iOS 9.3: What features are in the new iPhone and iPad update?

That's right, it has the long-sought-after iPhone Night Shift feature, which controls the blue light levels emitted from your screen, and it's finally out of beta so that everyone can download it today.

Plenty of other useful features are here, too: multi-user support for students, Apple Notes locked behind a password (or Touch ID) and tweaked News, Health and Apple CarPlay apps. In the US, Verizon gains Wi-Fi calling - finally.

All of this is coming to devices that currently run iOS 9 as well as a new phone and tablet,iPad Pro 9.7 and iPhone SE, which launched on March 31 in the 13 countries including the US, UK and Australia.

It's not without iOS 9.3 problems, like authentication issues for iPad 2, and iOS 9.3.2 mishaps on the newest iPad. But there were speedy fixes and now everyone can download the newest features.

Night Shift

I've read dozens of news stories that tell me I shouldn't go to bed staring at my iPhone 6S Plus, my iPad Air 2 or my new MacBook, but do I follow those wise instructions? No.

Night Shift is the iOS 9.3 solution I've been waiting for, because it won't require me to change my nighttime reading and working habits. It automatically tints my screen to warmer colors.

"Many studies have shown that exposure to bright blue light in the evening can affect your circadian rhythms and make it harder to fall asleep," according to Apple.

What's neat is that iOS 9.3 uses the clock and geolocation to determine the sunset, and the screen becomes progressively more orange-tinted throughout the night, exactly like f.lux on Macs and Reader's Edition on Amazon Kindle HD 8.

The completely optional Night Shift mode is found in Settings > Display and Brightness > Blue Light Reduction, with a slider bar to control how orange or blue it looks, and to adjust the schedule.

Apple's swipe-up-from-the-bottom Control Center overlay menu adds Night Shift to the bottom row of quick settings. It's right in the middle, flanked by flashlight and timer on the left and calculator and camera on the right. That's how important this feature is for the new update.

It's all designed to allow your eyes to relax so that falling asleep is easier, and when it's time to wake up, the screen color shifts back to normal. It's the best feature found within iOS 9.3.

iOS 9.3.3 update

There's no sign of an iOS 9.4 update yet, and there may never be a system update to the nearest tenth decimal place. That's because iOS 10 beta is likely to launch at Apple's WWDC 2016 on June 13.

Instead, what we have is iOS 9.3.3 beta for some devices, since the iPad Pro 9.7 update was pulled when iOS 9.3.2 launched and hasn't made its way beyond iOS 9.3.1 just yet.

It's a familiar story: iOS 9.3.1 brought in a new fix for a bug that was making Safari crashed for some users. When iOS 9.3 first launched, certain apps installed could crashed Safari when you tried to use links within the web browser. There were enough cases of this that Apple quickly remedied the problem.

iOS 9.3.3, still in beta form, is supposed to involve more background tweaks instead of front-facing features. iOS 9.3.2 did have one notable change in that Night Shift and Low-Power Mode worked at the same time. Originally, with iOS 9.3, one disables the other.

Multi-user user support... kind of

Buried in the iOS 9.3 release notes is the first sign of multi-user support, only it's strictly for classroom iPads right now. It's one of Tim Cook's favorite Apple products.

Apple calls this new app suite 'iOS in Education', and the highlight is the fact that it enables students to log into any iPad in any classroom and pick up where they left off.

This makes a lot of sense for a school's shared iPad experience, and it comes with Photo IDs to denote profiles and simple passwords for younger students.

iOS in Education also includes three other apps meant for teachers and school officials: a new Classroom app for teach-guided lessons that ensures the students follow along, and Apple School Manager and Managed Apple IDs for consolidated admin portals.

Even if you're not going to school, the simple fact that Apple has built one form of a multi-user login experience should give you high hope for a similar iOS 10 experience in a few months.

Apple Notes password protected

Before the new iOS 9.3 arrived, keeping confidential information in Apple Notes could be a little risky. Anyone could nab your unlocked iPhone and scan the secrets you jotted down.

