Apple announced several new software features as part of its annual update of mobile operating system iOS that powers the company’s iconic iPhones and iPads.
iOS 9, the next version of the software that powers Apple’s mobile devices, will support iPhone 4S and above, iPad 2 and above, all iPad mini models, and iPod touch fifth-generation.
iPad finally gets the much-needed support for multiple apps on same screen with iOS 9. Samsung, as well as other Android device makers, have allowed users to open two or more apps on the same screen for the past three years.
With iOS 9, iPad will allow users to open two apps via drag-and-drop in 50:50 or 70:30 format. However, this feature will be available only on iPad Air 2, Air, mini 3 and mini 2.
Apple Maps, which the company claims is used 3.5 times more on iOS than any other mapping app like Google Maps, will now get transit directions. One neat feature of the Maps app is that it will show ‘multi-modal routing’; this feature will, for example, show if a single station allows passengers to switch from buses to inter-city trains to metro trains.
Location cards in Apple Maps will also show if any restaurant or other stores support Apple Pay.