Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
We ’re thoroughly enjoy iOS 10 and its new feature . Raise To Wake is a charming idea . The ability to at least hide preinstalled apps is long overdue , and much appreciate . The changes in Messages would be promiscuous to bemock but a ) they ’re aimed at a user base substantially younger than your baseborn reviewer , b ) are entirely optional and 100 ) are actually a stack of sport anyway . And there are so many wise , useful change throughout the rest of the oxygen that we simply could n’t cover them all here . At this late stage in iOS 10 ’s lifecycle – iOS 11 is already at the public beta phase – it ’s extremely static and the initial teething problems and bug have been iron out . But the jury is still jolly out on the widespread opening up of 1st - political party mathematical function to 3rd - party development – Siri and Messages , notably – which will go or conk out reckon on the enthusiasm and innovation of Apple ’s software partner . They ’ve never betray the company before , but these things take time . This is a quietly impressive update , with a raft of gratifying and/or useful new features . Our advice for anyone with a relatively recent iPhone or iPad would be to make the update , which is after all free . Just have in judgment that you wo n’t be able to retrovert to an other version of iOS because Apple hold back signing iOS 9 a while back .
Welcome to our review of iOS 10 , the current rendering of Apple ’s operating organisation for iPad , iPhone and iPod touch . We examine the interface , features and system of rules requirements of iOS 10and avail you resolve if it ’s right for you . ( If you ’d opt to read about the imminent update , currentlyin betabut expected to launch in September , here ’s ouriOS 11 review . )
Note that , as with any major software update , there have been bug in iOS 10 : we face at these in more detail in ouriOS 10 troubleshooting tipsarticle . But the majority have since been fixed via degree updates .
iOS 18 is the latest version and will inSeptember 2025be substitute with iOS 19 . Io 18 which has come a long way sinceolder versions of iOS(seeiOS 18 vs Io 17 ) . feel outwhich iPhones are compatible with iOS 18 in ouriOS compatibility checker . You candownload the iOS beta to try out novel feature , but you will require to carefully considerwhether you should add the Io betafirst .
Design
There has n’t been a arrangement - wide visual redesign like there was iniOS 7 – I do n’t opine we ’ll get anything as basal as that again for long time – but there are still some significant design changes in iOS 10 . Apple has pore its sweat in this section on the lock blind , the search / notification page achieve by swiping from the left of the ringlet screen , and the Notification Centre .
Raise To Wake
There ’s also a new characteristic that means you ’ll see these screens more often , so we should probably talk about it here rather than in the new feature discussion section . It ’s called Raise To heat , and think of that , like theApple Watch , an iOS 10 - equipped iPhone will light up its silver screen and show you the lock screen when you lift it up . No more blasting accidentally through to the unbarred home filmdom thanks to superfast 2nd - gen Touch ID .
This feature does n’t use to iPads , though .
3D Touch
The lock and telling screen have been redesigned and expanded in scope . A lot of these changes are focused on 3D Touch , which is a bit of a pain for those of us run iOS 10 on older iPhones , or iPads of any time of origin , but it ’s clear that Apple is following a scheme of drip - prey the feature more and more throughout the system .
There are two generation of iPhone on the market place with 3D Touch , and a third likely to found in autumn . And it seems likely that a 3D Touch - equipped iPad will issue at some degree .
Notifications & lock screen
presentment continue to become more interactive with each contemporaries of iOS . Most of them can be 3D adjoin to get a flying glance at the vital selective information ; and iOS 10 enables live updates within the notification themselves , so you’re able to open an iMessage notification , then acquit on a conversation there and then , with live replies appearing as they ’re meet , without having to start the Messages app .
There is also the inclusion of widgets working in a enceinte format , allowing them to be a lot more utile for different types of apps .
One last change to the ignition lock screen that we really wish : to launch the Camera app from here , all you take to do is swipe in from the right . It ’s a lifelike evolution from the old system , which placed an always - accessible ( but small ) camera icon on the lock chamber projection screen , but a luck less fiddly .
Features
Apple outlined 10 key features that have been transfer , added or redesigned – and we look at them in detail in our separate articleThe 10 adept features of iOS 10 – but in this follow-up we ’d care to focalise on somewhat few … while mentioning a couple that Apple did n’t .
Messages
message is the most - used app on iOS , and get plenty of love in iOS 10 .
Most of the changes are visual and comparatively trivial , however . And lashings of them involve emoji .
There are slews of other visual result you may apply to your messages , and again , most of them are a bit silly . But one we rather like is ‘ unseeable ink ’ , which scrambled the textual matter or simulacrum in your iMessage until the receiver swipe across it – nice for delivering pleasant surprisal . And hopefully not for dump people .
There is also the power to enable or disable read revenue , where you ’ll be able to transfer it per contact or grouping . As another feature , you’re able to now also send scummy - tone images through the Messages app .
Emoji
Emoji are now displayed at three times the size in Messages , and will be advise ( where appropriate ) by QuickType ’s predictive text . And if you ’re partway through typing a message and tap the picture to launch the emoji keyboard , iOS will scan the text for any parole that has an emoji combining weight , and turn them orangey - amber ; you could just knock the ones you want to be ’ emojified ’ ( sorry ) or see the various option if there are more than one that apply to that countersign .
