iOS 13 Features & Screenshots

Apple has announced iOS 13 for iPhone and iPod touch, along with iPadOS 13 for iPad models. iOS 13 includes the snazzy new dark appearance options, performance improvements, and many new features and updates to the mobile operating system.

Some of the most noteworthy iOS 13 features and improvements include the following, complete with screenshots and images:

Performance Enhancements

Apple has said that notable performance enhancements are coming to iOS 13, with apps launching up to twice as fast, faster Face ID unlocking, and app downloads and updates to apps will be smaller leading to faster download times.

Dark Mode

Dark Mode re-themes the operating system interface into dark blacks and grays, moving away from the all-white bright interface of the last several iOS releases.

Dark Mode can turn on manually or automatically on a schedule, much like Night Shift.

Of course Dark Mode is optional and you can continue to use the bright white user interface too if desired.

QuickPath Swiping Keyboard

iOS 13 includes an all new swiping keyboard option, allowing you to swipe around on the onscreen keyboard to type and complete words.

This is similar to some third party keyboard options on iOS and to the swipe keyboards on Android devices.

iPadOS is iOS for iPad

iPadOS is the new name for iOS for iPad, and it gains all of the iOS 13 features plus some new features specific to iPad.

The iPad home screen is slightly tighter on iPadOS, and you can quickly glance at widgets from the Home Screen of the iPad.

iPadOS 13 includes all new gestures for copying, pasting, modifying and selecting text, undo and redo, and much more.

Additionally, iPadOS allows for iPad apps to be split into two windows of the same app, allowing for something like two Notes windows to be open side-by-side at the same time.

Improvements to Mail, Reminders, Maps, and More

Apple has added new features and capabilities to the core application suite in iOS.

In Mail for iOS, there will be new text formatting and rich font support.

In Reminders for iOS, there is support for file attachments, tagging, and for easier text-based entry of reminders into the app using natural language.

Maps has more details on the various map views, and an all new a Favorites feature lets you favorite locations for quick access and directions in the Maps app.

Messages

Messages for iOS gains a new profile feature that allows users to assign a profile picture or Animoji to their iMessage ID. This profile is then automatically shared with other iMessage users you communicate with.

There are also new Memoji features, Memoji customizations, and support for Memoji stickers.

Photos

The Photos app for iOS gets a facelift that makes browsing through pictures even easier, with automatic organizing for years and months and days. Live Photos and Videos will auto-play as you scroll through the Photos feeds, making the entire experience more interactive.

Additionally, Photos for iOS gains new and improved editing features, including the ability to adjust typical image editing aspects like saturation and colors, but also the ability to add a vignette to photos, adjust white balance, sharpen, increase definition, reduce noise, rotate videos, and more.

Files

Files app gets two great new features for power users; the ability to access and manage files found on external storage devices, and the ability to connect to file sharing networks.

AirPods

AirPods synced with iOS 13 gains a handy new capability to let Siri automatically read inbound messages to you, and you can then immediately reply and have Siri instantly reply for you too – even if you’re currently listening to music or a podcast.

Big Accessibility Features: Mouse Support & VoiceControl

Two of the most interesting and powerful new features to iOS 13 are Accessibility features.

The first interesting Accessibility feature is part of AssistiveTouch and it allows for USB mouse support for interacting with an iPhone or iPad, with an onscreen circular blob functioning as a cursor. Presumably trackpad support will arrive down the road, as iOS 13 remains in active development.

The other is called VoiceControl, which allows for the entire iOS device experience to be used and navigated entirely by voice commands alone, and with optional audio descriptions. (MacOS and iPadOS also gain this feature). This is one of those features that is best demoed by video, and embedded below is the video Apple used at WWDC 2019 to demonstrate this powerful feature:

Misc iOS 13 Features

• iOS 13 for iPad has been rebranded as iPadOS 13, which includes all of the iOS 13 features along with all new gestures for iPad users to select text, copy, paste, undo and redo, and perform multitasking
• New privacy features to limit location sharing with apps
• New Apple Sign-In feature for logging into apps that support it, allow you to create randomized email address forwards and supply those random email addresses to specific apps, making it easier to unsubscribe from emails from those apps
• Siri has an improved more natural voice

iOS 13 is compatible with select iPhone models, and iPadOS is compatible with specific iPad models, you can review that supported device list here.

You can browse through a full list of major features on Apple.com here. You might also be interested in checking out MacOS Catalina features and screenshots too.

iOS 13 beta 1 and iPadOS 13 beta 1 are available to download now for developers, and the public beta build will arrive in July. The final versions will be released in the fall.