Change can be scary and the latest update for the iPhone comes with a ton of change, including some hidden changes that you might not have even noticed. Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard that the newest iOS 10 update for the iPhone and iPad was released on September 13, 2016. While some brave souls have taken the risk by quickly updating to test out all the new features iOS 10 has to offer, many have hesitated. If you’re one of those on the edge, this article may help you make your decision.
One of the first things you will probably notice after the update is that the home button is no longer the home button we’ve all known and loved for the past 9 years. “Slide to Unlock” is no longer a thing. I repeat- sliding the home screen to the right no longer allows you to unlock your phone. A rather unnecessary home button press is the only way to unlock your phone, unless you use Touch ID. It definitely takes some getting used to at first, but it’s not really a deal-breaker.
Another cool thing about the home screen is raise-to-wake, a feature you may not notice at first. This new feature automatically wakes your home screen up each time you pick up the iPhone. It’s useful for displaying all of your notifications without having to press the home button to wake your phone up. But it can also be a little annoying for your phone to constantly light up and, not to mention, waste of precious phone battery.
Most of these changes are fun and rather insignificant. But the texting game is forever changed. Texting becomes a lot more interactive and personalized with the ability to search for GIFs directly in the Messages app.
Messages can also be sent with a ton of special effects and can even be written in “invisible ink” that requires the receiver of the text to swipe across the message in order to read. Fun, unless you’re the only one in the group message who doesn’t have the update. Could be worth the update if you’re prone to FOMO.
The emoji keyboard has changed, but not too drastically, unless the real-gun-turned-watergun-emoji is a sensitive spot for you. When you text, certain words may show up in color, meaning these words have related emojis that you can switch out the words for.
Some changes aren’t as obvious though: you may not even be aware of them if you’ve updated recently. You can finally continue listening to music while taking a photo, which was surprisingly impossible till now. On the more life-changing end, Apple Maps now has a “Find my Car” feature that automatically detects when you stop your car and pins the location where your car is parked.
As most of these changes are small, the most that you can fear is depleting battery. If you don’t have one of the newest versions of the iPhone, you could also experience some slowed down phone functions. Overall though, the changes that come along with iOS 10 are fun, if not kind of silly. If fear of change is the only thing stopping you, remember there’s more to life than your iPhone.