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The 8 Coolest iPhone Features Apple Just Announced

Apple Just Revealed 8 Really Cool New iPhone Features
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - APRIL 5: An Apple phone is seen at a shop after Apple launched iPhone SE in Moscow, Russia on April 5, 2016. (Photo by Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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MOSCOW, RUSSIA - APRIL 5: An Apple phone is seen at a shop after Apple launched iPhone SE in Moscow, Russia on April 5, 2016. (Photo by Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Apple

Apple's unleashing a lot of neat features for your iPhone and iPad this year.

A slew of updates are coming soon with iOS 10, the company announced Monday during its Worldwide Developers Conference.

The new mobile operating system will be available as a download this fall, and the updates it will bring range from the totally inconsequential...

... to the redundant...

... to the genuinely clever and useful:

Apple often makes big announcements at the conference, which ostensibly exists to familiarize developers with new products before they release to the public. For example, it revealed Apple Music at last year's event.

But this year's WWDC was mostly about updating existing products. A lot of the iOS updates are pretty substantial, though, and there's a good chance they'll impact how you use your existing iPhone or iPad.

Let's go through some of the best ones.

1) Trash Those Awful Default Apps

If you want to delete the apps that come pre-loaded onto your iPhone, you can, according to Twitter user Shorty. Others noticed that first-party apps have appeared in the iOS App Store, fueling speculation that you'll be able to remove the default apps and replace them later if you want.

Hallelujah.

2) Exciting New Ways To Send Messages

Apple showcased several new updates to its "Messages" texting app that will change how you're able to communicate with friends. If you want, your iPhone will be able to highlight "emojifiable" words and transform them into the pictograms with a tap.

Like Google's recently announced "Allo," it will also let you change how "loud" a message is -- you can make your text bubbles bigger or smaller, depending on what you're saying. And emojis will appear larger by default.

You'll also be able to use "invisible ink," making your messages appear like a scrambled mess that a recipient has to swipe over to reveal. This certainly won't ever go wrong!

You'll also be able to use your finger to handwrite messages, if you desire that personal flair.

The company is also adding "stickers."

And when you send links or videos, the media will become more detailed right in the Messages screen.

Finally, you'll be able to use full-screen effects -- for example, fireworks if you're announcing your engagement via text message.

Whew.

You're either going to think all of this is really dumb or kind of cool. Either way, we sense you'll end up using the features.

3) Improved Notifications

If you have a 3D Touch-enabled device (meaning an iPhone 6S or 6S Plus for now), you'll be able to dump all of your notifications at once with a simple "deep press" command. Currently, you can only clear notifications day by day, which makes emptying your slate a time-intensive process.

4) A New Way To Check Your Screen

You'll no longer need to press a button to wake your iPhone up. Just pick it up in your hand and the device's screen will come to life.

That might seem inconsequential, but the fingerprint sensors on Apple's smartphones are becoming lightning fast -- such that tapping the "home" button sometimes bypasses the lock screen and important notifications in an instant.

Now, you can pick your phone up, scope out any new information and then enter the device with your fingerprint.

5) Siri Plays Nice

Apple is opening its digital assistant up to developers, meaning they can integrate their apps with your iPhone's voice command system. Ask Siri for a ride and it can book you one via Uber or Lyft, for example.

6) New Photo Features

Your iPhone's built-in "Photos" app will become smarter in iOS 10. It'll recognize faces that you photograph all the time and cluster them together, much like Google Photos.

Photos will also be able to automatically create musical montages using your pictures and video: perfect for weddings or bar mitzvahs.

7) Transcribed Voicemails

Let's be real: Voicemails are a pretty inefficient way to deliver information. In iOS 10, Apple will debut a transcription service that automatically types out your voicemails, assuming it can understand them. The feature might remind you of Google Voice.

8) Apple News Sections

If you're a devoted user of Apple News, the company's proprietary article-harvesting service, an updated version of the app for iOS 10 will learn what type of article you like and populate "sections" accordingly. You'll also be able to subscribe to outlets you enjoy.

BONUS:

iOS 10 will also introduce a new "Home" app from which you can control your "Internet of Things" devices, if you have any. And there will be new features in the Maps app, like the ability to make restaurant reservations with compatible locations. For a full rundown, visit Apple's website.

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