OS 10 update necessitates setting up a backup for all data to iCloud. (Photo : Getty Images/ Justin Sullivan)
It is now official that iOS 10 will be released today, Sept. 13. iOS 10 was announced at WWDC in June, with an immediate app developer beta release which was followed by a public beta release in July. Here we share all of the latest news and time rumors about Apple's newest mobile OS, a breakdown of its features, a list of the iPads and iPhones that can run iOS 10, and all the announcements from the iOS 10 plus Phone 7 launch event.
Since the announcement of iOS 10 at WWDC, Apple has steadily released updated beta versions of iOS 10. According to MAC Rumors, the three to four-month period between the iOS 10 announcement and its final public launch gave developers an opportunity to remove bugs and add any new specs to their third-party iOS apps.
The iPhone 7 release event included the last and official announcement from Apple about when the iOS update will be dropped, and it is today, Sept. 13. iPhone 7 will ship from as from Sept. 16, and will come pre-packaged with iOS 10. Existing iPads and iPhones will get the update a bit earlier on Sept. 13.
iOS 10 release date rumors: How to get iOS 10 now - Public Beta
iOS 10 was made available as a developer preview at the Apple WWDC keynote on June 13, with a public beta launched in July 7. This means that even non-developers can download the preview version of iOS 10 now ahead of its final release later in the year. However, the version will not be officially finished, and bugs and compatibility issues with some apps should be expected.
Update, 9 September 2016: Apple notified all Beta users of iOS 10 program that the final release candidate was being rolled out on 9 September.
"We are happy to give you access to the macOS Sierra and iOS 10 final release candidates," Apple said, in an email. "We will ship the full and complete versions to users globally in the coming weeks and appreciate you trying out the version and providing views. You can install the iOS 10 GM candidate from Software Update."
On 19 August 2016 Apple launched two iOS 10 betas: the newest version of iOS 10, beta 7, available for dev testers, while Apple simultaneously made beta 6 available for those on the public testing program.
To get hands on this final version users will need to sign up to Apple's beta testing program to receive the OS as an over-the-air update, IT Pro reported.
Previous beta versions
On July 19, Apple released beta 3, which added just a few new tweaks to the mobile operating platform. Later Aug. 2 Apple released beta 4 bringing new specs and even replaced the pistol revolver emoji with a green water gun. In mid-August, Apple released beta 5 to the public and beta 6 to developers.
iOS 10 release date rumors: Which iPhones, iPads and iPod touch devices can run iOS 10?
As users await for the iOS 10 release, they should note that iOS 10 will be launched as a free upgrade for the following devices:
- iPad 4 and later (ie, iPad Air, iPad 4, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro (12.9in and 9.7in)
- iPad mini 2 and later (iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 4)
- iPod touch 6th generation
- iPhone 5 and later (iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 6s Plus)
iOS 10 release date rumours: New features
Apple spent a great deal of time going through key iOS 10 specs during its WWDC keynote, highlighting a range of use cases and pleasing developers together with end users alike. AT the WWDC, Apple focused on 10 new, beautifully redesigned or tweaked area of iOS 10's feature set:
1. General redesign and user experience
Apple says it has "delightful new ways to express yourself in Messages, a native app for home automation and beautifully redesigned apps." Apple has unveiled Raise to Wake, a feature that makes the iPhone light up, and go to the Home screen, when users just lift it up. One of several features where users will see the influence of the Apple Watch on the iOS ecosystem, incidentally.
With the new iOS 10, users can accept invitations, respond to messages, and stay in a messages thread, live, all on the lock screen. Users can see live animated progress of their Uber driver after 3D Touching an Uber notification. And just like on the Apple Watch, users can do 3D Touch press and then clear all notifications.
In addition, 'Slide to Unlock' has been removed, and instead usesr will see 'Press home to open'. Doing so will prompt them to enter their passcode or will unlock the phone if Touch ID is used.
2. Siri
The biggest change to Siri seems to be that Apple is opening it up to 3rd-party developers. This means that users will be able to activate non-Apple apps and functions via voice control.
As instance, Craig Federighi said that users can now ask Siri things like "Send a WeChat to X." There will be Siri support in WhatsApp, Slack, Uber, Shutterfly, Lyft, Pinterest, RunKeeper, Map My Run and lots more apps.
On 19 July Apple added 'App Support' within Siri's settings.
3. QuickType
QuickType will bringing in users' data from other apps and offering it as part of their responses. With QuickType, there will be support for multilingual typing and users will not have to switch keyboards to do this, Apple said, although they did not give details.
4. Photos
Photos has been given an injection of AI. Apple says it will use deep learning techniques to analyze faces, places and objects.
Photos can draw together linked photos and videos by place, people and time, and automatically create highlight reels and trip mementoes; Apple calls this 'Memories'.
5. Maps
Maps gets a new design in iOS 10; Sliding upwards from the bottom of Maps gives users a suggested destinations. Users can also sub-filter when searching for nearby businesses. Fitter for restaurants; then filter for seafood restaurants.
Like Google Maps, Apple Maps in iOS 10 takes traffic into account dynamically, and offers alternative routes on the fly if traffic makes them preferable. Unlike Google Maps, its interface will zoom in and out cleverly, depending on the distance to the next turning and other factors.
6. Music
Apple Music has had a major visual redesign making it look good. There will be onscreen lyrics for some songs, although users may have to wait for the lyrics for their favorite song to be added.
Better still, whilst taking Live Photos, users' music will continue playing, allowing them to have uninterrupted music sessions.
7. News
Apple News has been redesigned to become cleaner and simpler. But more interestingly, Apple has added subscriptions in News and now there is also a 'Breaking news' notifications from the app. Users can toggle the feature from the app's settings and even custom-tune the publications they wish to see push notifications to their device.
Users can access paid subscriptions, where they can read an unlimited amount of articles from various publications.
8. HomeKit & new Home app
A bigger change is that Apple is getting serious about smart homes and the internet of things, launching a dedicated app, Home, for controlling all the appliances that are compatible with HomeKit.
9. Phone
The all-important but often neglected Phone app gets a single big enhancement: voicemail transcription. iOS will convert speech into text so users can glance through a voicemail without having to listen to it. One other update: Apple has pledged to work with third parties to provide more information about known voicemail spammers, so users can be warned when one is ringing.
10. Messages
A huge update for what Apple pointed out is the most frequently used app in iOS. There are lots of small updates here, many of them clearly aimed at a young audience.
Fans will be able to use rich links in Messages. Share a link and, as it would in Slack or Twitter, artwork and a precis of the article may be pulled in, so their friends can get an idea of the gist without having to click.
Emoji will be three times the size, and emoji will be incorporated into predictive text. In addition, messages can scan a message a user is about to send and highlight all the words that could be replaced with emoji. Tap them one by one and they will transform into the appropriate pictures.
Other features
There is also a range of other tweaks to excite users. These include:
§ Delete preinstalled apps
§ Apple Maps in iOS 10 remembers where a user parked a car
§ RAW images in iOS 10
§ Apple Pay support for purchases on select websites, which can be authenticated via Apple Watch or iPhone
Users might have to wait until the afternoon or possibly evening on Sept. 13 to access the iOS 10, and it is likely to take a long time to download as millions of people across the globe are trying to do the same.
Here is a video of how to delete Stock Apps on iPhone in iOS 10:
