There are plenty of new features in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. However, not all the features are new, with Apple clearly taking inspiration and cues from some popular jailbreak tweaks for some of the new iOS 15 features. Below is a look at such popular jailbreak tweaks whose functionality Apple has replicated in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.
The IOS jailbreaking scene is not as popular as before. However, the community still comes up with some innovative new tweaks from time to time that make jailbreaking your iPhone or iPad worth it. But then, Apple releases a new iOS update that ends up bringing the same functionality to your iPhone or iPad.
Here is the list of iOS 15 features Apple copied from jailbreak apps and tweaks:
1. Redesigned Notifications
The redesigned notification experience is one of the key new features of iOS 15. However, the jailbreak community was way ahead of Apple in giving the notification experience a revamp on jailbroken iPhones. There are jailbreak tweaks like Velvet and Quart that vastly improved the notifications on jailbroken iPhones.
Obviously, there are design differences between the jailbreak tweaks and Apple’s implementation, but that’s understandable. The core aspect of the tweaks and the redesigned notifications in iOS 15 remains the same, though: offer a better user experience. The Enchant jailbreak tweak also redesigns the notifications on jailbroken iPhone, which looks very similar to Apple’s implementation.
2. Widgets on the iPad’s Home Screen
With iPadOS 15, Apple will allow you to place a widget anywhere on your iPad’s home screen. The ability to place widgets anywhere on the home screen was first added to the iPhone with iOS 14 last year. This year, Apple is bringing the same functionality to the iPad, where the feature would be more useful.
However, the Anywhere Widgets for iPad jailbreak tweak has been offering the same functionality to iPadOS users for a few months now.
3. Focus Mode
Focus Mode is another major highlight of iOS 15. You can set different Focus profiles depending on your location to mute notifications and change other system settings. Incidentally, the PureFocus tweak that was first released in 2019 offers similar functionality as the Focus mode in iOS 15. Apple’s implementation is not an exact copy of the jailbreak tweak since the PureFocus jailbreak tweak lets you disable notifications and other distracting apps for a specified time period
4. App Library
App Library is also making its way to the iPad with iPadOS 15. The feature first debuted on the iPhone with iOS 14 last year. App Libary will help reduce clutter on your iPhone or iPad’s home screen and act as an app drawer for all your installed apps. Jailbroken iPad users, however, can already enjoy App Library functionality on their iPad using the App Library Enabler tweak.
5. Low Power Mode on iPad
iPhone has had a Low Power mode for years. With iPadOS 15, Apple is bringing the same Low Power Mode to iPads. Given the excellent battery life of iPads, you are unlikely to use the Low Power Mode much. Nonetheless, it is a useful option to have if you ever find yourself in a situation where your iPad is running low on power, and you are not near a power outlet.
If you were heavily into jailbreaking your iPad, though, you’d know that the LPMPad jailbreak already brought Low Power Mode to the iPad way before Apple did.
6. Pull-to-Refresh in Safari
Apple has added a new pull-to-refresh gesture in Safari on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. However, a jailbreak tweak, Pull to Refresh, introduced the same gesture on jailbroken iPhones over a decade ago in 2010. The same gesture is also available on Chrome for Android.
7. Date Picker
Apple has again switched back to an iOS 13-style date and time picker in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 after switching to a different picker design in iOS 14. The Date Picker – Wheels jailbreak tweak restored the iOS 13 time and date picker.
8. New Grid Page Design in Safari
Apple is introducing a new grid layout for Safari in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. The grid layout will make it easier to view all your open tabs in Safari at a glance. However, the GridTab jailbreak tweak has been offering the same functionality for a decade now. This shows how ahead some of the jailbreak tweaks were from the time.
You can read about all the other new Safari changes in iOS 15 here.
9. Magnifying Glass for Text Editing
Apple killed the magnifying glass for text fields in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. The glass helped in text selection and placing the cursor exactly where one wants. With iOS 15, the company is again bringing back the magnifying glass, probably after realizing its mistake. However, the jailbreak community was ahead of its time, with the Loupe jailbreak tweak restoring the magnifying glass on iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 and iPadOS 14.
10. Quick Note
Quick Note is a new feature in iPadOS 15 that allows iPad owners to start taking a quick note from anywhere in the OS by simply swiping up from one of the corners of the display. Jailbreak tweaks like Libellum and Notepad have been offering similar functionality on jailbroken iPads for over a year now.
What are some other popular jailbreak tweaks that Apple has copied in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15? And what are some other jailbreak tweaks that you hope Apple ends up copying in the next major release of iOS? Drop a comment and let us know!
This post was last updated on July 19, 2021.
