One of the most anticipated announcements of the WWDC 2020 presentation is iOS 14.
The most important change in iOS over the past couple of years is full-fledged customizable widgets on the home screen, as on Android. On the desktop, widgets are displayed next to folders and application icons. A new Smart Stack widget automatically selects the right apps based on the time of day.
In iOS 14, a special App Library with the function of automatically sorting applications into folders and directories will appear. A new view of the main screen will also appear, allowing you to display apps not in a grid, but in a list.
Another innovation is the system-wide support for picture-in-picture mode for simultaneous video playback and application launch. In the same way as with MacOS, the video player window will be displayed on top of apps. It can be increased or decreased in size or even minimized to the side of the screen.
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Siri received a major update on iOS 14: it no longer occupies the entire screen. After launching the assistant, only a small animated icon appears on top of the main interface. Also, Siri can now send audio messages.
Incoming calls are now also not displayed in full screen. A call notification is similar to a push notification.
In iOS 14, a new application for translating, Apple Translate, has appeared with support for simultaneous translation. At the start, it will support 11 languages.
The standard Messaging application has received a functional update, like in macOS Big Sur. Now it will be possible to pin important chats at the top. Apple also added 20 new hairstyles and face masks to memoji.
The Maps application has also received an update – there will be interesting places, city guides from companies such as Zagat or AllTrails, and cycle routes (at launch only in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay, Shanghai, and Beijing).
A new EV Routing function has also been announced, which will track the electric vehicle's current charge, take into account weather, and build routes to compatible charging stations. At the moment, it is known that Apple is cooperating with BMW and Ford, but no specific models of cars supporting this feature have been announced.
iOS 14 version is now available for developers. Public beta testing will start next month, and the final version will be released in the fall with the new iPhone. It will work on iPhone 6S and later models.