Apple has also replaced a few old emojis and added pot of new ones . Most famously , the gas pedal emoji now displays as a water shooting iron , for understanding that we believe may be at least part political , but Apple has n’t made a affirmation regarding this .
It ’s authoritative to notice that the emoji remains the same , computer code - wise , and if you send that emoji to someone with an Android phone it ’ll display as an actual ( or cartoonish ) artillery on their machine ; and if they send you what they reckon is a gun , you ’ll see it as a water pistol . This seems like an unpaired manner of doing it ( Apple could have created a new toy gun emoji , and removed the gun from the default option tray without terminate it displaying if someone sends it to you ) , and a possible cause of misunderstandings .
On the other hand , we wish the expanded range of emojis and desire to see more include in the future . Read more : How to utilize Messages in iOS 10andComplete guide to emoji on iPhone and iPad
Deleting preinstalled apps
Big news ! Apple is finally let us take away origin , Tips and various other preinstalled apps from our iPads and iPhones .
Technically only the user data is delete , while the app remain secret on your equipment , taking up ( a belittled amount of ) space . But it ’s still a biggie . We excuse how it all works in a separate clause : How to delete or hide any app on an iPad or iPhone .
Music
The Apple Music app has have an update , where it has had a ocular redesign and now has lyric . You ’ll also be pleased to know that you could continue heed to your euphony whilst taking Live Photos . We wish the additions to the Music app , but finger that Apple could still add more to the app .
Lots more on that here : Complete guide to the Music app in iOS 10 .
Siri
Siri is now useable to third - party developer , meaning you could use Siri in non - Apple apps . This variety really open up up the platform and allows a greater routine of apps to be hold by part .
We like the glide slope by Apple in being more open - source . Read more : How to fix the most coarse Siri problems
Images
RAW images can now be taken on iOS devices , with Apple announcing support for theiPhone 6s , iPhone 6s Plus , iPhone SE,9.7 - inch iPad Proand later devices . The lineament is slap-up for those who desire full - resolution effigy from their iPhones and iPads .
The size of these image will be great , but nevertheless , the feature is a great comprehension by Apple . Note : RAW image will only be useable on the rear - confront photographic camera , and you wo n’t be able to apply figure stabilization . Speaking of which , Live Photos now have image stabilisation .
The Photos app in iOS 10 has also received an update , with the inclusion of contrived intelligence operation . Apple announced that the Photos app will be able to suck up together picture and video by lieu , people ( here’show to correct any misidentified faces ) and time where it will automatically create a high spot Virginia reel .
Home
This is a sword - new app : a hub from which you may ensure all of your HomeKit - compatible fresh - home widget .
If you give up Home , you ’ll see all your HomeKit - compatible accessories , no matter which company cook them , and you may easy manipulate them all from one hub . Many of these will have 3D Touch cutoff : you may force - tap and slide on a dimmer app , for instance , to adjust light level .
There ’s a nice feature shout out Scenes , which collects frequently used configurations for various devices under a unmarried button – so you could press the ‘ Good night ’ push to turn down the brightness level , turn down the thermoregulator , lock up the doorway and so on . interpret next : Best HomeKit devices compatible with Apple Home app
QuickType
We mentioned prognosticative emojis earlier , but QuickType is getting cleverer in other ways too . If someone asks for a friend ’s contact details and iOS thinks it knows what they ’re let the cat out of the bag about , it will scrape the relevant telephone set identification number or whatever from Contacts and bid it as a hypnotism ; if someone demand where you are it will offer your precise location .
QuickType will affirm the use of more than one linguistic process at once , too , although it ’s not clear at this point whether it will work out on the rainfly that you user both English and French , say , or if you ’ll need to choose the languages you ’re familiar with in options somewhere .
iOS keyboard
The default iOS keyboard has undergo a few change in the beta version , with Apple revert changes made in the first genus Beta , to the latest ones . As it stand , the iOS keyboard sound have changed , with the space , return and backspace keys having a somewhat unlike sound from the default keys .
This alteration could be seen by some as positive , but others are miss the old line of descent sounds .
Unlocking
As a minor , but bequest lineament many will see a variety in , is the room you unlock your iPhone or iPad . Slide to Unlock feature article has been axe and put back with Press Home to unlock . This broadly nominate sense , because the swipe had become an inefficient supererogatory movement : most of us who are able-bodied to install iOS 10 have got Touch ID , so we would put a fingertip on the Home button in any case . Now that is used to unlock the machine .
If you ’d opt to simply rest your fingertip on the Home button to unlock the twist alternatively of having to actually press the push , you’re able to set up this up in the Accessibility preferences .
Compatible devices
The follow old equipment can raise to iOS 10 :
TheiPhone 7andiPhone 7 Plus , and theiPad 9.7 in ( 2017),iPad Pro 10.5 in ( 2017)andiPad Pro 12.9 in ( 2017 ) , all come with iOS 10 pre - installed .
How to download it now
iOS 10 is usable now , having launched to the populace on 13 September 2016 . Here’show to install iOS 10 . Think cautiously before upgrading : Apple has stopped sign on any versions of iOS 9 , so it will be difficultto downgrade iOS 10 and go back to iOS 9if you interchange your mind .
mark that iOS will be update again in the fall – indeed , iOS 11 is already at the genus Beta - examination phase angle . Expect that to appear in September alongside theiPhone 8 .
