iOS 5 Specs: Hidden Features on New OS Revealed
Apple enthusiasts have been enamored by the iPhone's latest operating system iOS 5 ever since its release on Oct. 12.
The OS was released in conjunction with Apple’s latest smartphone the iPhone 4S, which has sold over 4 million handsets during its Oct. 14 debut weekend.
Some highly favored features on iOS 5 include iMessage, iCloud, Notification Center and Newsstand.
However iOS 5 has come with a number of standard features that users may not have been expected, or may not realize are there.
GizmoCrunch details some of the more elusive features of iOS 5.
iOS 5 allows users to set custom alert sounds and vibration patterns.
Commentators note that due to the unwavering popularity of the iPhone, users often find it hard to pinpoint the SMS alert sound of their own iPhone in the midst of other iPhones. iOS 5 allows for this customization.
The virtual personal assistant, Siri, exclusive to the iPhone 4S does not require a passcode in order to give call, text, and email commands.
While developer demonstrations of Siri have shown the feature being used after the user has inputted their passcode and been granted access to the main user interface, Siri also allows users to call, text, and email from the lock screen of the iPhone 4S.
The iPod player, now called “Music” allows very long song titles to scroll.
This feature has been on every iPod since the iPod classic. It has made its way onto the iPhone OS for the first time.
When texting or emailing, users can disable autocorrect while leaving spell check active.
Some users find the autocorrect mechanism a hassle when it fills in words the user did not intend to type. However, disabling autocorrect on older operating systems also disabled spell check. iOS 5 corrects this.
iOS 5 is available standard on the iPhone 4S and as a free download for previous generations of the iPhone.