Yesterday Steve Jobs has presented the brand new iOS 5, which should arrive in iPhones, iPods and iPads this Fall. The new flag OS for Apple mobile devices brings an extensive list of changes, some of which are quite important.
- Notification system revisited. The iOS notification system with it’s disruptive nature and rather cumbersome alert and badges system was quite outdated. The overhaul includes Notification Center, which is very similar to the one found in Android (drag a finger down from the top of the screen, Notification Center will scroll down)
- PC Free – independence from a PC or Mac. It will now be possible to activate and use an iDevice without the need to connect it to iTunes.
- Wireless Sync – an old Windows Mobile feature comes to iOS: all iDevices running iOS 5 will sync to iTunes over WiFi connection, so cables are not necessary anymore.
- iCloud – Free 5 GB of personal storage cloud, along with the ability to view and redownload all Apps and Books owned by the user. This is already working once you update iTunes to 10.3.
- Calendar and Reminders also received a huge overhaul. It is now possible to make a list of reminders – say shopping list. Or To Do list. You can not only set the iDevice to remind you at given time, but also based on location: reminders can sound based on arrival or departure. Calendar has now the week view.
- Camera – users can now use volume buttons as shutter – this feature is long overdue!
- Newsstand – along with iBooks, this is yet another new app, which will bring all the magazines into one place, for your reading pleasure.
- iMessage – an instant messaging app with contacts and history wirelessly snchronized between all iDevices under one iTunes account.
- Airplay Mirroring for iPad 2 – if you have an Apple TV, then you don’t need the HDMI cable anymore. It will be possible to stream the mirror of the screen wirelessly over to a paired Apple TV.
- Minor changes to Mail, Game Center, Photos and Safari.
