It's the gift to iPhone and iPad owners who don't want to buy a new gadget.

Apple's latest mobile operating system iOS 11 is now available as a free download. The redesigned software packs in big changes and minor tweaks, some you may never even see.

The update is available on smartphones as far back as the iPhone 5S. (For iPad compatibility, see here). Or you can wait and buy an iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus, which hits stores on Friday, or hold off for the iPhone X coming later this year.

Here are a few highlights and tips.

Wait to update

Just because you can download iOS 11 today doesn't mean you should. Follow some classic advice: Wait until Apple releases its first minor update, especially if you're on an older device.

The first versions of operating systems invariably have some bugs in them. Because Apple (AAPL) makes public betas available, it's likely the company has already worked through some of the major glitches. But if trouble shooting your iPhone in the middle of a Tuesday sounds like a pain, hold off.

Whenever you decide to update, do a full back up of everything on your phone first.

The control center is better, at last

The Control Center has always been a bit troubled. In its most recent incarnation, it was split into two windows: one for music and one for everything else.

In iOS 11, it's unified, simplified and fills the whole screen on an iPhone. You can even customize what settings appear. The buttons look nice and the brightness and volume sliders work great.

Speaking of volume and long overdue changes, Apple has finally fixed the annoying giant volume slider that blocks videos. Now if you're watching something and want to turn it up a notch, the volume appears in the corner.

Augmented reality is a kick

There is a beating heart in the middle of my house and it's blocking my view of the front door. It's part of the Insight Heart app, one of the early augmented reality apps available for iOS 11. Like AR in general, it is genuinely neat to play with but it's not clear how useful it really is.

Augmented reality apps use the iPhone and iPad's cameras, gyroscopes and accelerometers to sense where you are in the world. They can quickly map out the surfaces in front of you, like a desk or floor, and accurately estimate the lighting. The apps then places 3D images on top of a live view from the camera.

The IKEA app lets you place furniture in the room, while the Sky Guide app overlays real constellations on top of the sky. Shopping and gaming will be obvious early hits, but it will be exciting to see what unexpected uses developers come up with.

Augmented reality apps will only be accessible on iPhone 6S or later devices.

The App Store is kind of like a blog now

Apple (AAPL) really thinks app developers are entertaining. The company has launched a TV show about the coders, and now it's dedicating a tab in the redesigned App Store to original posts about apps and the people who make them.

There are more than 2 million apps in the App Store. Finding the exact one you wants seems like a technical problem -- the kind that could be solved by collecting data on your preferences. Instead, Apple has hired human editorial staffers to find the best apps to recommend. The Today tab features new articles and interviews every day.

It's also a nice way to avoid bad apps that have gamed their way to the top downloads lists.

Siri is trying to sound more human

Siri's voice has undergone a few changes to make it sound more conversational. It changes speed during a sentence, goes up at the end of a question, and even pauses to "take a breath."

It also has a few new tricks, but the best is instant translations. Try, "Siri, how do you say 'How much is that jaunty cap' in Chinese?" Apple is slowly opening up its voice assistant to third party developers, so you can make bill payments or use it for third-party notes and reminders.

Apple is also feeding Siri more information about your habits to help it predict what you'll want to do next. The smarts show up in other places where Siri doesn't actually talk. For example, auto suggestions in Messages and search suggestions populate based on the last thing you were reading in Safari.

The iPad inches closer to being a work device

iOS 11 has some clever additions just for the iPad. It's borrowed the Dock from the Mac, so there's always a row of app shortcuts on the bottom of the screen. The app switcher shows previews of the last thing you were doing in each app.

Apple is finally bringing a file management system to the iPad -- something that's been long requested by anyone trying to do real work. There are a number of small changes that make multi-tasking easier, including the ability to drag and drop text, files and photos between apps.

A little something everywhere

There are new features hiding in almost every corner of iOS 11, like the Accessibility Setting that lets you type questions for Siri. There's the updated Notes app that does handwriting detection and scans documents, and new special effects in Messages. There are new photo effects to loop Live Photos or make long exposures, and Do Not Disturb will try and keep drivers focused on the road.

Apple's peer-to-peer payment tool, which lets people send cash to friends over Messenger or using Siri, will come to iOS 11 in a fall release.

