Apple's annual developer's WWDC conference is only weeks away, which means we may soon find out what new features Apple's iPhone with iOS 14 has in store. But there are plenty of rumors going on in the meantime to unpack what we can expect.
Several Apple rumor sites have reported getting their hands on early test versions of iOS 14 over the past few months with details of everything from interface changes to new apps. And while we can't know for sure whether these leaks are the real deal, or whether the listed changes will make it to the final iOS 14 build, there's plenty to get excited about.
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Launch date
If everything goes according to plan, which it hasn't done so far, Apple will introduce iOS 14 at WWDC 2020, starting June 22. The conference will be held virtually this year. However, the public expects it to be announced at the keynote that usually kicks off the event along with all other major announcements for software updates.
But the timetable is subject to change this year. The coronavirus pandemic is rumored to have caused delays in production for the next iPhone, and Apple may be forced to push back the launch event, along with the release of iOS 14, to October. Apple has yet to comment on this.
Compatibility
So far, all the reports say that iOS 14 is compatible with all devices running iOS 13. This is good news for those who hold on to older devices, as previous iOS updates excluded older iPhone and iPad models.
Home screen changes
In iOS 14, the home screen could look drastically different. iOS 14 would bring a list view option, according to 9to5Mac, that will allow you to arrange apps as a list instead of the current grid view. The Apple Watch already enables you to view alphabetically listed apps. Still, you would also be able to sort them on the iPhone by the most commonly used or unread notifications.
Updates on default apps
Apple has made its own pre-installed apps, such as Maps or Music, the default choice since the iPhone existed. This may change in iOS 14, as rumors suggest that Apple could allow you to select apps from third parties instead: Spotify instead of Apple Music, Google Maps, or Waze instead of Apple Maps, or Chrome instead of Safari.
Multitasking features
iOS 14 will add multitasking features to your Apple device. Apple Leaker Ben Geskin posted a Twitter video of what looks like an iPhone 11 running an early version of the OS. People have since replied that it's "just a current version of jailbreak" rather than an iOS 14 app. Apple is rumored to launch an iPhone 12 Max with an even larger screen than the current Max that would benefit from more iPad-like features, but that doesn't mean we 're going to see it in this version of iOS.
Accessibility options
Another 9to5Mac article also mentions an accessibility feature that would allow you to translate sounds, such as an alarm ringing sound, or even a crying baby, into haptic feedback for hearing loss people.
