Next major release is poised to get all-new functionality

Jan 26, 2015 09:44 GMT  ·  By

Traditionally, Apple has announced a new iOS version every year at WWDC (in the June-July timeframe) and has released that new software to the public in the fall period. If the company should stick to tradition, the same thing will happen this year.

iOS 9 is already in testing at Apple. We’ll be catching our first glimpse of the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference this summer, if history is any indication. When the final bits are ready, Apple will be pushing it out via OTA (Over The Air) update or iTunes. Like with the iPhone, Apple releases all-new features once every two years.

These novelties are suspiciously non-aligned, meaning one year iOS gets the spotlight, while the next year iPhone steals the show. It’s a strategy that seems to be doing very well for Apple. If the theory holds water, we should be expecting some all-new functionality from iOS 9 this year. Some of the things we’ve seen on most users’ wish lists are detailed below.

Battery saving mode

Battery life is one of the biggest grievances among smartphone owners, if not the biggest of all. The Li-ion cells that ship with our phones, tablets and laptops can only do so much apparently. Computer vendors prefer to work on power-management than to bulk up a device with a bigger battery.

On iOS, users have to manually adjust dozens of settings to get the most out of their devices’ battery life. Some users do a lot of social networking, but don’t mind having the luminosity dimmed. Others require fast cellular data but don’t need location services necessarily. The list of possible permutations is endless, which makes it necessary for iOS to have some presets in this area, or at least one Master Power Saver switch that deals a blow to all of the phone’s power-consuming features automatically.

Split screen multitasking

It’s safe to say that iOS does a poor job at leveraging the screen real estate of big iDevices. Even the iPhone 6 Plus could sport a more complex iOS, which means that for the iPad it’s imperative.

One of the things Apple has been rumored to be working on is split-screen multitasking. This would allow users to employ two (or more) apps simultaneously, and even transfer data between them without having to bring one forth and leave the other one running in the background. Microsoft has already mastered this on its Surface tablets. An example of what it should look like is available in this concept image here.

Split-screen multitasking (concept)
Split-screen multitasking (concept)

Default apps

As it stands, iOS doesn’t let you set Chrome (for instance) as your default web browser. The same goes for Twitter clients, email, and other stuff.

It would be a really nice gesture on behalf of Apple to allow third-party solutions to run as default on iOS, just like on Android or desktop computers. It would clearly impact Safari’s market share, but the move would also return plenty of other benefits to Apple, and would help promote a better image for the company.

A full-fledged Safari browser

Speaking of browsers and people’s web surfing needs, would it kill Apple to let us set a home page? Or how about a downloads manager coupled with iCloud drive? A home button for the speed dials would also be a useful addition.

All in all, there are probably dozens of things users crave in mobile Safari that Apple simply refuses to implement. I’ll let your imagination run loose in the comments. I do expect at least one or two things to be added to the browser in iOS 9. Hopefully, the iCloud thing is on Apple’s list of priorities.

Mobile Safari concept
Mobile Safari concept

iCloud Drive app

How Apple overlooked this one is beyond me. iCloud Drive is already late to the party. The least Apple could have done – when it launched the service alongside Yosemite and iOS 8 – was to roll it out across all of its platforms. Users tend to gravitate towards Dropbox-like functionality (a standard folder view), and they want that both on the desktop and on their iOS devices. How did Apple not see this on iOS?

Personally, I refuse to employ iCloud Drive for this particular reason: I simply can’t bring it up from my home screen on iOS. I’m not alone in this. Apple, we beg you to do us right!

Password lock for apps

You might not think much of this suggestion, but I’ve heard it time and time again while browsing forums and comments. Instead of having to rummage through parental settings, many customers would rather have an option to individually lock down apps with passwords or pin numbers.

Instead of having an app completely removed from the home screen, why not set a passcode on it that allows only one or two users to launch it? Either based on a 4-digit code, or why not even a second fingerprint?

Integrated password manager

Solutions like 1 Password have done great on the Mac and iOS for the past few years. Despite offering iCloud Keychain and other things that rival third-party password managers, Apple still doesn’t offer a complete solution.

I’m not eager to see these third-party apps crumble, but I also think Apple – with its massive user base of online spenders – should consider offering its own app for this type of thing, or at least a standalone preference pane.

A vault for your credentials
A vault for your credentials

A more reliable Siri

While most of Siri resides on servers in the desert, a great deal of functionality is also found on the phone itself. With the release of iOS 9, Apple should definitely give Siri a well-deserved boost in reliability, as well as in language support.

New job openings indicate that this is indeed happening sooner rather than later.

A more comprehensive Shift key

Yes, despite offering support for third-party keyboards, Apple still doesn’t have an excuse for leaving users hanging. The official iOS keyboard continues to offer a confusing Shift key that many users still don’t know when it’s on or off, almost a year after the change has been implemented.

A simulator on Apple.com

Remember Apple Watch OS interactive demo? Apple should do something similar for every new OS version it plans to roll out, mobile or desktop bound.

The reason is simple: to avoid a backlash from those users who weren’t aware what they were upgrading to. At least the basic stuff: like the things that have been redesigned or retooled, some of the most important new apps and services, etc.

iOS 9 wishlist (4 Images)

iOS Control Center
Split-screen multitasking (concept)Mobile Safari concept
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