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One-handed typing and the all-new App Store – here's everything you can expect from iOS 11

18 October 2017

Good news, your iPhone’s just got a whole lot smarter. That’s right, Apple’s slick new operating system, iOS 11, has landed; and it’s packed with loads of awesome new features that will help you do more, with less effort than you ever thought possible.

It will pick up on your listening habits and find new music you’ll love. It’ll remember the news you like and fire up fresh articles each morning. It’ll even help you type one-handed when you’re struggling with an armful of shopping. In fact, iOS 11 makes your iPhone more like a personal assistant than a smartphone.

To whet your appetite, we’ve rounded up the highlights you can expect from iOS 11. So if you’re not excited already, you will be when you feast your eyes on this.

Meet your new personal assistant
First up, Apple’s assistant, Siri, has had a major makeover – and when we say major, we mean major. Right off the bat, there are a handful of superficial changes you’ll notice, like Siri’s new expressive, natural-sounding voice. But the changes run far deeper.

Siri will now use on-device learning to discover who you are and what you like, making Apple’s AI more intuitive than ever before. It can act as your very own interpreter, translating out loud from English into other languages; or work with Apple Music to line up your favourite tunes when you make vague demands, like “play a song I love”. If you’re messaging a friend to tell them you’re running late, Siri can even work out what time you’ll get there. And the best thing is, the more you use Siri, the more it learns – and the better it gets at giving you what you want, when you want it.

One-handed typing
You know what it’s like: you’ve just grabbed a takeaway coffee and realised you’ve forgotten to reply to that urgent text. Well thanks to those clever people at Apple, you no longer have to choose between stopping to type or spilling your drink.

With iOS 11, just hold down the emoji key, select one-handed typing and your iPhone will shuffle the keyboard along so it’s just that little bit closer to your thumb. Genius. You can now send messages in super-quick time and wave goodbye to those latte-stained work shirts.

Even better photography
If you’re the kind of person who takes a dozen selfies a day and excitedly Instagrams your lunch, you’ll love the smart new features in Live Photos. Bounce your videos back and forth ‘Boomerang’-style, create nifty video loops, and impress your mates with arty long-exposure shots. iOS 11’s professional-standard filters create the kind of images you’d once only get with an expensive Digital SLR. While its clever compression tech cuts file sizes in half with no loss of quality, meaning you can snap away to your heart’s content without worrying about storage. Look out, Instagram…

More music, less searching
Discovered a great new band or tune you simply have to share? Then iOS 11 was made for you. Create your own profile on Apple Music and you can instantly share your playlists with your pals – or the whole world if you like. Stuck for what to listen to next? Then why not see what station your mate’s been listening to and tune in? You can even get recommendations from Apple experts who are constantly scouring the music scene for the next big thing. And with a slick new interface, your favourite tunes are never more than a few taps away.

Discover more
Apple has given its App Store a slick new look for iOS 11. Games have been separated from other apps – so no more sifting through endless puzzles and platformers to find what you want. And the new ‘Today’ tab features daily app and story recommendations, making it much easier to discover exciting new stuff. You can now even access hints and tips from Apple experts to get the most from your downloads – whether it’s the best way to use those new Instagram filters or how to smash it at Candy Crush.

Putting you in Control
iOS 11’s fully-customisable Control Centre provides instant access to the stuff you’re using most. Simply group your favourite features on one easy-to-access screen, and you’re done. So if you’re always using your iPhone as an impromptu kitchen timer or firing up Voice Memos to record sitcom ideas, stick them both in the Control Centre and say goodbye to all that scrolling. Just swipe up on your screen and you’re ready to go.

Sounds pretty great, right? And remember, to get the most out of iOS 11, you need a powerful 4G connection – so find out more about EE’s super-fast network, including how to get your hands on six months of free Apple Music.

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