Coming from a .Net background, I wanted to understand how iOS or OS X does memory management. Here’s brief post on what I’ve read and understood so far.Until a few years ago, Apple developers had to manually manage memory while writing Objective-C code. It was called the Manual Retain-Release model, and is exactly what developers have been doing all this while for C/C++.
But managing memory manually has always been painful and error prone, and takes up valuable time of application developers, which could instead be used for building useful features.
Enter ARC, acronym for Automatic Reference Counting.
Apple introduced ARC in 2011 along with Max OS X Lion and iOS 5.
With ARC, Apple has tried to make the compiler mimic what disciplined C/C++ developers would do. They would manually track the memory they are allocating for their code, and then ensure they release that memory whenever the objects go out of scope, and their memory is no longer required. So instead of the developers, now the compiler is doing all the hard work.
Its not like ARC was entirely Apple’s creation, Reference Counting has been around for a long time, and is one technique of implementing Garbage Collection.
How is ARC different from a Garbage Collector?
Garbage Collector:
— Is part of the runtime infrastructure – i.e. part of CLR, JVM, and the runtime is responsible for running and monitoring the Garbage Collector (GC)
— Is indeterministic, so objects stick around until the GC runs, and therefore are not released as soon as they go out of scope
— Affects application performance when it runs, as other threads are paused, while it is runnning
— Is able to clear entire Object graphs, as it is able to figure out the application root object references while the application is running
— Is less prone to memory leaks
ARC
— It is not part of the runtime
— Instead the compiler injects reference tracking and clean-up code, similar to what a developer would do
— Deterministic reclamation of memory, at the time when the object goes out of scope
— Since there is no background or runtime processing, it requires less CPU and RAM, making it efficient on mobile devices
— Cannot cope with retain cycles/object graphs – gets stuck with an object graph, whereas a GC would look for an external reference to an object graph, and if not found would clear up the entire object graph
— Is more prone to memory leaks based on the quality of code written
Retain Cycles
A Retain Cycle is created when two or more objects are referencing each other in a circular fashion. For e.g. when we have a Parent – Child relationship between two objects, both instances would be referencing each other until they both go out of scope. This creates a circular reference and ARC is not able to figure out when to release these objects as it does not do a stack walk which a GC would do to find external references to these objects, instead ARC just tracks the count of the references to a particular object.
To solve this issue, Apple came out with Strong and Weak references. The Parent object creates a Strong reference to the Child object, which means that until the Parent object is deallocated, the Child object needs to remain alive. And the Child object creates a Weak reference to the Parent object, which breaks the circular reference cycle, and now the Parent object can be cleared whenever it goes out of scope, which in turn will also clear the Child object.
However, for the scenario above, developers need to handle missing or nil Parent objects in the Child object implementation, for when the Parent object gets deallocated and before the Child object is cleared, Child object code might be executed.
There is a concept of unowned references as well to prevent retain cycles, which I left out for now.
LLVM and Clang
Apple has used the LLVM compiler toolset to implement ARC. “The LLVM Project is a collection of modular and reusable compiler and toolchain technologies”
The aim of LLVM is to provide a common backend compiler infrastructure to different compiler front-ends for different languages.
At a high level LLVM accepts code in an Intermediate Form and then is able to emit machine code based on the target architecture.
Ultimately we should be able to write code in different programming languages, run it through LLVM to generate native code for different platforms.
Apple developed the Clang frontend for C, C++, Objective-C and now Swift to use with LLVM. Clang is where the ARC magic happens.
Earlier Apple was using the GCC compiler for Objective-C and XCode, however as GCC is old and has a massive codebase to allow easy addition of new features and advancement, Apple decided to switch to the LLVM toolset. GCC also uses the GPL license, which would have forced Apple to GPL XCode’s source whereas LLVM uses the more lenient BSD license to protect proprietary software.
The modular nature of LLVM has helped Apple create Swift, implement ARC, improve XCode to easily target different platforms like Mac OS X and iOS. Seems they are also using components of LLVM to optimise Javascript bytecode in the WebKit browser engine.
This was a short introduction to how iOS uses ARC to manage its memory, and about the tools that are used for ARC, do send in your feedback via comments. In future, I am planning to write a post on the tools which are available with XCode, which help diagnose memory related issues.
