Published , by Chris Jarrard
Published , by Chris Jarrard
Following a big week where the world got its first official look at the new iPhone 13 family of smartphones, Apple is ready to unleash its newest software out into the wild. As the new iPhones begin shipping out to the earliest buyers, iOS 15 is now officially available for download for existing iPhone users.
The biggest new feature for end-users will be the notification system overhaul. Notifications will now get app icons as well as contact photos. Additionally, notifications can now be grouped together and users can decide when certain apps are granted permission to push notifications via the new Focus feature.
iOS 15 also brings along some significant changes to the Safari web browser (the default option on iPhones and iPads). The browser navigation controls have been relocated to the bottom of the screen for ease of access with one-handed use. Also, tabs can now be grouped, voice search is possible from the address bar, and new privacy features have been deployed.
All iPhone users on the iPhone 6s or newer, including the first-generation iPhone SE are eligible to upgrade to iOS 15. Owners of the iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4, and fifth-generation iPad are eligible for the upgrade, which brings a host of new multitasking options to the popular tablets. On the wearables side of things, Apple Watch Series 3 and newer will also be eligible for the iOS 15 upgrade.
To get iOS 15 on your device, simply navigate to the Settings app, then General > Software Update. The update may also be installed via Mac or iTunes on PC.