iOS 13 Adds Dark Mode, Speed Improvements And More

Apple has revealed iOS 13 at Worldwide Developer Conference 2019. The operating system update introduces Dark Mode and new ways to browse and edit photos and so much more. 

iOS 13 is faster and more responsive with optimizations across the system that improve app launch, reduce app download sizes and make Face ID even faster, according to Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. Dark Mode is a new dark color scheme that works system-wide and across all native apps to deliver a better viewing experience in low-light environments. It’s available to third-party app developers for integration into their own apps and can be scheduled to turn on automatically at sunset or at a certain time.

Using on-device machine learning, Photos curates the entire library to highlight the best images, automatically hiding clutter and similar photos to showcase significant events from the past day, month or year. Photos and videos are “intelligently” organized, making it easier to browse, discover and relive favorite memories, with auto play videos to bring the library to life.

Federighi says that photo editing is more comprehensive and intuitive with new tools that are easier to apply, adjust and review at a glance. With just a swipe, effects can be increased or decreased. And in iOS 13, most photo editing tools are now available for video editing, making it possible to rotate, crop or apply filters right within the Photos app. With iOS 13, Portrait Lighting adjustments can be made right in the Camera app to virtually move the light closer to sharpen eyes and brighten and smooth facial features, or push the light farther away to create a subtle, refined look. A new High-Key Mono effect creates a monochromatic look for Portrait mode photos.

Apple is introducing a new, more private way to simply and quickly sign into apps and websites. Instead of using a social account or filling out forms (using, for example, “Sign in with Facebook” or “Sign in with Google”), verifying email addresses or choosing passwords, customers can simply use their Apple ID to authenticate and Apple will protect users’ privacy by providing developers with a unique random ID. In other words, you can choose to “Sign in with Apple.”

Even in cases where developers choose to ask for a name and email address, users have the option to keep their email address private and share a unique random email address instead. Sign In with Apple makes it easy for users to authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID and has two-factor authentication built in for an added layer of security, according to Federighi. Apple doesn’t use Sign In with Apple to profile users or their activity in apps, he adds. Speaking of security, Apple announces HomeKit Security Video. Currently, many security cameras upload video sent up to the cloud, which risks your privacy. HomeKit Secure Video analyzes video in your home on your iPhone, iPad, or HomePod and sends it to iCloud so no one — not even Apple — can see it. Ten days of video can be stored in iCloud at no cost. HomeKit Secure Video will be supported by HomeKit-enabled routers from Linksys, Eero, and Charter Spectrum.

After driving four million miles to rebuild the basemap from the ground up, Apple is delivering a new Maps experience with broader road coverage, better pedestrian data, more precise addresses and more detailed landcover. The new map is available now in select cities and states, and will roll out across the US by the end of 2019 and to more countries in 2020.

Powered by the new basemap and high-resolution 3D photography, a new Look Around feature delivers street-level imagery of a city with smooth transitions. iOS 13 brings additional new features to the Maps app, including Collections to share favorite restaurants, travel destinations or places to shop with friends, and Favorites for navigating to frequent destinations, such as home, work, the gym or school, with a simple tap from the launch screen.

Federighi says additional iOS 13 features include:

• Reminders has a new look and offers intelligent ways to create and edit reminders, with more ways to organize and keep track of them. The quick toolbar makes it easier to add times, dates, locations and flags, or add attachments. With deeper integration with Messages, it’s easy to tag someone in a reminder so that it surfaces when the user messages with that person. Reminders can now associate to-dos with smart level reminders.
  
• Messages can automatically share a user’s name and photo, or customized Memoji or Animoji, to easily identify who is in the Messages thread. Memoji are automatically made into sticker packs built into the iOS keyboard, so they can be used in Messages, Mail and other apps. Memoji also feature new hairstyles, headwear, makeup, piercings and accessories.
  
• Siri has a new, more natural voice, and Siri Shortcuts now supports Suggested Automations that provide personalized routines for things like heading to work or going to the gym.
  
• CarPlay gets its biggest update ever with a new Dashboard to view music, maps and more in a single view, a new Calendar app and Siri support for third-party navigation and audio apps.
  
• HomePod can distinguish voices from anyone in the home to deliver personal requests, including messages, music and more. Live radio gives Siri access to over 100,000 radio stations from iHeartRadio, radio.com and TuneIn, and a new sleep timer turns off music after a set amount of time. Handoff enables users to easily move music, podcasts or a phone call to HomePod when they arrive home.
  
• With AirPods, Siri can read incoming messages as soon as they arrive, from Messages or any SiriKit-enabled messaging app. A new audio sharing feature makes it easy to watch a movie or share a song with a friend by simply bringing a second pair close to iPhone or iPad.
  
• Voice Control provides a powerful new experience that enables users to operate their iPhone, iPad or Mac entirely by their voice. Using the latest Siri speech recognition technology.
  
• Notes has a new Gallery View, more collaboration with shared folders, new search tools and checklist options.
  
• QuickPath brings one-hand typing to the iOS keyboard by continuously swiping through the letters of a word.
  
• Text Editing is enhanced, making scrolling documents, moving the cursor and selecting text faster and more accurate.
  
• The Files app introduces the ability to share folders with iCloud Drive and access files from external storage devices like SD cards and USB flash drives.
  
• Health offers ways to monitor hearing health and brings new ways to track, visualize and predict a woman’s menstrual cycle.
  
• Location Services controls give users more choices for how they share location data with apps, including a new one-time location option and more information on when apps are using location in the background.
  
• Performance improvements make the entire system more responsive with faster Face ID unlock, and a new way to package iPhone apps on the App Store that reduces app download sizes by up to 50 %, makes app updates over 60% smaller and results in apps launching up to twice as fast.
  
• The Music app now supports time-synced lyrics.
  
• The developer preview of iOS 13 is available to Apple Developer Program members at developer.apple.com starting today, and a public beta program will be available to iOS users later this month at beta.apple.com. New software features will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 6s and later.
• For more information, visit apple.com/ios/ios-13-preview and apple.com/ipados/ipados-preview. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all regions or all languages.