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iOS 15 facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
iOS 15
Version of the iOS operating system
IOS 15 logo.png
iOS 15 home screen
iOS 15 home screen on an iPhone SE (1st generation)
Developer Apple
Source model Closed with open-source components
General
availability		 September 20, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-09-20)
Latest release 15.8.2 (19H384)  (March 5, 2024; 15 months ago (2024-03-05))
Repository
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Update method Software Update
Package manager App Store
Platforms
iPhone

iPod Touch

  • iPod Touch (7th generation)
Kernel type Hybrid (XNU)
Default
user interface		 Cocoa Touch (multi-touch, GUI)
License Proprietary software with open-source components
Preceded by iOS 14
Succeeded by iOS 16
Tagline In touch. In the moment.
Support status
Obsolete, widespread third party app support
Articles in the series
iPadOS 15 (derived from iOS 15)

iOS 15 is a major update to the iOS mobile operating system. It was made by Apple for their iPhone and iPod Touch devices. Apple first showed iOS 15 on June 7, 2021, at their Worldwide Developers Conference. It was released to everyone on September 20, 2021.

Later, on June 6, 2022, Apple announced iOS 16, which took over from iOS 15 on September 12, 2022. iOS 15 was the last version of iOS that worked on older devices like the iPhone 6s, first-generation iPhone SE, iPhone 7, and iPod Touch (7th generation). Newer iOS versions do not support these models.

Cool New Features in iOS 15

This update brought many new and helpful features to your iPhone and iPod Touch. These changes made your devices easier to use and more personal.

Focus Mode: Control Your Notifications

Focus is a new feature that helps you manage distractions. It replaced the old Do Not Disturb setting. You can set different "states" like Work, Sleep, or a custom one. For each state, you choose which notifications you want to get. You can also pick which apps and home screen pages show up. Focus can even turn on automatically based on your location or time of day. It also lets you decide which contacts can reach you. This feature syncs across all your Apple devices.

Notifications Get a Fresh Look

Notifications now look different and are easier to see. Messages from friends show their contact photos. App icons are also bigger. When a notification comes in, you can quickly mute that app for an hour or even a whole day.

Notification Summary

The Notification Summary is a smart way to handle many alerts. It groups notifications from apps you choose. Then, it delivers them all at once at a time you pick. This helps you avoid constant interruptions.

Live Text: Copy Text from Photos

If your device has an A12 chip or newer, you can use Live Text. This feature lets you select, copy, and even translate text found in pictures. It works in apps like Photos, Safari, and even with your camera. It uses smart artificial intelligence to recognize the words.

Smart Widgets on Your Home Screen

Widgets in iOS 15 became even smarter. They can change what they show based on what you're doing. For example, if you have an event coming up, your Calendar widget might appear in a smart stack. It will then disappear when the event is over.

Drag and Drop Between Apps

You can now easily drag pictures and text from one app and drop them into another. This makes sharing content much faster. Before, this feature was only available on iPads.

More Control Over Home Screens

You can now easily rearrange, delete, or hide your different home screens. You can also link them to your Focus modes. This means certain home screens can appear only when you're in a specific Focus.

Change Text Size for Each App

From the Control Center, you can now change the size of the text for individual apps. This is great if you need larger text in one app but prefer smaller text in another.

Improved Search with Spotlight

The global search function, called Spotlight, is now better. You can even access it from your lock screen by swiping down. It helps you find apps, contacts, and information quickly.

Unlimited Dictation Time

When you use voice-to-text dictation on your keyboard, there's no longer a time limit. You can speak for as long as you need.

Translate Text Anywhere

You can now translate text in any app. Just select the text you want to translate, and tap the "Translate" option.

Adjust Video Playback Speed

The default video player on your iPhone now lets you change how fast videos play. This is useful for watching lectures or quickly reviewing clips.

Video Effects and Mic Modes

In the Control Center, you can find "Video Effects." This lets you add a cool Portrait effect to your camera during video calls. "Mic Mode" helps you improve your sound. Voice Isolation removes background noise, making your voice clearer.

Accessibility for Everyone

iOS 15 added many features to make devices easier to use for everyone.