Thankfully, the power of Touch ID and passcodes are now a part of Apple Notes. Far too many people (read: parents) keep all of their financial data, medical information and passwords in this not-so-secret app.

iOS 9.3 allows your vulnerable folks to protect certain notes under lock and fingerprint for extra security. It also lets you sort everything by date created, date modified and alphabetically now.

Apple News curation tweaks

Apple News is a little more personal and a little easier to navigate in iOS 9.3, though it doesn't address its biggest design problems. That may have to wait until iOS 10.

Instead, the pre-loaded Flipboard clone now has a more personalized "For You" section based on your interests, and new suggestions with trending topics and Editor's Picks.

It's more streamlined now because stories with a video can be played straight from the feed, and the iPhone now supports a landscape view for everyone. The entire app loads faster, too.

None of this helps the fact that Apple News is an extremely siloed app. I really dig Samsung's easier-to-access Flipboard integration, which occupies the leftmost homescreen of its devices, like the Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy Tab S2. But this is a start.

New Apple Health dashboard

Apple Health is becoming a little less lifeless with the iOS 9.3 update thanks to new, worthwhile third-party app suggestions and Apple Watch integration. It's about time.

Tracking down which third-party apps deliver the metrics you want is going to be easier because Health makes suggestions in its existing categories, like Weight, Workouts or Sleep.

The next time you go to Health to track your weight, you're going to see "Apps for Tracking Weight" at the bottom with at least five alternate apps you may want to try instead. Sadly, there's still no Fitbit integration on the horizon.

The dashboard is about to change if you own an Apple Watch. Apple sensibly added its Activity metrics of move, exercise and stand to the Health app's opening menu. Don't be alarmed. The separate Activity still exists if you prefer that interface.

CarPlay Music and Maps enhancements

Apple CarPlay is slowly driving alongside the shoulder of the highway, trying to pick up speed by rolling out in 2016 and forthcoming 2017 cars and trucks.

The iOS 9.3 CarPlay update is going to give it a minor boost starting with Apple Music tweaks. New (expert-picked) and For You (preference-based) songs are now part of the music menu.

The Nearby feature found in Apple Maps on the iPhone and Apple Watch is also coming to CarPlay cars, helping you find points of interests when you need them the most.

Minor iOS 9.3 changes

That's everything Apple tells you about iOS 9.3 upfront, but the software update has a few more goodies buried within its app-filled menus.

We've discovered new 3D Touch shortcuts for preloaded apps: Weather, App Store, Stocks, Health, Compass and Settings are all a tiny bit easier to navigate in iOS 9.3.

Need to tell Siri something in Hebrew, Finnish or Malay? Apple's personal assistant now understands those languages, bringing the total up to 37 languages.

In the US, Verizon customers can take advantage of Wi-Fi calling, as beta 3 finally adds this long-promised feature. Sure, Verizon's signal is often strong, but even it falters inside tall skyscrapers.

Finally, although iOS 9 release notes don't address the newly discovered 1970 glitch that bricks your iPhone and iPad if the date is set to January 1, 1970, expect there to be a vague reference to that in the final version of the text.

With iOS 9.3 out now for public consumption, everyone can download it and fall asleep while reading your iPhone or iPad in bed.

Apple Watch 2 release date, news and rumors

Update: New Apple Watch 2 rumors have begun to circulate about its release date, price and GPS running features, with even Tim Cook seeming to be lauding its grand possibilities. Here's what we've heard.

The Apple Watch 2 release date is shrouded in so much mystery that not even Siri knows the answer, despite her advanced knowledge of the company's forthcoming WWDC 2016 conference dates.

Asking my Apple Watch "When does the Apple Watch 2 come out?" only gets me to this message: "Apple.com should be able to answer that question. Continue on the iPhone."

There are two important things you should know about this answer. First, of course Apple's official website doesn't reveal such juicy information. I've checked. Everyday.

Second, this is one of the many areas in which the Apple Watch throws you to the iPhone instead of handling tasks itself. There's plenty of room for improvement and a need for a sequel.

Siri, apps and fitness tracking need a serious tune up, and more sensors and even greater waterproof guarantees should be added in Apple Watch for 2016.

