VOA Special English
New Updates to iPhone Software

    2016/6/22

    Last week Apple held its yearly Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The company announces new technology at the event. WWDC 2016 included news about updates to Apple’s operating systems. Today we will tell you what is new for iPhone and iPad.

    iOS 10 Operating System for iPhone and iPad

    Apple says iOS 10 is the company’s biggest operating system release ever. It says it introduces 10 major new features to iPhone and iPad.

    User experience

    The iOS 10 includes a new design for the lock screen, notifications and apps.

    iOS 10 brings a Lift to Look feature. Just raise the phone and notifications appear on the lock screen.

    Apple says the iOS 10 also makes it easier to open the camera app from the lock screen. Swipe the lock screen to the right to open the camera app.

    Slide the lock screen the other way and widgets appear. The widgets are now more interactive, including streaming live video.

    Siri

    Siri in iOS 10
    Siri in iOS 10

    In iOS 10, Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, gets new powers. Developers will be able to include Siri in apps.

    Siri can search for photos in apps such as Shutterfly and Pinterest, start and stop workouts in apps such as Map My Run and Runkeeper, and book rides in the apps Lyft and Uber.

    Quick Type

    Apple says that text suggestions are smarter in iOS 10. Suggestions for next words will become more exact and include groups of words as the system learns the user's typing habits.

    Quick Type is also designed to change languages without changing keyboards. The iPhone will recognize the language in use and suggest words in that language.

    Photos

    iOS Photos will use Advanced Computer Vision to recognize faces and places to ease search and organization of photos. The Photos app can create albums that stay on the iPhone and can be shared with others.

    Maps

    Apple’s Maps app will get a new design in iOS 10. Slide up from the bottom of maps for suggestions about travel times, places to visit and calendar appointments.

    Traffic will be included on the path the user is navigating.The app will show traffic ahead and provide suggestions for places to visit along the way. Maps will also offer faster paths based on traffic.

    Maps also will work with other apps so users can make a restaurant reservation and book a ride from within the Maps app.

    Apple Music

    Apple Music will be better organized to make it easier to use. Users will be able to access downloaded songs from a tab.

    Lyrics will be included in songs so you can sing along --- using the right words.

    Apple News

    Apple News, the news app that was introduced last fall, has grown to include 2000 publications with 60 million monthly readers.

    Paid subscriptions to publications will be offered for the first time so users can read both paid and free news sources within the app.

    Home App

    Smart home devices can be reached through the new Home app. View security cameras, control lights and doors, set the thermostat and more from the app.

    Devices can be programmed in the app with a new feature called Scenes. Users can ask Siri to control the devices through Home.

    Phone

    iOS 10 brings changes to voicemail. Messages can be read as well as listened to.

    The iPhone will be able to give alerts about possible spam numbers.

    Messages

    Finally, Apple made many changes to its Messages app. Links sent within messages will show photos and can play video without having to leave the app.

    Users will be able to send handwriting, drawings and their heartbeat in Messages. Full screen effects let users put images in the background.

    I’m Mehrnoush Karamian-Ainsworth.

    And I'm Marsha James.

    Carolyn Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

    Are you interested in the updates to Apple operating systems? Which features are you looking forward to most? Are there any features that you would have liked that were not announced?

    Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on 51VOA.COM.

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    Words in This Story

    operating system - n. the main program in a computer that controls the way the computer works and makes it possible for other programs to function

    introduce - v. to cause (something) to begin to be used for the first time

    lock screen - n. what users see on screen before logging into a computer or mobile device

    widget - n. a small, single-purpose application that provides quick information, or quick access to simple functions.

    interactive - adj. designed to respond to the actions, commands, etc., of a user

    text - n. data handled by a computer, cell phone, etc., that is mostly in the form of words

    smart - adj. controlled by computers and able to do things that seem intelligent

    habit - n. a usual way of behaving: something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way

    advanced - adj. beyond the basic level

    navigate - v. to find the way to get to a place when you are traveling in a ship, airplane, car, etc.

    lyric - n. the words of a song

    thermostat - n. a device that automatically adjusts the temperature in a room to a desired level

    alert - n. something (such as a message or loud sound) that tells people there is some danger or problem

    spam - n. communication that is not wanted : communication that is sent to large numbers of people and that consists mostly of advertising