Later this month, Apple will be announcing iOS 14 at its online-only WWDC 2020 event. iOS 14 is expected to bring some usability changes and focus more on bug fixes and stability improvements rather than cramming a lot more features as the Cupertino company did with iOS 13. As it happens every year though, leaks have detailed a number of iOS 14 features. So, before Apple gets around to unveiling iOS 14, let’s have a look at some confirmed iOS 14 features as per leaks.
Update
Apple unveiled the must-awaited iOS 14 for iPhone during its online-only WWDC 2020 keynote. So you can now check out the complete list of iOS 14 features.
With iOS 14, Apple is going to heavily focus on AR and fitness. It is going to enhance a number of system apps and introduce some new ones as well with some new features on board. It will be interesting to see how Apple uses AR to offer innovative features in iOS 14.
Read: iOS 14 Features Wishlist: 10 Features We Want in the Next Version of iOS
Confirmed iOS 14 Based on Leaks
Change Default Apps
For the longest time, iPhone users have been asking Apple for a way to change the default system apps to third-party alternatives. Apple might just give users this feature in iOS 14 thanks to the ongoing pressure from various regulators. The company has been taking unfair advantage of its position to push its own apps and services compared to third-party services. By allowing users to change the default apps, the company could level the playing field for all. As per a report from Bloomberg in February, Apple could allow users to change the default mail and browser app in iOS 14. It is also considering allowing users to change the default music player for Siri to Spotify or Pandora.
The ability to change the default apps in iOS 14 is easily going to be a major usability improvement, that is if Apple gets around to implementing it.
Stable and Fewer Bugs
iOS 13 was a buggy and messy release from Apple. The company had to release multiple updates within weeks of the initial iOS 13 release to fix a number of bugs with the OS. It took Apple over 10+ releases of iOS 13 to fix some major bugs and ensure that the OS does not have any stability issues. Even now though, iOS 13 has quite a few bugs lingering around.
With iOS 14, Apple has reportedly changed its internal development approach. The move should help Apple ensure that it does not end up shipping iOS 14 with broken and buggy features like it did with iOS 13. However, this change in approach was before COVID-19 outbreak forced Apple employees to work from home. While coronavirus is likely to have slowed down iOS 14 development inside Apple, let’s still hope that the company is able to deliver a stable and bug-free OS this time.
New Fitness App
Apple tends to focus a lot on health and wellbeing. With iOS 14, the company is reportedly going to debut a new Fitness app for iPhone and Apple Watch that will offer users guided workouts. Apple already has a Health app that acts as a central repository for important vitals, but this will be different since it will offer guided workouts similar to what Fitbit Coach does. The original report claimed that the app would be available as a free download and while it does not have any IAPs, that could change before its release.
More Sources for Wallpaper
Apple is rumored to offer improved categorization of wallpapers in iOS 14. Additionally, it will also allow third-party wallpaper apps to integrate and offer their wallpaper collections right in the Wallpaper settings of the OS. This means one would have access to a wide variety of wallpapers and can switch between them easily without having to hunt for them manually. There will also be a Collections feature where users would be able to populate and collate their favorite wallpapers.
There are also rumors of Apple allowing users to change the wallpaper in CarPlay in iOS 14.
Home Screen Widgets
Code found in a leaked internal build of iOS 14 points to Apple working on adding widgets support on the Home screen which has been internally codenamed “Avacado.” Just like icons, one would be able to move the widgets freely on the home screen and they could exist alongside app icons. There’s a possibility though that Apple does not end up including widgets on the home screen in iOS 14 and push its release back by another year.
List View for App Icons
Right since the inception of iOS, Apple has only offered app icons as the only way to see all the installed apps. With iOS 14, this will change as there will be a list view for installed apps. Users will have the option of sorting the apps in the list in different ways including only viewing apps from which they have unread notifications, recently used apps, and more. The list will also use Siri smart suggestions to automatically suggest apps that one would want to use depending on their location and time of the day. For example, when you are in the gym, the list view will automatically surface Apple Music or Spotify as a recommendation.
Use Apps Without Downloading Them
Google has long offered an ‘Instant Apps’ option on the Play Store that will allow users to try out certain apps on their devices without having to download it. Apple is working on a similar feature for iOS 14 dubbed Clips. As per the original leak, users would be able to test a selected section of the app by scanning a QR code.
Enhanced Find My App
Apple debuted the new Find My app in iOS 13 and with iOS 14, it plans to further improve it. The app will automatically alert users when someone does not arrive at a specific location at a scheduled time. The opposite feature is already present in the existing version of the Find My app.
New Podcast App
Podcasts are getting popular and Apple plans on jumping in on the hype with a new Podcast app in iOS 14 that will feature a dedicated ‘For You’ section. This new section will help users with content discovery. It is also rumored to have user profiles thereby allowing you to follow the podcasts your friends and family are listening to.
The above is just a list of some of the features that have nearly been confirmed to be a part of iOS 14 thanks to leaks. There are plenty of other changes that Apple is planning to include in the next version of iOS including a built-in translate feature for Safari, full-fledged Apple Pencil support in websites, Apple-branded QR codes, some cool new AR features, and more.
As for compatibility, iOS 14 is rumored to support the same set of devices as iOS 13. This means right from the original iPhone SE and iPhone 6s to the iPhone 11/Pro and 2020 iPhone SE are going to be supported by it.
