IOS 9: Small Tweaks Could Create Significant Change
In the last few years the annual iteration of iOS has seen significant changes for the majority of Apple users.
When iOS 6 moved to iOS 7 the headlines were about the end of skeuomorphism and notifications however, iOS 9 seems to have made less headlines, its impact should not be dismissed though.
Considering most iOS users will update as soon as possible,45% typically within a week and 83% within 9 months (http://uk.businessinsider.com/ios-vs-android-adoption-rate-2015-6?r=US&IR=T) this update is something everyone needs to be aware of. Adapting to this is a must considering this will be on the main device people in the UK who will be connecting to the internet in 2015 (according to a the recent Ofcom report) see http://puzzlelondon.com/10-highlights-from-ofcoms-2015-communications-market-report/.
iOS 9 could see significant changes in how people use their device. Currently I use my phone for communications, photography, music, navigation, fitness, sleep monitoring and entertainment with all these uses figuring above search. This is mirrored in the Ofcom report with the mobile being mainly a communication device for most of the population. If there is one function, I still carry out on my desktop (apart from PowerPoint presentations) it’s a Google search.
iOS 9 is looking to change that. A swipe from the left opens up Siri’s search suggestions and without typing my recent or regular contacts are suggested. The apps I use the most are also displayed along with a nearby list of restaurants, fast food, coffee/tea and gas stations with news at the bottom. This is significant as previously in iOS 8 spotlight search displayed a blank page, the new search they gives you is a whole host of options including Wikipedia, Apps, Maps & Bing suggestions.
In fact Siri is now a lot smarter, it learns from your behaviours and is more contextual in the responses you get back from your searches. The apps suggested are based on usage, and the businesses suggested depend on time of day. It’s an improvement that some will call a response to Cortana and Google now. Now whether this will impact Google’s dominance remains to be seen but it’s a big leap forward for Apple.
Other functionality includes more multitasking options, an improved find my friends app,double tap for Apple Pay and most notably significant improvements in battery life. The battery now lasts all day.
I have used the iOS 9 public beta for the last few weeks and it runs smoothly and whilst the improvements are not “sensational headlines” the Siri search functionality may result in people using their phone even more as their main browsing device.