IPhone software has evolved generation after generation to make it much more convenient for everyone to use the iPhone. With the arrival of iOS 14, this path continues to be consolidated, since Apple has revitalized widgets and adapted functions that were already in the system to obtain a much higher quality experience. In this article we tell you everything you need to know about iOS 14.
Widgets gain prominence in iOS 14
The iPhone home screen has been an emblematic element for all the generations of devices that have been happening. In this screen view we have always had the applications that are installed on the computer to have quick access to them. Until now they can be reorganized as we want, grouping them into folders to make it easier to categorize or changing their position. These apps have also been joined by widgets that offer a lot of information without having to enter a specific application, but the truth is that they were somewhat hidden.
But now with iOS 14 this experience will completely change, since we can move the widgets wherever we want without them being ‘retained’ in a window on the left. In this way it is possible to have a Home with much more information at a simple glance. This is something very similar to what we have right now on Android but without a doubt in this case it is much more revitalized. There are many widgets that can be placed on the iPhone screen such as the time, calendar and, as it could not be otherwise, those of third-party developers. At all times you can interact with these widgets in order to open the specific application and obtain much more information. This is undoubtedly a very interesting way to revitalize widgets and give them much more prominence in our day to day.
The customization options are several, since there are different sizes that occupy more or less screen and can be located on any of the pages you have on the iPhone. Obviously, depending on the size of the widget, more or less information will be obtained. But if you do not clarify for one in particular, there is a widget called ‘Smart Stack’ that will group several widget in one. By placing it on the iPhone page you can slide your finger on it to show different cards.
Smartly grouped applications
If you are a maniac of the order, surely you grouped the applications in folders categorizing them as for example ‘Productivity’, ‘Photographs’ among others. Now, thanks to the intelligence of the iOS 14 operating system, it will group these applications intelligently. This function called ‘ App Library’ is found on the last page of the Home and will classify all applications that you download by categories such as ‘Social’, ‘Entertainment’, ‘Creativity’ … The organization in this way is more than guaranteed, as it is a kind of app drawer to quickly view all of them and choose the one that most convinces us. At any time you can open these automatic folders to see all their content. In this way we forget to go looking for that folder that we create to choose the app to use.
It should be noted that the applications that you use the most on a daily basis will appear much larger. This is interesting so that you can see the apps you use most frequently, leaving the rest in a smaller size. Always in the upper left corner will appear those suggested apps that the iPhone think you may need at a specific time and on the right side those that you have recently downloaded.
If you are a person who has hundreds of applications, this is the function that will solve your life quite safely. This will avoid forgetting the applications behind the first pages, which is the most typical thing that can happen when there is so much accumulation.
With this library of apps you can afford to hide some pages of the iPhone so that they do not appear again. To do this you simply have to press the characteristic points that appear on each of the pages and mark or unmark those pages that you want to appear or not.
Picture-in-Picture comes to iPhone
Something that we certainly missed on iPhones is the possibility of viewing audiovisual content such as a series on Netflix or a video on YouTube while doing another task. This feature has already arrived with iOS 14, since now you can be viewing a video in a floating window while doing other tasks on the iPhone. If for any reason you want to hide this video you can always drag it to the side and it will be hidden as in iPadOS. In addition there is total freedom to be able to move it around the screen and make it bigger or smaller.
Siri will no longer be so annoying on screen
When Siri is invoked on the iPhone it is always somewhat annoying since the screen is completely changed to show the screen transcription. This is quite intrusive and in iOS 14 they wanted to improve it. From now on when you invoke Siri the new wizard icon will appear at the bottom and will start listening to you. The only problem is that you will not be able to know that Siri has understood what you have said.
The intelligence of the voice assistant continues to improve. We still do not see that great ‘boom’ that we all expected, although for now you can forget the hateful message ‘I have found this on the internet’. Now Siri, like the Google assistant, will show many more responses and will not send you to different results in the web browser. At the moment this feature is only available in English, but in the future they will add new languages.
In addition to Siri, calls will also cease to be a nuisance on the screen. Now when you are called you can answer through a notification on the top of the iPhone, without being totally invasive on the screen. It is compatible with both traditional calls and FaceTime calls.
New Translate application
iOS 14 includes a new application called ‘Translate’ which is basically a native translator. The operation is quite correct and very fast since you simply have to enter a phrase and you will get a fairly reliable translation. Apparently it uses the intelligence of Siri to not have a completely literal translation as other third-party translators do.