Swift is a highly intuitive programming language for Apple’s operating systems like iOS, macOS, and watchOS. The programming language has been growing in popularity and it can be attributed to its unique and valuable features. Swift is a widely used language for iOS app development globally. The iPhone app development platform has evolved considerably in the past. After going through four massive version updates, Swift released the latest two versions, Swift 5.0 and Swift 5.1. The remarkable functions of both these versions play a significant role in strengthening the language. The programming language is poised to become a game-changer in the mobile app development industry, with its latest version, Swift 5.
Whether you want to grow your business as an entrepreneur or looking for ways to scale as a startup, Swift offers you all the advantages of developing the best in class, highly functional and completely customised iOS applications. That’s one of the reasons why LinkedIn, Lyft and others have upgraded their iOS mobile application in Swift.
Let us first look into what both these versions have to offer. Then, we’ll look into Swift 5 features that make the updates an ideal choice for iOS app development companies.
What was introduced with Swift 5 Update?
Apart from the revolutionary ABI stability, the Swift runtime is also now added in the present and future Apple platform’s OS versions: iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
Swift 5 features also come with a plethora of new capabilities that act as the building blocks of Apple’s vision and give a new direction to the advantages of the swift programming language.
*For in-depth insights, head on to Swift 5 release notes.
Language Updates
1. Binary Compatibility and a Stable ABI
ABI was declared stable for Swift 5 app development. As a result, Swift libraries have been incorporated in every iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and macOS, which was earlier a problematic element whenever engineers had to develop apps for iOS. The applications will now be easier to develop and much smaller in size since they will not include any libraries.
2. Standard Library Updates
Swift 5’s standard library comes with the following new feature set:
The string has been reimplemented with the UTF-8 encoding which results in faster code.
Better support for raw texts in the string literals.
The SIMD vector and Result types have been added.
Performance improvements in Set and Directory.
Enhancements in String implementation, giving flexibility for constructing text from data.
3. Additional Compiler and Language Updates
Swift mobile development facilitates exclusive access to the memory, both for debugging and releasing builds. It supports dynamically callable types which help in improving interoperability with dynamic languages like JavaScript, Python, and Ruby.
It also implements these language proposals:
Handling future enum cases
Literal initialization through coercion
Introduce user-defined dynamic “callable” types
Supports ‘less than’ operator in the compilation conditions
Identity key path
Flatten nested optionals emerging from ‘try?’
4. Package Manager Updates
The Swift Package Manager comes with a series of new features in the Swift 5 app development version, which includes: Dependency mirroring, customized deployment targets, target-specific build settings, and the capability to generate the code coverage data. In addition to this, the swift run command includes a capability to import libraries in REPL with building an executable.
Swift 5 also implements these Package Manager proposals from Swift evolution process:
Dependency Mirroring
Platform deployment settings
Target specific build settings
What was introduced with Swift 5.1?
Swift 5.1 grows on the strength of Swift 5 with features like module stability and other new features that extend the ability of language and standard library like: opaque result types, property wrappers, new APIs for String, diffing for appropriate collection types, etc.
Together, Swift 5.1 makes it easy to design APIs and lower the common boilerplate code.
Here are the features that Swift 5.1 comes with:
1. Module Stability
Swift 5.1 makes it possible to create binary frameworks which can be shared with others who leverage language’s added support for module stability. This, in turn, makes it extremely convenient and speedy for developers to develop apps for iOS.
It defines a new text based module interface file which describes the binary framework API, enabling it to get compiled with codes with the help of different compiler versions.
2. Standard Library Updates
The Swift 5.1 standard library comes with the following new features, making it extremely easy to understand how to make apps with Swift 5:
Support for updating and handling diffs on the collection of appropriate types.
Greater flexibility for initialization of an array.
APIs for working with Strings – developing and handling contiguous strings, helper for working with Unicode text, and general initializers for Range and String.index.
Identifiable protocol for extending reductions, vector swizzles, and vectors.
3. Language Server Protocol
The Swift 5.1 OSS toolchain packages for Ubuntu and macOS include binaries for the SourceKit-LSP, which is an implementation of LSP for C-based languages and Swift.
4. SwiftSyntax Updates
It has been re-architecture with a separate focus on improving the performance by using a parser from the Swift compiler. Additionally, the performance of the syntax tree visitation and its related operations have been improved through the re-architecture of internal data structures.
