Apple Unveils iOS 15 at WWDC 2021 — Here Are the New Features Coming to Your iPhone
Including updates to FaceTime, Messages and more.
Apple kicked off its 2021 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote presentation announcing a slew of developments including iOS 15, a new operating system for the iPhone.
The updated system will introduce a host of novel features to the iPhone 6s and up, most notably expanded FaceTime capabilities. Responding to the rise of video-calling throughout the pandemic, the app will allow users to listen to music and watch videos during calls, set their screen view to portrait mode with blurred backgrounds and send Android owners shareable FaceTime links that open in a web browser. A grid view will make group calls easier to navigate, and voice isolation will help reduce background noise.
Messages, another popular iPhone app, will also receive an update. Users will be able to see when someone they’re messaging has enabled Do Not Disturb Mode, and can override the notification-silencing feature in the event of an emergency. Notifications will feature a new look as well — Focus Mode can filter out certain types of notifications while you’re performing specific activities, such as working (we’ve all fallen victim to Instagram during the work day). Users can also categorize certain notifications to be sent as a summary at specific points in the day.
In security, a new App Privacy Report will provide a seven-day overview of how often apps tracked location and accessed the iPhone’s microphone and camera. The Mail app will automatically block tracking pixels frequently used by companies to determine whether marketing emails were opened and read.
Preview Apple’s iOS 15 above and below. The operating system will release to the public this fall.
