iOS 5 Release Date: Tech Experts Highlight Most Important Features

By Luiza Oleszczuk, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, October 13, 2011

The new iOS 5 by Apple, Inc. has more than 200 features. Tech experts suggest which ones matter most.

Apple released its latest operating system, the iOS 5, Wednesday. "We’ve taken iOS to a whole new level," a statement posted on Apple’s website reads. The new iPhone 4S is scheduled to go on sale Friday.

iOS 5 will be made available this fall, with compatibility promised for the iPhone 4 and 3GS, iPad 1 and 2, and iPod touch 3rd and 4th generation. Tech gurus across the globe are expecting the release of iOS 5 with excitement, already comparing the importance of features, which Apple lists on its website.

According to Information Week, iOS 5 is particularly important for Apple because it addresses areas where iOS devices have lagged behind Android devices, such as wireless syncing and updates. The specialists at the publication particularly praise the iCloud service. Several other crucial features they feel they will enjoy particularly strongly are: wireless syncing and software updates, iCloud support, iMessage, which allows users send an unlimited number of text messages; and the camera software improvements, among other features.

AOL's Engadget emphasized Newsstand, a new feature that stores all the magazine and newspaper subscriptions. It also likes the Safari Reader, a new feature that should "strip out distractions and present the text of a webpage with no other excess content," the tech website notes.

The Twitter integration feature seems to be on everybody’s tongues in the tech world. That feature is supposed to make it easier to tweet from an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, according to Apple's website.

"Sign in once in Settings, and suddenly you can tweet directly from Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube, or Maps," a note on Apple's website states. Want to mention or "@reply" to a friend? Contacts applies your friends' Twitter usernames and profile pictures."

The new iTunes will synchronize with an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch powered by iOS 5, making music accessible between all of a user’s Apple products.

Technology expert Josh Smith said that upgrading to the iOS 5 offers Apple users a great opportunity to "clean up your device," The Christian Post reported Wednesday. Smith instructed Apple users to remove applications they no longer use and back up their iPhone or iPad before making the upgrade so no vital information is lost.