7 new iOS 7 features to look forward to

While Apple’s new iPhone lineup may have stolen the spotlight at the company’s media events unveiling its new products Tuesday, it has also released an update to its iOS operating system. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that iOS 7 is “the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of iPhone.” Here are seven new features Apple users have to look forward to with the iOS 7 operating system.

1. Camera Changes

The camera options with iOS 7 now offer filters similar to Facebook’s Instagram, a popular photo-sharing app, and the camera now has a new panoramic option to allow better widescreen photos. The camera app will now allow photos to be organized in new ways such as date, location, or collections. There will also be a new auto-focus option, in which holding the volume-down button will auto-focus the camera, instead of forcing users to focus an image with their fingers.

2. Control Center

Users will no longer have to go into the Settings menu to adjust Wi-Fi, screen brightness, airplane mode, and other frequently accessed tools, which will save time. The control center can be accessed from any screen — even the lock screen — by swiping up.

3. New, Flatter Aesthetic Makeover

IOS 7 looks completely different from older versions of the operating system. With a flatter, less cluttered interface, Apple is looking to make the iOS user experience easier on the eyes. “The interface is purposely unobtrusive,” Apple says on the iOS 7 website. ”Conspicuous ornamentation has been stripped away. Unnecessary bars and buttons have been removed. And in taking away design elements that don’t add value, suddenly there’s greater focus on what matters most: your content.”

4. Password Memory

IOS 7 will allow you to store your passwords and credit card numbers in iCloud so that Apple can automatically fill them in for you when making a purchase online or accessing an encrypted site. The password memory can be synced across all of a user’s iOS 7 devices, and Apple has said user’s passwords and credit card numbers will be stored safely.

5. AirDrop

In the past, Apple users have had a frustrating experience with sharing photos and videos. Old versions of iOS have basically required that you send the media file in a text or email in order to share it. But using both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, AirDrop allows Apple users who are near each other to share media files.

6. iTunes Radio

The much-anticipated competitor to Pandora’s Internet-based radio service will be available on iOS 7. Users can stream radio stations on their iPhones and iPads, and Apple says the radio service will remember user preferences in addition to allowing users to create their own stations based on artist, genre, or song.

7. Fingerprint Sensor

The fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S is hardware, but it works using iOS 7 software to identify a user’s fingerprint on the device’s home button. The option can be combined with a password to make data on the devices incredibly secure, which is particularly appealing to business users who may access sensitive information via their smartphones.

While owners of older Apple devices can download the new operating system, in order to best take advantage of all of iOS 7′s features, the company says you must have one of the new iPhones. The new iOS 7 will debut September 18.

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