Apple Announces Release Dates for iOS 13, iOS 13.1, iPadOS, macOS Catalina, and watchOS 6

Apple is announcing the release dates for its upcoming software updates today. The company announced iOS 13, iPadOS, and watchOS 6 back at WWDC earlier this year. It’s been continuously testing these new updates with developer and public betas over the past few weeks, but they are now ready for the public.

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iPhone users will get iOS 13 on September 19. The new update to the OS brings a system-wide dark mode, introducing a really sleek look for all of iOS. The update also introduces new Portrait Lighting Control and a High-Key Mono mode for the camera, as well as redesigned Photos app with new editing features, both for photos and videos. iOS 13 also introduces new privacy options, a more powerful Apple Maps app, Audio Sharing with AirPods, new Memoji customisation, QuickPath Typing for the keyboard, Memoji Stickers, new Reminders app, Cycle Tracking for keeping track of your menstrual cycle, improved performance, and a lot more. Oh, iOS 13.1 will be released just a few days later on September 30.

Mac owners will get macOS Catalina in October. The new update introduces native new apps for Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts. The new update also enables iOS app developers to bring their iOS apps to the Mac, meaning you will soon start being able to use some iOS apps on your Mac. The updated OS also brings a new Photos app, improved Notes, new Reminders app, new Safari features, the ability to let you extend your desktop to the iPad using Sidecar, Screen Time, new privacy options, Voice Control, and a lot more

And now that iPad has its own OS separate from iOS, Apple has something in store for iPad owners, coming September 30. iPadOS now lets you keep all your favourite apps in Slide Over, adds support for multi-instance apps, and there’s also a new App Expose screen, making multi-tasking on the iPad much easier. iPadOS also introduces a brand-new home screen where you can have pinned widgets, and even control the app grid sizing. Apple’s also revamped the Tool Palette for the Apple Pencil with iPadOS, and it’s introducing new text editing gestures. You can also now install fonts from the App Store, and the Files app is getting redesigned to be more powerful, too. There’s also the dark mode from iOS here, and Safari is getting a download manager, combined with an improved “desktop-class” browsing experience. iPadOS also comes with the same new apps as iOS 13, and a lot more.

Apple Watch owners will also get watchOS 6 on September 19. The new update introduces new watch faces anew complications for those watch faces, improved Sirir support, but more importantly: the App Store. With watchOS 6, you will now be able to access the App Store for the Apple Watch on your wrist and install those apps on your watch without needing an iPhone. watchOS 6 also brings a new Audiobooks app, Calculator, Voice Memos, and a redesigned Reminders app. It also comes with new Activity Trends for fitness tracking, Cycle Tracking for keeping track of your menstrual cycle, and it can even now help you with your Hearing Health. Apple is also launching an improved Health app on iOS along with watchOS 6, and a couple of other features. It will be available for Apple Watch Series 3 and later on September 19 and for Apple Watch Series 1 and 2 later this fall.

Apple’s new operating systems will also launch with Sign in with Apple, the company’s new secure and privacy-focused system for logging in to all your apps.

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Conversation 10 comments

  • RobertJasiek

    10 September, 2019 - 3:56 pm

    <p>As expected, no general file manager and no end to iTunes in Windows.</p>

    • SvenJ

      10 September, 2019 - 4:26 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#463324"><em>In reply to RobertJasiek:</em></a><em> </em>Well, iOS has never really been a file based system. It has always been app focused. You pick the app you want and the associated files are available. For where it makes sense, inserting a picture into Pages (Word) or Keynote (PowerPoint), that functionality exists. A deeply nested file architecture for organization (and confusion) was actively avoided. For the audience and intended purpose, I'd say that made sense. With the current direction and expectation of this becoming more 'productive' maybe that has to change. Not overnight though. Better support for external drives is very welcome. If you really need the complexity, buy a Mac, you can be as disorganized and cluttered as you like there. Or just stick with Windows. </blockquote><blockquote>As far as iTunes for Windows, I don't expect we'll have to wait too long for it to end. Don't expect a replacement though. We just got Apple Music on the web. I expect we'll see Apple TV+ relatively soon too. Too many potential subscribers to leave on the table. What else does a Windows user need? Can't remember the last time I hooked my iPhone to my PC.</blockquote><p><br></p>