There's tangential evidence that such an iPhone-compatible smartwatch for 2016 is in development at the Cupertino company. Let's get into the latest rumors point-by-point.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The second generation Apple Watch
• When is it out? At WWDC in June or September's iPhone 7 launch
• What will it cost? Probably a lot, similar to the current Watch

Apple Watch 2 release date

Although Siri didn't answer my question about the Apple Watch 2 release date, there are at least two distinct points in 2016 in which I could see the company's next wearable launch.

Unsurprisingly, we didn't see next iPhone-compatible smartwatch announced on March 21, as some had previously thought. An annual cycle for the wearable is a bit overeager for even diehard Apple fans.

Instead, iPhone SE and iPad Pro 9.7 graced the stage. Oh, yes, Apple Watch was there, too - and not just the white one on CEO Tim Cook's wrist. New Apple Watch bands and a lower price were all we got.

That means the launch may happen either on June 13 alongside iOS 10 at Apple's WWDC 2016 event, or in September along with the likely iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus debut.

Of the two release dates, the more cautious September launch sounds a lot like Apple's slow and steady approach to new product categories.

However, a WWDC 2016 announcement would still go along with the Q2 2016 release date estimate that the chairman for Apple Watch supplier Quanta hinted at.

Barry Lam from Quanta said in 2015, "Quanta and Apple are currently developing the second-generation of the Apple Watch, expected late next year in the second quarter."

A new report suggests that Apple Watch supplier Quanta will be responsible for all the production on the Apple Watch 2, as the company has lowered its order from its initial estimates.

Sources from the upstream supply chain suggest the Apple Watch 2 will go into production in Q2, suggesting it'll be launched before the expected iPhone 7 launch in September.

This would give Apple enough time to tinker with its smartwatch and not make early adopters feel too cheaped with a rigid 12-month-upgrade schedule. Whether it's a true reinvention for a incremental Apple Watch S upgrade remains to be seen.

Apple Watch 2 price

There may be some wiggle room with the Apple Watch price, considering US retailers had the iPhone smartwatch on sale for some time before the company recently lowered the official price.

It launched at a hard-to-justify starting price of $349 (£299, AU$499), and the unofficial price drop during Black Friday took it down to $299 at some stores. Four months later, Apple made it official.

Introducing the Apple Watch 2 at this new price from the get-go would put the gadget in more hands and on more wrists. Just don't expect the gold Apple Watch Edition price to budge from $17,000 (£13,500, AU$24,000).

Tim Cook promises Apple Watch will be better

Apple CEO Tim Cook just teased that "you'll see the Apple Watch getting better and better," and he soon expects "people will say, 'How could I have ever thought about not wearing this watch?'"

He could be hinting at an inevitable watchOS 3 software update, it'll take an Apple Watch 2 hardware announcement to meet those high expectations. Ipso facto, he just confirmed the new Apple Watch.

Right now, plenty of people can live without the Apple Watch, and even Cook acknowledges this: "We're still in learning mode. We're learning fairly quickly, though. We know a lot more than we did a year ago."

There's a lot of promise behind these statements, even if the Apple boss doesn't distinctly mention the Apple Watch 2 by name.

Apple Watch 2 news and rumors

Watch OS 2 was a small step forward with improvements, like better native app support, tetherless Wi-Fi and the ability to watch videos, reply to emails and make FaceTime audio calls.

New Apple Watch 2 features, coupled with a watchOS 3 update, are bound to let you do more directly from the smartwatch, too. The rumor of a GPS chip for running, without your phone in tow, persists.

Most recently, we heard that the next Apple Watch will be thinner by measures of up to a 40% reduction in thickness. However, that could be meant for the Apple Watch 3.

There's a good chance that the next Apple Watch won't mix things up much in terms of design. Or at all, if Ming-Chi Quo's insider knowledge ends up becoming truth.

Apple wearable won't boast any visual changes to the design, according his sources as reported by to AppleInsider. A more significant Apple Watch refresh could happen some time after, possibly in 2017.

While he suggests that the design might not change one bit in the next Apple Watch, the specs, as you'd imagine, will be getting a big boost. We're currently unsure of exactly which components will be improved upon, but it's relatively safe to assume we might see a bump up in screen resolution, onboard storage and battery life.

