The Five Best Features That iOS 6 Will Bring to Your iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad

The operating system that runs on Apple devices like the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad is referred to as iOS. Each new major version of this software brings an average of 200 brand new features to each device. The best part is that the upgrade is available free of charge to all Apple device owners. iOS 6 is planned for release in the fall of 2012. Out of all of the new features that iOS 6 will bring to the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad devices, a few are definitely ones to be excited about.

iOS version 6 brings Siri functionality to the iPad. This is Apple’s revolutionary and intuitive voice command feature that was previously only available on the iPhone 4s. Now iPad 2 and iPad HD users can get in on the fun. Instead of manually typing in searches or looking for information, you can ask the Siri interface any question you want and it will perform the relevant searches automatically. Note that the Siri functionality will not work on the original iPad model.

iOS brings 3D, highly detailed maps to the built-in “Maps” application. This application has come standard on all iOS devices but previously only featured a top-down view of a particular area. Maps now include 3D buildings and landscapes and are fully rotatable, allowing you to view your directions from multiple angles based on your preferences.

iOS 6 includes native Facebook integration with all applications and with the operating system itself. This is similar to the native Twitter functionality that was released with iOS 5. Instead of taking a picture with the “Camera” application and then loading the official “Facebook” app, for example, you can upload that picture to your Facebook profile from the very same place you took it. This makes social networking easier than ever before.

Shared photo streams make transferring your pictures a snap. iOS 6 gives you the ability to share photo streams on your device with whomever you want. If you add a particular image or photograph to a shared stream, anyone who you’ve chosen to share that stream with will have immediate access to that particular image. This practically makes your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad a social networking service all unto itself.

The new “Passbook” app helps keep all of your personal information in one place. This application has the ability to store things like coupons, gift certificates and credit card information all within the same easy-to-navigate interface. Instead of opening a variety of different programs to try to find one particular piece of information, you just have to open “Passbook” and look for whatever it is that you’re trying to find.