The updated iPhone 5S and the new look iPhone 5C have arrived, but the most drastic change of all is in the software – yes, that’ll be iOS 7. The completely overhauled OS is available for download on older iPhones and iPads now. Should you upgrade? What’s changed? What’s new? We’ve gathered all the best from the Web into one handy guide for you.
Getting ready to upgrade
Find out where your current iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad stands and what new features you’ll be able to use with this definitive iOS 7 compatibility chart from theapplelounge.com. If your model doesn’t appear in the chart, unfortunately you won’t be able to upgrade.
Just in case your Apple goes pear-shaped, there are a few steps everyone should take before upgrading their iPhone/iPad.
What’s changed? What’s new?
iOS has more or less looked the same since its debut in 2007, gradually evolving with tweaks and extra features appearing in each new version without too much deviation from an established style. (For more details check out this cool visual history of iOS.)
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iOS 7 fonts hard to read? You can make them larger by going to Settings > General > Text Size and dragging the slider.
Still too thin? You can make them bold by going to Settings > General > Accessibility > Bold Text and flipping the switch to green.
The sudden leap from the comfy and familiar iOS 6 to iOS 7 can be jarring, true, but it’s not all doom and dayglo.
- This visual tour of iOS 7 let’s you cast your eyes over what’s new before taking the plunge.
CNET have been balanced in their coverage, producing three reports to help you make up your mind:
MacRumors put together this guide to the most obvious new features of iOS 7, while the Verge produced a very pretty interactive guide to the lesser known, hidden goodies in iOS 7.
But it’s not just the OS. App developers have been working hard over the past few months to bring their apps in line with the new iOS 7 look and feel. Business Insider put together some before-and-after comparisons of popular apps in their iOS 6 and 7 incarnations. It’s a matter of taste, so see which you prefer.
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If the new animations and home screen ‘parallax effect’ make you woozy, try going to Settings > General > Accessibility > Reduce Motion and flipping the switch to green.
Docking with the enterprise
Compared to earlier versions, iOS 7 offers an improved experience for business users.
- Apple has set up a dedicated page introducing the new enterprise features.
- Work in a Bring-your-own-Device (BYOD) environment? Take heart. One mobile device management vendor has gone so far as to describe the BYOD features in iOS 7 ‘as innovative as we’ve seen from Apple’.
- Is your business ready for iOS 7? This very useful infographic (left) from Cortado lays out all the dos and don’ts.
- Security-wise, US Government officials praised the new ‘Activation Lock’ feature which aims to combat smartphone theft.
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Experiencing rapid battery drain after upgrading to iOS 7? Check out this iOS 7 battery life issues troubleshooting guide.
Still on the fence?
- You’re not alone. ZDNet offers six reasons why you should not immediately upgrade to iOS 7.
- There’s still life in iOS 6 – reports suggest that Apple have set up a system where the last compatible version of an app will be made available to users with older devices and iOS versions.
Don’t cry!
There really is lots of great new stuff in iOS 7, once you get past the initial shock of the new design. Unfortunately it proved to be all too much for this four-year-old boy who just wanted a game of Plants vs Zombies.
Contact us
We specialize in the setup, customization and maintenance of IT for international businesses in Tokyo and provide full English-Japanese bilingual support.
If you have any concerns about deploying iOS 7 devices in your Japan-based organization contact us for a free quote on our IT Management, IT Admin & Support or Back Office Systems solutions.
If you are looking to produce an app for iOS 7, we also offer app design and development services.