iOS 13: New iPhone software update to bring dark mode and special features for iPad, report claims

Many of the biggest features are thought to have been delayed from the last major release to the next one

Andrew Griffin
Thursday 31 January 2019 10:53 EST
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The Apple AirPower, a wireless charging system for iPhones, was unveiled during a media event in California on September 12, 2017
The Apple AirPower, a wireless charging system for iPhones, was unveiled during a media event in California on September 12, 2017 (AFP/Getty Images)

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Apple's next software update for iPhones and iPads will bring a whole host of changes, including substantial alterations to how the devices look.

The company is set to unveil specific changes for the iPad as well as a dark mode that makes it easier to see at nighttime, according to a report in Bloomberg.

iOS 13 is expected to be unveiled at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June, before being released when the new phones are released in September or October.

The company has long been expected to add bigger changes to this year's release, after a relatively muted update last time around. Apple is thought to have delayed some of the biggest features it was working on for last year's iOS 12, instead spending time to improve performance and tweak the operating system so it would run well on older phones.

This time around, the phones will finally get a specific dark mode, allowing the white parts of the software to turn black. As well as allowing for better views at nighttime, the feature could improve battery life on phones like the iPhone X and XS, which use OLED screens that use less battery to show black screens.

As well as that, Apple will update its CarPlay feature, which allows the phone to be used in vehicles.

And it will also introduce specific changes for the iPad. That could include a new home screen just for the tablet, the option to switch through different versions of the same app to allow people to more easily multitask, and new ways of managing files.

Apple will also introduce two new services though software updates: a magazine subscription service and its long-rumoured video streaming platform. It is not clear if those will come with iOS 13 or at other times.

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