The opening keynote of WWDC 2021 has just ended and Apple has released the first beta of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to developers. The first beta of the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 is strictly meant for developers as it has a number of bugs and issues due to which it is not stable enough for daily use.
Since Apple has not started the iOS 15 public beta program yet, the first iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 beta are only available for registered Apple developers. iOS 15 is a relatively major new update that focuses heavily on privacy and security. This year, Apple has focused more on iPadOS 15 as it is a much bigger update in terms of features than iOS 15. Below is a look at some of the key features of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.
iOS 15 is compatible with iPhone 6s and newer iPhones. Apple has not dropped support for any of the older iPhones with this release.
iOS 15 Features
FaceTime Improvements
FaceTime is getting a major upgrade with iOS 15. With video calls surging in popularity over the last year due to COVID-19, Apple is making some important changes to make FaceTime calls more natural. FaceTime calls will now support spatial audio to make it sound like they are sitting in the room with you. Voice isolation uses machine learning to block all ambient noise and focus on just your voice.
FaceTime is getting grid view support to make group video calls easier, making it easier to view multiple callers at once. To make the video calling experience better, FaceTime is getting a portrait mode as well, which will blur the background. You can also schedule FaceTime calls using FaceTime links, which you can share with your friends or family ahead of time. Apple is also allowing Android and Windows users to join FaceTime calls using the web browser.
iOS 15 also brings SharePlay to FaceTime. This allows you to listen to the same music or video while on a FaceTime call. Apple is also introducing a SharePlay API so that other apps and streaming services can also hook into it.
Sharing Becomes Easier in Messages
The updated Messages app in iOS 15 now has a new design for group photos. Any links shared with you in the Messages app will also show up in the Shared With You section of Apple News. This allows you to read any content at a later date easily.
You can also pick up on the conversation right from within the Apple News app. Similar functionality will also be making its way to Apple Music, Safari, Podcast, Apple TV, Photos, and more.
Redesigned Notifications and Focus
Apple is redesigning notifications in iOS 15, with contact photos and icons now visible in the notifications. It is also adding a Notification Summary that gives you a summary of all your unread notifications. Impressively, if you have Do Not Disturb enabled, the other party sending you a message will inform you about this.
iOS 15 also debuts Focus profiles so that you can set different profiles for app notifications and home screen layout. For example, you can select the work apps from whom you want the notification alerts when at work. You can also set different home screen layouts for each profile. Any Focus profile you set will also be synced to your other devices.
iPadOS 15 Features
As of now, only registered developers can install the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 beta on their compatible iPhones and iPads.
Widgets on Home Screen
The redesigned home screen experience on iPadOS 15 is similar to what Apple introduced in iOS 14 for the iPhone last year. To make better use of the large display, Apple is introducing a new 4×4 widget size.
App Library is also coming to the iPad with iPadOS 15. The App Library feature is built into the dock itself, and you can hide home screen pages as well.
Improved Multitasking
Apple is improving the multitasking experience in iPadOS 15. You can now easily run apps in Split View mode using the new multitasking bar. You can also minimize an app window to the Shelf.
You can now run apps Split View right from the multitasking view by dragging one app on top of another.
QuickNote
The Notes app is getting mentions and activity view support in iPadOS 15. You can also add tags in Notes to make it easier to find.
Apple is also debuting QuickNote in iPadOS 15. You can swipe from the corner of the display using your Apple Pencil to open a new QuickNote. This shortcut will work from anywhere in the OS, so you can easily create quick notes when browsing a page in Safari or reading an email. You can also swipe between Quick Notes.
You can find the steps to install iOS 15 on your iPhone with a developer account here. You can also install iOS 15 on your iPhone using the beta profile method if you don’t have a developer account.
