Introducing useful ones from the additional functions of "iOS 15"! Check compatible models ｜ TIME & SPACE by KDDI

In September 2021, "iOS 15" was released.

Including the enhancement of the "FaceTime" function, a new "centralized mode" has been added, and the specifications around notifications have also been changed. In addition, many small updates have been made, such as the addition of a new function called "private relay" for paid users of iCloud.

This article introduces the main features added in iOS 15.

Before going into the feature description, let's check the compatible models of iOS 15. As with the previous iOS 14, the models that can be updated to iOS 15 can be used with iPhone 6s or later, iPhone SE (1st and 2nd generation), and iPod Touch (7th generation).

Now, let's introduce the unique features of iOS 15 again.

The "tab bar" that used to be at the top has moved to the bottom. You can now switch tabs by swiping left or right. For those who normally use the tab bar for searching, the appearance and usability will change significantly.

If you want to use it as before, you can display it at the top as before by selecting [Safari] ▶ [Single Tab] from "Settings". In that case, you will not be able to switch tabs by swiping left or right, but if you want to return to familiar usage, you should set it.

In addition, a "tab group" has been introduced that makes it easy to organize tabs. Multiple tabs can be managed together in groups, and synchronization between devices is also supported. In addition, the tab overview is now displayed in a grid, improving the listability.

In the notification settings, a "Notification Summary" function has been added. It's a bit like centralized mode, but here you can choose notifications that you don't need to receive immediately and when you want to receive those notifications in bulk.

For example, if you set a lunch break (12:00) or a return time (18:00), notifications during that time will be displayed together. Incoming calls and direct messages are not summarized and are notified immediately.

From "Settings", tap [Notification] ▶ [Specified time summary]. Specify the time to receive the summary, the application to summarize, etc.

If you don't want to be notified for a while, even if you don't include it in the summary, you can mute the notification for the next hour or day.

In Notification Center, swipe the notification to the left and tap [Options] that appears. Select Stop notification for 1 hour or Stop notification today.

"Background sound" is a function that constantly reproduces environmental sounds such as rain, wave sounds, and bright noise in the background. Since it can be played with earphones, it can be used when you want to concentrate in a noisy place.

There are two ways to use it. From the "Settings" app, tap [Accessibility] ▶ [Audio / Visual] ▶ [Background Sound].

Alternatively, you can tap the Hearing icon from the Control Center and turn on Background Sound. Here, we will introduce how to use it from the control center.

You can select another sound by tapping the displayed sound name.

By default, the background sound will continue to play during music or during a call until it is turned off. To turn it off, you need to reverse the procedure, select Hearing from the Control Center, and tap the background sound. If you want to turn it off while playing music or talking on the phone, turn off [Use while playing media] in "Settings".

Store word-of-mouth information is now displayed on the "map", and reviews from "tabelog", "Yelp", "Foursquare", etc. can be confirmed.

In addition, it has become possible to easily switch and display information such as transportation and driving. Information such as traffic congestion can be displayed on the drive map, and major bus routes are also displayed on the transportation map.

In addition, although Japan does not yet support it, in the United States and the United Kingdom, 3D maps will be displayed in more detail, and you can also check the lanes of the road.

In "centralized mode", only notifications from contacts and apps specified in advance are allowed, and other notifications are blocked. Since you can make multiple settings such as "personal", "work", and "sleep", you can use them properly according to the usage scene, and you can also set a schedule and turn it on / off automatically.

Detailed settings are set in [Intensive Mode] in the "Settings" app. You can register multiple conditions, and switch automatically or manually or by setting a schedule.

If a call is received from an unauthorized party during the centralized mode, the call will end immediately without ringing. However, if you turn on [Allow repeated calls] in the settings, you will be notified of incoming calls if there is a second call from an unauthorized party within 3 minutes.

From [Contacts], you can specify who is allowed to receive calls during centralized mode, and [Allow repeated calls] can be turned on / off as well.

The iPhone's "spatial audio" could be played on iOS 14 if it was a compatible song, but with iOS 15, it became possible to pseudo-spatial audio a stereo sound source that does not support spatial audio. However, you need AirPods Pro or AirPods Max and iPhone 7 or later to use it.

