Apple Announces iOS 10 With Overhauled Messages App, Rich Notifications, and More

At today's WWDC keynote, Apple unveiled iOS 10, the latest version of its mobile operating system that will launch in the fall. Apple's list of new features for iOS 10 is extensive, focusing on revamping established apps (like Messages, Photos, and Apple Music), introducing new aspects of the user interface, and doubling down on privacy.

One of the more notable updates in iOS 10 centers around Messages. Apple hopes the handful of new Message features in iOS 10 will bring more "personal and expressive" ways to communicate with friends and family, with a roster of new text message abilities including text balloon animations, invisible ink, enlarged emoji, and handwritten notes.

iOS 10

“iOS 10 is our biggest release ever, with delightful new ways to express yourself in Messages, a native app for Home automation, and beautifully redesigned apps for Music, Maps, and News that are more intuitive and more powerful, making everything you love about your iPhone and iPad even better,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “iOS 10 adds Siri intelligence into QuickType and Photos, automates your home with the new Home app and opens up Siri, Maps, Phone and Messages to developers — while increasing security and privacy with powerful technologies like Differential Privacy.”

On the lock and home screen side of things, Apple debuted a new "rich notifications" system that lets users get more information from various apps without unlocking their iPhone. The update will also introduce a "clear all" feature for Notification Center notifications, and a way to access the iPhone's camera and widgets by sliding left or right, respectively, from the lock screen.

All of this will be even easier to glance at thanks to an Apple Watch-like "Raise to Wake" ability that wakes up the iPhone whenever users raise their device to eye level. Those users on iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will also benefit from deeper integration of 3D Touch with the new rich notifications, which will let interacting with apps be "even easier." Notes will be getting a new collaborative project feature and Live Photos will be able to go through an editing process in iOS 10.

The second phase of iOS 10's new features focus on adding new abilities into Apple's already well-known apps. The first is a new "Memories" tab in the Photos app that will intelligently draw out specific photos -- thanks to facial recognition and geo filters -- to dynamically group together family vacations and special memories. The app will also now create slideshows with the photos and videos users take within each album, without the need for intensive editing software.

Maps is getting a redesign in iOS 10 as well, featuring larger buttons and typefaces, with Apple saying that the new look makes it "simpler and even more intuitive to use." The app has also been made more intelligent, scanning your calendar or assessing your routine and delivering directions proactively. Once a route is planned, the updated Maps app can search the route for gas stations, restaurants and more, even telling you how long a pit stop would affect your trip. Finally, Apple Maps is now open to third-party extensions, allowing you to make a restaurant reservation via OpenTable within Maps or calling a ride from service like Uber.

Next, Apple Music will get its long-rumored significant redesign in iOS 10, which is shared with an updated version of Apple News. Apple says the new design language allows the content of the apps to "become the hero," making it even simpler for users to find the music or news they want. The Library, For You, Browse and Radio tabs in Apple Music have all been revamped with the new design language, and Apple has added a Search tab to make it easier to search for new music. Apple Music has also gained support for lyrics.

Meanwhile, the redesigned News app features a revamped For You section that's broken down into sections that include trending news and specialized topics that users have indicated interest in. In addition, the news-centric app has gained support for subscriptions for select publications like The Wall Street Journal.


The Cupertino company also debuted a new Home app that allows users to easily manage and control all of their HomeKit devices in one place. The app allows users to either manage their accessories individually or by grouping them together in "scenes." Scenes allow users to affect all of the devices with a single command.

iOS 10 will also include a public API for Siri, allowing developers to plug into Apple's personal assistant. Users will now be able to use Siri to make VoIP calls, send messages through messaging apps like WhatsApp and hail cabs from services like Uber. Additionally, iOS 10 will include smaller updates like Split View within Safari for iPad and a new Bedtime Alarm mode in the Clock app that allows users to set a regular sleep schedule and reminders for bedtime.

Lastly, Apple has debuted a new privacy feature for iOS called Differential Privacy, which allows Apple to discover user habits to improve AI features without compromising privacy.

