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THIS COMING WEDNESDAY, Apple will announce the latest addition to its iPhone range. The iPhone 7 isn’t expected to be a major departure from last year’s device, but will change the existing formula in a couple of ways.
And with every new iPhone is a new update to its software as iOS 10 will be released alongside it. Major updates to iOS usually appear around mid-September – iOS 9 arrived on 16 September so expect it to arrive at a similar point – and with this one refining iOS even further, here’s what you can look forward to.
The lock screen is the new home screen
One of the biggest changes is how the lock screen will operate. Instead of placing Widgets in the same place as notifications, it now has its own section alongside the lock and home screen.
Swipe left to right to bring up widgets while swiping right to left will open up the camera. It’s a small change but it’s better than the original system of swiping up from the corner to unlock the camera.
The Control Centre has also received a redesign, changing it from one busy window into two. Bringing it up will present the usual quick settings for things like Airplane mode, camera and flashlight – the bottom buttons come with expanded 3D Touch options – while swiping right to left brings up the music player.
The only remaining features are notifications remaining the same (unless it changes before the official release, you can only view them chronologically instead of by app) and iOS recognising certain apps in a specific context.
For example, if you plug in your headphones, a Spotify app will appear in the bottom left-hand corner so you can open it directly.
Notifications are going to change in a few ways
Taking some inspiration from some Android handsets, you can now wake up your phone and see notifications just by lifting it.
A minor annoyance with the iPhone 6s was how well its fingerprint scanner worked. As you were likely in the habit of using your scanning finger or thumb to tap the home screen, it meant you would unlock your phone before you had a chance to see what new notifications arrived.
Waking up the lock screen just by raising it isn’t a revolutionary feature, but it does help bypass the above problem.
The notifications themselves have also been changed. Now appearing as bubbles instead of a black or grey background, you can 3D Touch them to expand them. The expanded format means it’s easier to reply to messages directly
The secret to 3D Touch could be widgets
One of the flagship announcements of the iPhone 6s was the introduction of 3D Touch, a way to add quick options to the home screen and apps without complicating the interface. While it’s only been a year since it was revealed, the feature is still in its very early days, but iOS 10 does provide hints as to how this can be expanded beyond the usual quick options.
Take photos for example. Originally, 3D Touch would bring up options for search, most recent, and favourites. Fine but not necessarily great options.
Now it will include a widget of new curated albums based on location, making it more visual. It’s a small change, but it’s more inviting and it makes sense to throw widgets into an area they might be seen more.
For what it’s worth, those apps which don’t have 3D Touch options will be presented with a share button, more so that people will be encouraged to use it instead of finding nothing of worth.
The alarm app gets a few upgrades
A redesign of the traditional alarm app, it now comes with a new section called Bedtime. Effectively a sleep tracker, you set what times you want to be reminded to go to bed at and while you sleep, the app analyses your sleeping patterns. These are shared with the Health app on your phone.
Apple Photos becomes more thoughtful
With the likes of Google Photos now using algorithms to compile our lives and create new photos and albums for us, it’s probably no surprise that Apple is doing the same thing with Memories.
Depending on the number of photos you have saved on your phone, it will take a bit of time for it to analyse and group your photos but once it does, you have access to more resources. Swiping the photo up will bring up more info like faces, location and the option of grouping more photos (if you choose a face).
Your iPhone will remember where you’ve parked your car
A feature specifically for Apple Maps, once you’ve parked somewhere, your iPhone will make a note of the location so you can find it later. Handy if you’ve had to stop in a large car park and can’t quite remember where you left it.
iMessage becomes more expressive and playful
There are a few major changes to the messaging format. The biggest one is the inclusion of new apps specifically for the keyboard. Think of how the likes of Facebook Messenger integrate third-party apps into its service and you have an idea of what to expect.
Other additions include an easier way to take and attach photos quickly, and smaller features like the ability to highlight and change all words that can be turned into an emoji, send messages with effects like invisible ink, and include animations like confetti, balloons or a shooting star.
The keyboard is also smarter too, and from our time trying it out over the last few weeks, it’s better at predicting what you want to say, making typing faster. And if you type a word that corresponds with a emoji, it will appear in the suggested words box.
You can remove most stock Apple apps
Instead of throwing them into a folder and away from your main apps, you have the option to remove them from the home screen. Note we say remove and not delete as if you go the App Store and reinstall them, they appear immediately.
Apple says those stock apps only take up less than 150MB of space, so if you’re looking to free up space, you should look elsewhere.
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I’m on social welfare at the moment with a wife and two kids and when I get paid and all the bills and food shopping is done we have €20 left for the week and before all the haters come out because “IM NOT WORKING AND CLAIMING BENIFITS” which is of a genuine reason! let me tell you it’s extremely hard don’t know what we are supposed to do and that €20 we have spare is a top up for food for the week milk,bread etc.Its very hard going right now to get by.
@i.Have.it.Me.: and when the fuel allowance is stopped we are going to be down €33 so we will have to lessen something by €13 but to be fair we won’t starve as we have a roof over our heads and food,will just have no disposable income,could be alot worse off
@i.Have.it.Me.: I think the purpose of social welfare is to get you by, don’t know what else you’re looking for
@Genera L Consensus: hater number one………….
@Genera L Consensus: I have paid my prsi for years and years just hoped I could have been looked after Abit better bet hey
@i.Have.it.Me.: it’s not hate Buddy and you know that too
@Genera L Consensus: except it’s not. What are ye not seeing.?serious question.
@Genera L Consensus: We live in one of the richest countries in the world. We have billionaires, millioners, we have thousands earning over 100.000 yearly. Why the rise in prices due to the Ukrainian war etc can not be absorbed by the privilege before it hits the people who get by with a welfare payment or live in work poverty?