This application includes a conversation mode that will allow you to have a chat with another person who does not speak your language. You just have to press the microphone and start speaking so that it is automatically translated and the receiver of the conversation understands what you have said. The same can be done reciprocally. The only problem that can be found is that it does not include a way to translate text of posters or letters with the camera.
In addition, the translation can be added to favorites or a query in the dictionary to be able to know the meaning of a specific word.
Car Key implementation
iOS 14 now includes the possibility of having car keys on the iPhone and even on the Apple Watch. In this way you can open the vehicle, of specific brands, without having to have the physical key on it. In order to prevent someone from entering the vehicle if your iPhone is stolen, the key will be linked to iCloud so that you can deactivate it when you lose sight of the iPhone. It will also be possible to share this virtual key through Messages so that someone known can access the vehicle and use it.
Thanks to the U1 chip, it will not be necessary to take out the iPhone at all times to open the car. Simply by bringing the iPhone close to the car it will open even if it is in a pocket or in a bag.
App Clips
With iOS 14 Apple has introduced a new function called Apps Clips that will allow you to have a specific part of an application without having to download it. To access Apple Clips, you simply have to move the iPhone to an NFC tag or scan a QR code. This can be very useful to be able to buy a coffee or extend the parking meter hours without having to download a complete application that we do not have to make the payment.
In this way, it is about giving much more prominence to the NFC technology of the iPhone, facilitating our purchases and access to applications without wasting time on their complete download.
Messages
Despite the fact that the messaging application is widely used in the US, in the rest of the countries it is not used as much. Likewise, it is necessary to highlight many of the innovations that they have wanted to implement to make their use easier. Among these, the possibility of setting chats at the top, up to nine, stands out, so that they are always accessible. This is something that you have in many applications such as Telegram or WhatsApp and that makes it easier to locate those most important chats. The threads have been implemented within group conversations, something that Slack has, to be able to follow a conversation within a thread that can be a real chaos.
Within the groups you can now make mentions to any of the members and be able to put a group image to make it more representative. In addition, the Memoji in Messages are more inclusive and diverse giving the possibility of personalizing them with hats or more accessories for the face.
Sustainable travel on Apple Maps
From Apple they want to promote the use of electric vehicles and that is why they have included the possibility of calculating routes for this type of vehicle. This will inform you of the stops to be made at charging points to reach the destination with sufficient battery in the car. This calculation will be made based on the kilometers to be traveled and the vehicle’s load level.
Now cyclists have much more prominence on Apple Maps including different data on routes such as unevenness, traffic on the streets or the presence of flights of stairs. In addition, the new function of guides has been presented to offer a list of places of interest to visit in a specific city where you are spending your holidays. This function is limited to some very specific cities and will expand over time.
Safari integrates a translator and more privacy information
Something that we missed a lot in Safari is an integrated translator to be able to read any type of page in our native language. Now it is possible thanks to iOS 14 although it is limited to some specific countries and will gradually expand. A new privacy report is included that can inform you of all the sites that are tracking you and which have been blocked. This includes the supervision of strong passwords so that you are informed if at any time your password has been affected by a data breach.
And speaking of privacy, it stands out that now all applications have to ask you for express authorization to track. The App Store must visibly include all privacy policies in a format that is easy to understand. At all times you can choose if you want to share your approximate location or the exact location when granting access permission. At the top next to the coverage icon you will see different colored dots that will inform about the use of microphone or camera.
HomeKit improvements
The home application has undergone a redesign with iOS 14 in order to simplify all the tasks that can be carried out. Now a new tips section is added to get automations efficiently, if you don’t have much imagination to create specific routes. In the control center you will now find more expanded controls. If you have bulbs compatible with HomeKit, now you can adjust the lighting of the home to adapt it to the schedules . Face ID intelligence is integrated into all home automation accessories such as smart doormen to recognize who is ringing the bell.
From Apple they continue to insist that all the data used in HomeKit and the Casa application are always kept on the device and will never leave it.
Health
Now Salud is a much more complete application incorporating a new experience to consult sleep data and also understand how to improve noise levels that will affect the ear. Different symptoms of an ailment can now be included to always keep them under record. It now supports new types of mobility data, symptom medical records and also EKGs.
New accessibility options
Apple has wanted to take into account people with severe physical problems. Now among the accessibility options highlights the possibility of tapping on the back of the iPhone X onwards to obtain functions such as screen lock or capture. It also includes the Headphone Accommodations option that will allow you to amplify soft sounds and tune the audio for music, movies or calls. With regard to VoiceOver, it will now automatically recognize what is displayed on the screen so that web experiences are of a much higher quality for blind people.