      • RobertJasiek

        10 September, 2019 - 5:02 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#463354">In reply to SvenJ:</a></em></blockquote><p>As a Windows user wishing a tablet for it, I cannot choose a display with low ratio and low reflectance. As an iPad user, I cannot install Windows locally. As a potential ebook reader user, I do not have colour. iPadOS file management, more variety among Windows tablets or colour e-ink would solve my major problem.</p>

      • lvthunder

        Premium Member
        10 September, 2019 - 5:18 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#463354">In reply to SvenJ:</a></em></blockquote><p>I'm a photographer and use iTunes to sync photos from my dslr to my phone. I also use it for backup so I don't have to pay for more iCloud space. Just remember that because you don't do it doesn't mean no one else does.</p>

        • ragingthunder

          11 September, 2019 - 4:21 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#463395">In reply to lvthunder:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Then you need better tooling. If I were a photographer constantly shuffling photos between my devices, I would choose OSes and systems that allow me to do it easily and as I please.</p>

    • nbplopes

      13 September, 2019 - 3:15 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#463324">In reply to RobertJasiek:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>What do you mean mean by general file manager? You can store your any of your content in a directory of folders, create folders, copy and move files around, connect cloud storages for multiple vendors with such … </p><p>And now you can connect to external storage through USB-C …</p><p><br></p><p>Am I missing something? You want root access? Than it will never have file manager I guess.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

      • RobertJasiek

        13 September, 2019 - 6:04 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#465431">In reply to nbplopes:</a></em></blockquote><p>A general file manager must, but Files does not, work for all apps, all file types and all directories. User files are enough, I do not need system or app configuration files.</p><p>Apparently, each app must support Files for it to work but many apps are not adapted. When this means that all apps for special file types do not support Files, it cannot handle that file type. For some peculiar reason, Files does not (always) show files in directories accessible for iTunes. So if I used Files for file management on an iPad, before / after transferring files locally to / from a Windows computer, I must move the files in a different (partial) file manager. Therefore, (and within the limited scope of working at all), Files does not create an advantage but only creates superfluous extra work.</p><p>A file manager should enable and accelerate work but Files hinders and slows down work.</p><p>Outside the scope of Files, file operations can be impossible (such as not being able to save or export bought media as files externally at all) or require file-by-file operations instead of batch processing (for my 100,000 files of a not handled type, it means spending 100,000 as much time for file operations – impossible).</p><p>USB storage sound nice but as long as it does not work for all apps, all file types and all directories, it will remain equally useless.</p><p><br></p>

        • nbplopes

          17 September, 2019 - 8:29 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#465472">In reply to RobertJasiek:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>All of the issues you point out has nothing to the with the file manager. If the app does not support or make available its data outside the scope of the app there is nothing that a proper file manager should allow users do beyond what it’s allowed by the dev. Indeed it’s the first file manager that complies with the dev wishes regarding user access to the content in the app. Again, all productivity app I use allow me to save and open files in the file manager.</p><p><br></p><p>Now you may wish the mandatory use of the file manager by all devs like in Windows or Mac. As I said, it has advantages and disadvantages.</p><p><br></p><p>This is not to say that it cannot and should not be improved. </p><p><br></p><p>Just disputing the the idea that iOS does not have a “real file manager”</p><p><br></p><p>I am from the time we’re the file manager was the solution to organize any and all media. We went pass that, look how for instance photos and audio can be organized and transferred. Way mor in tune with the work than before.</p>

  • brothernod

    Premium Member
    10 September, 2019 - 11:36 pm

    <p>What features does IOS 13.1 bring that are missing from 13?</p>

  • vernonlvincent

    Premium Member
    11 September, 2019 - 12:08 pm

    <p>So – no mention of when tvOS is going to be released?</p>

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