Apple is preparing the 13th version of its smartphone operating system for launch, but thanks to the fact that the beta edition has already been released, there are plenty of new features being tested out by users right now. So if you are looking forward to updating your existing iPhone to iOS 13, or you’re planning to buy one of Apple’s new handsets that will come with it pre-installed when they arrive later in the year, what capabilities and benefits can you expect?
Handset compatibility
First things first; every Apple enthusiast will want to know whether their legacy device will be supported by iOS 13. This is especially true if you have used iPhone insurance to protect your handset and hold onto it after your contract has expired.
The oldest iPhone model which will be eligible for the update is the iPhone 6S. It will also work with the lower end iPhone SE, in addition to any iPad from the Air 2 onwards.
This means that support for the iPhone 6 is finally ending, which was going to be inevitable at some point and could persuade plenty of owners to upgrade, or make do with iOS 12.
Aesthetic changes
A welcome change that is promised for iOS 13 is the addition of a Dark Mode setting. This will swap out the bright white backgrounds for many apps and services for a dark alternative.
The benefits of this change are twofold; firstly it will appeal to the aesthetic preferences of some users; secondly, it will help to improve the battery life of all devices on which this setting is activated.
Typing improvements
The iPhone’s keyboard will not be changing dramatically in terms of layout under iOS 13, but Apple will be adding in a feature called QuickType.
This is essentially a natively supported equivalent of the likes of SwiftKey, meaning that there will be no need to install a separate keyboard plugin if you prefer to swipe your finger across the keyboard’s surface to connect letters and spell out words rather than tapping them in one by one.
Performance boosts
More good news for the owners of older iPhones comes in the form of a promise to make iOS 13 leaner and less of a burden on the hardware so that performance doesn’t take a hit when it arrives.
Apple claims that app launch time has been halved, at least in certain cases, which will improve the overall user experience.
Furthermore, iOS 13 will do more to improve overall battery performance. It achieves this by not charging the cell to full and leaving it there, but instead holding off doing this until it is nearly time to use it, which should prolong the battery’s lifespan.
Other updates
A wide range of other tweaks and changes have been made to iOS 13’s core features. The map app, for example, is more detailed in addition to being easier to search and use on the go. There will also be a more comprehensive sign-in feature for those with Apple accounts, allowing for comparable capabilities to Google’s own sign-in on third party sites and services.
Apple will be providing further details of iOS 13’s new features in the run-up to its official rollout in September, at which point new iPhone hardware will also be hitting the headlines.