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iOS 13 facts for kids
| Version of the iOS operating system | |
 |
|
Screenshot of iOS 13 in dark mode
|
|
| Developer | Apple |
|---|---|
| Source model | Closed, with open-source components |
| Initial release | September 19, 2019 |
| Latest release | 13.7 (17H35) (September 1, 2020) |
| Repository |
|
| Update method | Software Update |
| Package manager | App Store |
| Platforms |
iPhone
HomePod
|
| Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
| Default user interface |
Cocoa Touch (multi-touch, GUI) |
| License | Proprietary software with open-source components |
| Preceded by | iOS 12 |
| Succeeded by | iOS 14 |
| Tagline | A whole new look. On a whole new level. |
| Support status | |
| Obsolete, no longer receiving security updates, because all iPhones and iPod Touches that supported iOS 13 support iOS 14 and iOS 15 as well. Partial third-party app support. Drops support for all A7 and A8 chips with less than 2 GB of RAM, including the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6/6 Plus, and iPod Touch (6th generation). | |
| Articles in the series | |
| iPadOS 13 (iPadOS version derived from iOS 13) | |
iOS 13 was a big update for iOS, which is the operating system that runs on Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch devices. It was the thirteenth main version of iOS. Apple first showed iOS 13 on June 3, 2019, at their Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). It was officially released to everyone on September 19, 2019. Later, iOS 14 took its place on September 16, 2020.
With iOS 13, Apple also made a separate operating system for iPads called iPadOS. Both iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 stopped supporting older devices that had less than 2 GB of RAM.
Contents
New Features in iOS 13
iOS 13 brought many new features and improvements to make iPhones and iPod Touches better to use.
Privacy and Security
Apple made changes to how apps use your location data.
- When an app asks for your location, you can choose to let it access your location only when you are using the app, never, or just once.
- You also get warnings if an app tries to use your location in the background.
- The system also asks for your permission when apps want to use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, as these can sometimes be used to track your location too.
Cool New Look: Dark Mode
One of the most exciting new features was a system-wide dark mode.
- This changes the colors of the entire iOS system and all Apple apps to a darker look.
- It's easier on your eyes, especially at night.
- You can turn it on manually or set it to switch automatically based on the time of day.
- The volume display also got a new look. It's now a slimmer bar that appears near the volume buttons instead of a big box in the middle of the screen.
Smarter Siri
Siri, Apple's voice assistant, got some upgrades in iOS 13.
- Siri now uses a new, more natural-sounding voice. It's generated by software, so it sounds less like a robot.
- The Siri Shortcuts app, which lets you create custom voice commands, is now built into iOS by default.
- Siri can also learn to recognize different voices if you use a HomePod speaker.
- If you have AirPods, Siri can automatically read your incoming messages aloud to you.
Keyboard and Text Editing
Typing and editing text became easier in iOS 13.
- The keyboard got a new feature called QuickPath. This lets you type by sliding your finger across the letters without lifting it. It's like a swipe keyboard.
- New emoji stickers were added to the emoji keyboard.
- There are new gestures for editing text:
* Swipe three fingers left or up to undo something you just did. * Swipe three fingers right or down to redo it. * Pinch with three fingers once to copy text. * Pinch with three fingers twice to cut text. * Spread three fingers apart to paste text. * You can also tap with three fingers to see a shortcut menu with these options.
- Moving the text cursor is easier too. Just press and hold it, then drag it where you want.
- Selecting text is faster:
* Double-tap a word to select it. * Triple-tap a sentence to select it. * Quadruple-tap a paragraph to select the whole thing.
Sign in with Apple
This is a new way to create accounts for apps and websites.
- It lets you sign up using your Apple ID, but it shares very little personal information.
- You can even choose to hide your real email address and have Apple create a unique, temporary email address for you. This helps protect your privacy.
- Many apps that let you sign in with other services (like Google or Facebook) are now required to offer "Sign in with Apple" as an option.