Overall, the iOS 11 update is a refreshed look that includes with some much needed improvements. But the real draw is testing out the new augmented reality apps.</s>iOS 11 is the next generation of Apple's operating system for iPhones and iPads. New features include sweeping new upgrades to Siri, a redesigned Control Center and App Store, and a brand-new Apple Pay feature that lets you send or receive money to your contacts via iMessage.

In addition, developers can now create apps that tap into your iOS device’s potential to create augmented reality experiences via the new ARKit. Plus, there are new productivity features for the iPad, including drag-and-drop capability and a new Mac-style Dock.

Here’s everything we know so far about iOS 11, plus a bunch of the new features that we can’t wait to try.

Editors’ note: We’ve updated this story to include a link to our full review of iOS 11.

What can iOS 11 do for you? A lot, especially if you are a serious iPad user. It's great for the iPhone, too. You can get the details in our full review of iOS 11.

What devices will iOS 11 run on?

When will iOS 11 be available?

At Apple’s iPhone X event, the company announced that iOS 11 will be available on September 19, 2017.

Yes, Apple released the first public beta on Monday, June 26—and anyone can give it a whirl (at their own risk). Here’s everything you need to know about how to safely install the iOS 11 public beta.

Just remember that this is a beta version of the new software, so make sure you backup your iOS device before venturing into this unknown territory. Better yet, we recommend installing the public beta profile on a secondary iOS device (if you have one) so that you can test it without fear that it will screw something up.

Apple continues to release public betas after the final version is released. You get betas of the iOS 11 updates before they are available to the public.

The first new thing you’ll notice about Siri in iOS 11 is her more-natural sounding voice. However, she also looks a little different: Apple has given its voice assistant a new visual interface that surfaces multiple results for your requests, as well as followup questions. In addition, Siri can now translate phrases for you, from English to Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. This feature is in beta, and Apple will add more languages in the months to come.

Siri has also become more predictive across different iOS apps. For example, if you search for “Iceland” in Safari, Siri will surface Iceland-related articles in the News app and bring up QuickType suggestions in Icelandic. Or, if you get a text message asking for money, Siri will suggest iMessage’s Apple Pay integration with the exact amount that’s been requested. Apple has also expanded SiriKit support to include more robust integrations with third-party services. You can now use Siri to add to your Evernote or pull up a QR code in WeChat, among other things.

How is Apple Pay more like Venmo?

You can use Apple Pay at certain brick-and-mortar stores (Apple says 50 percent of U.S. retailers will support Apple Pay by the end of the year), online web stores via Safari, and in certain iPhone apps. With iOS 11, you’ll be able to use Apple Pay to send or receive money from your contacts via Messages, thanks to a new iMessage app which essentially turns Apple Pay into your new Venmo or Square Cash alternative.

All the money that you receive will be collected in your Wallet app in the form of a Cash card. You can use these funds to complete other Apple Pay transactions, or you can transfer that cash over to your bank account. Apple Pay’s peer-to-peer transactions will be available in iOS 11 and watchOS 4.

Can I do more with Live Photos?

Yes! Apple has given us more editing tools for Live Photos, those moving images that you can take using an iPhone 6s and later. You can turn your Live Photos into video loops that replay over... and over... and over. The Photos app will even suggest Live Photos that would make for great loops. You can also add a “Bounce” effect so that the Live Photo plays and then rewinds, kind of like Instagram Boomerangs. There’s also a new Long Exposure effect which makes the iPhone even more like a DSLR.

Don’t Live Photos take up a lot of space?

That’s true, but thankfully Apple has addressed this issue by switching to a more space efficient encoding system. For videos, iOS 11 uses HEVC (aka H.265), which is twice as efficient as the previous H.264 format. For still photos, iOS 11 uses HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) which Apple claims will take up only half the space.

Where will I be able to use Maps indoors?

Apple continues to improve the native Maps app in iOS 11. For the first time, you’ll be able to use Maps to navigate your way around indoor spaces. Maps in iOS 11 introduces indoor mapping so you can get detailed floor plans of certain malls and major airports, down to individual vendors on each floor.

To start off, Maps will have indoor support for malls in Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Jose, Tokyo, and Washington D.C. Maps will also be able to show you around inside 30 major airports including JFK and London Heathrow.

How does “Do Not Disturb While Driving” work?

