iOS 11: What's New, Release Date, Supported Devices

With new Files, Dock, and endless little improvements, the next version of Apple's mobile system will be a step forward.

Apple's upcoming operating system iOS 11 is now available for public beta testing and will be in final form in fall 2017 of the year.

It will bring many changes and improvements for smartphone iPhone and iPad tablet users. Among other things, there will be innovations useful for working in enterprises, especially on the iPad, as well as improvements for all users.

The 50 most important innovations will be described below.

Contents

1 Augmented Reality
2 Machine intelligence
3 Teaching Siri new tricks
4 iPad Pro replaces computers
5 Files: iOS gets the file system
6 Simplified enterprise deployment
7 Faster and smarter Safari browser
8 Corporate chatbots
9 iOS and control center
10 Improved maps
11 Improved Collaboration
12 Pictures
13 Document Scanning and Notes
14 More innovations
15 Supported devices

Augmented reality

Apple recently introduced the ARKit framework, which allowed t developers to create content augmented reality with access using compatible devices on the iOS platform. They should work on Apple A9 and A10 processors. This group includes iPhones and iPads released after September 2015. The software currently only recognizes horizontal images, but this will change in the future and the company is exploring new possibilities, from online shopping to gaming and communications. Apple's AR partners include Valve, Unity, and Epic Games.

Significantly, hundreds of millions of devices will receive augmented reality support after the release of iOS 11, so there will be huge potential for app developers to distribute them.

Machine Intelligence

iOS 11 has many smart features, all in private and secure Apple skins, where the user's identity is protected by various technologies. Similar focus on confidentiality means that Apple prefers to solutions that work on the device itself, and not divides data with cloud servers. The company introduced Core ML, general-purpose machine training framework, which developers can use to integrate machine learning into their applications. Some methods are described below, with which Apple applies artificial intelligence and machine learning in iOS 11:

When typing, the keyboard prompts the words you recently searched, like restaurants or names Places viewed in the Safari browser or in the message application.
Folder People in the photo application will become more accurate, information about your friends will be synchronized on all your devices with Apple identifier.
Photos will be able to recognize even more events such as anniversary, etc.
Based on activities in other iOS 11 applications, it will be able to provide personal recommendations in Safari, maps, messages and news.

Training Siri New Tricks

Voice Assistant SIRI is an iOS machine intelligence showcase. It is the machine intelligence that allows an assistant to issue recommendations based on user actions. iOS 11 receives several improvements in Siri.

Translations: Siri can translate conversations between English, Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
Improvements Siri Kit: Developers can use frameworks to integrate Siri support in applications for setting travel schedule, pay payments, messages, searching for images, VoIP calls, sports, car management and a list of cases.
Text Set in Siri: Instead of voice commands, you can dial on the keyboard. To do this, activate the function at settings > General > Accessibility > Siri > Using Text in Siri.

iPad Pro replaces computers

Apple calls ordinary computers trucks and argues that the iPad Pro tablet is enough to meet all Needs. In some cases, the tablets are sufficient, but not in all. Developers presented some improvements in iOS 11 only for iPad to make the device more productive. This will mostly use it instead of a computer.

Dock: The new customizable dock contains up to 15 applications (or folders with applications). Three additional slots on the right show the latest launched applications. Dock opens up with a gesture up in any application.
Drag and release: You can select one object by pressing it and if you continue to hold it and then click on other objects, you can select them several at once. Then you can open the dock, click on the application and place the selected objects in it. It works with a new file application. Dragging files in it makes the tablet more similar to a computer than on a large smartphone.
Separate View (SPLIT View): Apple has improved Split View on the iPad, representing the SLIDE OVER function. You need to press up the dock, click on the application icon and drag on the right side of the screen to start in a narrow window. It will simplify switching between applications using Dock and Split View. If you have a keyboard, you can switch to the MAC familiar with the Command-Tab keys.
Application Switch (App Switcher): When viewing the notification center (opens up to the end) you will see a modified application switch. There are thumbnails of the latest applications and jobs that give quick access to them. Users will be able to spend less time on the home screen and more in the working applications.
Apple Pencil: Pressing the screen instantly launches the Notes application. In other Apple applications, you can click on the screen to create an Instant Markup mark, which will write in PDF files or screenshots.

