Anticipated features coming to iOS 9

Apple's Vice President of Internet Services Jennifer Bailey updates WWDC attendees on ApplePayText and photos by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

After the massive overhaul received in iOS 7 and iOS 8, Apple showed off some of the more exciting features and enhancements coming to iOS 9. Here are some of the exciting features that we can expect once the update ships in the fall.

Multitasking on iPad

The iPad will be getting some advanced multitasking in iOS 9 which could siginificanlty boost its appea in enterprise and education as well as make it a more compelling option to Windows tablets. iOS already offers multitasking but you can only have one app taking over the display at a time. With the new Slide Over feature, users can work in two simultaneous apps by sliding a secondary app to reply to messages, email, run web searches or take down notes.

A Split View feature on iPads divides the display between two applications so users can write down notes while simultaneously looking at references. This saves time and makes it convenient to use an iPad more like one would their notebook or desktop.

Picture-in-Picture allows you to overlay a windows of a video or FaceTime voice call over other applications or documents, this way the video no longer needs to take over the display and you can still work on what you have before you.

Proactive Technology

The Siri personal assistant is going to be faster and smarter on iOS 9. The proactive technology won't only learn how users behave and what their preferences are, iPhones and iPads will quickly provide options for most requested contacts, apps and even news and location-based features.

As Apple's website explains, "Based on the apps you commonly use and the time of day you use them, you’ll get intelligent suggestions for what you might want to do next — even before you ask." There are various examples of this, like when the Music app is automatically invoked once you plug-in your headphones or for Calendar events include locations, iOS 9 assesses traffic and notifies you when it’s time to leave. 

Included apps will also get substantial updates, Apple Maps seems to have been vastly improved and now offers transit information as well as more comprehensive way to navigate public transportation plus a new Nearby feature that helps aggregate location data when users need it.

All of these features, plus the new Wallet app and Apple Pay updates make iOS 9 an enticing and refined update to iOS on on iPhones and iPads. I like that Apple has thought of user's needs and that iOS 9 is more efficient and will add an hour of battery life to most devices plus there will be smaller and more convenient software update which require far less storage space than previous versions.

The iOS 9 beta software and SDK are available immediately for iOS Developer Program members at developer.apple.com, and a public beta program to get interested users  try out the software will be available in July at beta.apple.com.

iOS 9 will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 4s and later, iPod touch 5th generation, iPad 2 and later, and iPad mini and later. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all regions or all languages.