As promised, Apple has just released iOS 10, the latest operating system designed for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, to the public. iOS 10 can be downloaded the iPhone 5 and later, the iPad mini 2 and later, the iPad 4 and later, and the 6th generation iPod touch.
According to Apple, iOS 10 is the “biggest release ever” for iOS devices, with major updates for Messages, Siri, Photos, Maps, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and the iOS interface.
iOS 10 features a redesigned Lock screen experience with 3D Touch-enabled notifications, a more easily accessible camera, and a widgets screen. A revamped Control Center also offers 3D Touch support along with new controls for music and HomeKit devices. Raise to Wake, a new feature for the latest devices, wakes up the iPhone without bypassing notifications.
One of the biggest new additions for iOS 10 is a plethora of changes and updates to iMessage, making it a much more worthwhile experience with bigger emoji, the ability to replace words for their emoji counterparts, and even full-screen animations that brighten up a conversation.
There’s a new feature that lets stock iOS apps be hidden from sight, and the QuickType keyboard is smarter with new contextual predictions, including emoji predictions. Apple Pay is available on the web starting today, and Game Center has been largely eliminated.
iOS 10 is compatible with the following iOS devices and is available as a free upgrade:
- iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus
- 9.7-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad 4, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2
- iPod Touch 6th generation
Jailbreakers
If you have jailbroken your iOS device and cannot live without your favorite jailbreak apps and tweaks then it is recommended that you avoid updating to iOS 10, until a tool to jailbreak iOS 10 is released.
The update is available on all eligible devices through iTunes or over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings –> General –> Software update. As with all major software releases, it may take a few minutes for the update to propagate due to high user demand.