5. Additional Language and Compiler Updates
Swift 5.1 comes with these new language features:
Property wrappers introducing consistent context for defining the custom access patterns for property values like – delayed initializers, thread-specific storage, atomic operations, etc.
The return keyword is not needed for single expression getters or functions.
Self can be used for value types and classes.
The compiler synthesizes default values for the properties with default initializers.
How do Businesses benefit from it?
Although the majority of the features introduced with Swift 5 and Swift 5.1 are in favor of Swift app builders, some of them can be translated into business benefits as well.
One of the key features that directly impact businesses – the one that the Apple industry had been waiting for since Swift 1.0 – is ABI (Application Binary Interface) stability.
While sounding much like a developer’s problem, what this means in practicality is that Apple couldn’t include Swift programming language support in the operating systems, because an app written in Swift 2 couldn’t run with Swift 3. Simply because it wouldn’t work with the language support binaries of Swift 3.
The solution that was available to the developers was to include the Swift libraries in the app bundle which would get downloaded from the App store. This, in turn, increased the size and the storage requirement of the application. And became one of the biggest disadvantages of the swift iOS programming language.
But with Swift 5 making ABI stable, the industry has now received a permanent solution to these user-side issues. It would enable the developers to run the application in all the upcoming Swift versions. Meaning, the code is written in the Swift 5 app development process will run on Swift 6, 7, and so on, an event that makes Swift a preferred language for Enterprises and Startups.
This move is speculated to be the one that would bring language several strides ahead in the Swift vs Objective-C comparison.
Here are the business benefits of the Swift 5 update:
Smaller app size: Swift 5 makes the language binary compatible. Meaning, the end result of Swift mobile development would be significantly smaller for the users to run on their new operating system – iOS 12.2, watchOS 5.2, macOS 10.14.4, and tvOS 12.2.
Faster Launch: Another advantage of this is the faster launch time, since every dynamic library which is used by an application (which increases the launch time) will be cached in the memory and shared among the applications.
Greater Performance: Users do not want to work in a broken application. And with app freeze and glitches being the biggest reason behind app uninstallation rate, it is imperative for a business to avoid it. The Swift 5’s ABI stability helps apps in behaving better and offering enhanced performance.
But.
How small is too small? Let’s answer through the help of some live cases of Swift app development for iOS –
Apollo for Reddit: comes with an app size of 35.7 MB. Here, the 7.5 MB is made up of Swift libraries. Now when the app gets updated to Swift 5, the size will be reduced by over 20% and come around at 30 MB.
Chirp an app that brought Twitter to Apple Watch comes with a size of 28.8 MB, which is inclusive of 11.6 MB made of Swift libraries. This, when updated to Swift 5, gets reduced by over 30%, bringing the size down 20 MB.
Readability: One of the key reasons why it is best to choose Swift is due to its readability. It is relatively easy to modify, read and write and the clean syntax renders it a special uniqueness. It requires a lesser number of lines of code than Objective-C when compared to Swift apps.
Apps created with Swift not only decrease the development cost but also the development time.
In a blog post talking about the future of Swift language, Donny Wals said, “Now that we have Module Stability and ABI Stability in Swift, the language is likely to change at a slower rate than we’re used to. We should see less radical, source-breaking changes and the language should slowly mature into a beautiful, fast and stable language that will be a great basis for your applications for years to come.”
Is it good to build an app in swift 5? Yes. The time is right for businesses with iOS apps to get the code re-written in Swift 5 and for new businesses to build apps on Swift 5 and benefit from the impeccable user experience.
While the Android vs iOS war is the one that continues to break the internet, the ultimate deal-breaking element for both the app users and the brands boils down to Mobile App Security.
How secure a mobile app is what determines its future in the present world where users are conscious of increasing data breach cases. But, is it something completely dependant on the quality assurance techniques that developers invest in?
Well, the answer is no.
Irrespective of how long it took to develop a mobile app or what methodology you followed in development, the ultimate result differs with various factors including, the operating system you choose.
Because of this, many developers are asking the question, “Android vs iOS: Who wins the title of higher security in 2021-22?”
When we talk about iOS vs Android security, the unprecedented winner has always been iOS, with its stringent security guidelines. But with Android Q, Google gave out an array of hope in 2021, that hinted towards it being on the verge of becoming a brand one can trust with their devices and personal information.