Better Performance
iOS 13 made iPhones faster and more efficient.
- Face ID, which unlocks your phone using your face, became up to 30% faster.
- App downloads are smaller (up to 50% smaller), and app updates are even smaller (up to 60% smaller). This saves data and space.
- Apps also launch up to twice as fast.
Battery Health Feature
To help your iPhone's battery last longer, iOS 13 added a feature that limits charging to about 80%.
- This helps reduce the stress on the lithium-ion battery and can make it last longer over time.
Haptic Feedback
Haptics are the little vibrations your phone makes.
- iOS 13 gave app developers more control over these vibrations.
- This means apps can create more detailed and unique vibrations, sometimes even matching sounds.
- This feature works on iPhone 8 and newer models. iPod Touch devices don't have the special motor for this.
External Storage Support
You can now connect external USB drives to your iPhone or iPad!
- This means you can plug in USB flash drives or hard drives to access files directly from your device.
ARKit 3 for Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) lets you see virtual objects in the real world through your phone's camera.
- ARKit 3, part of iOS 13, made AR even better.
- One cool feature is "People occlusion," which means AR objects can appear in front of or behind real people in a more realistic way.
- These advanced AR features work best on iPhones with A12 processors or newer, like the iPhone XS and iPhone XR.
Other Important Changes
- The version of iOS for iPads was renamed iPadOS. This showed that iPads were getting their own special features.
- iOS 13 added official support for popular game controllers like the Sony DualShock 4 (for PlayStation) and the Microsoft Xbox One controller.
- You could also share audio wirelessly with a friend if you both had AirPods or certain Beats headphones.
- A new two-finger gesture lets you quickly select multiple items, like files or emails, in apps like Files and Mail.
App Updates
Many of Apple's built-in apps also got new features in iOS 13.
Music App
- The Apple Music app now shows song lyrics that move along with the music in real-time.
- The current line being sung is highlighted, and you can tap on a lyric to jump to that part of the song.
Messages and Memoji
- You can create a profile for yourself in the iMessage app and use a Memoji (a personalized emoji of yourself) as your profile picture.
- All iPhones with an A9 processor or newer can create custom Memoji.
- Memoji and Animoji (animated emoji) can be used as stickers in Messages and other apps, and they are also available on the regular emoji keyboard.
- There are many new ways to customize your Memoji.
Maps App
- The Maps app got a fresh new design with more detailed maps.
- It also introduced Look Around, which is like Google Street View. It lets you see street-level photos of places.
Reminders App
- The Reminders app was completely redesigned.
- It can now suggest when a reminder should pop up.
- You can also tag contacts in reminders, so the reminder might show up when you're talking to that person in Messages.
Photos App
- The Photos app got a new look and uses smart technology to hide "clutter" like screenshots or documents, so you see more of your actual photos.
- It also organizes your photos to show you highlights from the past year, month, week, or day, making it easier to rediscover memories.
Common Issues
Like many big software updates, iOS 13 had some problems when it first came out. People reported issues like:
- Battery draining faster than usual.
- Phone calls sometimes dropping.
- Ringtones not working correctly.
Apple released many small updates to fix these bugs. Sometimes, new updates would accidentally cause new problems, but Apple worked to fix them quickly.
Supported Devices
iOS 13 needed devices with at least 2 GB of RAM. This meant that some older iPhones and iPod Touches could no longer update to iOS 13.
- It stopped supporting devices with Apple A7 or Apple A8 chips and those with only 1 GB of RAM.
- This was the first time iOS stopped supporting iPhones that had Touch ID (fingerprint sensor) but were older models.
The list of devices that supported iOS 13 includes:
iPhone |
iPod Touch
|
Images for kids
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The official logo for iOS 13.
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A screenshot of the iOS 13 home screen on an iPhone X, showing dark mode.
See also
In Spanish: IOS 13 para niños
- iPadOS 13
- macOS Catalina
- tvOS 13
- watchOS 6