Hands on with Apple iOS 7.1: What's new? (pictures)

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  • iOS 7.1 available for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch (5th generation)

    iOS 7.1 available for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch (5th generation)

    Apple has released iOS 7.1, the latest update to its iPhones and iPads. The software was made available for download on Monday, a week shy of six months after a radically redesigned iOS 7 was released.

    Here's what's new in iOS 7.1, including bug fixes and user interface improvements.

    Read more:  Apple releases iOS 7.1 for iPhone, iPad with bug fixes, new features

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Phone app tweaked with rounded buttons

    Phone app tweaked with rounded buttons

    The iPhone's main feature, the Phone app, has been redesigned with rounded buttons instead of square spaces. The background still blurrs through when a button is pressed.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Touch ID software improved

    Touch ID software improved

    For iPhone 5s users, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor has been improved significantly, with the aim of reducing how many attempts it takes to recognize an authorized user's fingerprint.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Add a contact directly from the Phone app

    Add a contact directly from the Phone app

    From the Phone app, you can now add a contact directly by tapping in a person's phone number, and tapping the circled plus button to the left.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Switch between dark and light keyboards

    Switch between dark and light keyboards

    Users can now switch between light and dark keyboards from the Accessibility settings.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Easier to see when upper-case mode is enabled

    Easier to see when upper-case mode is enabled

    The keyboard has also been improved to make it visually easier to see whether or not the upper-case mode has been enabled. Tap twice on the shift key to enable capitals.

    From left-to-right: Caps lock mode, shift mode, normal lower-case mode.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Icons flatter, more refined

    Icons flatter, more refined

    A very slight visual change has been made to the Message, Phone, and FaceTime app icons, making their color darker and the graphics flatter.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Improved accessibility with Button Shapes

    Improved accessibility with Button Shapes

    For those struggling to see where the buttons are in the upper-left and upper-right hand corners of menus, it's now easier to see with Button Shapes enabled. This is one of numerous accessibility improvements made to iOS 7.1.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Granular accept/decline call controls

    Granular accept/decline call controls

    You can now reject a call from the Phone app when a call is received by pushing the red "decline" button.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • A small aesthetic change to the power controls

    A small aesthetic change to the power controls

    In keeping with the rounded design changes, the power off screen now features a different, more circular slide-off switch.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Push-to-talk to Siri

    Push-to-talk to Siri

    Siri now knows when you're finished talking to it, by using the Home button as a "push-to-talk" control. Hold the Home button down when you're asking it a question, and release it when you're done.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Better spoken language in Siri

    Better spoken language in Siri

    Siri's voice for certain regions is far more natural, clearer, and easier to understand than before. No more of this robotic-type audible feedback from your iPhone or iPad.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Reduce parallax from the wallpaper options

    Reduce parallax from the wallpaper options

    You can now choose whether or not to enable or disable the "parallax" effect — the background motion feature — from the screen where you set your wallpaper, instead of diving deep into the Settings app.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • Calendar lists brought back with iOS 7.1

    Calendar lists brought back with iOS 7.1

    Daily scheduled items are now displayed at the bottom of each day chosen in the Calendar app, giving users an at-a-glance look at what's ahead on their schedule.

    Photo by: ZDNet/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • CarPlay lets you hook your iPhone to your car

    CarPlay lets you hook your iPhone to your car

    CarPlay, previously known as iOS in the Car, is included in iOS 7.1, allowing users with select vehicles to hook their iPhones to their car displays. This enables phone calling, maps and navigation, and Siri-based functions while you're driving.

    Photo by: CNET/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

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Apple's latest version of iOS 7.1 for iPhones and iPads lands with a bevy of new features, bug fixes, security patches, and improvements. Here's what you need to know.

Read More Read Less

iOS 7.1 available for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch (5th generation)

Apple has released iOS 7.1, the latest update to its iPhones and iPads. The software was made available for download on Monday, a week shy of six months after a radically redesigned iOS 7 was released.

Here's what's new in iOS 7.1, including bug fixes and user interface improvements.

Read more:  Apple releases iOS 7.1 for iPhone, iPad with bug fixes, new features

Caption by: Zack Whittaker

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