Lucky Number 7

Submitted by Alyssa Gephart of the TJ Times:

The iPhone has been a pop culture symbol of change in the modern era, and with the new iOS 7 operating system of the device, Apple has worked to maintain this image with the development of a simpler, easier to use software. After months of waiting since the June announcement of the update, owners of the iPhone 4, 4S, 5, and now the 5C and 5S have access to the software. While owners of iPhones are mostly seen as adaptive to change, some are not. Apple's new OS, when compared to those its iOS6 predecessor, contains drastic changes. Most notable of these is the newly updated, simplistic theme of the home screen and Apple-Created apps (safari, music, weather, clock, ect.). The fresh theme of the device continues with the Control Center, a central hub of settings for the iPhone ranging from brightness control, to a calculator, to a flashlight.

Also accessible from the Control Center is the updated Photos app. The revised application allows users to choose from a variety of different camera functions, such as adding Instagram-esque filters on pictures taken right from your iPhones built in camera. The much needed overhaul of the app allows for greater ease of use, which is a central theme in all Apple updates. Music, an essential component of most portable Apple products, is not forgotten in the update’s attempt at making a simpler and easier to use device. iTunes radio is Apple's newest music-based endeavor, aimed at reducing user dependence upon third party apps such as Pandora and iHeartRadio. While sharing music via radio is prevalent in iOS 7, a new sharing technique has been pioneered by Apple. Proximity sharing, seen in the new Air Drop function, uses Bluetooth technologies to share images, videos, and messages with your contacts and other iPhone 5, 5C, and 5S owners with the touch of a button, all by an encrypted file and without the need for cellular data. Following this theme of low reliance on cellular data is the release of FaceTime Audio, a newly developed addition to the current FaceTime application. FaceTime Audio allows for voice communication over Wi-Fi to other iPhone users with FaceTime, giving consumers the ability for phone-like conversations without having to use minutes or be hassled by providers. Apps such as this which iOS 7 bring with it are the core of the update. Essentially, Apple has seen what its third party application creators have made and said "We can make it better," and they have. The changes found within the 667MB file are radically different than the previous updates to the device, bringing about a new style, new simplicity, and a new outlook for the future of the company. iOS 7 effectively made the future of Apple look ripe.