There's no denying that the public launch of iOS 7.1 brings with it a number of positives for users. However, to go with those positives, it also seems like there could be a substantial negative attached to iOS 7.1, with many users reporting significant battery drain after updating to the latest firmware.
iOS 7.1 hit the scene a couple of days back, and since then, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users have slowly been digesting and familiarizing themselves with the various new features. As well as CarPlay, which was alluded to at the Geneva Motor Show late last week, there have also been notable improvements to features like Siri, and with some aesthetic tweaks to boot, we take a look at how the new Apple software stands up, from a visual aspect, against the preceding iOS 7.
A report we featured a short while ago, which alluded to cloud-focused, mobile versions of both TextEdit and Preview, indicated that Apple is planning on making some big changes to the way devices interact with iOS 8. Following on from those earlier tidbits, a newly-leaked screenshot on China's Sina Weibo appears to further substantiate the claims that the two apps are in development, showing off their icons along with a further Healthbook app and a Tips icon.
Apple is pushing closer to its aim of building of a unified, cloud-centric system that does away with the traditional OS X file system, according to sources of 9to5Mac. The fruit company's long-term goal with iCloud, which has become an integral part of its apps and services over the past few years, is to create a system whereby devices seamlessly integrate with one another, and with some new iCloud apps for iOS on the horizon, the iPhone maker is making good progress in its quest to achieve this.
A new pop-up has been added in iOS 7.1, notifying users that they can continue to download in-app purchases for a 15-minute grace period without having to re-enter their password. The necessity for better awareness of in-app purchasing policies has been brought to Apple's attention following several high-profile stories of excess in-app purchases being made without the bill-payer's expressed consent, but now, users should be under no illusions as to how the system works.
Apple is toying with the idea of handing its iTunes Radio streaming audio service its very own app, which the company hopes will help boost adoption rates. Launched alongside iOS 7, the number of users subscribing to iTunes Radio has been modest, but considering the leverage that Apple has in the form of the iTunes Music Store - which boasts one of the broadest libraries of digital songs and albums with over 26 million - the company reportedly has a more proactive strategy in the offing.
It seems to have been in development for longer than iOS 7.0 itself, but the 7.1 update to iOS is now here, and even though it's not got all the gusto of a big point-0 release, there's still a fair few changes gone into an offering that many will be pleased to see arrive.
Apple has just dropped iOS 7.1 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners, with features spanning from Siri improvements to the introduction of CarPlay. But precisely which features you'll be getting depends largely upon the region in which you reside, and if you're unsure as to what to expect after downloading and installing iOS 7.1, then Apple has created a useful check-list.
iOS 7.1, the first major update since the seventh edition of Apple's mobile firmware first landed in September, has already clocked up five betas, and although we haven't really heard anything indicative of the eventual release date, it is widely assumed the that the GM and subsequent end-user roll-out isn't too far off. Now, though, 9to5Mac has come through with something a bit more concrete, citing "reliable sources" in claiming that iOS 7.1 will drop next month.
With the current smartphone and tablet market seeing two big competitors duke it out for dominance in Apple and Google, it's probably fairly safe to say that one of the key differentiators for many people when choosing which to side with is the ecosystem that comes with them. Apps, music and video are all tightly tied to both iOS and Android, and they're largely incompatible with each other.
