Apple WWDC 2015: 5 Standout Features of iOS 9
— -- Apple gave the world its first look at its upcoming operating system iOS 9 this week at the Worldwide Developers Conference, placing an emphasis on more intelligent, context-based features.
"The more you do with iOS 9, the more you’ll wonder how you ever did without it," Apple teased on its iOS 9 preview website.
Here's a look at five of the key changes users can look forward to from iOS 9:
Smarter Siri
Siri, Apple's virtual personal assistant, is undoubtedly the star of the operating system update with her ability to pick up context throughout your day.
"Siri has quietly become incredibly popular," Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software, told the crowd, adding that the personal assistant fields more than 1 billion requests per week.
In iOS 9, Siri will be able to pull up results for requests such as "Show me photos from Utah last August" and "Remind me to grab my coffee off the roof of my car when I get in."
Siri will also know to pull up music when headphones are plugged in or start an audio book a user has been listening to when they're in their car, among a slew of other context-based features.
HealthKit
HealthKit, which launched with iOS 8, will include new tracking capabilities for reproductive health, hydration and sun exposure.
Added Search Intelligence
When a user performs a search, iOS 9 can "search deep" within your apps, according to Apple. For example, even if you can't remember which app you saw an apple pie recipe in, if you type "apple pie" in the search field, the recipe will pop up, making for a for a seamless user experience.
"We don't mine your email, your photos, contacts in the cloud to learn things about you," Federighi said of the even smarter new operating system. "We honestly just don't want to know."
The added intelligence is done only on the device level and stays within the user's control, he said. Any requests that require a search, such as traffic conditions, won't be tied to a user's Apple ID.
Multi-tasking
Apple is bringing multi-tasking to the iPad with iOS 9, including the ability to work in two screens at once or even watch a video with "picture in picture" mode.
Recognizing that some people use iPads as computers, quick-type iOS 9 shortcuts will also be added.
Better Battery Life
Low power mode in iOS 9 lets users extend the battery life of their device by an extra hour before charging.
Other energy savings come from little changes, including sensors that let your iPhone know if its face down on a table, allowing it to save power even if the phone receives a notification.
Bonus
While iOS required as much as 4.6 GB of storage to conduct an over-the-air upgrade, creating headaches for some users, Federighi said iOS 9 will need only 1.3 GB.
"We think everyone is going to be getting to iOS 9," he said.
