Summary: iOS 6 comes on the new iPhone
5, but can also be installed for free on the Apple iPad. Check out 10
featured improvements in this iPad screenshot gallery.
Apple iOS 6 Maps is one of the most
controversial new features. I have found it to work fairly well for me
and I enjoy the new 3D Flyover functionality not seen to this level of
detail in Google Maps. The turn-by-turn is handy, when correct, and it
beats having to pay for a dedicated offline GPS navigation solution.
I used Siri primarily for creating reminders,
but am already finding this iOS 6 version more useful as I create
reminders and calendar appointments, check on my sports scores, create
notes, and more.
Facebook integration: Similar to how iOS 5 added Twitter share integration, iOS 6 adds Facebook integration so you can share to your social network.
Do Not Disturb: It was a pain to have to
manually manage all of your application notifications individually and
thankfully iOS 6 adds a single Do Not Disturb slider. You can also
configure when this Do Not Disturb feature is active, such as at night
when you are sleeping.
Clock: The iPad finally gets a clock and from
what we heard yesterday Apple is talking with the Swiss Rail Company
since it looks like the clock was copied from them. I don't use my iPad
as a timer or stopwatch, but it is good to have a world clock available.
Enhanced Facetime: You can now use Facetime
over 3G cellular, which means if you have a cellular iPad like me you
can now make video calls on the go.
Safari improvements include iCloud Tabs, Safari
sync, offline reading, and ability to upload photos and videos to
websites from within the browser. This actually is major for me as it
looks like I can now post articles to ZDNet all with just the iPad.
Email improvements include better photo and
video attachment support, funky new pull to refresh animation, and the
ability to assign VIPs to your email. VIPs are synced via iCloud too so
they will appear on your iPad and iPhone as well.
Shared photo streams: I never found much use
for photo streams, but now with the ability to share custom streams to
family and friends it makes sharing photos much better.
Guided access: This new accessibility
enhancement helps people with disabilities, such as autism, remain
focused on content. It can also be used by parents to limit an iOS
device to one app and restrict touch input to certain areas of the
display. There are other features in Guided Access to help blind and low
vision users too.