Will 2021-22 be the year when Google’s Android will emerge out as the secure one out of Android and iOS ecosystems?
Before we get into the Android vs iOS Security comparison 2021 lookout and let us first look at the prevalent security difference between iOS and Android.
Here are the comparative elements that cover both the Operating System Ecosystems, comprehensively.
The Security-inclined Points of Difference in Android and iOS
1. Boot up process
Android platform, as any Android app development company would tell you offers Linux Kernel and Inter-Process Communication facility, security level. Coded with Application Sandbox, the platform gives a verified boot guarantee in which every stage cryptographically verifies the integrity of the next stage before their verification.
Android verifies the boots with the help of the dm-verity kernel feature that makes it impossible for the compromised device to boot.
While this was about Android, iOS offers the security level with Low-Level Bootloader(LLB), iOS kernel, and iBoot. LLB is primarily verified by Apple Root CS Public Key using the Boot ROM program to make sure that the iBoot Bootloader has been signed by Apple. Next, iBoot then verifies and executes the iOS kernel.
2. Security Software Update
Android offers monthly updates in its Android Security Bulletin. Even though Android gives out updates once a month, they don’t force the users to update the devices. The option to ignore the update and operate the device, in the same way, gives an escape plan to the users thus opening the android app development services to a certain probability of security breach.
Apple rolls out several versions of security updates every once in a while in a month. Apple makes it a mandate for every user to download the most recent security upgrades. By giving out continuous notifications, the OS makes it difficult for its users to ignore the security upgradations. Something that brings everyone to the conclusion that the winner of Apple vs Android security efforts is the former one.
3. Touch Id
While Android has recently started partnering with manufacturers who are offering the Fingerprint Scan option, the number is still very limited.
This is not the case with Apple. Apple has always been very particular when it comes to biometric verification on their devices. It is not just for Touch ID, Technologies like Iris Scan and Face ID have also been coined by Apple first. The OS giant, keep investing millions in security-focused technologies.
4. Hardware Integration
Unlike Apple, Android app security related to hardware depends entirely on the manufacturers. While some are good at keeping a handle on the fact that all the Android’s built-in features related to security work well on their device, others might give it a lesser priority. Generally, the devices which belong to the prime categories in terms of cost come with greater security backing than ones that are low price point products.
On the other hand, Apple has full control over its hardware security. This makes it undeniable to think that ios app development services will win the iOS vs Android security 2021-22 comparison.
5. Device Fragmentation
The greater the fragmentation, the greater the chances of introducing loopholes that are a comfortable space for heightened hacking and data breach incidents. By keeping both its device and operating system version on a lower side, Apple reduces this probability of an ios app development company facing hacks issue, by manifold.
But the case is not the same with Android. Both – number of device variants and OS versions are on a very high side in the platform, giving an open ecosystem to hacks and breaches to breed in.
6. App Stores Story
Apple undoubtedly has greater control over the apps that come for approval and their updates. The brand takes its right to vet, reject, and remove every app that doesn’t meet its criteria, very seriously, the fact that has brought in demand for such iPhone app development companies, which can develop apps that don’t get rejected.
Google, for a long time, overlooked the necessity of following stringent rules while approving an Android app. But, now it has taken major steps.
Besides encouraging developers to focus on security in Android app development, Google employed Machine learning to detect and remove malicious applications from the Play Store in 2017. And now, it has announced that the approval time on Play Store will be high so that every piece of the application could be tested thoroughly before making it live.
However, since Android is an open ecosystem, which emerges out as bliss both users and hackers, the impact of these actions on security breach incidents is high. After all, apps can be downloaded from stores other than the Play Store.
While this is the picture that has always remained, what does android vs ios 2021 look like for the two OSs on the security front?
Let’s find out.
Android vs. iOS: Which OS is Safer in 2021-22
In an article concentrated on iOS vs Android security comparison, it is essential to look at the matter with all specificity especially with the latest OS versions in focus. Let us first look into the new privacy features coming with iOS 14 and Android 11 before moving to the four key deciding factors.
iOS 14 Privacy Features
iOS 14 has come with a series of privacy update changes reinstating it as a security-first platform for the users and businesses as well. Here are some of those updates –
Changes in IDFA – The iOS app developers will no longer have access to users’ data until they specify that they are permitting the applications to use their information for promotion and marketing purposes.
