It is almost a fortnight since the release of Apple’s latest operating system’s update iOS9 and tech pundits have anatomized the features to pass the verdict. Many were disappointed for lack of any revolutionary features in the latest upgrade with it being only an incremental one over its predecessor iOS8. However, a more nuanced look at the improvements leaves you convinced that while the iOS7-esque gloss is missing; essential is the word that does justice to this new offering. It evinces Apple’s focus on ‘making things easier’ for the everyday use.

Let us delve deeper and discover what clicked and what flopped and whether the new update is worth a try.

• To begin with, some minor changes in the visuals include change of font from Helvicta to San Fransisco which is tad bit bolder and offers well-spaced typography.
• Photo app comes loaded with a mini-slideshow that make browsing through the pictures smoother and you know what is coming next (in case you wish to avoid an embarrassing one coming to the fore).
• Besides, iOS9 offers major improvements to its notifications, Siri and Maps.

iOS9 Review

A Respite from the ‘Ever Irking Notifications’:

• Finally Apple decided to instill some sense to its notifications feature and results show the change. It is now no more a random affair of notifications being displayed App-wise but are shown chronologically. The screen smoothly wheels in all the notifications upon ‘swiping down from top of screen’ and hence saves from the obvious accidents of shifting time sorted notifications to App based collection in the previous version.
• Recent Menu is also revamped with better format and location. However, essentials like customizing/removing the apps in recent menu are missing and much needed.

Find a More Reliable Partner in Siri

• One thing which Apple definitely has got right is to give Siri, its virtual assistant and navigator that responds to voice commands, a shot in the arm. It is efficient and faster than its previous avatar and lives up to Apple’s claim that it is ‘40% faster and 40% more accurate’.
• You call out to Siri with commands like bring up photos from Goa or from July 2015 and it will do so instantly. Similarly the search commands do not restrict themselves to Apple Apps but are including third party apps as well, thanks to greater flexibility offered to developers in this version of iOS.
• These are some achievements spur it to the league of Google Now and Cortana but there is still much more to be done in that regard.

No More Getting Lost With Apple Maps

• The Maps feature has seen improvement in terms of offering a better ‘Nearby’ shortcut, a feature that draws upon Yelp’s review filled menu to suggest eating outlets and gas stations. It has expanded its accuracy and coverage for suggesting Public Transport transit but it still falls short to Google’s dominance in this area. Their rivals are obsessed with even the smallest details on their Maps which make it an unrivalled feature on Android.
• Also, it is high time that coverage area for the features see an expansion. Keeping in mind the slew of acquisitions Apple had done in past in navigation and GPS technology, we were expecting something much better.

iOS9 is still in its beta version but has lesser bugs than the time of release of iOS8. While the experience maybe bumpy at some places, we are sure that Apple is taking notice and will deal with them in the future updates.

As far as the verdict goes, 9 silently heralds the beginning of new OS. New generation products like iPad Air 2 gets a boost in multi-tasking capabilities. At the same time Apple has not let go of its erstwhile releases like iPhone 4S. And it is worth a try since the file is only 1.4 GB which will go soft on the limited 16GB devices.

The reason why Apple is one of the most recognized symbols on the planet is because it turns on the music time and time again. And it has definitely struck the right chord with the iOS9 as well.