Files: iOS Gets File System

New application Files brings expecting to iOS with 2007 File System. Open the application and see the search panel with three different areas: locations, selected and tags.

Locations allow access to files to the iCloud Drive storage on the device or in a basket with recent distance. You can access third-party storage facilities, such as DROPBOX.

Favorites speaks for itself, but tags are of interest. When you click on the Share command for any file, you will see a new "+ tag" command to the right on behalf of the file at the top of the screen. Pressing it will allow you to assign a tag file. It is recommended to start using tags that simplify the search for files on all Apple devices.

Files provide other features:

Creating new folders and using support "Drag and release" to transfer files to them.
Sorting files by name, dates, size and tags.
The transition between displaying files with a list and icons.
Dragging objects to other applications.
Long pressing the object opens the commands to copy, rename, move, share, tags, information, delete.

Simplified deployment in enterprises

iOS 11 brings changes to simplify the deployment of Apple devices at enterprises. Apple partners like Deloitte, IBM, Cisco and Jamf help in this with the help of technology-services.

IOS 11 received the following options in this direction:

MDM services will be able to promote IOS updates to controlled devices, even if they are blocked.
You can add any device to the Device Enrollment program.
MDM commands can be configured to execute only with wired connections.
New restrictions prohibit corporate users to add their VPN.
You can resolve the signature and encryption in Mail and Exchange separately from each other.
System administrators can configure home screens and install applications on Apple TV.
You can integrate Cisco Spark and WebEx in Annex IOS 11.

Faster and smart browser Safari

Fast and simple viewing sites on the Internet ensured the success of Apple since the appearance of the IMAC in 1999. The latest version of the Safari browser in iOS will get to millions of users. This year the emphasis is on speed and safety.

safety improvements will have a big impact on users. Cooking file blocking will be simplified and Intelligent Tracking Prevention is improved, where artificial intelligence is used to reduce cross-track tracking.

Safari supports new HEVC video encodes (H.265). This means better video when the file sizes decrease compared to H.264.

The browser's search bar will allow you to follow the schedule of flights and recognize the definition of words.

Simplified Creating PDF files through a browser: Click "Share" and select "Markup" to create a PDF file in which you can write.

As in the browser version in the High Sierra system, Safari supports WEBRTC. It opens the doors to a cross-platform video message in the browser.

Corporate Chat Bots

Apple At the WWDC 2017 Developer Conference in June announced an affiliate agreement with Nuance to create a service with bots for the message application called Business Chat. Apple plans to integrate the Nuance platform of the Digital Customer Engagement with Business Chat. This generates a new generation of digital assistants in messages, small messaging icons on sites and search results will be shown. Asynchronous Nuance messaging technology has already been used on other platforms with bots support. Large companies, such as Bank of America, Domino's, FedEx and USAA, also apply Nuance product.

Enterprises, the technologies of bots B2C or B2B will discover that Apple solutions will allow customers to find from and start a conversation from Safari browsers, cards, Spotlight and Siri on tens of millions of mobile devices.

iOS and control center

Each iOS user interacts with the control center. Move gesture opens multiple objects for quick access. iOS 11 In this regard, it was noticeably improved, including a change in design, where everything is now combined in one window. A number of new features appeared, users can choose tools available in the control center ( > control center ).

Customization capabilities are limited; You can not add third-party widgets, delete certain tools, such as the "airplane" mode, Wi-Fi, Airdrop, rotation blocking, AirPlay and Music.

