If the recently released iOS 8.3 is jam-packed with major and minor updates like its predecessors, the upcoming iOS 9 will be the exact opposite. In fact, it will be light on features to focus on stability and optimization improvements.
9to5Mac first reported that the biggest surprise about iOS 9 is not what it will feature but what it will lack. Instead of cramming in new features in iOS 9, Apple is set "on working all the kinks out of the OS" to achieve its ultimate goal for releasing the upcoming OS. That is, to provide better user experience with better stability and optimization.
This move isn't really new as Apple did the same thing with the "Snow Leopard" operating system in 2009. The OS X 10.8 also came with a slew of major new features to focus on performance optimization. "The result was the most stable OS in the company's history and one which remains a favorite of Mac users to this day." 9to5Mac is also hoping the same result from iOS 9.
As such, things that can be expected from the iOS 9 include the following: under-the-hood improvements, bugs fixes, and performance and stability boosts. Users of devices that the OS support can also expect that the company will continue to provide a manageable size of the OS and updates.
There will be new features in iOS 9, for sure, but those won't be new radical improvements like its predecessors have. Two new features that Apple is likely to include in the upcoming OS are the indoor mapping and transit directions found in Maps apps.
Meanwhile, the recently released iOS 8.3 comes with new keyboard changes, including 300 new emojis, Wi-Fi calling for iPhones from Sprint and EE, as well as 39 security patches, including the backup bug that allows an attacker to use backup files access restricted files.
The new OS also brings over performance improvements for App launch, Messages, Wi-Fi, App responsiveness, Control Center, Safari tabs, Simplified Chinese keyboard, Keyboard shortcuts, and 3rd-party keyboards, among others. Fixed issues include continuously prompted for login credentials, orientation and rotation issues, messaging problems, family sharing, car play, enterprise, accessibility issues, to name a few.
The iOS 8.3 was the first Apple OS released as a public beta. This is also expected for the iOS 9 release this summer.
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