Have you updated your iPhone to iOS 10, yet? (Kevin John Siazon/Ryersonian)
iPhone users rejoice — you no longer have have to deal with all of those useless default apps.
Apple released its new iOS 10 update Tuesday afternoon, and it’s created a heated debate among iPhone users.
On the bright side, you can now rid your phone of unnecessary apps, like Stocks or Find Friends. However, the update also includes over 25 new features that can make or break the functionality of your phone – especially if it’s an older model. While there aren’t major layout changes like with iOS 9, the iOS 10 does focus on improved performance.
What’s good about it?
Camera access:
- If you thought accessing your camera was easy before, now you can simply swipe left from the lock screen and you will be ready to take a selfie in an instant.
Home screen, notifications and control centre:
- It is now easier to access notifications from your lock screen, because all you have to do is swipe left to view, reply or clear them away.
- Apple also added new home screen widgets to replace the headlines used in iOS 9.
- Now you don’t have to worry about accidentally turning on your flashlight while trying to play music, because your music is separated from other necessities in the bottom control centre.
iMessage:
- GIFs are one of the most enjoyable new features for texts.
- There are new handwriting and doodle options, which give messages a personal touch. Just think of Facebook’s messenger app, but flashier.
Mail:
- It’s now easier to access and personalize emails. The iOS 10 allows you to easily unsubscribe from newsletters without even having to open the email app. There’s also an “unread only” button at the bottom of the screen so you can read all your unread emails together.
What’s bad about it?
iMessage:
- The new update can replace complete sentences with emojis automatically, which can make it hard for people to understand what you’re trying to say.
- On top of that, the new doodling feature and the GIFs could potentially suck up all of your data. It all just seems a bit excessive.
The Heart App:
- Just when you thought all the default apps were gone, the heart app remains. You win some, you lose some.
Unlocking the phone:
- The new update requires you to press down on the home button to unlock it, rather than using just a light touch.
- This, however, is rescuable by going into settings, then accessibility and returning it back to its original form.
iPhone brick:
- It’s been reported that there have been several cases of phones crashing or “bricking,” because of the update. And this isn’t only for old phones — it’s actually happening to newer models, too. So update at your own risk.
Oriena Vuong is a journalist based in Toronto. She's worked in all sectors of reporting from print and online to video. She enjoys writing about the arts, lifestyle and anything to do with comedy.