There is another convenient opportunity at the control center: 3D touch interaction even without physical support 3D touch on the device. It is possible to press the flashlight widget with strength and spend your finger to increase the brightness, you can also set the time on the iPhone SE timer, etc.

Improved cards

Maps continue to be improved by the functions like viewing the city from above in augmented reality mode. Use the device chamber and sensors to track your location and move your three-dimensional display in large cities, such as London or New York. To view, find the city and click on the FlyOver button.

The potential of this opportunity will grow with the addition of new cities, but Apple also works on the effectiveness of cards in moving from point A to the point B. iOS 11 offers Rooms of premises such as large shopping centers, airports, etc. There are other innovations:

The "Do not disturb during driving" mode will not be distracted by the wheel when notifications arrive.
The Lane Guidance function will help choose the correct runway before turning.
Speed restrictions screen, to start on the US roads.
The Light Guidance mode will open view from the height of a bird'sral field to make it more convenient to choose the direction of movement.
A new way to access zoom: double pressing on the cards, the finger holds the screen and moves up / down for zoom.

Improved collaboration

No one loves complex settings for combining different devices. iOS 11 will simplify this process:

Automatic setup: If you bought a new device on iOS. Put it next to another your iOS 11 device or Mac computer on High Sierra, which is logged in to Apple ID. Many personal settings, Passwords ICloud Keychain will be transferred to a new device.
Instant Wi-Fi: iOS 11 users can allow others to use their Wi-Fi network by holding the device next to each other by performing authorization and automatically transferred password. This will be useful in schools and enterprises.
Scanning codes QR : The camera application automatically scan and recognizes QR codes. Send the device to the code, press for focusing and notification will allow you to perform an action with the code. It is useful to automatically configure Wi-Fi networks, HomeKit devices, contact cards, sites addresses, etc.
Core NFC : The new iOS 11 framework will allow developers to create applications capable of reading NFC tags. While the possibilities are limited - it works only in one direction. You can use framework to access information about museum exhibits, and not in more complex payment systems.

Images

Apple is actively working on improving image quality. Last year, the bokeh effect appeared in the iPhone 7 Plus chamber. IOS 11 has its innovations:

The largest innovation will be the introduction of HEIF photo format support. It is based on the HVEC video format and is able to save the images by half the size less compared to JPEG with higher quality (up to 16 bits against 8 bits).
Apple has developed a way to recode images from HEIF to JPEG on fly, without damage to the speed.
When using the iPhone 7 Plus , the portrait mode in iOS 11 supports optical stabilization of the image and HDR, which will increase the quality of photos with weak Lighting.
New filters have been added to improve image quality, including one for natural skin display.
Living photos received several improvements. They can be divided through the animation of GIF (or MP4 on Android), you can set the key image and apply three effects: loop, reflection and long exposure. The latter blurs everything moving in the frame, leaving the object in focus.

Scanning of documents and notes

Annex Notes has been prompted for many years. With the advent of iOS 10, it has become a budget replacement of Evernote, and large flexibility has been added to it. For corporate users, this is a great tool for storing checks and other expenses in one place during travel:

You can scan documents within this application; Click on the + icon and select the "Scan Document" command, place the document in the camera focus so that it is highlighted with yellow. You can save, share and sign a scanned document (latest on iPad Pro with Apple Pencil).
You can draw inside the application using traditional iPad tools.
You can attach records at the top of the list, search among them, place notes in the folder.

More innovations

Among other new products, we will call the one-handed mode of operation of the keyboard, payments between users in the message application, record and Screen broadcast, App Offloading with the possibility of deleting rarely used applications while saving their data. Then, if necessary, the application can be installed again in the same condition. Improved screenshot annotations, extended Carekit and ResearchKit frameworks for developers in the health and medical equipment segment.

Supported devices

If after reading you wanted to try it all on yourself, join the Apple iOS 11 Public Beta testing program. Otherwise, it is necessary to wait for the appearance of the final version, where all the found bugs will be removed.

iOS 11 will be available on the following models of devices: