Update: It's July and that means the iOS 10 release date for public beta testers this month. We added news about Apple's privacy protections and, most importantly, news about 72 additional emojis. Super happy face.
Apple's iOS 10 update for iPhone and iPad lives up to its milestone software version number, with the first official details announced at WWDC 2016 in San Francisco last month.
It's filled with major changes for your daily phone and tablet routine, but don't worry, all of the new iOS 10 features are for the best - and absolutely free to download.
The Cupertino company laid out all of its mobile operating system specs in an all-too-appropriate ten segments. We break it down even further. Here's what we learned about iOS 10.
iOS 10 release date
Apple is once again planning a staggered iOS 10 release date among app developers, public beta testers and then everyone else who wants to wait for the final version.
Three different iOS 10 release dates, depending on who you are
Technically, iOS 10 is out right now. It launched the same day as WWDC in beta form to developers and trust us, Beta 1 isn't ready for average iPhone and iPad users who aren't making apps just yet.
Don't worry, you won't have to wait too long to test out iOS 10 on your own. Apple is planning an iOS 10 public beta later this month, and it'll help squash bugs two months before the official release date.
When exactly? The iOS 10 public beta test has a rather large launch window, with Apple just giving us word about a "July" timeframe. Really, it could happen any day up until July 31. We expect one our two more developer beta updates to happen before then, however.
That's good news. Last year's public beta was a success for Apple judging from the smoother sailing of iOS 9, and it continued that streak with new iOS 9.3 features that also went through a three-month beta.
If you decide to wait for the final version of iOS 10, it'll take a while longer due to additional bug testing. A stable version of iOS 10 should launch alongside the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in September.
Feel like taking a risk? How to download iOS 10 beta right now
iOS 10 compatibility
iOS 10 is coming to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, unless of course you have an age-old phone or tablet that still uses the 30-pin dock connector or is an older iPod touch.
It's lightning or NOTHING!
That's where Apple draws the new line in the sand for 2016. Its forthcoming mobile operating system update won't support for iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and iPod touch 5th gen.
It's not a big surprise. In addition to their non-lightning connections, these devices include 512MB of RAM and stuck around for iOS 9 when we thought they'd be axed from that update last year.
iOS 10 raise to wake
Apple redesigned the iPhone and iPad lockscreen, giving us the biggest revision since the first iPhone nine years ago. Slide to unlock is gone and replaced with simple instructions: "Press Home to open."
What's been added is the ability to raise your iPhone to wake it, fixing the all-too-common issue of blowing past lockscreen notifications when you hit the fast TouchID home button.
This is a great solution that we have seen on a select number of Android phones, like the Google Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X, and it almost reminds me of flicking my wrist to light up the Apple Watch.
This is the sleeper hit of iOS 10 that is going to change your daily iPhone routine.
Rich lockscreen notifications
You'll see that notifications are broken up into bubbles now and use 3D Touch to show hidden menu actions - just hard press on a calendar invite alert and you'll be able to accept or decline it.
3D Touch-enabled iOS 10 notifications work even better for Messages. You can immediately respond to messages as soon as you pick up your phone, without ever leaving the lockscreen. It's all done inline.
No more digging around the home screen and layers of app menus to check vital information. If you have a doorbell camera notification, you can see who's at the front door, use the intercom or unlock the door.
iOS 10
This "peeking at apps" capability via the lockscreen isn't limited to Apple's first-party apps. Uber is just one third-party app maker that allows you to hard press on notifications. You'll get live updates on where your driver is on a map - usually headed in the other direction.
Clear all notifications button
What may be the best change to iOS 10 notifications is the ability to clear all of your old notifications with 3D Touch. Swiping them away one by one or dismissing them in groups is a time-consuming mess in iOS 9.
Just hard press that little "x" icon within the redesigned (and now dedicated) notifications pulldown menu and tap the "clear all" box that pops up. Tap it once to just dismiss the group of notifications.
It's super easy to clear away expired alerts with iOS 10 and it will please everyone inflicted with phone notification-clearing OCD.