Starting with iOS 10, Apple is using technology called Differential Privacy to help discover the usage patterns of a large number of users without compromising individual privacy. In iOS 10, this technology will help improve QuickType and emoji suggestions, Spotlight® deep link suggestions and Lookup Hints in Notes.

The developer preview of iOS 10 is available today, and a public beta program will begin in July. Users interested in the public beta can sign up for information at beta.Apple.com. iOS 10 will be available in the fall for free for iPhone 5 and later and all iPad Pro and Air models. The fourth-generation iPad and the iPad mini 2 and later will also support iOS 10.

Top Rated Comments

mistasopz Avatar
99 months ago
Basically copying things android has had for a long time.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrismail627 Avatar
99 months ago
Well, this has been underwhelming. :(
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NIKKG Avatar
99 months ago
Might be time to switch to Android after sleeping through this mess. :(
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tjex Avatar
99 months ago
Catching up to android, nice! This is useful.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gymgenius Avatar
99 months ago
Was expecting a dark mode and now with all new notifications style and rounded corners has become a bright and happy mode.. I also wonder what the impact on battery life, this new photo analysis being done on the "amazing silicon" iOS devices have, will be. Anyone got a glimpse of all the other new features iOS 10 will have? They showed a slide but for only 3 seconds.
I found something they didn't show...

Removing stock icons!

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204221
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghostface147 Avatar
99 months ago
Meh.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 General Feature Black

New iOS Features Coming in 2024 for Messages, Apple Music, and More

Thursday December 28, 2023 7:30 am PST by
2024 is just a few days away, and there are many iOS 17 and iOS 18 features that are expected to launch throughout the year. Below, we have recapped new iOS features expected in 2024, including Stolen Device Protection, collaborative Apple Music playlists, AirPlay on hotel room TVs, app sideloading in the EU, next-generation CarPlay, roadside assistance via satellite outside of the U.S., RCS ...
iOS 17

iOS 17.3 Will Add These Two Useful Features to Your iPhone

Sunday December 24, 2023 8:59 am PST by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 17.3 earlier this month, and the upcoming software update includes two new features so far. iOS 17.3 will likely be released in January like iOS 16.3 and iOS 15.3 were, but February is also a possibility if testing is prolonged. Below, we provide additional details about the new features in iOS 17.3 so far. Stolen Device Protection Earlier this...
iPhone 17 Five Features Header

iPhone 17: Five Features Apple Plans to Save for 2025

Thursday December 28, 2023 2:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models concurrently, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Mac Gaming

Apple Discusses Push Towards High-End Mac Gaming in New Interview

Thursday December 28, 2023 6:19 am PST by
Inverse's Raymond Wong today published an in-depth overview of Apple's increasing push towards high-end gaming on the Mac. The story includes commentary from Apple marketing managers Gordon Keppel and Leland Martin. One of the biggest reasons that gaming has improved on the Mac in recent years is the switch from Intel processors to Apple silicon, resulting in MacBooks providing...
Apple Watch Series 9

Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 Available in Apple Stores Starting Today, Online Sales to Resume Tomorrow

Wednesday December 27, 2023 2:28 pm PST by
Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 are back in some of Apple's retail stores in the United States today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Select stores will have availability today, while all stores will have the Apple Watch models back in stock by December 30. Online sales of the devices are set to resume tomorrow by 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Apple is able to begin selling ...
iPhone 15 Blue Three Quarters Perspective Camera Closeup Feature

6 Essential iPhone Camera Tips for Taking Great Photos

Tuesday December 26, 2023 3:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhones include several headline camera features that are worth using, such as Portrait Mode and Photographic Styles. But if all you want to use is the standard photo mode, there are still several tools and settings that can improve the composition of your pictures and help you capture the perfect shot using more traditional techniques. Whether you are the owner of a new iPhone or a...
Apple Watch Series 9

Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 Sales Ban Paused by US Appeals Court

Wednesday December 27, 2023 8:49 am PST by
The ban on imports of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models has today been temporarily paused, meaning that the devices can now go back on sale for a short while longer in the United States. Apple filed an emergency request to the United States Court of Appeals following President Biden's decision to decline a veto on the sales ban, allowing it to take effect earlier this week. ...