Apple's iOS 5 Features: Everything You Need To Know

Apple took the wraps off its new mobile operating system, iOS 5, at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco on Monday. The company's senior vice president of iOS software, Scott Forstall, announced the new OS before a packed auditorium of eager developers and bloggers, who oohed and aahed as the new features were announced.

This OS release comes with over 200 new features. Apple previewed 10 major upgrades to the platform, including Twitter integration, Wi-Fi syncing, new notifications and messaging and improved browsing--to name just a few.

iOS 5 will be available in Fall 2011 for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPads 1 and 2, and iPod Touch (third and fourth generations) devices.

Check out our slideshow (below) to see the hottest new features iOS 5 has to offer.

For more WWDC 2011 coverage, including Mac OS X Lion, the free iCloud storage offering, photos of Steve Job onstage and more. Visit Apple.com for more details on the iOS 5 release.

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If you buy a brand new iOS 5 device, you no longer have to immediately synch it using a PC. "You can now setup and activate your device right on the device and you are ready to go. It's that easy," said Forstall, according to Engadget. When it comes time for a software update, users can download the new software releases over-the-air without a PC. Users will also be able to backup and restore their iDevices via Apple's iCloud.

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If you buy a brand new iOS 5 device, you no longer have to immediately synch it using a PC. "You can now setup and activate your device right on the device and you are ready to go. It's that easy," said Forstall, according to Engadget. When it comes time for a software update, users can download the new software releases over-the-air without a PC. Users will also be able to backup and restore their iDevices via Apple's iCloud.

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Comments

[palla2009]

08:31 AM on 06/13/2011

The iOS 5 features unveiled at the 2011 WWDC event are wonderful. The screenshot presented in this huffpost are also great and a valuable source for creating further posts. I also like the twitter integration here, which shows up my tweets once i login with my twitter account.

[brodieking]

10:37 PM on 06/07/2011

I will be jumping for joy when they allow flash to be used in it.

[Pectin]

09:33 AM on 06/09/2011

If you were really that concerned about it, you'd know that it's been possible for quite awhile now...

[RevSpaminator]

07:26 PM on 06/07/2011

I find the OTA updates a little amusing. Not because Android has them but because I've gone out of my way to shut them off as part of rooting my phone.

[brux]

04:20 PM on 06/07/2011

I like the split keyboard idea for iPad ... that's thinking Apple ! ;-)
Nice to see this level of effort to improve ... it's really inspiring.

[rigmoten]

02:36 PM on 06/07/2011

New Safari with tab browsing! Now if they could update the maps function.

[brux]

04:20 PM on 06/07/2011

I want GPS and directions like a NAV is a car.

[KarateKid]

01:20 PM on 06/07/2011

It never ceases to amaze me the h8red for Apple, from people who don't have to buy a single thing from them. I don't care what you use, so why should you care what I use? It's nunyabidnez how I spend my money.

Get a life, h8ers.

[Norwegiano]

01:43 PM on 06/07/2011

Thank you! I could not agree more.

[brux]

04:21 PM on 06/07/2011

How do you feel about MicroSoft? ;-)

I sort of agree ... but corporations really do inflame people. Apple at least tries, but there is always something. I don't like their China policies much.

[RevSpaminator]

07:32 PM on 06/07/2011

One of the most inflaming things about Apple is their one-way approach to the community. They are happy to take ideas and code but they tend to get litigious when it comes time to give something back.

[KarateKid]

10:42 PM on 06/07/2011

I have a healthy contempt for ALL tech companies and how they do business. But, alas, you can't do without the technology now.

[jazzman]

12:17 PM on 06/07/2011

Only a couple of things you need to know about iOS5. It will create no new jobs. Devices will be manufactured in China and what it offers will not make our life one bit better or help restore our economy.

We're just moving our little entertainment distractions around on different platforms. Hey, if you can get all of your emails, tunes, twits, videos, and pictures without getting out of bed or flexing your muscle good for you but what benefit to society does that create. It's just spending money on convenience you don't need that will in the end make you more helpless than you already are.

Go out and chop some wood and carry water. We all don't need more convenience we need a life.

[theveggiedude]

03:24 AM on 06/08/2011

And yet it is the Dell and HP's in America that have been laying off workers these last few years, not Apple - they have done the opposite and grown their work force in the US,

[PhillyKing]

11:55 AM on 06/07/2011

nice "upgrades"... i'm waiting for the fanbois to come on and tell us how they're original and it's that first time ever a device has been able to do these things.. :-)

[jazzman]

12:23 PM on 06/07/2011

It's just the old mainframe writ large. Dummy terminals linked to a central system. Now we'll have a real skynet.

[PhillyKing]

12:51 PM on 06/07/2011

we've been having skynet... have u noticed how everyone is pushing for u to store EVERYTHING on their cloud? people are willingly giving up control of their data, it's amazing.

[CaptainObvvious]

12:37 PM on 06/07/2011

Does Android have a native equivalent of the Reminders app? Does it have a native equivalent of the iMessage app? Does it have a native equivalent of Newsstand? Does it have a native equivalent of Safari reader?