A new wireless chipset is said to allow for basic communication tasks to be handled without a paired iPhone, and the same technology may also mean that lost Apple Watches could be found using Wi-Fi triangulation.

A source talking to Phone Arena went on to claim that the Apple Watch 2 will have a video camera, allowing users to make and receive video FaceTime calls rather than just audio ones.

New models might be launched too, providing users with more than just the standard, Sport and Edition versions available now. It's not clear exactly what form these new models will take, but new materials could be on the cards, such as titanium, platinum and perhaps evenLiquidmetal.

But if you're hoping the appearance will change or we'll see a circular smartwatch from Apple you might be out of luck, as another leak suggests that the Apple Watch 2 will have the same screen size, shape and resolution as the first Apple Watch - this is the way the Cupertino firm does things, after all.

One thing which will apparently change according to the same source is the thickness of the screen, which will be made thinner to allow for a larger battery. Yet that clashes withprevious rumors that the juice pack will be staying the same, albeit with possible software improvements to improve its life.

It could also have a new breed of smart band to go along with it, as a recent patent application has been filed for a strap that has light fibres woven in, meaning you'll be able to get notifications from your wrist all the way around.

Hopefully it won't flash or be too overt - simply function as a second screen that could give more information than the smaller screen could.

Overall we're really not sure what to expect from the Apple Watch 2 just yet, and we're sure it will hold plenty of surprises and features beyond what we've heard so far and beyond what the original Apple Watch (which will be getting Watch OS 2) is capable of.

While the March 21 Apple press conference didn't usher in the second coming of the Apple Watch, we'll be scanning the internet and reading between the lines of Apple statement (and the lines of iOS 9.3 code) for even the smallest suggest of the Apple Watch 2 and even a minor Apple Watch S upgrade.

Now we've spent a decent chunk of time with the original Apple Watch it's got us thinking - how can Apple improve on its first wearable? Well, in a number of ways it turns out and most of them haven't been addressed by Apple Watch OS 2.

So without further ado, here's what we want to see from the Apple Watch 2.

1. Longer battery life

We never expected the Apple Watch would have great battery life, after all few smartwatches outside of Pebble do really, and with around a day and a half manageable on a single charge we'd like to see a bit more.

Charging a phone once a day is bad enough, but having to charge your watch that frequently (or at all really) is a bit much and the prospect of having your watch run out of battery when you're away from a charger isn't terribly appealing either. So we really, really hope that the Apple Watch 2 has better battery life.

We don't expect miracles, but would two or even three days between charges really be so much to ask?

2. A round face

Some people are probably big fans of the Apple Watch's square design and we're not saying the Apple Watch 2 needs to ditch that, but just as the Apple Watch has multiple size options the Apple Watch 2 could offer multiple shape choices, so you can pick between a square and a circle.

That would instantly make it a lot more appealing to a lot more people and it's a logical evolution of all the customisation options offered by the first gen model, giving you one more way to make the Apple Watch your own.

3. A less chunky design

The Apple Watch is actually a little smaller than most competitors, but it's still big by wristwatch standards and it's got a slightly chunky design, so we'd like to see Apple refine that a little.

Chunky is not a word that comes to mind when looking at most Apple products, but we're hopeful that a change will come there, after all this is a first generation device, so Apple is presumably just focused on getting the basics right.

4. Android compatibility

This won't happen, but wouldn't it be amazing if it did? Right now no-one with an Androidphone is going to buy the Apple Watch (though Apple is probably hoping a lot of people will switch to an iPhone as a result), but if, IF, the Apple Watch 2 got full Android compatibility then it could become very hard to compete with.

The first gen watch is already almost certainly going to become the bestselling smartwatch by far. If everyone without an iPhone could buy it too then it would surely dwarf the competition. Then again maybe that wouldn't be such a good thing... we do like choice.

5. More sensors

One of the Apple Watch's biggest selling points is as a health accessory, but while early rumors pointed to a sensor-packed device, many of those sensors haven't made the cut.

A mix of hairy arms and inconclusive readings have caused sensors for blood pressure, blood oxygen and stress levels to be removed, so it would be nice to see Apple revisit them for the next version. Plus it turns out tattoos really mess with the heart rate sensor.

