Tag: ios 11

Much awaited, the iOS 11 release has brought with it the lengthy list of design changes. On the subtler note, there is the touch of stronger accent in the darker lines and bolder fonts. The thin lines of that characterized the Apple fonts since iOS 7 have given way to the bolder ones.

Thicker lines and fonts

A few of the app have remained unchanged such as the Calendar and Reminders. The Phone and Calculator have added round buttons and thicker lines and fonts. We see some smaller tweaks in many other apps such as the Apple News, Podcasts, and Messages. The most significant changes we see in the UI elements in the Control Center.

In the older version, the iOS 10, you could split the Control Center into smaller windows by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. In the new iOS 11 the window has become consolidated into one unit. The icons are fashioned like bubbles. It has two top sections – one for Apple Music control including volume controls and brightness controls and the second for basic networking. Below these you have the array of smaller icons for various functions such as Do not disturb while driving, Timer, Flashlight, Camera, Alarm, and so on. So, when you bring up the control centre it takes up the entire screen.

. On the right side of the display, you see the Control Center.

New Notification Center

In the new iOS 11, the Notification Center and the Lock Customise Control Center

You can customize all the functions that appear on the Control Center. You can access a wider range of functions because it is visible on the screen. To do this, choose the Setting button and then make a selection of the apps you want to be able to access through the Control Center. This would include these:

• Flashlight
• Timer
• Calculator
• Camera
• Accessibility Shortcut
• Alarm
• Apple TV Remote
• Do Not Disturb While Driving
• Guided Access
• Home
• Low Power Mode
• Magnifier
• Notes
• Screen Recording
• Stopwatch
• Text Size
• Voice Memos
• Wallet

So, while you can add just about everything, the wise thing would be to add just what you use the most. Along with the customization options, you now have an added 3D option. The 3D touch brings up a larger window which is useful when you want to play songs. These are slightly more complicated than operating a mere on/off toggle button. On the iPad, the Control Center displays differently.

Improvements to Siri

Like always, Siri improves with new edition. The male and female voices on Siri has been revamped and made more realistic. Apple says it is trying to give Siri a more expressive voice that emphasises the right pronunciation. Th eon-device learning is to know about the personal preferences you have and to adapt them to the iOS usage no matter which device you use. Siri is getting smarter due to the cross-device Siri syncing. The emphasis is on privacy all the time with Apple.

One of the things you can do with Siri now is to ask Siri to suggest a topic to hear the Apple news. Similarly, while typing Siri will suggest ideas and phrases from topics you recently viewed. You can get Siri suggestions on Safari based on what you have been searching or reading so far.