Another feature introduced at WWDC is iOS 11’s “Do Not Disturb While Driving” mode. Your iPhone will use Bluetooth (if connected to CarPlay or any other in-vehicle Bluetooth system) or motion sensors to figure out if you’re driving, and will automatically prevent all notifications from surfacing and causing a distraction. You can override this mode, however, or setup an automatic response to let people who text you know you’re on the road and that you’ll get back to them as soon as you arrive at your destination.

Tim Cook has spent all year talking about how excited he is for augmented reality, so it’s no surprise that Apple used this year’s WWDC keynote to show off what they’ve been working on in this emerging area. Alongside iOS 11, Apple unveiled ARKit, a new developer platform for creating iOS apps that tap into augmented reality. Apps built with ARKit will be able to use computer vision to identify surfaces and add 3D objects. These objects create dynamic shadows that are rendered in real-time.

iOS 11 will be released this fall. In the meantime, companies are posting videos of what can be done with ARKit. For example, Kabaq is showing how AR can be used by restaurants to enhance their menus. The video below demonstrates how the company uses ARKit.

This video below is a trailer for a game called ARZombi. ARKit was used so your location gets incorporated into the game.

One more video below: This one is another game, called RoVR.

Did the iPad get more macOS-type features?

You bet! There’s a new app Dock that looks a lot like the one in macOS, making it a lot easier to switch between apps. You can also press on any of these apps and drag them over to the right side of the screen to open them as a Slide Over. As always, you can lock Slide Over into Split View to use both apps simultaneously.

The Dock can be accessed from any screen and you can customize it with your favorite apps. Also, it has a dynamic section on the right side that changes to suggest recently-used apps across your Apple devices.

Yes! Apple finally answered our prayers. With iOS 11, you can drag-and-drop between the two apps in Split View, which makes it easier to transfer files, images, text, and URLs. You can drag-attach images from the Photos to Mail, or drag-copy-and-paste directions from Safari into Maps.

And how does the new Files app work?

Apple also launched Files, a new iOS app intended to make the iPad experience more like a traditional Mac. Pretty self-explanatory, Files displays your documents stored in iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and other file-storage apps.

Are there new ways to use Apple Pencil?

Yes, Apple has expanded Apple Pencil support for iPad Pro in iOS 11. Tap a PDF or screenshot with the tip of the Pencil and you’ll be able to scribble on it instantly thanks to a new feature called Instant Markup. Similarly, you can Pencil tap on the Lock screen to start writing. All your handwritten creations will be automatically saved to your Notes app, and these handwritten notes are searchable, too.

Notes also has a new built-in Document Scanner, allowing you to scan a document, sign it or mark on it with Apple Pencil, then save or share—all with just your iPad Pro. In addition, Notes and Mail now support Inline Drawing so you can add some color to your emails and notes. The text will automatically move out of the way when you start drawing, so that everything remains legible.

Control Center has been redesigned so that it’s only one panel. You can customize it with your go-to’s like Low-Power Mode and use 3D Touch to adjust more-specific controls.

App Store now mirrors the look-and-feel of Apple Music, with a new Today tab for featured games and apps.

Messages App Drawer makes it easier to access your favorite iMessage apps by swiping across the bottom of the screen, instead of having to tap back to the drawer every time you want to switch apps.

Apple Music gets more social: New profile photos indicate when one of your friends has listened to a certain albums or playlist.

QuickType Keyboard is now easier to use one-handed. Simply long-press on the emoji key to bring the keys closer to your thumb. For iPad users, you can now flick down on a specific key to type a number or punctuation mark, instead of having to switch to the symbols keyboard.

Stay tuned for more iOS 11 coverage, including hidden features, tips and tricks, and how-to’s for making the most out of your iPhone and iPad. We’ll continue to update this story as more info becomes available.</s>It’s that time of year again: The weather’s cooling down, the leaves are changing color, and Apple’s latest iPhones are on the way.

Not ready to drop $1,000 on an iPhone X? That’s cool. You can make your old iPhone (and iPad) feel new again by updating to iOS 11. The new software packs some nifty new features like a smarter, more humanlike Siri and a customizable Control Center. iPad users should be especially pumped for the new Drag and Drop function, which makes it easier to get work done on the go.

The free software update becomes available today. Here’s what to do to get it on all your devices.

