iOS 11: What to Expect from the Next Major Version Change
Among a slew of other announcements at Apple’s WWDC in June this year was the news that iPhone and iPad users would finally see the release of iOS 11 later this year. After the recent release of iOS 10.3.3 to users and the release of the latest iOS 11 beta to developers, it seems like the upgrade is not too far from its official release, currently expected sometime in September. What does Apple have in store for users, and what kinds of security improvements might we be able to expect? Luckily, we’ve got plenty of information available to provide a preview of what’s on deck.
iPad users will see their devices become more powerful as iOS 11 overhauls Dock functionality and improves app multitasking even further — the latter of which will come in handy on the iPhone as well. Siri finally receives an overhaul of her own as well, with a new voice, a text input method, and additional options coming to Apple’s voice assistant.
iOS will also receive a new app, “Files,” to allow users to manage the data on their devices better. This feature will supplant iCloud Drive as a new and hopefully improved way to work in a mobile setting. Many other default apps have received tweaks or updates, and we can also expect plenty of UI modifications as Apple strives to find more ways to make iOS devices sleek and straightforward to use.
There is also an expectation that Apple will continue to push users towards enabling two-factor authentication on critical device features. The old methodology of two-step verification will finally be going away, and Apple will automatically migrate users still relying on it. Lock screens will feature more customizable options, and Apple will continue to encourage users to use a 6-digit passcode instead of the older 4-digit key. The new iOS will also help fight against tracking cookies, automatically blocking cross-site tracking to prevent advertisers from following you.
While Apple is typically tight-lipped about its “behind the scenes” security enhancements, we can probably expect that iOS 11 will include some further hardening of its systems. As with all new software releases, though, there will undoubtedly be some new issues that crop up as well. For now, we’ll have to wait and see what the final version contains, but it’s shaping up to be an exciting update.
