How Apple’s iOS 15 Could Speed Up Productivity: Pics To Text, Notes Collabs…
Images via Apple
Apple unveiled major updates coming to its latest operating system for the iPhone at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday.
Although the new iOS won’t be coming to phones until fall, here’s what to get excited about.
Live Text recognizes text in pictures and turns it into notes
Images via Apple
One of the key updates to iOS 15 is Live Text, which uses on-device intelligence to recognize text in photographs. You’ll be able to locate a picture of a family recipe by searching for its ingredients, or place a call directly from a photograph of a storefront’s details.
You will also be able to copy and paste text from pictures via the default camera app, which may come in especially useful when hunting for the Wi-Fi password.
Focus manages screen time so you know when to disconnect and reconnect with yourself
Images via Apple
With the pandemic not quite over just yet, mindfulness is at the top of everyone’s priorities. Apple’s new Focus feature is a nod in that direction, aiming to help users reduce distractions in everyday life. You’ll be able to set a customized or suggested Focus, which will curb unnecessary notifications, hide distractions, and display that you’re unavailable on iMessages.
Plus, it even comes with special Home Screen pages to use in Focus mode, so you only see what might be relevant and useful.
Images via Apple
Collaboration on Notes
Images via Apple
The Notes app will also get a much-needed facelift, with new features. Apple has now added more collaborative features, bringing the app’s capabilities closer to that of a Google Doc.
Members of shared notes will be able to notify one another via mentions, and the new ‘Activity View’ will display all recent changes for easy reference.
Creating montages with music
Images via Apple
Users who have an Apple Music subscription will also get a new feature in the Photos app. With iOS 15, you’ll be able to create videos using your own pictures, and add specific songs from Apple Music in the background to make them extra-special.
FaceTime—improved for virtual hangouts and work meetings
Images via Apple
For those who prefer FaceTime over Zoom, the iOS-only video call platform is about to get much better. Apple is focusing on making conversations with loved ones more natural, with added spatial audio, and a new microphone that separates voices from background noise.
Portrait mode will also be coming to FaceTime, so you can blur your background and put yourself in focus while on a call. Group FaceTime also gets an update, allowing you to see more faces at once within the grid.
Easily search for photos
Images via Apple
Elsewhere, the iPhone’s search function, Spotlight, will also be updated to use on-device intelligence to search pictures by location, people, scenes, or objects.
Users will also be able to use web image search on Spotlight, with all new rich results when you look up an actor, musician, television show, or movie. You’ll even be able to bring up recent conversations and shared pictures when searching up a contact.
With all these major updates, it’s hard to not get excited about iOS 15. However, the launch date is still a couple months away, so hang on tight. For those who’d like to skip the queue and try the developers’ beta, click here.
[via Mashable, images via Apple]
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