Apple's recently released iOS 10 update brings a long list of new features and improvements to the company's mobile operating system. Among the changes is the revamped Control Center, which was first previewed in the fourth beta of iOS 10.
The new Control Center adds a variety of new functions that users can easily access by swiping up from the bottom of their device's display. Here is how to use the updated tool and its hidden features.
Three Panels
While the previous version of the Control Center was a single panel filled with various settings and controls, the new version utilizes three separate panels that can be accessed by swiping sideways after calling up the Control Center.
The first panel contains basic settings such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the second panel is for Apple Music and the third panel is dedicated to Home, which is Apple's new app focused on HomeKit.
The First Panel: Basic Settings
The first panel appears upon swiping up from the bottom of the screen to reveal the Control Center. The first row contains the five icons also seen in the previous Control Center, followed in the second row by the familiar display brightness slider.
The first major change can be seen below that, with the first panel now showing two buttons for AirPlay Mirroring and AirDrop. AirPlay Mirroring will allow users to broadcast their device's screen on an Apple TV, while AirDrop will toggle "everyone," "contacts only" or "receiving off" for the media sharing platform.
Getting its own dedicated row is Night Shift, which lets users activate or deactivate the feature apart from scheduled times. With Night Shift now having its own row, the five icons at the bottom of the previous Control Center have been reduced to four, namely the flashlight, timer, calculator and camera.
For users of devices with 3D Touch, these four icons have hidden features. The flashlight will show different brightness options, the timer will reveal instant timer options, the calculator will copy the answer of the last calculation and the camera will reveal different shooting modes.
The Second Panel: Apple Music
Dedicated to Apple Music, the second panel of the Control Center contains the controls for music playback and volume.
After a song is played on Apple Music, the panel will be filled out with the information on the playing track, including the name of the artists and the album from where it was taken.
There is also the option to broadcast the song through the bottom button of the panel, with compatible devices including connected Bluetooth speakers or the Apple TV.
The Third Panel: Home
The third panel will be most useful for those who would be heavily using the new Home app. In this panel, users will be able to access basic controls over connected smart home devices such as thermostats and light bulbs.
Better Or Worse?
As with any change, the revamped Control Center will likely see some users love it and some users hate it. Is the new Control Center better or worse than the previous one? Let us know what you think.
