You may have seen iOS 7’s snazzy new look and natty new features, but chances are you haven’t seen all it can do. Apple didn’t demo all its new skills at the announcement, and it’s made developers sign a lip-buttoning non-disclosure agreement that swears them to secrecy. Well, it does in theory, anyway. Plenty of developers have been only too happy to spill the beans, it seems, because since they got their hands on it, we know a lot more than Apple originally let on. So let’s take a look at what else Apple’s next operating system can do.
1 It can controlled hands-free
That’s right, using iOS 7, you’ll be able to control your iPhone or iPad using just your head. You can set functions to activate when you move your head to the left or the right. So a jerk to the left could be set to act as a touch on an icon, while one to the right can be used as the Home button. Switch on the option in the Settings menu, and the software will cycle through every icon on screen, highlighting each in turn. Just move your head to select whichever is highlighted, and there you go, hands-free controls!
2 The icons are alive
This one might remind you of Windows Phone 8’s Live Tiles, but that’s no bad thing. The icons on the home screen are animated, meaning you can see certain info at a glance. Need to check the time? The clock app ticks away right there on the home screen, so you don’t need to open the app. This also has the added bonus of making the home screen seem more alive, and less static than iOS 6.
3 It’s easier to find that crucial email
Apple has been hard at work adding colour to iOS 7. In fact, some might say it’s been a little heavy-handed with the paintbrushes. But in this case, the colour comes into its own. Every email in a conversation shows up in a different colour font to the last, so if you’re scrolling through a long email chain, it’s easy to see when someone new chips in. Which will make finding that crucial email easier than ever.
4 Maps acts as more of a satnav
Apple’s Maps was an unmitigated disaster when it launched, prompting Apple to publish an apology admitting it wasn’t up to scratch. But it’s gradually getting better. And with iOS 7, Apple has added some new satnav features to make it more useful than ever. You’ll be able to set your direction type to driving or walking, just like Google Maps. There’s no option for public transport yet, which Google Maps offers, but Apple could add it before iOS 7’s official launch.
5 It can zoom in while recording video
Fancy getting in closer to the action while you’re videoing? Now you can, with iOS 7. Despite the fact iOS products lack an optical zoom, you can still bring the action closer by just pinching the screen while you’re videoing. And there you go, you’re zooming in. Anyone using Vine or Instagram’s video service will no doubt find some creative uses for it.