  • Per-App Accessibility: You can set different accessibility options for each app. This includes bold text, larger text, or reduced motion.
  • Image Exploration with VoiceOver: This feature describes photos to people with low vision. It gives them more information about what's in the picture.
  • Audible Charts: This helps blind or low-vision users understand charts. It turns data into sounds.

iCloud Backups on 5G

You can now back up your device to iCloud even when you're using a 5G cellular network. This makes it easier to keep your data safe.

Digital IDs in Wallet

Your iPhone can now store a digital copy of your state ID or driver's license in the Wallet app. This started in certain U.S. states.

App Updates in iOS 15

Many of your favorite apps got new features and improvements in iOS 15.

FaceTime: Connect in New Ways

FaceTime received many updates to make video calls better:

  • Grid View: See everyone in a group call in a clear grid.
  • Portrait Mode: Blur your background during calls (requires A12 Bionic chip or later).
  • Spatial Audio: Sounds like voices come from where people are on your screen.
  • Voice Isolation: Your voice is clearer because background noise is removed.
  • FaceTime Links: You can create links to FaceTime calls. This lets Android and Microsoft Windows users join calls from their web browsers.
  • SharePlay: Share your screen or watch videos and listen to music with friends during a FaceTime call.

Memoji: More Ways to Express Yourself

Your Memoji characters got more options! You can choose new clothes, different eye colors, new glasses, and fun stickers. There are also new ways to customize headwear and accessibility options.

Messages: Better Sharing and Organization

The Messages app got some smart updates:

  • Image Stacks: When someone sends you many photos, they now appear in a neat stack. This makes them easier to look through.
  • Pinned Content: You can pin important messages, links, or photos from a contact.
  • Shared with You: This new section in apps like News or Photos shows you content that friends shared with you through Messages. It makes it easy to find later.

Maps: Explore the World in Detail

Apple Maps got a big upgrade with more details and new ways to navigate:

  • Detailed Driving Maps: See 3D models of buildings, bridges, and trees. This helps you understand complex roads better.
  • 3D Globe: A new, colorful 3D globe shows mountains, deserts, and forests in more detail.
  • Better Traffic Info: See more details like turn lanes, bike lanes, and crosswalks.
  • Walking Directions in AR: Get walking directions using augmented reality (on A12 devices or later). This shows you directions right on your camera view.
  • Public Transport Info: See public transport routes and times. You can pin your favorite routes. The app can even tell you when to get off a bus or train.

Photos: More Info and Smart Search

The Photos app lets you do more with your pictures:

  • You can now manually change the time, date, and location of a photo.
  • See details like the camera used and the file size.
  • On devices with an A12 chip or later, you can search for places that appear inside your images.

Safari: A New Look and More Power

Safari was redesigned with the tab bar and address bar at the bottom. You can switch back to the old layout if you prefer.

  • Tab Groups: Organize your tabs into groups and share them with others.
  • Pull to Refresh: Just pull down on a webpage to refresh it.
  • Browser Extensions: For the first time, you can use browser extensions in Safari on iOS.
  • Safari now automatically upgrades website links from HTTP to the more secure HTTPS.

Weather: Beautiful Animations and Alerts

The Weather app got a complete makeover. It has new animations and full-screen weather maps. The app can also send you notifications when rain or snow is about to start or stop in your area.

Siri: Works Offline and Shares Content

Siri can now do more without an internet connection on newer iPhones (A12 Bionic chip or later). This means it responds faster to common requests.

  • Share with Siri: You can say "Hey Siri, share this with [name]" to send screen content. Siri can share images, web pages, music, news stories, and map locations.
  • Announce Notifications: Siri can read your incoming notifications aloud. You can also speak your response to them.

Health: Share Data and Track Walking Steadiness

The Health app now lets you share your health data with trusted people. It also added a new feature called "Walking Steadiness." This uses sensors to measure your balance and coordination. It helps determine your risk of falling.

Files: Better PDF Tools

The Files app now has a new view mode called "Groups" to organize files by type. The built-in PDF editor is also improved. You can add pages, remove pages, rotate pages, and even lock PDFs with a password.

Reminders: Use Tags to Organize

You can now add #tags to your reminders. This helps you classify and find them more easily.

Voice Memos: New Playback Options

The Voice Memos app added new options to adjust playback speed and skip silent parts of a recording.

