Say Hello to iOS 13.1!

The world of technology has been abuzz of late and in a big way. Technology is so much a part of our lives today that we’re now having crossovers between advancement and the general geopolitical climate! You’ve got the current trade ban on Huawei phones within the US as well as a raised awareness about implications surrounding technical advancement.

At the same time, you’ve got progress in areas including app and software development, AI, virtual and augmented reality, and more. You have tech changing the way we do business and tech changing the way we live our life. In a way, times couldn’t be more exciting for many of us!

Telecommunication and Mobile Phones

The mobile tech and telecommunication sector has been a very active part of whatever is happening in the larger global tech industry of late. There have been several breakthroughs such as the launching of 5G networks as well as others that have taken place in the telecommunication industry this year. Apart from this we’re all still reeling from the series of upgraded mobile phones introduced by different companies. You’ve got phones like the Apple iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, the Samsung Note 10, the Huawei Mate X, and others that have debuted, offering users brilliant and creative new forms of access.

With technological advancement and progress in what one could call full swing, we’re all just left wondering what might come next.

Has iOS 13.1 been released?

Many of us are probably aware to some degree or another of the operating software race that has been taking place between Googles Android and Apple’s iOS. Google has been making progress with its Android 10 operating software. However, Apple isn’t exactly letting them take the lead easily with their iOS 13. Though the two have been locked in battle with each OS offering features that slightly supersede the other.

If we didn’t already have our hands full with the two above, we do now because the folks at Apple decided to speed up the deployment of its iOS 13.1 software update! Previously due to be released on the 30th of September according to sources, Apple debuted its new software on the 24th of September 2019 instead. In short, for all you Apple users; yes, iOS 13.1 is here!

What about iOS 13?

Apple users across the globe have upgraded their devices due to the excitement surrounding the release of the new operating software and features such as dark mode. That said, Apple did confirm the presence of a number of bugs in the iOS 13 software update, and followed on by launching iOS 13.1 with fixes for a number of these.

What we’ve gathered from industry talk is that if you’ve already activated iOS 13, it might be a good idea to either revert to iOS 12 or to get the iOS 13.1 update.

What Devices are Compatible with iOS 13.1?

Like with iOS 13, you need to be sure that your device is compatible with iOS 13.1. Here are some of the devices we know will be compatible with this operating software:

• iPhone 6s
• iPhone 6s Plus
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 7
• iPhone 7 Plus
• iPhone 8
• iPhone 8 Plus
• iPhone X
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max

Apart from this, the 7th Gen iPod touch is also among the compatible devices.

What Features does iOS 13.1 Offer?

Apart from bug fixes for iOS 13, the iOS 13.1 software update comes with numerous features that will likely keep users engaged. We’re going to go over some of these.

ETA Sharing

We all have that one friend who needs to know exactly when people are planning on showing up. Arguably, we may be that one friend ourselves! In any case, iOS 13.1 addresses this with their ETA sharing feature. This allows users to share their ETA (estimated time of arrival) with those they are meeting. Since the feature is based on Apple Maps, any time a delay is detected by the user’s GPS, it results in automatic message generation to whoever the user has shared their ETA with.

Karaoke Streaming

iOS 13 users are probably already aware of the pretty brilliant audio sharing feature that was recently introduced. The feature that allows users to transmit music from their iPhones to more than one set of headphones – arguably something that should have been released years ago! That said, iOS 13.1 takes the music game a little further with the addition of a karaoke streaming feature. The feature can be easily accessed via the updated lyrics button that can be found on the main Apple Music screen.

AirDrop Updates

Though iOS 13.1 only offers this feature to iPhones from the 11 series, it’s worth mentioning. The AirDrop Update feature makes file sharing a lot easier with other 2019 iPhone users. What’s cooler is all this takes is directing the two devices within range to face each other so that they can sync and begin transferring data.

Smart Shortcuts

One of the most useful new features that iOS 13.1 offers users involves upgrades made to the shortcuts app. The upgrade allows users to set adjustments that are automatically made depending on the time of the day. Users could set their on-screen shortcuts to change to those most relevant when required. One example is quick access shortcuts for Apple Maps, a planning app, and a news app coming to the forefront at the start of every day.

Other Features and Fixes

Apart from those listed above, iOS 13.1 comes with a host of other features as well as fixes and improvements. You have improved privacy, unknown caller silencing, new photo-sharing options, and even battery optimization. Some of the fixes include those for Siri, multilingual typing, edit menus, device vibration, and, Apple ID settings to name a few.

Should I Get iOS 13.1?

Finally, we come to the question of the hour. Should you switch to iOS 13.1? The honest answer is; it’s really your call. Different iOS users seem to have varying opinions with regard to this. Personally, we would recommend that you should make the switch.

The iOS 13.1 update contains fixes for bugs in its predecessor that could be quite problematic. Apart from this, though overall phone speed may not change much with the new update, we do know that iOS 13.1 makes iPhone usage and efficiency even better than what was brought to the table by the iOS 13.

Will there be Many More Updates?

We’re not sure what to say here, but chances are, yes there will be. Apple has already announced a few glitches they are looking forward to addressing. According to one article published by Forbes, will likely be following with, “an iOS 13.1.1 minor point update”. The company also states that this might be the first in a series of such little updates that are due to follow.