Finally, the wait is over! The new Apple iOS 9.3 has hit the market, and as expected, the Apple has introduced many enhancements that would make life on an iOS device way easier. It is important to note here that iOS 9.3 operating system is an iterative, i.e. up from version 9.2; so you cannot expect drastic changes. However, Apple is offering some helpful improvements in its latest update that is sure to deliver an enhanced user experience.
Here, we have put together some of the best features that’s in store for you in Apple iOS 9.3:
Night Shift
Perhaps, this is one feature that Apple’s counterparts will vie for, and is one of the hottest items that you would have on your device. As defined by Apple, “Night Shift uses your iOS device’s clock and Geolocation to determine when it’s sunset in your location. Then it automatically shifts the colors in your display to the warmer end of the spectrum, making it easier on your eyes.” To put it straight, your iPhone or iPad will monitor the time and location of your device to determine when the sun sets. It then switches colors of your device’s display from blue to more yellow (i.e. warmer), so that it is easier on your eyes to browse through your device in the evening.
In the morning, it will automatically switch to regular display settings. However, if you are not interested to change your display’s color and temperature, you can easily turn the Night Shift off. Adding to the delight, the Night Shift Toggle setting makes it even faster and simpler to access the option, from the Control Center. Swipe up from the bottom and you can see the icon in the bottom center row. When you tap on the icon, it will put the device into Night Shift. But this is just ON/OFF toggle. For any adjustments, you have to visit Settings option.
Notes App Gets More Secure
If you have always wanted to keep your personal notes under wrap, Apple gives you that opportunity this time. With iOS 9.3, the Notes App gets more secure as it lets you set password or Touch ID to keep the privacy of your important notes only to you. So, keep your sensitive information confidential in your Notes app.
Advanced Health Dashboard
It seems Apple is really trying hard to make its Health section more useful for its customers. Though there are no new features for Health, in iOS 9.3, you can see an improved Health Dashboard that includes more relevant and accurate information. Different health categories such as Workouts, Sleep, and Weight will now recommend relevant apps that you can use.
Quick Actions
Only iPhone 6S and 6S Plus users are privileged to have this option – Quick Actions. It will allow them to leverage their device’s 3D Touch feature. For example, long pressing the Settings icon will let you directly jump to the settings for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, New Wallpapers, or Battery. This really works because the Control Center only provides ON/OFF toggle. For other adjustments, you will have to go to Settings, and Quick Actions make this task simpler.
Even the Health app gets Quick Action feature that shows the dashboard or Medical ID information, where you can easily store emergency data like what drugs you are allergic to.
What’s New in News?
For quite some time, Apple’s News app is struggling to catch up with the competition. But it is only with iOS 9.3 that things will become easier to handle so that users keep coming back. It can now be viewed even in landscape mode, videos will play directly in the feed, and it will also update much faster when you launch the app.
Apple’s Options for Car
Several premium 2016 and 2017 car models will feature Apple CarPlay, but before they could hit the market, Apple is tweaking the feature to provide enhanced music playback experience. With the latest iOS update, CarPlay will suggest songs, albums and artists based on user interests. Additionally, Apple Maps will now comes with Nearby feature that will display points of interest like restaurants, gas stations, coffee shops, and more, while you are driving. That works well because you do not have to search for these places when you are on the road.
Track Wi-Fi Assist Usage Data
When Apple introduced Wi-Fi Assist, the objective was to help users have a steady Internet connection even with a weak Wi-Fi signal. However, many users complained that this feature led to exorbitantly higher mobile data bills. With iOS 9.3, Apple puts an end to guessing how much data the feature actually uses. You can now see Wi-Fi Assist usage data in real-time from Settings option. You can also enable or disable this option as you prefer.
iCloud Sync for iBooks Now Supports More
Earlier, iOS users could only sync iBooks to the iCloud in the app. For obvious reasons, the idea was not working well. However, in iOS 9.3, you can seamlessly sync much more to iCloud from your library, including PDFs. This means you can now access your entire library, including PDFs, on any device and any time.
Convert Live Photos to Still Images
Apple’s Live Photos feature added a ‘video’ effect to photos, and users really love it. However, it was difficult for someone who wanted to share Live Photos because they had to be reverted into regular photos. In iOS 9.3, iPhone 6S and 6S Plus users have the option to create a duplicate of Live Photos and save them as still images. So, you now have a Live Photo and a regular one.
Conclusion
In addition to these important features, iOS 9.3 also comes with new enhancements like Classroom app, a tweaked Siri that now supports Malay, Hebrew and Finnish, Apple Pay app support, and much more. The iOS update will now be available for free. So, have a nice time enjoying Apple’s new improvements in its operating system.