With your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max connected to your iPhone, press and hold the Volume Control Bar from the Control Center. Then, the [Volume adjustment bar] will be enlarged, so tap [Stereo Spatial] at the bottom right.

Exif data can now be displayed in the "Photos" app. Exif data allows you to check details such as camera, lens, resolution, ISO sensitivity, angle of view, exposure, aperture value, shutter speed, and position information. Previously, you had to use another app to check.

To view the Exif data, view the photo and swipe up. You can also edit the shooting date and time and captions here.

In addition, Apple Music music can now be used with the "memory" function that looks back on past photos in a slide show. You can try various songs by swiping, and the appearance and tempo will change depending on the song.

The design of the "Weather" app has been redesigned, and the background changes depending on the current position of the sun, precipitation, cloud conditions, etc., and information such as detailed weather maps including precipitation, air quality, and temperature can be displayed. It became so.

The function of the video / voice call application "FaceTime" has been enhanced. On the big side, it supports "spatial audio" so that when multiple people are using Group FaceTime, the audio can be heard from each position. However, this feature is only available on models with A12 Bionic or later chips, such as the iPhone XS / XR, when using AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.

In addition, "Voice separation mode" was installed. It is a function that makes it easier for the other party to hear your own voice by identifying ambient noise by machine learning and blocking it. This is also available for iPhone XS / XR and later.

Users who have subscribed to the paid option of iCloud can now use an additional function called "iCloud +". In the "iCloud Private Relay" provided as a beta version, the IP address is anonymized by encrypting the communication. Users' behavior, including Safari browsing history, will not be seen by third parties.

Tap [Apple ID] ▶ [iCloud] from the "Settings" app to add [Private Relay (Beta)].

The "Private Email" feature will generate your own random email address and forward it to your personal inbox. If you use this random e-mail address, you can send and receive e-mails without telling the other party your e-mail address. Therefore, it can be used even if you are worried about registering your actual e-mail address on a mail-order site.

In the unlikely event that junk e-mail arrives at that random e-mail address, it is possible to easily destroy the e-mail address.

When you tap [Apple ID] ▶ [iCloud] from "Settings", [Private email] is added.

If you select [Disable E-mail Address] for the set random e-mail address, you will not receive the e-mail.

In this state, when you open the [Private Email] screen, an item called [Disabled Address] is added. Tap this and select the disabled address. You can delete it completely by tapping [Delete Address]. You can also use it again by selecting [Reactivate Address] on this screen.

With iOS 15, after purchasing a new iPhone, when transferring data using iCloud backup, up to 3 storage capacity is required to complete a temporary backup even if your iCloud capacity is insufficient. It can be used free of charge for a week. You won't have to worry about removing unnecessary photos to free up space for data migration.

The "Spotlight Search Bar", which allows you to search for apps and files on your iPhone, has been enhanced to allow you to search for contacts as well as view more detailed information about celebrities, movies, TV shows, and more. In addition to searching for photos in your library, you can also install apps from the App Store without leaving Spotlight. In addition, you can now use Spotlight search on the lock screen by swiping down the screen.

In the past, when you sent multiple photos with the "Messages" app, the photos were arranged vertically and scrolled, but from iOS 15, if the number is small, it will be displayed as a collage, and if it is large, it will be displayed as a stack.

Swipe to see the photos, or tap to see a list.

It is now possible to automatically recognize the text in the live preview of the "Photo" and "Camera" apps, and copy and paste, search, and translate the characters. However, it can only be used with models equipped with A12 Bionic or later chips, such as the iPhone XS / XR. Currently, the languages ​​that can be recognized are English, Chinese, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, which cannot be used in Japanese.

Select [General] ▶ [Language & Region] from [Settings]. Turn on [Text Recognition] displayed at the bottom.

Launch the "Camera" app and point it at the text to see a yellow frame. In this state, tap the [Text recognition icon] displayed at the bottom right to pop up the recognized characters. You can also copy and search. In the case of English text, you can copy and paste it, and tap [Translate] to translate it instantly. You can also select Japanese, but please note that the characters will be garbled even if you copy and paste.

In addition to the contents introduced this time, various functions have been added, such as improved accessibility and the function that the "Wallet" application is the key to the car (only for compatible car models). Updates are optional, but they include security support as well as feature additions. With that in mind, why not consider updating to iOS 15?