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Apple Releases iOS 9.1 With New Emoji, Live Photos Improvements

Wednesday October 21, 2015 9:52 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 9.1 to the public, marking the first major update to the iOS 9 operating system that launched in September. In testing since before iOS 9 was even released, iOS 9.1 was beta tested for more than a month before its launch, with developers and public beta testers receiving five betas in total.

Today's iOS 9.1 update is available as an over-the-air update to all iOS 9 users. It is the third update to iOS 9 so far, with Apple having previously released iOS 9.0.1 and iOS 9.0.2. Apple has also released Xcode 7.1 and the tvOS golden master (GM), which represents the final version of the software that will be available when the new Apple TV launches next week.

iOS 9.1 has a limited number of outward facing changes. It includes support for Unicode 7 and 8, introducing a range of new emoji like taco, burrito, cheese wedge, middle finger, champagne bottle, unicorn head, and more.

ios9newemoji
A selection of the new emoji in iOS 9.1, via Emojipedia

iOS 9.1 includes an update for Live Photos, which now sense when the iPhone is raised or lowered to refrain from recording unnecessary movements. The update also introduces a new Messages option in the Settings app that is designed to allow users to disable photos for contacts, and it brings Apple News to the UK and Australia for the first time.

messagesshowcontactphotos
This release includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:

- Live Photos now intelligently senses when you raise or lower your iPhone, so that Live Photos will automatically not record these movements
- Over 150 new emoji characters with full support for Unicode 7.0 and 8.0 emojis
Aside from these changes, iOS 9.1 includes new features and compatibility updates for upcoming Apple products like the fourth-generation Apple TV and the iPad Pro The new Apple TV requires iOS 9.1 to be set up using an iOS device.

iOS 9.1 also includes bug fixes for a number of issues that iOS users have been experiencing, and as with most iOS updates, it enhances performance and introduces important security fixes.

Update: iOS 9.1 includes security updates that break the recent iOS 9 Pangu jailbreak.

Tag: iOS 9.1
[ 408 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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teknikal90
35 months ago

Time to update my 4S from iOS 6 to this!

DONT DO IT!!!!!!
Rating: 18 Votes
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Thunderhawks
35 months ago

The future is back!

I wish they'd do more productive stuff than more EMOJI.
Rating: 13 Votes
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C DM
35 months ago

You make billions of dollars, and you make an update for emoji..

You are so creative Apple!

Yup, clearly that's all that was in the update.
Rating: 10 Votes
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Benjamin Frost
35 months ago
The future is back!
Rating: 9 Votes
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ptb42
35 months ago
C'mon, MacRumors.

Why didn't you include the "middle finger extended" emoji in your sample?
Rating: 8 Votes
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Stupotpot
35 months ago

Wow! New emoji. The world is saved. I can sleep well tonight.

Who gives a crap?

Thanks for the constructive input :rolleyes:
Rating: 8 Votes
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nepalisherpa
35 months ago
Haha, I knew it. Let the update day begin!
Rating: 8 Votes
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decafjava
35 months ago

You make billions of dollars, and you make an update for emoji..

You are so creative Apple!


The only thing they fixed was Jailbreak...LOL. Is that what you call "performance improvement?" 9.1 is a joke, Apple.
What is up with 150 emoji...is that update-click bait?


FFS people, look at the FULL change log and the bug fixes. There are LOADS of improvements, just for one my TouchID is far more responsive now. Honestly I wish a) we could downvote posts and b) I could write what I though t but don't want to get banned.
Rating: 7 Votes
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ryanmcv
35 months ago

Poor update notes for a .X release. I would have thought there would be more listed!

Here's the full changelog:

Rating: 7 Votes
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joeblow7777
35 months ago

Awesome. And this version comes with the new 'hover board' feature I'm led to believe? Your iOS device can now hover a few inches above a surface so it doesn't get scratched. (BTTF-Day!!)


I just tried to ride my iPad like a hoverboard... You owe me a new iPad!! :mad:
Rating: 6 Votes

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