iOS 9 may only have been resident on iPhones and iPads all over the world since mid-September, but it has actually been available for ten months in total. The mobile operating system was first unveiled by Apple at WWDC 2015 in June, so the next release in the mobile operating system series should be merely a few months away based on previous precedent.
The latest iOS release is always one of the most critical aspects of Apple’s year, as it lays the groundwork for its most popular devices. And developers are always keen to get their hands on the beta release of the software, with new apps and features always guaranteed to follow from the release of the new operating system.
iOS 10 – Release date
It is not entirely clear when iOS 10 will be unveiled yet, not least because Apple has the habit of playing its cards extremely close to its chest with any major information. But based on the previous history of the corporation it is expected that the California-based company will implement a similar release schedule to recent years.
Thus, there is no reason to expect Apple to dispense with the Worldwide Developers Conference event, and this should mean that the first glimpses of iOS 10 comes again in June. San Francisco will be the venue for this event, and there is no doubt that developers and major companies from all over the world will converge on California. Shortly after this event, it will be possible for developers to download iOS 10 and begin testing it with apps to ensure that they work correctly, as well as looking to update software.
Examining the Apple schedule suggests that there is only one possible week available for the 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference, if indeed the corporation chooses to once again host its conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. This has been the venue for the WWDC since 2007. Conferences are taking place on all dates aside from the week of June 13, so this immediately suggests that the week in question would be an ideal one for Apple to unveil iOS 10.
Of course, non-developers will have to wait a little longer to tinker with iOS 10 for the first time, with iOS versions typically being an autumnal favorite. It is extremely likely that the release of iOS 10 will once again coincide with the launch of the new iPhone in September, but there may be a slight departure from usual procedure this time round. Apple enabled the public to have early access to a beta version of iOS 9 from July this year, and it seems according to sources close to Apple that this was deemed to be a success, and will be repeated in 2016 with iOS 10.
Bye-bye jailbreaking?
Apple is extremely reticent to release any information about the iOS operating system ahead of its release, but there are already rumors regarding new features included in the software. Perhaps the most interesting for aficionados of the iOS operating system is that a new ‘Rootless’ security system will reportedly make it extremely difficult to jailbreak iOS 10.
Reports have even suggested that the Rootless system will make jailbreaking impossible, but it is difficult to assert this with any authority. Hackers and jailbreakers are extremely resourceful, and it is likely that someone somewhere will find a way to open up the iOS 10 operating system sooner or later.
Home app
It is also believed by sources close to Apple that iOS 10 could introduce a new application that is being referred to as Home. It seems that Home will integrate all of the features that Apple has been included in HomeKit, enabling users to control all smart home appliances from one central iPhone-based hub. There are similarities between the system and Health, which already encompasses all of the health-related data that is collected by various Apple-related fitness gadgets.
Voicemail
There have also been reports that Apple is working assiduously to deliver an improved version of iCloud Voicemail, which will take advantage of Siri’s capabilities to talk to voice callers, later transcribing the voicemail messages into text. The importance of personal assistants in technology is intensifying, and it is clear that Apple would like to include some Siri-related features in this next iOS 10 release.
Find My friends
Apple will also update the Find My Friends app, ensuring that it is easier for iOS 10 users to utilize this application. Apple has already filed a patent which describes a system that makes it easy to detect where your friends are, whether they are available to talk, and the existing status of their phones. This is not dissimilar from technology that is already implemented in the PlayStation 4 console.
Customization
One thing that Apple fans will particularly demand from this latest version of the iOS operating system is increased customization. There has been a clear demarcation between the Android and iOS operating system in this department for many years, and the consumer electronics giant is thus expected to attempt to close the gap when iOS 10 is released. Already, there has been a steady shift in ethos at Apple with regard to customization, and it is possible that we could see the ability to customize the Control Center included in this latest iOS 10 release.
Dropping support
Finally, iOS 10 will not be a welcome software release for owners of the iPad 2 and iPhone 4s, as it is likely that Apple will abandon support for these older devices with the next major operating system and software update. It must be said in defense of the corporation that the fact that iOS 9 could run on both devices was fairly surprising in itself, so we can pretty much rule out the prospect that iOS 10 will be compatible with either device.
IOS 10 is set to make a major contribution to some of Apple’s most esteemed devices when it launches later this year.
