As well as bringing forth some exciting new changes and features, including the likes of CarPlay and the enhancement of Siri in some markets, iOS 7.1 has also ironed out and refined a few gripes and snags of iOS 7.0.x. Having made some big changes with the seventh version of its mobile OS released back in September, there were always going to be a few issues to work on in the first major update, and with iOS 7 offering many of the UI elements a translucent finish, iOS 7.1 also allows you to reduce the transparency, or depth, of the interface to better suit your tastes.
Shortly after the release of iOS 7 back in September, it became apparent that some users were experiencing motion sickness and nausea, attributable to the various new animations Apple had applied with its largely-altered software. Supposed to give the revamped iOS 7 a touch of finesse, it proved, quite literally, to be a headache for some, but with the update to iOS 7.1 earlier on this week, the issues related to parallax and zooming animations appear to have been addressed.
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 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 finally brought folder functionality to iOS way back in 2010 with iOS 4, but up until September's iOS 7 update, the feature was extremely limited. As well as making some dramatic aesthetic alterations with the latest firmware, several features, including folders, were greatly expanded. The limitation of around a dozen icons - arbitrary in the eyes of many - was lifted, and pages were introduced, meaning we didn't have to make several folders for one category. As well as all that, iOS 7 also accidentally made it possible for nested folders to exist, but now, thanks to iOS 7.1, the jig is up.
Apple finally released iOS 7.1 yesterday, bringing some big improvements to Siri and iTunes Radio while also introducing CarPlay - the company's in-car flavor of iOS. But for some iOS 7 users, such as those on the antiquated iPhone 4, the update brought forth some significant speed improvements, reinstating some of the snappiness lost following the iOS 7.0 release back in September.
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.
In between the major upgrades to its iOS device roster, Apple often quietly pushes refreshed hardware, tweaking a certain fault or improving overall efficiency or performance. Today's iOS 7.1 update appears to indicate that the iPad range has been subject to one or two subtle alterations, with the list of devices compatible with the new firmware revealing two new unidentified iPad device numbers. iOS 7.1 for iPads 4,3 and 4,6 - neither of which have been announced by Apple - suggest that the Cupertino has been doing a little hardware-based housekeeping, but since no announcement was made, any changes are probably rudimentary, with no immediately apparent differences.
iOS 7.1 is on its way, with the current consensus suggesting that the first major update to Apple's latest and greatest will be ready for prime time on 15th of March for public consumption. With regards to the features therein, we know that iOS in the Car will be the major addition, alongside some minor aesthetic tweaks and general performance enhancements, but while we've been told that there'll be little else of note, the rumor mill has thrown up an interesting new theory. Apparently, Apple is to make significant alterations to the Mobile Device Management mass deployment system, with a supplementary "Volume Services" Web client also set to launch alongside iOS 7.1.
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.
