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Apple unveils iOS 9 for iPhones, iPads at WWDC 2015

The ninth iteration of Apple's mobile software has a major focus on productivity.
Written by Zack Whittaker, Contributor
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(Image: Apple live stream)

Apple unveiled iOS 9, the latest iteration to its mobile software, at its annual developer conference in San Francisco on Monday.

Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering, said the new mobile software for iPhones and iPads is focused almost exclusively around proactivity and productivity, without compromising user privacy.

That's a nudge to Google, which chief executive Tim Cook recently accused of "gobbling up everything they can learn about you and trying to monetize it."

Some of the features include:

Siri improvements: The voice assistant gets a feature bump. It comes with new "intelligent" suggestions, and search is improved with greater third-party support. Search now has an API for developers to tap directly into.

Caller ID: Your iPhone now looks into your email to find out who an unknown caller might be, and suggest it right on the screen.

Apple Pay updates: Store and reward cards will soon be added to your device, allowing users to add points to their cards on the go. Apple Pay will automatically select the right card at the right store.

Wallet: Passbook gets a new name, as per Apple's aim to eventually replace the wallet in its customers' pockets.

Maps update: Now users can access subway and public transport details. Dubbed "Transit," it adds trains and buses to its in-built mapping service. The transit maps also come with additional details like subway entrances and walking times.

News: A new app that includes personalized news sources, which publishers can tap into. It works with The New York Times, ESPN, and Conde Nast publications, as well as dozens of other sources. Starting with the US, the UK, and Australia, other countries will follow.

Performance and battery: Apple said the new software will run as much as 40 percent faster and squeeze an extra hour of battery life out of newer devices.

iOS 9 will land with developers today, with a public beta later in July. It will be available as a free upgrade for iPhone 4S and iPad 2 devices and newer.

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