iOS 6 has finally arrived. The Apple-based mobile platform has been the hottest topic of discussion (apart from iPhone 5) since it was first mentioned. The new OS is now available for all the supported devices, including iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 4, iPad 3, and iPad 2.
While the new OS has received a host of new features and retains its charm, it also missed out on quite a few. Here's a round-up of the features that arrived on the iOS 6 and all the ones that did not make the cut.
VIP e-mail - Users can now assign VIP status to their connections. What this means is that users will now have a quicker access to the messages they consider most important. This feature also helps keep the messages organized.
Improvements to Siri - Siri, as Apple promised, has the capability to get movie times and reviews. Moreover, Yelp info and OpenTable reservations can also be made, and the ability to launch apps and post updates to Twitter and Facebook have also been introduced.
Photo Sharing/Streaming - iOS 6 has brought improved camera features along with the other updates. The newest capabilities compliment the enhanced hardware on the iPhone 5 and make the device's camera a treat. Users can also share and comment on photos in Photo Stream.
Maps - Apple could have done much more with its newly-developed Maps feature. Users who are familiar with Google Maps will find it a bit difficult to adjust to the Apple-made feature. Although the ability to provide walking and driving directions are pretty impressive in Apple's version of Maps, along with turn-by-turn navigation, the lack of street view comes as a setback. Also expect heavy battery usage while accessing Maps.
Passbook - Passbook is set to be one of those promising new features that can deliver a lot if Apple works on developing it continuously. The wallet app can hold coupons, tickets, gift cards etc. and also shows up on a users' notification screen when a possibility to use the feature exists.
The Passbook has also arrived as an area of potential for marketers, retailers and several third-party companies. Several of them (PassTools, PassRocket, and more) are looking forward to help customers create accounts, while others (Starbucks and Virgin to name a few) are looking to make the most out of them. However, the real test lies when the feature will be put into action in real world.
Do Not Disturb - Do Not Disturb is a new iPhone's feature that shuts down all incoming messages as long as the user has it on. It's a great new feature that helps users go offline for short durations of time. Scheduling time and keeping the user informed is the feature's forte, and although it is a small inclusion, users will eventually find out how important it can be for their day-to-day lives.
FaceTime - Apart from the Wi-Fi networks, users can also use FaceTime over cellular networks. It is now possible to make and receive FaceTime calls on the iPad as well. What's more, Apple has also improved FaceTime and it is now possible to receive FaceTime alerts across all of the devices. FaceTime, previously, had only been stuck to Wi-Fi.
Facebook - Apple took note from its Twitter app for iOS and has introduced similar features for Facebook. The new Facebook integration will let users share a photo to Facebook right from the camera app or post their location directly from maps. Facebook events have also been integrated to the device's calendar, similar to contact information from Facebook.
Revamped App Store - The Apple App Store has received a facelift with the arrival of iOS 6. Although changes have been made to Genius and search results with the help of Chomp, the search results now come up one at a time on iPhone and four at a time on iPad, which is not really a great thing and eventually makes it tough for the user to search for apps.