Right now the Apple Watch is a decent tool for tracking your health, but it could be a whole lot better.

6. Built in GPS

Similarly the Apple Watch is packed with fitness tracking tools, but one thing it lacks is built-in GPS. As such it can't be classed as a full-blown running watch. So we'd like to see that added for the Apple Watch 2, enabling runners and cyclists to leave their smartphone at home.

7. Less clicks, more flicks

The digital crown on the Apple Watch is a great idea, but at the moment the interface is perhaps too focused on clicks, with not enough flicks. Which is to say you rarely touch the screen to navigate.

That's not entirely a bad thing as the display is small and avoiding fingerprints is always a good thing to aim for, but in some ways it seems a step back, when most smart devices are all about interacting directly with a touchscreen. It's also a little less intuitive than it could be, particularly if you're used to tapping and swiping on an iPhone.

8. A sharper screen

Depending on which size model you opt for the Apple Watch has a screen resolution of either 340 x 272 or 390 x 312. Given its small size that's not bad and it's comparable with many other smartwatches, but right now no smartwatch has a pin-sharp display so that's something we'd like to see on the Apple Watch 2.

For one thing the lack of visible pixels will make it look more watch-like when using an analogue watch face, but beyond that it's just nicer looking at a crystal clear screen than a lower resolution one.

9. Lower price

Apple devices are always expensive and with the Apple Watch seemingly positioned as a bit of a luxury item its price is very much on the steep side. In fact is you opt for a Watch Edition version it costs up to a wallet-melting $17,000 / £13,500 / AU$24,000.

If you're super-rich then that's fine for a timepiece that won't be out of date in a year, but even Mr Monopoly might think twice about shelling out that sort of money on a smartwatch.

Even at the lower end prices start at £299 / $349 / AU$499. That's already more than just about any Android Wear watch and that's for a sport model. To get a classy look that can compete with say the LG Watch Urbane you're looking at a starting price of around £559 / $649 / AU$949. That's insane, so we hope the Apple Watch 2 is little bit more affordable.

If it's not, at least the current model will be dropped in price to make that the 'budget' Apple Watch we're all craving.

10. More storage

The Apple Watch comes with 8GB of built in storage, which is pretty good by smartwatch standards, except that only 2GB of that can be used for music and just 75MB for photos.

Of course you'll usually have it paired to an iPhone with far more storage space, but if for example Apple does add GPS so we can go running without our phone then it would be nice to have space for all our tunes.

Apple's latest patent drops a clue about the iPhone 7 camera

Before the latest tech from Apple's engineers makes it into your iPhone, it has to make its way through the US patent office, and that means we can often get a sneak peek at what the Cupertino company is planning for the future.

The latest example: a patent for a telephoto lens that also makes mention of a dual-lens camera. Essentially, a telephoto lens achieves a broader focus range from a physically shorter lens, and that means the iPhone camera 'bump' could soon be consigned to history.

Apple's patent shows how a lowercase 'r' shape (a bit like a periscope) could be used to cram more lens technology in a smaller space. It would in theory let you snap objects from further away and apply some useful background blur effects.
One lens good, two lenses better

If Apple manages to perfect the hardware to match the patent then the gap between your smartphone's camera and a professional DSLR will shrink further, but just as interesting is the mention that the patent makes of a second lens that users could switch to instead.

Dual-lens cameras (like the one in the new Huawei P9) offer better resolution and better zoom capabilities.Such a system has long been rumoured as a possible upgrade for the iPhone. If the recent gossip is true, it's finally going to arrive with the iPhone 7.

Until Tim Cook actually holds up a handset on stage, we won't know for sure what's in the next-gen iPhone, but a succession of leaks and now this officially filed patent from Apple suggests the camera setup could be one of the best features of the upcoming iPhone 7.

OS X 10.12 release date, news and rumors

With Microsoft's Windows 10 heating up the PC market, Apple is due to do the same with the launch of a new version of OS X for Mac packed with new features and improvements.

This upcoming release, version 10.12, is all but confirmed to be revealed this June during theWorldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), and will supposedly do more than just provide bug fixes and performance updates like what we saw from the move between 10.10 "Yosemite" to 10.11 "El Capitan."

