Apple has unveiled iOS 7, the latest iteration of its iOS, during the keynote at its WWDC event, which its calling “the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone”.
The UI
Its certainly the single most significant redesign iOS has seen aesthetically speaking, with the entire UI getting a makeover. Clean and simple are the watchwords here and, speaking as a card-holding Apple sceptic, its very good-looking (if a little Android-esque).
On the practical front, the interface is intended to take advantage of the devices entire screen, with the addition of features like Control Center, which enables users to quickly access a variety of settings and their chosen apps, as well as control the music player.
Theres also an updated Notification Center, now available from the lockscreen, with a Google Now-esque Today feature showing weather, traffic, and calendar events.
New and updated features
Theres a whole host of other features which have been added or updated for iOS 7: Multitasking enables users to run apps in the background, while AirDrop enables peer-to-peer transfers with nearby contacts.
Instagram-style filters have been added to Camera, and the Photos gallery app now features Moments to organise photos and videos based on time and location. Safari has had a redesign, most notably adding fullscreen browsing, while video calling app FaceTime now supports OTT voice calls. Siri has gained Twitter and Wikipedia integration, as well as the ability to speak French and German, with other languages promised in the future.
The App Store has also added a Kids category, broken down by age – developers of family-friendly apps take note – and a location-based discovery tool, Popular Apps Near Me. 
iTunes Radio
Apple also unveiled iTunes Radio, a free music streaming service featuring curated Featured Stations and personalised stations based on the music users listen to.
The app learns what the user likes based on their listening habits on both |iTunes Radio and iTunes. Its hardly a unique proposition, but being an Apple product, it has a few exclusive features, including Siri integration – users can ask what the current track is, or for more music like it – and the ability to buy tracks with a single tap.
Apple also promises exclusive first listen premieres from top selling artists, and live streams from its music events, starting with the iTunes Festival taking place in London this September.
As a free app, iTunes Radio is ad-supported – except for subscribers to the iTunes Match service.
Whens it available?
For iOS Developer Program members, iOS 7 is available immediately in beta, along with an accompanying SDK. For everyone else, the update will be rolling out this autumn.
