Hidden within the beta build of iOS 5 are grand plans to transform the OS from a contender to trendsetter. Arguably, some of the features making headlines are not Apple originals, but instead draw from the foundations created by Windows Phone, Android and even BlackBerry OS. With more than 200 new features headed to the OS there’s bound to be overlap. Here’s 5 secrets iOS 5 is bringing to the table.
1. 1080p system wide
A fifth generation iPhone has been rumored extensively at this point. As is customary with Apple’s smartphone, the next-gen iPhone will use the same chipset in the iPad which in this case is the A5 dual-core processor. A considerable advantage the A5 chip offers over its predecessor is 1080p support. iOS 5 taps into this hardware by offering video exports in apps in full HD 1080p. As you might imagine, this is in addition to 1080p playback both on and out of the device.
2. Twitter is the just the start
Liz Gannes from All Things D was the first to announce iOS 5 may support more than just Twitter integration. Screenshots, leaked by the writer, show Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn and Myspace as other ‘custom’ services may be baked into the core. Ms. Gannes believes Twitter is only the tip of the iceberg.
3. iOS 5 plays nice with Bluetooth audio devices
Smartphones have become integral parts of our car audio systems. With the advent of Bluetooth becoming a near standard feature in new vehicles, iOS 5 prepares to exploit the opportunity. You can now share your music over Bluetooth from your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, complete with album, track and artist data.
4. Alerts, customized for hearing impaired
A minor annoyance in iOS has been the lack of control over alerts. With the advent of the Notification Center, we now have more control than ever over our iOS devices. Beyond the control over which programs notify in the banner area and lock screens, we will soon be able to set ‘Custom Vibrations’. As the name suggests, ‘Custom Vibrations’ will allow unique vibration patterns to be assigned to people in Contacts or all at once. In addition, you can now set LED Flash for Alerts, mono audio, and even control the left/right balance.
5. Your phone, your gestures
The iPad will be the single largest benefactor of iOS 5 gesture support. Using either four or five fingers you can now swipe at the bottom of the screen to reveal the multi-tasking menu or at the top to view alerts. In addition, swiping left and right will navigate between your open applications. While these are certainly great additions, Apple is also including custom gesture support to interact with adaptive accessories. There’s a panel to create custom gestures baked right inside iOS 5.
