iOS 15 is on the way: release date, rumors and everything we know right now

This story is part of Apple event, our comprehensive coverage of the latest news from Apple HQ.

We’re probably less than a week away from launching iOS 15, Apple’s latest mobile operating system that adds a ton of new features for iPhone users. While we don’t have an exact date yet, Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 13 a tan event on Tuesday (here is how to look) – and usually we get the latest version of iOS within days of announcing a new phone.

We got a first look at Apple’s iOS 15 update on the company’s virtual site. Global Developer Conference in June, followed by a developer beta and now a public beta. (Here is how to download iOS 15 public beta, the three things you should know before installing and how to check if your phone can run iOS 15.)

While we’ve seen a lot of new features coming this spring and summer with iOS 14.5, iOS 14.6 and iOS 14.7, including being able to unlock your iPhone with Face ID while wearing a mask, prevent apps from tracking you for advertising purposes and choose from four Siri voices, iOS 15 adds even more. New features in iOS 15 include the ability to start FaceTime calls with Android users, easier sharing in iMessage and better directions in Maps. Read on for everything we’ve learned about iOS 15 so far, including when it’ll typically be released, how to download it, and some of the most important new features.

IOS 15 release date: September 2021

Apple unveiled iOS 15 at its annual global developer conference on June 7, as is usually the case. The new operating system was first available for developers to test and became available for download as a public beta on June 30.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said the final version of iOS 15 will launch in the fall. It is likely that this will happen in September alongside the iPhone 13 launch. In the past, Apple released the latest version of iOS within a week of an iPhone launch event, so we’re expecting the same this time around, which means we could get iOS 15 in the week following September 14.

iOS 15 new features

Here are some of the key new features coming to iOS 15, unveiled at WWDC 2021. (And here’s a look at all the new features of iOS 15.)

FaceTime Upgrades: Spatial Audio, Android and Windows Support

FaceTime will offer spatial sound so that people’s voices appear to come from their position on the screen, making your video chats more natural and realistic. FaceTime will also start to look more like Zoom, allowing you to see all participants in a grid view, schedule calls, and share browser-accessible call links on Google Android and Microsoft Windows devices.

Read more: Fun FaceTime Date Idea: Try Apple’s New SharePlay Feature In iOS 15

IMessage Sharing Features

iOS 15 adds some new iMessage sharing features for photos, news articles and playlists. When a friend sends you multiple photos on iMessage, they appear in a dynamic collage formation that lets you browse or tap them to view the set in your photos app. If you want to access the same photos later, you’ll find them stored in a new Shared with you folder, as well as mixed with your own featured photos and memories. You’ll also find news articles and playlists shared through iMessage in the new Shared With You tabs in your News and Apple Music apps.

Apple Maps update: 3D street data, AR walking routes and weather warnings

Apple Maps gets an upgrade with more elevation data, road and route colors, rich labels, 3D landmarks and an improved night mode. When it comes to public transport, you can also pin nearby public transport stops and station information to your iPhone and Apple Watch devices, and receive automatic updates and notifications as you ride and approach your stop. When traveling on foot, a new augmented reality feature lets you scan nearby buildings in the area with the iPhone’s camera to determine their precise position for more precise walking directions, which are also presented. in augmented reality.

Maps could also factor in weather warnings in suggested routes in iOS 15. Redditor ChrisSDreiling, who spotted the update in iOS 15 beta 3, says Maps will notify you if there are flash floods on your trip. and suggest alternative routes to avoid extreme weather conditions. While other types of weather warnings weren’t mentioned in ChrisSDreiling’s post, it will be interesting to see if more weather warnings are added ahead of the general release of iOS 15 in the fall.

Facial recognition selfies to validate digital ID cards in the Wallet app

TO WWDC This spring, Apple announced that it will add ID card support for the Wallet app in iOS 15, allowing you to carry digital versions of government-issued ID cards like your driver’s license on your iPhone. But it’s unclear exactly how the new feature will work. According to the code discovered by 9to5Mac in the latest iOS 15 beta for developers, Apple could use facial recognition selfies to validate your digital ID cards as they are added to your wallet. Some banking applications already use this selfie validation feature to authenticate users when signing in with new devices.

How to download iOS 15?

If you want to test iOS 15 before its general release, you can download it now as a public beta. (Check if your iPhone can run iOS 15 here.) Just be warned: Betas are generally buggy, and we do not recommend that you download them to your primary device. But if you want, here is how to download iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 betas. (And if bugs get you down, here is how to go back to iOS 14.)

Read more: Apple’s iOS 15 beta is here, but watch out for these bugs

Once iOS 15 is generally available (probably next week), Apple will likely send out a notification letting you know you can update. Or you can do it manually, by going to the Applying settings > General > Software update.

To find out more, here is all the iPhone 13 rumors we’ve heard so far. You can also consult exciting new features for WatchOS 8, the best things about macOS Monterey and check if your computer is compatible with the new MacOS.