Anyone expecting an exciting range of new features might be disappointed. But the debut of a new Carplay feature as well as a simpler way of declining phone calls will be interesting to the 82% of iOS users already using iOS7.
First reports of experiences with iOS7.1 are trickling into user forums across the web. Isolated problems such as sluggish typing response time, limited Wi-Fi and iTunes connection issue are still being debated. It’s too early to assess any major downsides to iOS7.1, but the benefits are clear.
New features
“Eyes-free” Carplay: This brand-new feature allows drivers to use Siri voice commands to answer incoming calls without touching or even looking at the screen.
Siri listens longer: By pressing down on the home button for longer, you can tell Siri to listen for longer, for example when dictating calendar events.
Design updates
Slide to power off: This function now features a power button that the user slides to turn off their phone.
Answering calls: iOS7.1 displays a red and a green circle for declining and answering calls, respectively. Previous versions confused many users by only showing the slide to answer function.
Clearing notifications: As well as a bounce animation, the iOS7.1 Notification Center features a simpler way to remove notifications.
Additional aesthetic changes have also been made to the design of the keyboard and music app. iOS7.1 also comes with a number of bugfixes, including a solution to a fingerprint recognition glitch.