Security and Privacy Features

iOS 15 brought important new tools to help keep your information safe and private.

App Privacy Report

This feature lets you see a 7-day summary of how apps access your data. It shows when apps use your location, photos, or microphone. It also shows which websites they connect to. This helps you understand what your apps are doing.

Siri's Improved Privacy

On devices with an Apple A12 chip or later, Siri now processes your voice on your device. This means your audio doesn't need to be sent to Apple's servers.

Hide Your IP Address

  • Safari: Safari now helps prevent trackers from seeing your real IP address.
  • Mail: In the Mail app, you can hide your IP address when downloading external content in emails. This stops spammers from tracking you.

Hide My Email

This feature creates random, unique email addresses that forward to your real inbox. This way, you can sign up for things without giving out your actual email address.

iCloud Private Relay

Private Relay helps protect your privacy when you browse the web in Safari. It hides your IP address while still letting websites know your general region. It also protects your internet traffic from being easily tracked.

Built-in One-Time Password Authenticator

Your iOS device can now create verification codes for extra security when you sign in to accounts. You don't need a separate app. These codes automatically fill in when you log in.

Supported Devices

iOS 15 works on all iPhones and iPod Touches that supported iOS 13 and iOS 14. However, some older devices have limited support for certain features. iPhones with an A12 Bionic chip or newer are fully supported.

More About iOS 15 Updates

The first test version of iOS 15 for developers came out on June 7, 2021. A public test version was released on June 30, 2021. The final version of iOS 15 was released to everyone on September 20, 2021.

Over time, Apple released smaller updates to iOS 15, fixing issues and adding minor features. For example:

  • iOS 15.1: Officially released SharePlay, which was a big feature for FaceTime.
  • iOS 15.2: Improved Emergency SOS and fixed an issue with Face ID on iPhone 13 after screen repairs.
  • iOS 15.4: Added new Emojis, support for Face ID with masks and glasses, and more game controller support.
  • iOS 15.5: Updated the Weather app, renamed Apple Pay in Messages to "Apple Cash," and improved Podcasts settings.
Further information: IOS version history § iOS 15
iOS 15 releases
Version Release date Notes
15.0 September 20, 2021 New widgets for Mail, Contacts, and Find My. "Other" storage renamed to "System Data".
15.0.1 October 1, 2021 Bug fixes.
15.0.2 October 11, 2021 Bug fixes.
15.1 October 25, 2021 SharePlay officially released.
15.1.1 November 17, 2021 Bug fixes.
15.2 December 13, 2021 Emergency SOS improved. Face ID fixed for iPhone 13 after screen replacement.
15.2.1 January 12, 2022 Bug fixes.
15.3 January 26, 2022 Security updates.
15.3.1 February 10, 2022 Security updates.
15.4 March 14, 2022 New Emojis. Face ID with mask and glasses support. SharePlay support.
15.4.1 March 31, 2022 Bug fixes.
15.5 May 16, 2022 Weather app updates. Apple Pay in Messages renamed to "Apple Cash".
15.6 July 20, 2022 Bug fixes and security updates.
15.6.1 August 17, 2022 Security updates.
15.7 September 12, 2022 Security updates.
15.7.1 October 27, 2022 Security updates.
15.7.2 December 13, 2022 Security updates.
15.7.3 January 23, 2023 Security updates.
15.7.4 March 27, 2023 Security updates.
15.7.5 April 10, 2023 Security updates.
15.7.6 May 18, 2023 Security updates.
15.7.7 June 21, 2023 Security updates.
15.7.8 July 24, 2023 Security updates.
15.7.9 September 11, 2023 Security updates.
15.8 October 25, 2023 Security updates.
15.8.1 January 22, 2024 Security updates.
15.8.2 March 5, 2024 Security updates.

Images for kids

  • IOS 15 logo

    iOS 15 logo

  • IOS 15 Homescreen

    iOS 15 home screen on an iPhone SE (1st generation)

See also

Template:KIDDLE XL START Kids robot.svg In Spanish: IOS 15 para niños Template:KIDDLE XL END

  • iPadOS 15
  • macOS Monterey
  • tvOS 15
  • watchOS 8