Apple just released iOS 15, everything you need to know about the new features & compatible devices

iOS 15 has officially arrived. On Monday, during an online keynote for WWDC, Apple’s annual developer conference, the company presented a preview of iOS 15, the next major version of the iPhone‘s operating system.

It’s a follow-up to last year’s iOS 14 and will launch in full this fall and likely debut on the heavily rumoured iPhone 13. 

Apple crammed a lot of new stuff into its near-two-hour keynote, but not everything was able to make it to the main presentation. Here are the best iOS 15 features you didn’t hear about yesterday.

Voice Memos silence

Voice Memos will analyze your audio recordings and automatically skip over gaps with a single tap.

New widgets

Apple is adding widgets for Find My, Game Center, App Store Today, Sleep, Mail, and People with Family Sharing integration.

Siri sharing

Along with offline support, Siri can now share items that are on your screens, such as photos, web pages, news, and more. If the item can’t be shared, Siri will offer to send a screenshot instead.

FaceTime mute alerts

There’s nothing worse than having a conversation that the other people can’t hear. Among the many changes coming to FaceTime, your phone will let you know if you start talking while muted. Then you can tap the alert to quickly unmute and make sure your voice is heard.

Spotlight everywhere

If you want to search for something, you can pull down from the Lock Screen or Notification Center to launch Spotlight.

COVID-19 vaccine passport

iOS 15 will let you scan a QR code from your healthcare provider and securely store your COVID-19 immunizations and test results in the Health app.

Apple Pay coupons

Among the interface changes coming to Apple Pay is the ability to enter coupon codes into the payment sheet.

Find My separation alerts

If you leave your AirPods, AirTag, or compatible third-party item behind, your iPhone will alert you with notifications and Find My will give you directions to your item.

Drag and drop

You can pick up images, documents, and files from one app and drag them into another on your iPhone, just as you can on the Mac.

Built-in authenticator

Just like with your Apple ID, you’ll be able to generate verification codes needed for additional sign-in security. For example, if a site offers two-factor authentication, you’ll be able to set up verification codes under the Passwords tab in Settings to have codes autofill when you sign in to the site.

Dual software updates

iOS now offers a choice between two software update versions in the Settings app. So, when iOS 15 is released in the fall, you can update as usual or continue on iOS 14 and still get important security updates until you’re ready to take the leap.

Temporary iCloud storage

When you buy a new device and use iCloud Backup to transfer your data, iCloud will temporarily grant you as much storage as you need to complete a backup, free of charge, for up to three weeks. This allows you to get all your apps, data, and settings onto your device automatically without paying for storage you’ll only need once.

iOS 15 Compatible Devices

Will iOS 15 work on my iPhone?  iOS 15 will be compatible with the following iPhones, according to Apple:

• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 Mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone X
• iPhone 8
• iPhone 8 Plus
• iPhone 7
• iPhone 7 Plus
• iPhone 6S
• iPhone 6S Plus
• iPhone SE (first and second generation)
• iPod Touch (seventh generation)