The forthcoming iOS 11 update for Apple device includes a bevy of improvements and changes. Apple's newest mobile software already launched in beta form early June and in public beta form later that month, previewing much of system's new feature to developers and beta testers.
More than anything, iOS 11 comes at an opportune time: The original iPhone has just celebrated its 10th birthday and, as rumors suggest, Apple will release a brand-new "radical" iteration of its flagship phone, tentatively called the iPhone 8. At this point it's quite safe to assume that such a phone would come with iOS 11 baked in, making it the most feature-rich iPhone to date.
So what are the best features included in iOS 11? Here's a quick look at the most useful and exciting things in Apple's upcoming software update.
iOS 11: Customizable Control Center
The revamped Control Center is perhaps one of the most crucial elements included in iOS 11. Not only has it gained an entire new look, but users will also be able to customize it to their liking. That essentially means anyone can add certain toggles in the Control Center screen, in addition to the unremovable default ones, of course.
The new Control Center also comes with 3D Touch support and a ton of new options, for good measure.
iOS 11: Document Scanner
Apple's default Notes app has gotten slightly better with every iOS iteration in the last few years or so. In iOS 11, the Notes app will gain drag and drop support, mark up tools, creating tables, and most importantly, the ability to scan documents.
There'll be a new "+" sign to access the app's document scanner once iOS 11 rolls around — users will be able to scan several documents at once, save them inside the app, or export them as mark up-friendly PDFs.
iOS 11: Do Not Disturb While Driving
One of the greatest perils that cause road accidents is driving under the influence. The same can be said for using a smartphone while driving. Thankfully, Apple will try to do its part to ensure drivers' safety by including a Do Not Disturb feature in iOS 11 that'll prevent distractions while the user drives.
If set to work automatically, the feature activates even if you're a mere passenger and not the one actually driving. The feature will also detect if the user is moving too fast to be walking, at which point it'll realize they might be driving or inside a vehicle, and function accordingly.
iOS 11: A Smarter Siri
As competition between smart, voice-enabled digital assistant heats up, Apple knows it needs to step its game up in the voice control department. So for iOS 11, Apple gave Siri a new voice, and equipped her with an entirely new visual interface that lets users edit voice request using text input. Also, Siri will be able to translate English phrases to several languages, including Chinese, Italian, French, and more.
iOS 11: Drag And Drop
Though iOS 11's new drag and drop feature mainly takes advantage of the iPad's large screen, the feature could, in theory, work well on the iPhone, too. As it stands, it's not yet clear if Apple will bring it over to its smaller devices, but based on previews, the feature already makes the iPad shine. With it, users can drag and drop things in Notes, Photos, Files and a lot more. It could change the way Apple users interact with the iPad entirely.
Those interested to test out the public beta version of iOS 11 should sign up for Apple's Beta Software Program to get the latest updates.
