iOS 7 has emerged as the most popular mobile OS for those who use iPhone, iPad or the iPod touch. According to statistics shared by Apple on its developer website, iOS 7, which was released to the public in mid-September, now runs on 78 percent of iDevices, while iOS 6 runs on 18 percent of all iDevices and older versions of iOS run on the remaining 4 percent of all iDevices. These numbers confirm that iDevice users are quick to adopt Apple's latest mobile OS. To put in perspective, Google reported recently that the latest Android OS (Android 4.4 KitKat) runs on only 1.1 percent of Android devices, while Android Jelly Bean runs on 54.5 percent of Android devices and older versions of Android, viz. Ice Cream Sandwich and Gingerbread run on 18.6 percent and 24.1 percent of all Android devices. Besides the fact that Android ecosystem is more fragmented than iOS, why is iOS 7 so popular?
It's no secret that iOS 7 is Apple's most important update to the thriving platform in a long time. Since the first iPhone, Apple has updated the operating system significantly; however, the Cupertino giant failed to improve what was considered a very old user interface, and also failed to add important features that were readily available on Android for quite some time. With iOS 7, Apple showed it is listening closely to its loyal fan base, and so far from our standpoint, many Apple fans have been enjoying the new changes and features. Today we're going to look into why this is, and what other improvements Apple could make to iOS 7 to keep it relevant in a fast moving mobile space.
One of the key features of iOS 7 is the new lock screen which allows the user to get to his/her apps easily by just a slide from the bottom of the screen up to the top. It's very intuitive and brings something new to the table for iDevice fans.
iOS 7 also brings improved search. Users can simply swipe down from the top of the screen to gain access to the search bar from anywhere within the Home screen. Furthermore, with iOS 7 update, Siri now has the ability to search through Wikipedia, Photos, and even Tweets.
Another cool feature many iOS 7 users are gravitating towards is called iTunes Radio. It is designed to help listeners discover new artists through a plethora of curated stations based on genres. Whenever a user comes across a track they like, it can simply be added to the wishlist or be removed completely from the station. In addition, ad-free music is available but only for iTunes Match subscribers.
While iOS 7 is teeming with many new features we are unable to mention, one that needs focus right now is AirDrop. It's Apple's cool peer-to-peer WiFi sharing service, and in our minds it is better than what Samsung is offering via the company's Galaxy line. Why is this? It's because iOS 7 users are not required to tap two phones together to transfer files since AirDrop relies on a Wi-Fi connection rather than NFC, a feature Apple does not support.
Another feature, we think Apple did well by introducing it in iOS 7 is Activation Lock. We call it the ultimate protection against theft. With Activation Lock, anyone who steals an iPhone with iOS 7 will be asked to enter the user's iTunes credentials to use the device. Now, it gets even more interesting when you realize that even if the phone is wiped clean via a hard reset, the thief would still be required to enter the owner's credentials.
Chances are a thief won't have that information, thus putting a dent in his/her plans.
A close look at iOS 7 reveals a very powerful platform; however, despite the improvements on the user interface, many fans and critics alike are up in arms about it. If Apple can fine-tune the UI and fix the problems some users have, then iOS 7 would be what it should have been from day one.
