Whats new in iOS5 and what is Apple's iCloud?

Posted by: Mike Pallante on June 7, 2011 at 2:58PM
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On June 6, 2011 Apple announced the iOS5 and iCloud at the Apple World Wide Developer's Conference. The iOS5 is the highly anticipated upgrade to Apple's hand held mobile device operating systems and iCloud promises wireless cloud storage and management of iProduct data and applications.

What's new in iOS5?

One of the most celebrated new features is the new Notifications Center. Accessible by a vertical swipe across the touch screen the Notifications Center provides time stamped notifications listed by application. While the Notifications Center is convenient, the biggest upgrade is that notifications are now non intrusive. The new iOS5 notifications pop up on the screen without disturbing your display and disappear quickly.

The new Reminders function provides location specific alerts lists. Using the phone's built in GPS the Reminders function will alert you only when you enter a specific check in point, such as “pick up milk” when you are at the grocery store.

The iOS5 provides new messaging features and much needed updates to the email client. Now with iMessage other iPad and iPhone users can exchange unlimited texts and messaging to any other user via WiFi and 3G networks (no comment on 4G networks via Apple yet). The email client is improved allowing for expanded text options (bold, italic) email flagging and sorting and other more traditional email client features.

Apple has integrated twitter system wide in their new OS, allowing you to tweet from any browsing or media application and allowing for autocomplete of your @ mentions directly from your friend list (a feature already scene in many third party twitter clients). The new Safari browser in OS5 also provides more a PC like web browsing experience.

The iCloud

All these new features make use of the newly announced iCloud service. The iCloud boasts “seemless and effortless” integration of all your computing devices. With iCloud enabled on your iOS5 iPhone, iPad or iPodTouch all your content (media, to do lists, reminders, alerts) is wirelessly stored in your “cloud” allowing for instant access from anywhere on any of your devices. In short- if its on your laptop? You can access it on your iPhone and vice versa. No more having to transfer data between devices by hand.

It seems Apple is really pushing integrated autonomous devices. All new iOS5 products, such as the iPad, are ready to use right out of the box, whereas you currently have to connect such products to a PC to install software updates and load media.

The Questional Question:

The blogosphere is already claiming that the new iOS5 is simply Apple's attempt to offer the same features already available on Android products. Would the iOS5 and integrated iCloud upgrade be enough to convert an Android user?

Images via Apple