Even if you're not waiting for a new iPhone to arrive, your current device is set to get a bit of love from Apple. The latest version of Apple's mobile operating system - iOS 13 - is now available as an over-the-air download for pretty much every recent iPhone starting from the iPhone 6s.
Before you take the plunge, it is however worth noting that initial reports suggest iOS 13 is a little buggy right now. If you can wait, Apple is planning to follow up with iOS 13.1 on September 24. In addition to adding some features that didn't quite make the cut for the initial release, iOS 13.1 should be a little bit smoother.
If you've got an Apple Watch, you'll also be able to upgrade to watchOS 6 after your paired iPhone is running iOS 13.
What's new in iOS 13?
Key new features include a Dark Mode, performance updates, swipe typing, and a suite of new privacy-related functionality. In addition, Apple's new video game subscription service - Apple Arcade - went live alongside iOS 13.
In some ways, Apple Arcade is a little like Netflix for video games. Your monthly subscription fee of $7.99 gets you access to over 100 games at launch, with new games will be added every month. All games will be playable across iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and macOS. Notably, all Apple Arcade titles are free from in-app purchases and ads.
Initial titles we've enjoyed include Grindstone - a colour-matching hack-n-slash, Tint - a puzzler about painting, Bleak Sword - a lo-fi take on Dark Souls, and Sayonara: Wild Hearts - a neon-soaked J-Pop inspired racing game. There are plenty of other interesting titles on Apple Arcade, but we've only started to scratch the surface.
How do I install iOS 13?
Upgrading to iOS 13 is easy. To do so, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone
- Select General
- Tap Software Update
The upgrade to iOS 13 is a fairly large download, so make sure you're connected to Wi-Fi beforehand. The exact download size will depend on your device, but you're looking at somewhere between 1GB and 3GB.
Can I update to iOS 13?
Devices as old as the iPhone 6s can install iOS 13, with Apple dropping support for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 5s this time around. As such, you can install iOS 13 on the following iPhones:
iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone SE.
iOS 13 is also compatible with the seventh generation iPod touch.
Want a new iPhone instead? Here are a couple of iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro plans:
What about iPadOS?
iPads are getting their own unique new operating system called iPadOS. While iPadOS is built on iOS 13, it has a number of iPad-specific features not found in iOS 13. These include a home screen with tighter grid icons and widgets, new multitasking gestures, support for USB drives, and improved gestures for tasks like copy-and-paste.
iPadOS will be available on September 24.
Alex Choros
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