What You Need to Know About New iOS7 Features

iOS7 is Apple’s latest and greatest operating system for the iPhone and iPad. Debuted at WWDC 2013, the platform was the greatest leap in the software’s history since being released on the original iPhone back in 2007. The design of iOS7 bears little resemblance to past versions and has numerous new features specifically made for the iPhone app developer community as well.

The most striking updates to the platform include the introduction of a clean flat user interface design, AirDrop, a brand-new Control Center, and a greatly improved Safari browser.

AirDrop completely eliminates the need to use the popular content sharing app, “Bump”. The powerful software allows any iOS user to share files instantly to another user’s device. Simply select the files you wish to share, click on your contacts and poof your files are sent through the cloud instantly.

The new “Control Center” enables users to quickly access their settings with a simple swipe motion. iOS7 lets users change their wi-fi settings, place their device in “Do Not Disturb” mode, adjust screen brightness and control music playback. There are quick shortcuts to launch the camera, calculator, timer and the engineers at Apple finally gave us a flashlight.

Safari has been a lackluster mobile browser for quite sometime, getting blown away by Chrome on most feature fronts. Apple’s updated version of Safari will definately be giving Google’s Chrome a run for their money. Safari is faster, smarter and better looking than before. Finding information through different sites has been simplified, the bookmarking function has been enhanced, and address and search bar has been unified to create superior user experience for web browsing.

As an iOS7 app developer the release of this new platform is quite exciting. Apple’s software update has the potential to unlock endless creative possibilities for the iOS app ecosystem. The San Diego iPhone app developer community is already diving in to the pre-release of iOS7 now available to developers. One thing is certain, iPhone and iPad apps will never look the same again.