We all live in this society, the privileged are well sheltered, but the rest of us will be left to deal with growing insecurity, crime and general unrest.
@Genera L Consensus: You do know that pensioners, people with disabilities, and carers are some of those on social welfare. If you think the purpose of social welfare is to “just get by”, you don’t understand its purpose. People pay into it for years with the understanding that should they need it, that it is a safety net so they can continue to live as a part of society(that’s the social bit), not just exist. Barely existing is not getting by.
@i.Have.it.Me.: We all have a group that we feel are malinged. Mine are the working who pay rent, are trying to do the right thing but are sunk under the weight of rent, never having their own roof over their head. I admire their resilience..Hopefully we will get a government that will support this group.
@Carol Oates: yes I do know, OP never explained his situation of why he is on social welfare. And there is a sense of entitlement out there. He has 2 kids, roof over their head and food on the table. I failed to understand what more should he be getting? Holiday to Portugal?
@Genera L Consensus: It is actually none of yours, mine, or anyone else’s why he is on social welfare. A life is what he deserves, not just an existence. I cannot stress enough how the current situation for both people working and people out of work is destroying peoples health because people are existing to pay bills, not living. A sense of not being a burden on society is the very basic of what every human deserves. He didn’t ask for a holiday to Portugal. Only enough to have some semblance of a life in this country which always seems to have plenty for elites and overseas but pittance for those in need here.
@Genera L Consensus: that easy, eh? Food, shelter and anything above that goes to holidays in Portugal.
What about transport to school, doctor appointments, etc. Or after school activities. School fees for trips, etc. What about clothes, shoes, jumpers, trousers, school bags/material, etc. What about unexpected expenses, new washing machine, fridge, cooker, etc if old one stop working. And the normal tears and wear of a house? Paint the walls, change the carpet, replace a mattress, etc. A simple broken blender, toaster or kettle is a struggle to replace for someone with €20 left a week, and cheap stuff are cheap for a reason.
And then he has two children, not two dogs, they need a bit more than food, shelter and a few walks around the park. We can’t complain about antisocial behaviour in youths if we are ok with the thought of children growing up in our society with just food and shelter.
This is really tough reading but it’s no surprise to me. The number of people who went straight on to the PUP and had to seek mortgage forbearance in the early stages of the pandemic raised a red flag as to the true state of the economy.
On one side, we have a cohort of very well paid people working in jobs with very good benefits but for every one of them we have two others working on low wage with no benefits at all and not enough savings to tide them over even for the short term.
What we desperately need is government policy to try and equalise the situation and that doesn’t just mean supports and tax breaks for workers, it also means measures to force greedy SME employers (and there are lots of them here) to pay people better, provide sick pay and treat employees fairly.
I really struggle to understand, given our backdrop, why so many people here are complaining about the proposed enhanced sick pay and auto enrolled pensions thta are being brought in – these are measures that will actually help alleviate poverty issues.
In the interim, price increases on energy supplies should be halted – it’s immoral that corporations should be given the go ahead to raise prices and push people into poverty in order to protect profit margins.
Here’s an idea, if you’re an energy company seeking an approval for price increases, you should only be granted it if you agree to build social housing from your vast annual profits.
@Lee King Buckett: well said. Collective bargaining, private sector unionisation, sick pay, social welfare as a proportion of last salary, etc. These are all things we perform worse on compared to our European counterparts. In some we’re slowly catching up, but more is needed.
I am just unable too continue on I am a diabetic with lots of GP visits but has stopped because I can not afford the charge of 80 euros since I had to give up my job as I was unable to continue due to being tired all the time
@Stasia Morley: Very sorry you’re in this situation, apply now for a medical card , hope things get better for you x.
@Stasia Morley: medical card ?
@Stasia Morley: my son is ty1 diabetic he was diagnosed at age 6 he’s now 21 and all his medical needs have been covered for free and he will always be covered,may I ask how you aren’t?
@Caitríona O’Neill Ashe: Does he still have a Medical Card, my son’s was taken off him at 16.
@Pat Barry: yes he does Pat.
My sympathies to all who are struggling. One commenter respectfully said to another ‘Hang on there buddy’, but I would ask ‘hang on to what?’ What is being provided to allow people work, commute and live reasonably without unreasonable worry, pain and interminable struggle?. I’m not suggesting free money, but moreso a landscape which allows people perform in the expectation of a fair result in the capacity they can. This is any governments responsibility. Where is this landscape?
At some stage this will come knocking on banks doors with people not been able to pay their mortgages which in turn I think another bank crisis again. Its extremely hard out there for people at the moment, fuel, heating, food costs. This is not going to end anytime soon.
As long as the government refuse to regulate, energy companies will keep adding huge bill increases. Prices are going up globally, but the fact that energy companies are raising the standing charges too proves that they 100% are taking advantage of the situation to gouge more money. Greed had this country ruined, along with a government that enables the greedy to fleece the public.
Anyway the whole world is bulls,,,t right now so take it as you want
@i.Have.it.Me.: Hang on in there buddy been there bought the t shirt. Don’t let any negative comments on here bring ye down. Best of luck wishing you all the best.
@i.Have.it.Me.: there is always a commentator or ten who will jump straight to the sponging train of thought. For whatever your personal reasons are for being on government financial aid, I’m sure they are both relative and necessary. Sorry to hear that you are struggling so bad. I’ve been in this situation and worse, and I still fluctuate between just about putting my head above water and going under. MABS is a good start with providing information how to make things easier (if even possible) but you may already have looked into that. I wish you all the best.
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