Apple has released iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 updates with new features and enhanced performance. The iOS 14 features include an App Library, Widgets, a Compact UI, improved Siri, Privacy and Security improvements, App Clips, and more. the iPadOS 14 has been updated with more or less the same features, plus Scribble and Sidebars.
For the first time since Apple launched its first iPhone, the Home Screen looks different. iOS 14 comes with a home screen where users can remove all their installed apps and store them in the App Library. The App Library is like an app repository where all the apps are organized automatically by category and users can easily search for an app in the Library using the search bar on top of the screen. The App Library is located on the right-most screen.
Widgets have also been added to the Home Screen for the first time. They come in multiple sizes and can be added anywhere on the screen among the apps. For fast switching, they can also be added on top of one another. A Smart Stack option will automatically show the most relevant widget throughout the day.
A compact UI has enabled interactions that previously took over the screen to take up lesser space. For instance, phone calls now appear as a notification widget, Siri is represented by a small ball of light at the bottom of the screen, and Shortcuts execute from notification panels.
Siri's performance has been improved as it has been upgraded to better understand users and their queries. Moreover, Siri will also now be responsible for translating languages on Safari webpages via a new Translate app. The feature will work by opening the app and either pasting the text that needs to be translated or speaking into the app for real-time translation.
For privacy and security improvements, notifications will appear when certain functions are activated. For instance, when an app accesses the clipboard, camera, or microphone, a small banner will appear on the screen. Similarly, when the camera or microphone is on, a small colored dot will appear; green for camera and orange for microphone.
App Clips are like miniature app experiences of less than 10MB, that appear as floating cards across the screen. They can be used to sign-in with Apple and Apple Pay to complete transactions without having to download the entire app.
Other small updates for iOS 14 include threads and member tags for iMessage group chats, a CarKey feature that enables iPhone to replace your key fob in compatible cars, HomeKit cameras that are capable of recognizing faces and objects, Picture-in-Picture support, YouTube in 4K HDR, a Dark Sky feature in the Weather app to give up-to-the-minute forecasts, and emoji search within the keyboard.
iPadOS 14 has received the same updates as iOS 14, except for the feature of App Library. Also, the new widgets are limited to ''Today View'' only. The iPadOS 14 Siri has been updated too, allowing users to interact with the content on their device in the background while Siri is still on the screen.
With the Apple pencil, iPad users can now write in text boxes. Any hand written data will be converted to typed text in real-time. Moreover, handwriting can be copied and pasted even when it is written in multiple languages. The same function works for phone numbers or addresses that are written with Apple pencil. Lastly, iPad apps on iPadOS 14 now appear similar to Mac apps with persistent sidebars for navigation.