Before giving your iPhone or iPad a nice little makeover, be sure your data’s all backed up. Uploading data to iCloud secures the basics like contacts, settings, and messages, but storage can be costly and it won’t save things like app preferences. For a more complete (and free) back-up, iTunes will save all the basics plus your apps, log-in credentials, and even your home screen arrangement. Plug your device into your computer, open iTunes, select your device, and choose “Back Up Now” under the “Manually Back Up and Restore.”

You won’t be able to get all of iOS 11’s sweet new features if your device isn’t charged. You’ll also need to plug into an outlet and connect to Wi-Fi before you can start your download.

You’ll need about 2GB of free space to download the new OS. Make some room by deleting photos and apps you no longer need. Google Photos has a cool feature that automatically uploads your photos to its servers, and you can tell it to clear all the photos on your camera roll once they’re backed up. Do it ahead of time to save yourself the headache of frantically deleting stuff.

Once you’re plugged in, backed up, and have space to spare, you’re ready to go. Your phone should notify you when the iOS 11 update is available, but if you’re feeling antsy, jump into the General tab in the Settings app and hit Software Update to start the download.

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> More on Get Smart</s>To update your iPhone you will need to download the latest firmware file (IPSW).</s>4 things to know about Apple's iOS 11 software update

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (AP) — Holding off on upgrading your trusty old iPhone? You won't need a spiffy iPhone 8 in order to get new maps, photos and other features with a free software update Apple began rolling out Tuesday.

The iOS 11 update brings a variety of enhancements, including a new voice and functionality for the Siri virtual assistant and a new photo format to reduce file sizes.

Consider waiting a few days in case unexpected problems emerge. The update will work with iPhones and iPads going back a few years, but older models won't get all the new features.

Once you get iOS 11, here are four things to look for.

The Control Center offers easy access to the flashlight and other tools with a swipe up from the bottom. It got separated into multiple pages last year to increase the options available, but the extra swipes got annoying. With iOS 11, it's back to a single page. The extra options remain available, and Apple now lets you customize further, such as by adding an Apple TV remote or one-touch access to the voice recorder.

After taking a screenshot, you'll now see a thumbnail in a corner. Tap on it for the ability to quickly annotate and share it. Need to remember where you parked your car? Just screenshot a map and draw an arrow.

The update brings additional camera filters to tweak your photos. To find them, you can now swipe up as you're taking the shot; swipe down when you're done. With camera improvements, the iPhone 8 models automatically use an exposure-balancing technology called HDR and no longer save unadjusted versions. You can restore that in the settings, though it'll use more storage.

Apple Maps now offers speed limits and lane guidance on highways and indoor maps for some airports and shopping malls.

And a new feature detects when you're driving and keeps notifications from appearing on your lock screen, so you're not tempted to check. You can override that if you're in the passenger's seat - or traveling by plane or train, both of which can make the phone think you're driving.

Remember last year's gaming sensation "Pokemon Go "? For many people, it was their first taste of augmented reality , the blending of virtual images with real-life settings. More augmented reality apps are coming with new tools Apple is including with iOS 11 . Among other things, you'll be able to see how furniture will look in your real living room before you buy it.

Apple already has had artificial-intelligence software for cataloging photos and other internal features. It's now making those tools available to third-party developers. Such apps might now automatically identify food in an image and offer nutrition information.

Speaking of apps, Apple has also redesigned its app store to separate games from other apps and make recommendations more prominent.

As Apple tries to market its iPad Pro tablets as a laptop alternative, the iPad's software takes on characteristics resembling the Mac computer.

A Dock at the bottom offers quick access to recent and frequently used apps. The iPad gets new drag and drop capabilities to make it easier to move text and other content between apps. For instance, you can drag a location on a map into an email. Recent iPad models can now run three apps side by side, rather than just two.

Apple's payment system, Apple Pay, already lets people buy items at a retail store with a tap of the phone. It also enables web orders and charity donations. Coming soon is the ability to pay friends back for dinner or drinks, much the way PayPal and Venmo work.

Money you receive will go into an Apple Pay Cash account, automatically created if you don't already have one. Apple is hoping you'll use the balance to buy things with Apple Pay, though you can move money to a bank account. There's no fee when using a debit card or an existing balance. To encourage its use, the Apple Pay option will appear when texting about owing money.

Also coming later is the ability to sync Apple's Messages app between devices. Such syncing was previously inconsistent. Apple says that while syncing will now use its iCloud servers, it will keep all data encrypted and won't have access to the keys.