It isn't about being the FIRST to do something it is about releasing it when it is done and doing it right.

This update is making an already strong OS even better.

[Drect]

11:42 AM on 06/07/2011

Announcing the notification bar like it hasn't been done before is really kind of annoying...why is there fanfare for something Google has been doing since 1.6 or something?

[jasonedward]

11:55 AM on 06/07/2011

Didn't you know? If Apple announces it, then that means it's never been meaningfully done before and it's now the greatest thing since sliced bread.

[Drect]

12:17 PM on 06/07/2011

Keyword, "meaningfully" hahaha. Well played, sir. I see the light now.

[CaptainObvvious]

12:38 PM on 06/07/2011

Of course it isn't new and never been done before.

Who made that claim? Has anyone here claimed that the notification center is brand new and never done before on any device?

No.

But it is a very welcomed addition to a great OS that will make it that much stronger.

[jasonedward]

01:20 PM on 06/07/2011

What you're missing here is that even though it's been done before, the apple fanbois will hail it as new, ingenious, innovative, and... dare I say... holy.

It's a commentary on irrational thought processes, not the reality of things.

[Drect]

03:59 PM on 06/07/2011

Look, all I'm saying is being hailed as something awesome...but its just awesome for iPhone users who didn't have it before. Its not something to get worked up over just because Apple has it now.

Bottom line: Just because Apple has got a notification bar doesn't mean it deserves some crazy amount of praise like they were the first to get it done. I agree it makes them a stronger OS because of but seriously some of the fanboi's need bring it down a notch.

[ewj1]

11:10 AM on 06/07/2011

Like all Big Companies Apple now believes Greed is Good and innovation is less important. These announcements were all about greed (mo' money) and nothing about innovation. Everything and I mean everything is being done by multiple over groups. Some done 5 years ago.

I did not know until I listened to the speech how far Apple iworks and mail is behind not just google, OpenOffice, and MS but most second level players like Lotus/IBM, Soho, and Thinkfree. 66% of what was offered was part of those items in 5 years ago.

[Drect]

11:38 AM on 06/07/2011

I'm an pretty comitted Android user but I will go to bat for Apple on this one. They have to be careful for what they release for the iPad 2. Evolution for the iPad 2, revolution for the iPad 3.

[Gigity]

10:46 AM on 06/07/2011

Wow, look at all that innovation they stole from Microsoft and Google. Stay classy, Apple.

[CaptainObvvious]

12:40 PM on 06/07/2011

Stole?

Where was Microsoft's or Android's smartphone before Apple took the full touchscreen Smartphone to market?:

Where was Android or Microsoft's full screen tablet before the iPad was released?

They got into the game heavy because Apple released products that became HUGE record breaking hits and they wanted a piece too... Talk about copying.

I am also not saying Apple invented the smartphone or the concept of the tablet but they were copied .

[jgeurian21]

12:57 PM on 06/07/2011

It is just a big circle. Apple copies other people and other people copy Apple. Apple is just as guilty as the others of copying.

[six seven]

01:53 PM on 06/07/2011

"Where was Microsoft'­s or Android's smartphone before Apple took the full touchscree­n Smartphone to market?:

Where was Android or Microsoft'­s full screen tablet before the iPad was released?"

Can't speak to Android. For MS, they had tablets and fullscreen smartphones before Apple ever released the iphone or ipad. The just didn't have the same level of consumer appeal. They were mainly used in the enterprise.

Smartphone: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_mobile
Tablet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XP_Tablet_PC_Edition#Tablet_PC_Edition

[bxbbrian]

11:20 PM on 06/06/2011

Apple presented many of these features as if they were industry firsts and innovation, however, Windows Phone 7 users have Twitter integration coming in Mango which was announced weeks ago;users can currently wirelessly sync their media to their phone; currently use the camera button above the lock screen and have a little service called SkyDrive which backs up contacts, pictures, video and documents to the cloud, among other things for 8 months now, nothing against apple cause they make great product but dont act like you are innovating something new when Windows phone 7 and skydrive had these features months ago.

[cyb1851]

10:48 AM on 06/07/2011

This announcement was so far beyond the iPhone. It was apparently lost on some people.

[theveggiedude]

03:34 AM on 06/08/2011

There would not be a Windows 7 Phone if not for iPhone. And there would not even be a Windows period if not for the Mac.

[Jason Kyle]

07:16 PM on 06/06/2011

Haters gunna hate.

[propermoose]

06:28 PM on 06/06/2011

iOS 5 looked good since back when it was still Android 1.6

[sfizi]

06:11 PM on 06/06/2011

ANOTHER APPLE BULL SH.. TO TAKE YOUR MONEY ..

AS LONG AS THERE'S MORONS APPLE WILL DO JUST FINE ...

[Onutz]

11:08 PM on 06/06/2011

((ANOTHER APPLE BULL SH.. TO TAKE YOUR MONEY ..))

Uhm.... iCloud is free.
And why are you so miffed?