iOS 5 with Notification Center, OTA Updates, Wi-Fi iTunes Syncing and More

Monday June 6, 2011 12:40 pm PDT by Marianne Schultz

Apple today announced iOS 5, the much-anticipated major update to Apple's operating system for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad today at the WWDC keynote event. The new major features include a completely revamped notifications system, over-the-air software updates and activation for new devices, and iTunes library syncing over Wi-Fi.
"iOS 5 has some great new features, such as Notification Center, iMessage and Newsstand and we can't wait to see what our developers do with its 1,500 new APIs," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "Perhaps iOS 5's paramount feature is that it's built to seamlessly work with iCloud in the Post PC revolution that Apple is leading."
Of the many new features discussed:

• Notifications will see a major overhaul as rumored most recently by TechCrunch. The new Notification Center in iOS 5 will aggregate all notifications, accessed by swiping down from the status bar at the top of the screen. New notifications will appear at the top of the screen and will be less obtrusive overall. Notifications will also be displayed on the lock screen along with weather and stock alerts. Tapping on a notification will automatically open the related app.

• iOS 5 will be "PC free" allowing new device activation and iOS updates over the air. Also, iTunes library syncing will be possible wirelessly via Wi-Fi. While an iOS device is being charged, it will automatically find the associated iTunes library and sync automatically.

• AirPlay Mirroring will also be possible to wirelessly mirror an iPad's display to a television connected to an AppleTV.

• Also as rumored, Twitter will be integrated into iOS and several apps including Camera, Photos, Maps, and Safari. Contacts can also be updated automatically with Twitter handles.

• As reported by This is my next... earlier today, Apple introduced a new unified messaging service between iOS users called iMessage. iMessage will allow iOS users to send text and multimedia messages over Wi-Fi and 3G with read and delivery receipts and real-time typing indication. Messages will be pushed to all iOS devices a user owns.

• Game Center will be enhanced with profile avatars, friend recommendations, and the ability to purchase new games within Game Center.

• Mobile Safari will also get several new features including tabbed browsing and a Safari Reader feature where users can save articles for later reading in the Reading List, which will be synced across multiple iOS devices for easy access.

• A new Reminders app will offer task tracking in iOS 5 with geolocation capabilities to trigger reminders based on user location.

• Camera will get a shortcut from the lock screen for quicker access. New features include optional grid lines for better framing and on-device editing like cropping and rotating plus red-eye reduction. The volume up button can also be set to trigger the shutter.

• Mail will also see some signification changes including rich text formatting, message flagging, draggable addresses.

• Other new system-wide features include a dictionary that can be accessed by any app and keyboard enhancements to modify the on-screen keyboard.

• A new app called News Stand is also coming to the App Store with iOS 5. It will be a counterpart to iBooks featuring newspapers and magazines and will download new issues automatically in the background.

iOS 5 will be available in the fall and will support the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, 3rd- and 4th-generation iPod touch, and iPad and iPad 2. Developers will be able to access a seed today.

Apple has posted a video describing iOS 5 here.

Related Roundups: iPod touch, iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPod Touch (Buy Now), iPad (Caution)
[ 285 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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Avatar
rorschach
105 months ago
Wireless syncing and the notifications overhaul were long overdue. I think those are the features I'm looking forward to the most.
Rating: 12 Votes
Avatar
caliguy
105 months ago
If Maps truly isn't changing at all (the only thing I noticed was "alternate routes"), that's pretty pathetic. It's been virtually the same for 5 years!!
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
Alex Hobbs
105 months ago

Image (http://david.ashman.com/lockinfo/LockInfo1.png)

iOS5 Notification is just a copy of David Ashman LockInfo.

:eek:


Come on.. where else did you expect them to put it on the lock screen?
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
bushido
105 months ago
and apple dares to sue samsung???
lets see ...

iMessage


Notification Center


Lockscreen



Volume Up To Take Picture
... now we know why the app got banned from the appstore ;)

there's more i cant think of right now

=

Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
cav23j
105 months ago

No improvements to the mundane Youtube app on iphone/ipad, and none on the email app, not good.


there is improvements to the email app

check apple's website
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
alhedges
105 months ago
I hope we can get rid of the stock ticker on the lock screen. I don't need to check my portfolio every time I look at my phone.
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
unlinked
105 months ago

Apart from stealing Android notifications did they do widgets?


They had to leave something to invent in iOS 6.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
Mystikal
105 months ago

So now you can sync your iPhone wirelessly to your Mac! Only if you plug it into power. How the f is that wireless? It's the SAME THING as before!

My iPod Touch's battery lasts weeks, I don't want to have to charge it each time I want to sync! Can't it just sync when I add new stuff to my library?

Why does it have to be plugged in to power to sync? What's the point? Most people use USB to charge anyway, so it makes NO difference!


It makes a difference if you only have a desktop and dont sleep next to it at night.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
NT1440
105 months ago

Steve Jobs said 2011 is the year of copycats. He meant what he said; he just didn't say who is copying who.


I can guarantee you that the two work in entirely different ways code-wise.


I also find it funny that some people can only seem to harp on the smaller news simply because it enables the "Lulz, copycats" type of posting.

For the record I think the whole "X copied Y" posting trend on this site is downright retarded. You know when someone actually copies? When the law gets involved. Otherwise, the same features accomplished by different methods in code IS NOT COPYING.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
JAT
105 months ago

I can't believe they still don't allow motion backgrounds or themes.

I love my iPhone but i really hope Apple throws some cool carrots to us. Every iPhone looks exactly the same. We are all individuals. Please let us change something more than just the background!


Your iPhone has pics of my kids on it?
Rating: 4 Votes

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