iOS 10.3 Released: Here Are Its New Features
Those of you who own iOS 10 device would be pleased to know that Apple has finally released the iOS 10.3 update. As there are quite a number of changes in the newly-released iOS 10.3, here’s a rundown of all of the changes that you can expect in the latest version of iOS.
Find my AirPods
The wireless nature of Apple’s AirPods means that the earphones can be misplaced or dropped rather easily, and these AirPods themselves aren’t exactly cheap either.
In order to cut down on dropped AirPod cases, Apple has implemented a "Find My AirPods" feature that can be found under the "Find My iPhone" app. The "Find My AirPods" feature operates by playing a sound on the AirPod itself that would allow users to locate a misplaced AirPod nearby.
In the event that the AirPod turns out to be lost in a different location, the feature would save the last known location of the AirPod when it was connected to an iOS device via Bluetooth. While it isn’t a sure fire way to retrieve a lost AirPod, it still gives the user a chance to look for it.
The Apple file system
With the iOS 10.3 update, Apple will be introducing a new file system. Dubbed the Apple File System (APFS), this file system would replace the existing "Hierarchical File System +" (HFS+). According to Apple itself, APFS is optimized for flash and SSD storage, as well as improved support for encryption. Other perks of APFS include better space efficiency, space sharing, and a better backup system.
App Store changes
With iOS 10.3, Apple will be introducing some huge changes to the App Store with regards to customer reviews. For starters, developers will now be able to publicly respond to a customer’s review. Upon responding, the user who is responsible for the review will be notified immediately. From there, should the developer manages to satisfy the user’s criticism, the user can choose to update their feedback accordingly.
On the user’s side of things, the new App Store will let users rate reviews as "Helpful" or "Not Helpful" in order to boost the visibility of relevant review content. On top of that, Apple has also implemented an option that would allow users to turn off app review request prompts completely.
Siri improvements
Apple’s own digital assistant has also gotten some new features and improvements with the introduction of iOS 10.3. If you’re heavily reliant on apps like Uber, you’ll be pleased to know that Siri now supports scheduling with various ride booking apps. For those who frequently perform digital transactions, Siri can now access various payment apps to check on the status of your bills and make payments.
Siri will also have support for automaker apps as well, allowing it to check your car’s fuel level, lock status, and turning on your car’s lights or activating your car’s horns. Rounding up the list of improvements to Siri, Siri will now be able to provide users with up-to-date cricket scores and statistics for both the Indian Premier League and the International Cricket Council.
32-bit app support warning
Come iOS 11, 32-bit app support will be a thing of the past in Apple’s ecosystem. As such, when a user launches a 32-bit app on iOS 10.3, a notification box will appear, informing the user that said app will no longer work with future versions of iOS.
An overhauled Settings menu
Rounding up the list of changes with iOS 10.3, we have the "Settings" menu. With the latest version of iOS, Apple has now added a section on the Settings page that features your name and your picture. This tab consolidates all the important information and functionalities into a single tab, giving you easy access to them without needing to scroll through the entire Settings menu.
Additionally, this new tab also lists down every single device that is signed into your Apple ID, allowing you to verify if the device in question is your own.
As always, do remember to backup all your important files before updating your Apple devices to iOS 10.3. The full changelog for iOS 10.3 is as follows:
