IOS 15 test - one of the worst updates for Polish users?

In June 2021, at the WWDC (Worldwide Developer Conference), Apple presented the next major release of the iOS operating system.

After the presentation on the web, there were a lot of unfavorable opinions about the iOS 15 operating system. Apple decided to make subtle changes. In addition, we will not use some of them in Poland.

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Taking advantage of the opportunity to have an iPhone 12 Pro, I decided to check how the iOS 15 Public Beta works on the still current flagship from Apple. For several days I was using iOS 15 on the iPhone 12 Pro and iOS 14 on a private smartphone (iPhone 11) at the same time. During this time, I managed to form an opinion about the upcoming operating system from Apple.

Is the update to iOS 15 really one of the smallest major releases? Unfortunately, in the introduction, I have to reveal that for Polish users the upcoming iOS 15 update, which will appear in the fall, will not be revolutionary.

iOS 15 - the subtle evolution of the revolutionary iOS 14

Last year's iOS 14 operating system introduced a lot of news to the iPhone. The application library (classic menu with all programs) and widget support have appeared. These elements meant that the way the operating system is operated has changed, and iOS 14 has received a lot of possibilities.

Unfortunately, we cannot count on another revolution this year. iOS 15 is a very predictable and sometimes downright boring update. This is confirmed by the fact that the most important novelties from the point of view of Polish iPhone users will be the refreshed Weather application and the redesigned Safari browser.

iOS 15 will go to any smartphone compatible with iOS 14

Due to the subtle amount of new products, the iOS 15 operating system will be available on all smartphones compatible with last year's iOS 14. This means that in the fall, the iPhone 6s / 6s Plus and newer smartphones will receive an update. You can find a full list of compatible devices here.

Redesigned notifications

iOS 15 offers a new notification system. At first glance, the notification pop-ups look different, but in reality their functionality hasn't changed much.

On the plus side, you should add greater readability and the notification summary function, which presents the most important notifications to the user at a selected time each day. The smartphone with the use of AI learns to predict the validity of each notification and automatically segregates the information.

Focus mode

Another new feature is the focus mode. It is an extension of the well-known do not disturb function.

In iOS 15, Apple added new do not disturb modes with defined names and parameters, e.g. work or sleep. The user can freely configure a given mode and use it according to a schedule or activate it manually. Everything is available from the settings and control center.

Safari - the most important novelty for Polish consumers

For Polish consumers, the most important novelty will be the refreshed Safari browser with a completely new design. The address bar has been placed at the bottom of the screen, and the program makes better use of the available space on the screen.

IPhone owners with iOS 15 can easily switch between cards as well as groups of cards. Apple also introduced a new grid view when viewing open tabs.

Safari in iOS 15 receives support for web extensions for the first time in history. There is also an option to customize your home card.

Apple also offers new privacy protection features and an intelligent tracking prevention system, which is an extension of the solution known from iOS 14.

A prettier Weather app with additional features

In Poland, we will use the refreshed Weather application, which offers a lot of additional functions. At the very beginning, we will notice a new look with dynamic animations showing the current weather forecast.

New are additional indicators informing about the hourly and long-term forecast, temperature distribution in the area, UV index, sunset, perceived temperature, humidity, humidity and atmospheric pressure.

Most of these features are available in iOS 14, but data presentation with additional graphs in the new version of the Weather app makes them much easier to read.

Gait stability in the Health app

Apple would not be itself if it did not add more health functions. After updating to iOS 15, we can activate the gait stability measurement option. It helps you analyze your risk of falling when walking.

In addition, Apple made it possible to share the results of laboratory tests, which were enriched with the possibility of describing, highlighting and pinning selected health indicators.

iOS 15 also allows you to save confirmation that you have taken the COVID-19 vaccine.

Refreshed Notes with hashtags

The new release of iOS 15 allows you to take advantage of a more extensive application for collecting notes. Apple has used a tagging system using hashtags. After adding the selected hashtags to the note, we can easily search for it by entering the keyword in the search engine.

A new folder has also appeared in the program, which collects all notes sorted by hashtags.

Additional functions that are not available in our country

Traditionally, the selected options are not available in our country. I am talking about the expanded functionality of the Spotlight search engine, new Maps with more accurate maps and better mapping of the terrain or AR navigation known from Google Maps. Apple still has not added Polish to the translator application built into iOS and does not allow communication with Siri in our native language.

There was also no support for the Live Text option, which automatically scans the text found in the photos using OCR.

It is a pity that we will not be able to search the web using Siri. This function does not work in Polish.

In the coming months, we will also not use the extended capabilities of the Wallet application, which allows you to collect not only payment cards, but also home access cards or car keys.

Lots of smaller tweaks that you likely won't notice or take advantage of

There are a lot more minor news and improvements in iOS 15, but you probably won't take advantage of them. I am talking about the open Face Time, which will also be available on Android and Windows. This solution will eventually allow you to share the image and listen / watch together. All recipients must use Apple devices with the latest version of the operating system for these features to work.

Summary - iOS 15 is worth installing, but don't expect a ton of new features

After a few days of simultaneous use of iOS 14 and iOS 15, I understand the bitterness of some consumers. This year, Apple will not offer us any innovative feature. The company focused on bug fixes and improvement of the existing ecosystem.

iOS 15 isn't a bad update, but it's certainly one of the least significant major iOS releases released in the last five years.

The matter is not made easier by the fact that some of the novelties are closely related to Apple devices. I am talking about Face Time, for example. In Poland, the use of the latest available functions will be extremely difficult. The matter is not made easier by the fact that iOS 15 in Poland will not offer flagship functions such as Live Text or the new Spotlight search engine that can search from photos. We still do not receive Siri in Polish and support for new Maps.

All in all, iOS 15 is an update worth installing on your iPhone. Why? First of all, for the completely new Safari browser, which actually has a much more refined and user-friendly interface. Interestingly, the second key novelty for Polish consumers may be the refreshed weather application, which works much better than the outdated solution from iOS 14.

Unfortunately, if you were counting on more news, you have to wait until 2022 and the premiere of iOS 16.

Want to test iOS 15 today? Check how to install iOS 15 Public Beta.

For iOS 15 tests, I used an iPhone 12 Pro 256 GB in graphite color. You can buy the phone at X-Kom.