Changes in location sharing – Users will now have the ability to opt-out of offering precise location sharing. This way the apps and marketers will only get an approximate location of the users.
Privacy report – Apple will now send users a privacy report containing details of which apps are accessing their data and for how long.
Android 11 Privacy Features
Changes in permissions – The first time you open any new app you will be given three options in terms of permission – All the time, only when using the app, never.
Permission revoke – Android will keep a track of the applications you haven’t used in some time and it will revoke the permissions you had given it. This way when you open the app after a break, you will have to give it permission again.
Now that we have looked into the new additions of Android vs iOS privacy in the new updates, the next step will be to measure them against the other common factors and come to a conclusion.
Let us compare both the OS on the basis of four important factors –
Marketplace Security
The fact that the Play Store is so much wider than the App Store comes as both a blessing and an issue. While on the one hand, the wideness gives Android users a wide option to select from, it also gives the hackers a great opportunity to leave malware apps in the crowd of millions.
Apple, on the other hand, keeps a close look at the App Store. The level of inspection that every app needs to go through reduces the available option for the users, lowers the chances of malware attacks to minimal.
This comes up as a reason why the iOS vs Android, which is better war is always won by the former.
Platform’s Popularity
Android, undoubtedly holds a massive share of the world smartphone market, a number that is practically impossible for Apple to ever cover.
Now greater the platform’s popularity, the greater is the number of users attached and thus greater are the chances of a security breach.
However, it is not sound to give Android app security lesser points just on the basis of its high popularity. Because of the growing number of users, the Android app developer community has started giving greater focus to introducing the best mobile app security practices and deliver a hack-proof app.
Device Manufacturers’ Count
If there is one reason why Android is 100% lying behind Apple in terms of ‘Android vs iOS security’ is the hacks caused because of high device manufacturer count.
Because different devices come with a different focus on Security protection features, it is impossible for Google with thousands of devices under its umbrella to lay out a common set of protocols for every single one of its partnered OEMs. A problem that Apple never has to face because of its concentrated control on the device manufactured.
Source Code Security
Both the operating systems make use of very similar security features for keeping their users safe but while Apple keeps a close watch on the source code and has functionality like SSL Pinning in iOS, the open-source nature of Android makes it difficult for the OS to do so.
To solve this gap, Google has not just employed hackers to identify the source of attack but is also increasing its bounty that the brand is willing to pay for those who report new vulnerabilities, year on year.
While on the Apps front, hoping to get a clearer sense of security in Android, Google has introduced ‘Google Play Protect’ in the Play Store. This element that entered the market with the advent of Android O behaves like a virus scanner for the Android apps, ensuring that harmful content does not get downloaded on your device, a move that has come as a major relief for Top Android App Development Companies that have been crumbling under the growing malware attack prevention pressure.
Even though Google is getting online with its Play Store Security, the story of its device update is rather on the downside in the android security vs ios security debate.
The brand will continue to push out its Android Security patches month by month. But while Pixel and Nexus users might get the updates on the spot, other phone manufacturers might continue to delay or even skip the updates completely. With thousands of Android devices running years old software, they will continue to be vulnerable to major hacks such as Stagefright and Heartbleed.
2021-22 will see speedy updates taking a prime position, with the past year witnessing some of the major security breaches,(remember what happened with Uber Data Breach?) placing security breaches on the forefront. If you don’t have a stock device, Android is already behind in the updated world.
Apple, on the other hand, has been working on continuously taking security to the next level in 2021, especially with its Touch ID and the FaceID. The stringent oversight that the brand has on its apps added to their ability to send out updates to their devices quickly has given the brand a sure-shot edge over its competitor. The brand even takes measures to encrypt all the data in the iMessage and Apple’s other apps.
While Android also encrypts some data, users’ privacy will continue to be protected to a very little extent. To make its marketing efforts better and to offer a superior AI experience, Google will continue to mine data for information in 2021.
In spite of the fact that Android will be introducing new features on its Security front in 2021, iOS will win the title of Android vs iOS app security comparison this year too.
