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The latest features coming to your Apple devices
Posted June 10, 2021
By Emily Macios
Apple recently hosted their WWDC event where they introduced the newest iPhone, iPad, and Mac software features. Here’s a roundup of some of the best new features coming soon to iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS.
iOS 15
Live Text
Take a photo of any text and Live Text will digitize the text. You’ll be able to copy and paste that text into any app, or call a phone number from the photo with a single tap. Live Text will also work with screenshots.
SharePlay and new FaceTime features
Watch and share media inside of FaceTime. Similar to the share screen feature in Zoom and Teams, SharePlay will let you share your screen with others. Listen to music or watch video content virtually with others synchronously.
FaceTime links will let you share a link with anyone, including Android users, so they can join your FaceTime call.
Other FaceTime improvements include the addition of Spatial audio, and a blurred background portrait mode.
Focus Mode
This new feature lets you set different ‘Focus’ modes such as Work, Home, etc. so that you only receive notifications for your current focus mode. Your focus mode will be synced across all of your Apple devices for a seamless integration.
iPadOS 15
iPadOS 15 will include many of the same features as iOS 15. There will also be updates to multitasking, an app library, and more control over your widgets.
Universal control
One of the coolest new features coming to iPadOS 15 is Universal Control. This feature will let you seamlessly drag and drop content (documents, photos, windows, etc.) between your Mac and iPad. Simply drag the content to the side of the iPad screen and drop it on your Mac’s screen. And vice versa.
MacOS Monterey
Many of the new iOS and iPadOS features such as Universal Control, Focus Mode, FaceTime spatial audio, SharePlay, and Live Text are also coming to MacOS Monterey.
Safari Tab Groups
Safari is getting a redesign and will include a cool new feature called Tab Groups. You’ll be able to organize and save your tabs into different tab groups. This will help you avoid having a thousand random tabs open. With tab groups, you'll be able to solely focus on a select group of tabs such as work, personal, shopping, trip planning, etc. Your tab groups will be synced across all of your Apple devices so that you can access them on your Mac, iPad, or iPhone.
As Apple’s focus is on their ecosystem, most of these new features will have seamless integration between all of your Apple devices. The iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and MacOS Monterey updates will be available sometime this fall!