So what's in store for Mac users? Officially, we don't know, but there are plenty of rumors floating about that should get Apple fans hyped.
Cut to the chase
What is it? The next version of Apple's desktop operating system
When is it out? Most likely before or during November 2016
What will it cost? Like the previous several versions, it will be a free update


OS X 10.12 release date

Honestly, the OS X 10.12 launch timing is almost a foregone conclusion. Apple has gotten this process so close to a formula that we simply just expect to see the new operating system demoed during WWDC and in our hands by the following November. (With a beta preview over the summer, natch.)

Nothing has indicated that this year will be any different.

While this really isn't the most exciting bit, the platform is supposedly codenamed "Fuji."While it doesn't directly refer to California, Fuji apples are a common fruit found across the state. Food for thought.

However, Apple typically doesn't stick with code names in its final releases - OS X 10.10 Yosemite was originally referred to internally as "Syrah". That said, Apple has supposedly trademarked a long list of names based on California landmarks, animals and more.

Chances are high for the final name to be based on a body of water given that the previous two versions of OS X were named after major California landmarks (Yosemite in 2014 and El Capitan currently), while the 2013 version was named after a major body of water, Mavericks.

As for the OS X title itself, Apple seemingly confirmed previous rumors that it would switch back to the "MacOS" label by using that term in its most recent environmental report, which has since been fixed to read "OS X" instead.

Whoops.

Maybe Apple will ditch the OS X name altogether and go with MacOS version 1 (v1). We'll see this June.


Will Siri finally make an appearance?

The biggest feature said to be slated for OS X 10.12 is the inclusion of the Siri virtual personal assistant. This tool was launched on iOS back in 2011, and surprisingly Apple has yet to bring it to Macs. What could be prompting Apple to move forward with Siri integration is Microsoft's Windows 10 and its Cortana virtual assistant, which made their marriage legal back in July 2015.

That said, Cortana can be found not only on PCs, but Android, Windows 10 Mobile, and Apple's own iOS platform. The Redmond, Wash. firm is pushing Cortana across all devices, such as adding a low smartphone power indicator on the PC, and sharing map directions across multiple devices. You can even use Cortana on the PC to find your iPhone if it becomes misplaced.

By adding Siri to the Mac platform, Apple could offer the same services for iPhone and iPad owners with a Mac-based computer. This feature, which has been clamored for by Mac fans for years, will supposedly bring all of Siri's functions to OS X 10.12, such as hands-free voice searching, playing music from iTunes, answering questions, looking up directions and so on.

Like Cortana, an icon or search field may be provided on the OS X Menu bar. Siri could also be activated by pressing a specific key.
What we want to see

Look, as much as we've been impressed by the subtler improvements in El Capitan, there will always be room for more. (That would be the case even if it had earned more than four stars from us.)

From even simpler backup and file management to some select app improvements, we have a few ideas for how Apple could craft an even faster, more versatile OS X.


A better backup solution and file system

Apple's Time Machine has been around for quite a while, allowing Mac users to backup data to an external hard drive (USB, FireWire, Thunderbolt), to a network's Time Capsule or OS X Server, or to an external drive connected to a network's AirPort Extreme base station. However, Mac users want something newer and better to manage loads of large files, such as HD movies and personal videos.

Because of this, Apple may be working on better - or at least more secure - iCloud features so that Mac users can upload and store these large files easily without penalty, and access them from any device. Currently, iCloud plays host to the camera roll, documents, mail, app data, videos, settings and other device-specific information, and allows user to share stored media with friends and family.

Apple's iCloud service currently comes with 5GB of free online storage, with 25GB, 200GB and 1TB options increasing in price. But, Apple may want to introduce larger capacities at lower prices, so that storing data like HD movies and TV shows in the cloud isn't quite so painful.

With that in mind, to support a new backup system, Apple may be working on a new file system for OS X in the process. The current HFS+ file system, developed by Apple, is rather old and decrepit, introduced back in January 1998 with the release of Mac OS 8.1.