However, at the crux of the Android vs iOS which platform is the most secure debate lies the fact that the security ultimately depends on the users. Here are some things that we ask all our clients to remind their end-users in the app –
Use native app stores
Don’t download an app without verifying safety
Update the OS versions as and when they come
Set up a remote wiping facility
Switch on multi factor authentication
Frequently Asked Questions about Android vs iOS Secure
Q. Which is better, iOS or android?
The answer to this question depends entirely on the factor you are focusing on. If you consider customization, Android is better than iOS. But, in the case of security, Android lags behind iOS despite putting the best effort into place.
Q. Is iPhone more secure than android?
Though both Apple and Google are coming up with the best privacy and security practices, Apple’s iOS is still leading the show. iOS has 20% less critical vulnerabilities than Android, according to mobile security statistics.
Q. Which is easier to hack: iPhone or android?
Since Android runs on the hardware designed by different manufacturers and is an open ecosystem, it is easily hackable when compared to iPhone.
WWDC 2019 ended weeks ago with the promise of a lot to offer to the millions of users and the massive developer community. Keeping count of all those everyday announcements and guesstimates is not easy. But knowing the iOS 13 features announced at and after WWDC 2019 event you should be excited about is.
But the rumor mills and sneak peeks into the biggest announcement of the event – iOS 13 is still ongoing.
Like here are the 23 features we are very excited to try our hands on.
1. Performance
iOS 13 is an all new fresh, strong take on performance than ever seen before in any OS version. Apple is sending out a number of promises to the users and developers in terms of high app performance like –
30% rise in unlocking the device when using the Face ID
Downloads would be 50% smaller and the updates would be 60% smaller
The app launch speed would be twice as more compared to the other editions
2. New Memoji and Animoji
The new class of Animojis and Memojis will get higher customization options including jewellery and hats to new teeth and glasses. You will also be able to give your characters Air Pods.
In addition to this, the new memoji stickers will get created automatically and would be accessed through iOS keyboard – ready to be shared across multiple applications like Messages, Mail, etc.
3. Photos and Camera
The Portrait mode will come with a new light effect known as High-Key Mono and a plethora of editing features which would help you change the light intensity.
The image-edit features of Photos will also get a new design and control based on swipe. The settings which will be used for stills would also be used to edit the videos. You will now be able to add filters and even rotate them.
Lastly, the photo library will see a new organization haul, with pictures getting organized day, month, and year wise.
4. Sign in with Apple
Apple iOS 13 will give you a new easy and fast way to sign in to services and applications without tracking the associated social logins.
Known as Sign in with Apple, it would authenticate the sign-in using Apple ID without leaking out any personal information.
It would work with TouchID and FaceID and will come with a two-factor authentication mechanism. In case the app requires an email, Apple would create any random email id that would be forwarded to your actual email, thus keeping your real details secure.
5. Apple Maps
The Apple Map has been built with a fresh angle in iOS 13.
A number of alterations have been introduced like the addition of beaches, roads, buildings, and multiple other areas. They have also introduced a new Feature option on the main screen in addition to a new Collections menu for organizing the trips plan and Favorites.
A new ‘Look Around’ feature has also been added which would enable you to see a location before visiting them. You will also get a Label option that would get you details about the specific location.
6. Reminder
Once the iOS 13 rolls out you will get a new toolbar where you will be able to add times, dates, and attachments. Also, the integration with the Message app has been improved significantly which would enable them to communicate more seamlessly together. It means that a relevant reminder will show up when you message a specific person.
7. Swipe Typing
Like Google keyboard, Apple will also give you the functionality of Swipe typing. Meaning you will only have to glide your finger and form words without actually pressing letters in the keyboard – A functionality is poised to strengthen the Android Q vs iOS 13 debate.
8. Health App
All the different features which are present in the new Apple Watch OS health app will now be present on the iPhone. The Watch OS had added menstrual cycle tracking and activity trends to Apple Watch in addition to two new sections.
The main application will get a new Summary view that would show notifications and a Highlight section that would show the health and fitness data over time. The data will be stored in your iPhone and would be encrypted securely on the iCloud.
9. iPad OS
A new version of iPad OS has been announced which would contain everything from the iOS 13 along with newer features which are designed to benefit from the large screen presence.
A string of new features like newer multi-tasking features and Home screen, plus newer split-screen option would be added in the new iPad operating system.
10. Access Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
In the earlier versions of the iOS when you had to connect with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, you had to go to Settings and then access the settings from in there. In case of Apple iOS 13, you will now be able to access the list via Control Center when you long press the icons.
