[Software] iOS 15 release date, beta features, supported devices and everything coming to iPhone

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As WWDC 2021 kicked off this week (June 7), it began with the official unveiling of iOS 15 which is Apple's operating system for the iPhone line.

As we have already detailed the features for macOS Monterey, watchOS 8 and iPadOS 15, here are all the useful features announced, both at the keynote and on Apple's site, of what is included in iOS 15.

It's worth noting that this isn't when the finished software will arrive on phones though, just when we'll get our first look at the beta version. Expect it to arrive in a finished form alongside the iPhone 13.

While iOS 14 brought widgets and improvements to iMessage and Shortcuts, it isn’t without its issues, despite how much it improved the operating system for both iPhone and iPad.

This year, it looks like refinement is the theme for iOS 15, with improvements across the board, adding up to a substantial feature set over the previous release.

 

Cut to the chase

What is it? The next big update for iOS

When is it out? Probably September 2021, unveiled on June 7

How much will it cost? It will be free, as always

iOS 15 release date

New versions of iOS typically land in mid-September. Generally they’re accompanied by a new iPhone launch, so we could see iOS 15 land alongside the iPhone 13 in September 2021.

As WWDC has now begun, there's the developer beta is available now that the keynote has finished, so expect many discoveries across this week that these new version will bring.

A public beta will arrive in July – so if you don’t mind bugs and the occasional crash, you will be able to try iOS 15 for yourself next month.

 

Apple have also said that the final version will arrive in the fall, which, following past releases, sounds like September will be the most likely time for it to appear.

Of course, while we’re talking about iOS 15 here, iPadOS 15 will almost certainly follow the same trajectory, which will also likely be announced at tonight's keynote.

Meet Apple's new updates: iPadOS 15 | watchOS 8 | macOS 12

iOS 15 Supported Devices

As Apple's main section on iOS 15 states, the update will work with an iPhone 6S and above. There may be some features unavailable in earlier iPhone models, but these will be detailed soon.

 

 

Apple have brought new features to FaceTime in iOS 15, with a focus on being more comfortable and lifelike.

Spatial audio is coming, which means 3D audio gives the impression that your recipients are in the same room as you.

Voice isolation now focuses on your voice only, and blocks out any other ambient noise. There's also Wide Spectrum, which focuses on you and the environment around you.

There's also Grid View, which shows a group call, alongside Portrait Mode coming to the application. The background is now blurred, and focuses on you.

There's also FaceTime links, which can generate a link to help plan a call, similar to how a Google Meet link works.

SharePlay is also new in iOS 15, where you can share music, watch TV shows and movies, alongside sharing your screen, so you can show a recipient how you use a certain app.

You can also extend SharePlay to an AppleTV, which is helpful especially for a movie. This is also an API, so an app can work with this very soon.

Supported services such as Disney+, Twitch, ESPN, TikTok and more are using SharePlay for iOS 15.

 

Another massive improvement to iOS 15, group chats now gain collages, as a way to easily display multiple images.

Shared with You in the News app shows what your friends have shared with you, such as links, and they can be easily copied into a Messages chat. It's also available in Safari, Music and more apps.

There's also statuses, which look very similar to WhatsApp and other messaging apps.

You can even mute notifications in group chats if you wish, individually. So if you want to mute for an hour or for a day, now you can.

 

 

After many refinements over the years, notifications are now redesigned for iOS 15. Notification Summary is now here, where these can be scheduled to appear at certain times, or even by Apple's own machine learning algorithms.

This looks to replace Notification Center, with better management for all your notifications on your iPhone.

Do Not Disturb is also part of the improvements here, with it showing for your friends and family if they have it switched on themselves.

 

Focus is also another feature for Notification Summary, which recommends you on your lock screen to let you know of certain apps, dependant on your calendar and even your location.

Apple are pushing Intelligence as a big part of this, which looks to be their renamed machine learning methods, such as for Siri Suggestions.