Even though the release date of iOS 14 is still very far away and we are still enjoying the last major iPhone operating system update. ( How To Download iOS 14 Beta )We are very curious as to which functions of iOS 14 will be coming to us.
It’s true, Apple hasn’t released anything official about iOS 14 yet. But considering what new technology could come in the iPhone 12. We can make some educated guesses about what the next major iOS update will bring us.
Some of them are obvious, like support for 5G. If there could be a foldable Apple device in any way, iOS 14 would also work on it.
IOS 14: RELEASE DATE AND BETA SCHEDULE
Given last year’s major iOS update, we expect iOS 14 to launch in late September 2020. Because iOS 13 was released on September 19, 2019, a day before the launch of the new iPhone series. That will be just in time for the launch of the iPhone 12, which will be the first phone to receive the new iOS version.
Assuming Apple is following its plan of previous years, iOS 14 will likely be introduced at this year’s WWDC conference. WWDC 2020 is likely to take place in early May, so the first developer beta could start on that day. The first public beta will follow later in the month and will include new betas after the developer releases.
IOS 14: COMPATIBILITY
While Apple made iOS 12 available to all of its phones. iOS 13 skipped two generations the iPhone 6S and iPhone SE. It is unclear which new functions require this threshold to be raised. And: so far it is pure speculation whether older generations of iPhone have the option to install iOS 14.
We will almost certainly know which iPhones cannot be updated when Apple introduces the first iOS 14 betas. At the moment our best guess is: the iPhone 7 * will be the limit. The big question is: Will iPhone SE * get the iOS 14 update?
The hustle and bustle surrounding the launch of an iPhone SE 2 * in March 2020 suggests that this will not be the case. But another rumor * is that Apple is thinking about keeping support for the iPhone 6S and SE or newer versions. Of course, it is always possible for Apple to change its mind in the next few months.
IOS 14: RUMORS AND FORECASTS
iOS 14 could usher in the 5G iPhone era
This is perhaps the easiest function to guess: Apple will launch 5G in 2020. Unfortunately, as we have seen on other 5G phones *, this feature cannot be applied retrospectively to older iPhones. Connecting to 5G * networks requires a certain type of modem and compatible processors. Only the latest phones with the latest high-end chipsets and modems are able to use 5G.
iOS 14 could expand support for Apple AR glasses
According to a Bloomberg report, Apple plans to release AR glasses – sometime in 2020 along with a 5G iPhone. These would initially serve as an iPhone accessory that runs on iOS to display text messages and maps.
Over time, the range of functions could increase and a special AR-Glasses store with its own, compatible apps could be introduced. And maybe this will be a standalone successor to the iPhone itself.
Before this happens, however, Apple’s AR Glasses * would need a killer app as a raison d’être – or at least a reason to buy, as the half-hearted reception of Google Glasses or Snapchat Spectacles 2 * teaches us. Damn it, even Amazon is hiding its new Amazon Echo Frames * behind an experimental line of products to mitigate any hype.
But given the developers’ years of experience with Apple’s ARKit, it wouldn’t be surprising if 2020 were the year Apple switched to smart glasses – and iOS 14 could support that.
IOS 14: WHAT WE WANT
Smart composition
Nowadays everyone does their business on the phone, including sending email at any time. So why can’t we insert links in the text in the iOS mail client? Or in third-party mail clients like Gmail?
This is not just a convenience issue – inserting links just looks more professional! If we want to respond to customers or just want to save space, it would be great to give the impression that we are responding from our desks – and our messages are not blotchy with full links.
Smarter filters for spam calls
Although iOS 13 introduced the ability to detect and block spam phone calls, it’s still not too smart. Silence Unknown Callers, as it is called, does just that – it completely blocks any number that is not on your contact list and routes it directly to voicemail. It’s a good place to start, but it really isn’t too useful for people with incoming calls from new business contacts or Tinder dates.
Instead, it would be great to see smarter notifications that indicate likely spam calls. Just as some providers and some third-party app store applications can – of course they also cost a price. And: it would be nice if there were different filter levels.
A foldable!
You mean that’s a bit of a stretch since we haven’t heard of a foldable iPhone yet? Oh, Apple is certainly experimenting with technology in its labs, but without a planned model in the works, iOS 14 is unlikely to support foldables.
This is in stark contrast to Android, which introduced support for foldables with Android 10 just in time for the release of the Samsung Galaxy Fold. But Apple operates on its own timeline – and there is no rush to add the feature to its operating system before a model is even on the way.
iOS 13.3