However, long-churning rumors - like, for years now - point to the possibility of creating an entirely new in-house file system, or defaulting to something like Sun Microsystems's ZFS platform or the Boot File System (BFS). Meanwhile, Microsoft seems to still be using the NTFS file system in its new Windows 10 platform - developed over 20 years ago.


The death of iTunes

Many Mac owners want to see the end of iTunes. Honestly, the software is clunky and slow, making the act of shoving files and media to and from a Mac to an iPhone or iPad an annoying task, even on a Windows-based PC.

Rather than have one bulky solution to handle device syncing and content management, customers have requested that Apple develop a standalone sync application as well as separate apps dedicated to video, music, podcasts, and text content.

Take Google's highly-popular Android platform, for instance. The company allows customers to explore and purchase products both within an on-device "store" app and through a Web browser. In turn, Google provides standalone apps for each type of media: Play Music, Play Books, Play Movies, and so on.

Apple customers can even access these Google-based apps on the iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad. You can't say that about Apple's services on Android.

On that note, customers I'd like to see a web-based storefront to purchase media, so that clunky software isn't required and is accessible from any device. They also want the ability to sync media to an Android device, to preview video in the Mac App Store as well as demo some of the software Apple offers in its Mac-based storefront.
Better support for Swift

For developers, a new file system would be nice, but better support for Apple's Swift programming language, launched back in 2014, would be great, too. Created for iOS, OS X, tvOS and watchOS, this open-source platform supposedly makes app creation "interactive and fun" by generating code faster, compiling apps faster and providing a new assistant to help developers in the app-creation process. Improved syntax even enables "expressive" code and provides improved consistency.

Apple would be smart to make it so OS X 10.12 provides an update to Swift that will allow developers to convert their older pre-Swift apps over to the new Swift platform. A native feature related to saving data should also be included in OS X 10.12, although information about this specific detail is currently scarce at the moment. Swift, by the way, is supported on Linux, too.


A better photos app

Finally, we have the Photos app, which will reportedly see another improvement in OS X 10.12 that will bring it up to speed with the discontinued iPhoto 9.6.1 app for Mac. Not much is known about these improvements rumor-wise, but there are talks that the app will not see Aperture-level functions.

However, for the Photos app on iOS, Apple may introduce editing tools, like touch-based brushes for changing the parameters of a photo, and editing EXIF information. The Mac version could very well see the addition of these rumored editing tools, too.
More to come

Naturally, all eyes are focused on Apple's WWDC 2016 conference taking place this June. We expect that there will be more features shown than what we've pined for here in addition to an overall improvement in performance, more bug fixes and tweaks to the overall experience.

The good news is that June is not that far away, so the wait to see what's new for Apple customers will be a relatively short one.

Apple may upgrade the screen of next year's iPhone 7S in a major way

Apple hasn't even announced the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, but it's already rumored to be planning big design changes for next year's smartphone.

The Cupertino company intends to shift from LCD to OLED display technology with its iPhone 7S in 2017, and that's a year or two sooner than expected, according to Chinese news site Nikkei.

Going "organic" with the new iPhone screen has obvious benefits. OLEDs are brighter and can be made to be thinner, lighter and more flexible than current iPhone IPS LCD displays.

As we've seen from the Apple Watch, OLED displays can also achieve deeper blacks and save battery life by essentially turning off pixels.

That would be a big plus for wall-hugging and Mophie-carrying iPhone users who are constantly looking for a charge.

Not ready for iPhone 7

Apple's switch to OLED for a future iPhone seems inevitable. It's said to be close to a $12 billion (about £8.53b, AU$16.47b) deal with Samsung and LG for such displays, according to9to5Mac.

There's also a push to bring fresh ideas to new iPhones, and many of Apple's top rivals have already made the switch to or flirted with OLED, including Samsung and Motorola.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge use AMOLED displays to their advantage, with an always-on displays that show the time, date and notifications without significant battery drain.

The forthcoming LG G5 does the same thing, even though it uses LCD technology. Apple could be seeking to match these novel features being touted by its biggest Android-based competitors.

Of course, none of this is expected to land in the company's next phone, the iPhone 7. But we could be in for a major screen refresh just twelve months later.