On Tuesday, June 22, 2020, Apple unveiled iPhone’s newest operating system—the iOS 14.

The new operating system is said to be “the biggest updated ever to Home Screen pages,” as Apple has totally redesigned the widgets and other built-in applications such as App Store, Messages and App Library. Apple’s iOS 14 also comes with Picture-in-Picture (PiP) support—an upgrade that lets you play videos on top of your iPhone screen. Also, Apple included Siri to its interface-level changes as it no longer has its full-screen view and can bring other widgets to any of your screens.

While with the newly designed Compact Calls, your calls' display from iPhone, Facetime and other apps will no longer take up the full screen. So introverts can ignore unimportant phone calls peacefully, *wink.

Photo from Apple

Translate Application

The iOS 14 also offers a new Translate application. This supports 11 languages, and also has this “on-device mode” that keeps your text and voice translations private. You can turn your iPhone into landscape view as well which makes it easier for you to see both languages.

Photo from Apple

Messages Application

Your new messages app has its updates as well. First, you can now pin your important conversations or messages to the top of the app, these conversations will show up as big circle icons—being separated from other threads and messages. For group messages, it will become bubble images of everyone who’s in the group positioned at the top of the screen, and your contacts who have been more active will appear sort of bigger. You can also use the ‘@’ function to mention someone in your group just like in Facebook Messenger.

Photo from Apple

Apple Maps

The newly redesigned Apple maps will now tell you when you are approaching a speed or red-light camera. The Apple Maps app will also be introduced to new countries this year: United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada. Apple said that they are already working with trusted brands that will offer integrated travel guides into the Apple Maps, which is said to include recommendations of places within your area. For people who are into cycling, Cycling Navigation will also be included to the new Apple Maps. This will feature account elevation, for you to know if you will be dealing with a lot of hills on your way, this will also let you choose a route that would avoid stairs or busier flat roads. Although the said feature will only be available in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Shanghai, and Beijing for now. Apple said that more cities are to be announced on the coming months.

Photo from Apple

App Store

The new iOS 14 also comes with a new mini-app called App Clips—it is a small part of an existing app that makes it easier for you to discover and download.

According to Apple, companies can offer App Clips based on their existing apps for use in specific situations. On a web store, for example, an icon could pop up offering an App Clip that lets you buy a product but doesn't commit you to the rest of the data and functionality on the full app. Or there could be a code displayed at a parking spot, which then takes you to a stripped-down version of an app that lets you pay for parking.

Photo from Apple

iPhone 6 users left the group

Unfortunately for iPhone 6 users, the new operating system upgrade will no longer support the said iPhone model. iOS 14 will support the iPhone models from as old as iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7+, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max,  and the latest iPhone SE which is coming to the Philippines soon.

Apple did not confirm the iOS 14 exact release date today, but the technology company said that the new operating system will be available this fall (September), while the developer preview of the new iOS 14 will be available starting Monday—an opportunity for the users to test and try it.