Apple iOS 14 review

Introduction

Apple iOS 14 was unveiled at WWDC20 in June, and it was made available on September 17 2020. Its launch is peculiar because it did not go live side by side with new iPhones as is usually the case. The new iPhone models for 2020 will probably see their premiere pushed back to October.

The list of new features in iOS 14 is long - much longer than the latest Android 11, which we reviewed recently, too.

Most importantly, however, the new v.14 expands the OS with two options that hold the potential to radically transform the way you interact with the OS. We are talking about the homescreen widgets and the app drawer - two staples of Android.

Widgets have been around for some time on iOS, but they were available only for the Today page. The Today page is still the place to find system widgets in iOS 14, but there are also the new homescreen widgets, which can be in one of three different sizes, and you can even have several stacked on top of each other.

The App Library is exactly what you think it is - this is a conventional app drawer, and it has automatic app sorting. And we all know this is the place apps come to die.

Other major additions include integrated Translate app compatible with Siri, pinned messages, better Maps, Picture-in-Picture mode, new privacy and accessibility features, and a few minor but important UI changes that may be coming a bit too late but are well appreciated.

The new iOS 14 also offers App Clips - this allows you to use the functionality of an app you don't have installed within a small pop-up window. The phone makes a quick download from the store of the said app function, you use that function, and then you discard it away.

Apple has come up with more than 250 new features in iOS 14 - you can find the complete list on their website. As part of this review, we'll explore the new iOS maturity that comes from both new and legacy features, and how it may change your iPhone experience. This article could be useful for both iPhone users and Android smartphone owners, which are considering a platform jump.

New feature highlights:

• Homescreen (stackable) widgets
• App Library
• App clips
• Picture-in-Picture support
• Compact Phone and Siri UI
• Change the default browser and email app
• Tap on the back shortcuts
• Pinned messages and emoji search
• New Translate app
• New privacy options, mic/cam indicators, approximate/precise location
• YouTube 4K support
• Sleep mode

Room for improvement

• Ability to change some of the other defaut apps like Maps or even Camera
• File management
• Media upload

The file management is intuitive and easy for some, and a nightmare for others. We can understand why Apple does what it does with files, but we still feel it can be done better for a broader audience.

And now, let's take a closer look at the new iOS 14.