11. Extended Reply Menu
In the stock email app when you reply to any email you will now get an extended reply menu that would give you the option to forward, reply, or delete. It would also give you the ability to mute or notify in case there is a new email from someone.
In addition to it, you will get the option to format the text, giving you the option of changing the font style, increase the text size, shift the alignment, change colors, and even add the bullet points.
12. Full-page Screenshot
Like iPadOS, iOS 13 also gives iPhone users the option to take a screenshot of the full web page which then can be annotated upon or saved as PDF in Files.
13. Silent Unknown Callers
iOS 13 gives the users an ability which will prevent them from facing nuances coming in from spammy calls. When a robocall comes, the users’ iPhone will automatically silence it and send it to voicemail.
14. Zip and Unzip in Files App
With iOS 13 you get a new Files app which lets you zip and unzip files straight from the iOS device without having to use macOS. And then you can simply Airdrop the files back to the iOS device.
This one comes in very handy for people who only use an iPad and don’t wish to use any third-party application.
15. Safari Download Manager
iOS 13 gives you access to download manager when you download any file from Safari. The list of downloaded files is very similar to what Safari macOS gives you.
It also syncs over to new Files application version wherein you will be able to see all the downloaded files.
16. Low Data Mode
In your cellular setting, you will be given the option to toggle the Low Data mode which would make the applications use lesser data. While Apple hasn’t clearly specified how it would work, it is guessed that the background activity will get suspended when you are not connected with the Wi-Fi.
17. Dark Mode
With iOS 13, Apple has made the creation of Dark mode app design official and mainstream.
Be it text or color or even controls, Apple has it all sorted out for the users. Instead of making the background RGB 000 (black) and the label text RGB 255 255 255, you will now be calling them systemGroupedBackground and Label, respectively.
And the blue icon will not be RGB 10 132 255 anymore, it would be denoted as systemBlue.
Apple has also planned out a hierarchy for the colors. From complete black or white backgrounds to gradually increasing dark shades for a light theme and light shades for their darker versions.
The same is for the text as well. The primary text is kept white on black – the opposite of backgrounds and when you move towards the secondary and the tertiary texts, the color would also move across the gray spectrum.
As for the controls, a white button does not become black, instead, a white button having light gray states turns into a medium Gray button with the dark gray states.
18. New Messaging
Apple is adding a new message feature to the iMessage service which would allow you to add in a profile picture and then change how your name gets displayed in the text messages. It will also now become a lot easier to send emojis and stickers through text.
You will also get a search functionality which would enable you to make searches inside the application – shared links, photos, contact suggestions, etc.
19. New Sleep Mode
With the new Sleep Mode feature, Apple is doing a great job at tracking sleep patterns and helping you find the right time to set the alarm and be awake in the morning.
If you wish to try out the feature today, you don’t have to wait for the update. All you have to do is install Sleep Score app off the App Store.
20. New Voice Control
The accessibility setting Apple had been working around for quite some time is now available system-wide and that too in an extremely comprehensive level.
Users can easily navigate and then type with the help of gestures and voice commands for everything on their screen would have names and numbers to provide easy control.
21. Detection of Headphone Audio Level
Another way that Apple has kept its focus intact on users’ health is through caring about their hearing health. The new Apple iOS 13 version will be warning the users when the ambient noise gets very loud.
The iPhone users will find this new track menu, which looks a lot like the step counter, inside the Health app.
22. Find My
With Apple iOS 13 Apple has combined Find My iPhone and Find My Friends applications in one single application known as Find My.
With this, all the tracking tools of Apple’s have been brought in one place, helping you find what is missing with the help of one interface. It would also help you locate devices which are offline – by sending across a secure Bluetooth beacon to Apple devices and relaying it back to Apple and then you.
23. No more iTunes Store App
Apple is finally bidding adieu to iTunes with the launch of three new trio for Mac – Tv, Podcasts, and Music. The users will now be able to manage all of their Apple gadgets through the Music app.
It is now the individual applications that would be used to purchase individual content – Music app that will be used to purchase music, TV app for purchasing shows and likewise.
So here are the 23 iOS 13 features that we are very excited to use. But since it is still time before the version gets launched on devices, there is still a lot of scope for the list to expand. We are very hopeful that we will soon find some more added favourites as well – so bookmark this blog to be updated which new features are getting added in the list.
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