The next version of Apple’s operating system for iPhones and iPods is coming later this year, and it brings a bunch of improvements to key apps, some new privacy-focused features, and support for a Dark Mode.
Developers can download a preview of iOS 13 starting today, and a public beta will be available later this month.
Here are just a few of the new features:
- Dark Mode – a system-wide dark color scheme that can be toggled at night or enabled all the time
- Photos – intelligently organized photos and videos sorted by day, month, or year
- Portrait Lighting – can now be adjusted in the app to “virtually move the light closer” or push it farther away
- Sign In with Apple – a new alternative to social logins from Google and Facebook which does not track your data
- Maps – updated with more detail and high-resolution 3D imagery with smoother-than-Google Street View movement through 3D maps
- Memoji – new tools for creating customized emoji, which automatically become sticker packs you can use in Messages
- Voice Control – lets you operate an iPhone (or iPad or Mac) using just your voice
- Swiping – Apple officially calls it “QuickPath Typing,” but this is Swype or SwiftKey-style text input that lets you drag your finger across a keyboard without lifting it for quicker input.
- Smaller files – with tile sizes up to 50 percent smaller and app updates up to 60 percent smaller, apps take up less space and load faster.
Most of these features are also coming to iPadOS, the newly distinct version of the operating system designed for Apple’s tablets.
You can find a longer list of upcoming features in Apple’s official iOS 13 announcement.
