iOS 7 Release Date 2013 Rumors & Features: Email to Apple App Developer Confirms Sept. 10 Debut
According to All Things D, Apple will be holding a press conference Sept. 10 to reveal the latest iPhone and iOS 7. Today, this rumor was given more credibility by an app developer.
On his website, developer Owen Williams showcased an e-mail he received announcing the release of iOS 7 on Sept. 10.
"Dear NDEV Developer," it reads.
"As you are probably aware, iOS 7 GA will be released on September 10th. The NDEV Program has pre-qualified that SPeechKit 1.4.5 works properly on iOS 7, but we encourage you to conduct your own testing to ensure that when the upgrade happens, your Nuance speech services continue to work seamlessly...," an excerpt from the e-mail said.
According to Williams, Nuance, the company that created Siri, sent the e-mail out to app developers. Williams said that Nuance has had a close relationship with Apple in the past, and, therefore, the e-mail is solid evidence.
iOS 7 is slated to have numerous updates including some more minor ones such as limited ad tracking, the ability to block numbers from calling, texting and Facetime, automatic closed captioning and subtitles, an app store that categorizes popular apps by location and preset maps for walking and driving directions.
iOS7 is expected to be easier, faster and more enjoyable for users. Apps will look different, but Apple claims they will have the same familiar feel users are used to. As a result re-learning should not be necessary in order to operate iOS 7.
Some of iOS 7's biggest new features include the AirDrop for iOS and Control Center.
With AirDrop, Apple gains a feature available from some of its competitors. AirDrop allows users to share items like videos, contacts and photos from any app with a Share button. AirDrop then sends the item via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth through a secure network.
The Control Center will give users easy access to commonly used apps and commands such as Airplane mode, brightness display and Wi-Fi control, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb, Lock screen orientation and music control. All that is needed is a quick swipe to access tools like iOS 7's new flashlight as well customer favorites like the calculator, camera and timer.
The Notification Center will also be upgraded. Typically, the Notification Centers shows users their new mail, to-do list, missed calls and similar news. iOS 7 adds a new feature called "Today." With Today, the iPhone will display all of the news of the day including weather, traffic, and birthdays. As usual, the Notification Center will be accessible from any screen by swiping down. With iOS 7, the Notification Center will also be accessible through the Lock screen.