It may have been only a short few months since Apple delivered iOS 6, but it hasn't stopped the media from speculating what the Cupertino company should do next.
As Microsoft Windows Phone 8, Google's Android platform, and Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S4 make the headlines, tech pundits are commenting on what Apple needs to succeed. Attention has been put on the smartphone and tablet market, but what makes them run is the operating system. For Apple, their iOS is what makes the iPhone 5, iPad Mini, and iPad 4 (and more) function, but slowly, the attention shifts to the next generation - iOS 7.
Various people in the media are already pitching their recommendations or likely features for iOS 7.
"BlackBerry (formerly Research In Motion) hit the nail on the head with BlackBerry Balance, giving business users the ability to switch between 'personal' and 'work' modes by separating work and personal apps, settings, email and IT policies. Apple could include a similar feature that could, with a handy shortcut from the home screen, switch modes that enforce the enterprise's mobile device management (MDM) policies while connected to the corporate network." (ZDNet).
"My browser of choice is Google Chrome. I use it on every platform, including iOS. But why doesn't Apple give me the ability to allow links to open by default in Chrome rather than defaulting to Safari? Every time I click on a link and it opens in Safari-with its limited tab capacity and awkward interface-I hate iOS a little more. Let me decide what browser my links open in." (Forbes).
"On the top of my dream list would be touch-pad support, and an Apple-made keyboard cover with a touch pad. I don't need touch pads shoved down my throat across the entire OS, but I'd really like certain applications to support it. Yes, it's a throwback feature...but so is a physical keyboard, and that doesn't make me love having a keyboard any less." (CNET).
'''Smart functionality' is the name of the game here. As it stands iOS makes its owners work too hard. New podcasts, RSS and app updates and any form of third party app synchronisation is currently a manual process...The trouble is that for iOS 7 to achieve this requires an entirely new approach to how it handles multitasking with much wider permissions required (only GPS, music and push notifications get unbridled background functionality at present). There would also inevitably be a major battery hit which arguably existing iPhones in particular couldn't afford." (TrustedReviews).
"Things like wireless charging, NFC and changes to the form factor may have to wait, but there are plenty of software-based enhancements that Apple users are clamoring for. Multi-user sign-in, AirDrop file-sharing, dynamic app icons that display live data, a radical expansion of Siri (by opening up an API to third parties), better app management and, of course, improvements to Apple's Maps app are all common requests." (ReadWriteMobile).
"Enhancing the simple four-digit PIN code by a few extra blocks, such as seven or eight, would vastly improve security and simplicity for the end user. Everyone can remember a four-digit PIN code, but not everyone can memorize an eight-digit code." (ZDNet).
The expectations for the iOS 7 come as Apple released an update to iOS 6. As Latinos Post reported, iOS 6.1.3 is now available with improvements on a passcode bypass issue and enhancements to Apple Maps in Japan. The iOS 6.1.3 update is downloadable for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, and the fourth and fifth generations of the iPod Touch.
What do you think iOS 7 should feature? Let us know in the comments section below.
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