Apple on
Monday introduced a new version of its mobile operating system for iPhone and
iPad that includes new features, such as Apple map that let users zoom over a three-dimensional image (3D) of a city. The
new Apple map software will replace current Google map service.
Apple also overhauled its line of Mac computers.
Apple CEO Timothy Cook introduced the new
products on the opening day of the company’s developer conference here.
Apple updated its ultra-light MacBook Air
laptop with a faster microprocessor and an improved camera. But it made the
boldest computer-line changes to its high-end laptop, the MacBook Pro, which is
now one quarter thinner and has a high resolution “retina display” similar to
the screen on new iPad and iPhone. Apple was able to slim down the laptop
by eliminating its DVD drive and getting rids of its hard drive in favor of a
faster storage technology called flash.
The new Apple mapping system for Apple’s mobile
devices will provide drivers with turn-by-turn directions, a feature that has
long been available free in smartpones running on Android operating system from
Google. Apple map created the 3D view in its map services by taking aerial
photos using military camera which is more higher resolution and more details
and clear when enlarge. Google map service currently using satellite imagery,
however when enlarge it become blur.
Google has been building up its mapping
services since 2005. Just last week, it held an event to show it was adding 3D
maps to Google Earth, its service that shows satellite imagery to compete with
Apple map which is providing 3D mapping system. It said it would allow Android
users to download and store maps on their devices so that they can viewed
without an Internet connection – a feature that Apple map service that
still lag behind Google map service. Apple can use the leverage its millions of
customers to help it catch up. The company said that its iPhone customer would
be anonymously collecting traffic information for its database.
Other new
features in the new operating system IOS 6,
include improvements to SIRI,
the voice-activated virtual assisant in the latest iPhone. While SIRI initially
worked with a limited set of Internet services, it would now let users search
for sports statistics, make restaurant reservations using OpenTable and look up
show times for movies. SIRI also has a new function called Eyes Free. Eyes Free
will allow drivers to communicate with it by pushing a button on their cars
steering wheels.
Apple has
reached an agreement with Facebook to weave the social network more deeply into its devices,
allowing people to share photos on Facebook, for example, without having to
open a separate Facebook app. The new features in the operating system will
become available for iPhones, iPad and the iPod Touch when IOS 6 is released in
Autumn.