Tuesday's update brings new sharing and smart home capabilities designed for speakers. Much of this appears to prepare Apple for the December release of HomePod, a $349 smart speaker rivaling Amazon's Echo and Google Home.</s>Is it worth it to carry over all of your current iPhone or iPad settings with the iOS 11 update, or should you start from scratch and do a clean install? Here's everything you need to know.

When you install iOS 11, you can either keep all of the information and settings the same as you did before, or another option is starting over from scratch with a clean install; it all depends on what you're most comfortable with.

Why a clean install of iOS 11 is good

Have you ever had a tupperware container of food that you accidentally let sit in your lunchbox for one week too many, and so when you finally go to wash it out, you contemplate throwing the entire thing out and just starting from scratch with a new, less disgusting container?

Well think of your iPhone as the tupperware container, iOS 10 or later as the gunked-on food, and iOS 11 as the brand new, non-smelly container, and you're pretty much in the right mindset as to why some people think a clean install of iOS 11 is a great thing.

With a clean install, you have a chance to declutter your iPhone and get rid of heavy data, apps, and nonsense that might be stored on your iPhone or iPad that you don't need or ever use. You get an opportunity to reinstall apps sparingly and really make good use of your device's space.

It is worth keeping in mind that if you do opt for a clean install of iOS 11, you will need to take some time to set everything back up the way that you like it, so allow yourself a bit of time to get things in order.

Why a standard installation of iOS 11 is good

Simply put, if you love all the apps and settings that you already have on your iPhone or iPad, and if you feel like your iPhone or iPad doesn't need to be reset or bumped back to square one, stick to a standard installation.

When you have a standard install, you won't have to worry about reinstalling different apps and tweaking your settings back to normal; you just download the update and get on with your life.

Which one is better?

At the end of the day, everyone is different. If you have an iPhone or iPad with a ton of different pictures, files, apps, notes, and everything in between, then a clean installation might be a bit daunting and unnecessary.

However if you're someone who wants a fresh start and doesn't mind taking the time to put things back together, then a clean installation is the way to go.

What do you think?

Have you ever done a clean install with your iPhone or iPad? Do you prefer a standard install with one piece of tech over another? Are you excited to get iOS 11 on your iPhone or iPad?

Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments below!</s>Apple will on Tuesday released the the iOS 11, which it had unveiled on June 5, for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch users. The new iteration of the operating system makes a complete shift from the previous versions and now utilises latest technologies like artificial intelligence and to power the OS. Here’s a quick look at the top features of iOS 11, time of the new software will release, and the full list of compatible devices.



Customisable dock, files app and drag & drop make iPad even more powerful

The iOS 11 makes multitasking on iPads even more powerful, with a new customisable dock that provides quick access to frequently used apps and documents from any screen, and a redesigned app switcher makes it easier to move between pairs of active apps, used in Split View and now Slide Over. The new files app keeps everything in one place, whether files are stored locally, in the iCloud Drive or across other providers like Box, Dropbox and more. And, with drag & drop available across the system, moving images and text is easier than before. The Apple Pencil is more deeply integrated into iPad with support for inline drawing, and a new Instant Notes feature opens Notes from the Lock Screen by simply tapping Apple Pencil on the display. The iOS 11 makes multitasking on iPads even more powerful, with a new customisable dock that provides quick access to frequently used apps and documents from any screen, and a redesigned app switcher makes it easier to move between pairs of active apps, used in Split View and now Slide Over. The new files app keeps everything in one place, whether files are stored locally, in the iCloud Drive or across other providers like Box, Dropbox and more. And, with drag & drop available across the system, moving images and text is easier than before. The Apple Pencil is more deeply integrated into iPad with support for inline drawing, and a new Instant Notes feature opens Notes from the Lock Screen by simply tapping Apple Pencil on the display.

Siri becomes more useful

Siri is one of the most popular personal assistants in the world, with more than 375 million active devices accessing Siri each month across 36 countries. Using the latest advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence, new male and female voices are more natural and expressive, adjusting intonation, pitch, emphasis and tempo while speaking, and can translate English words and phrases into Chinese, French, German, Italian or Spanish. Siri extends beyond voice, using on-device learning to deliver more personal experiences and offers suggestions based on personal usage of Safari, News, Mail, Messages and more. For example, as Siri learns topics or places a user is interested in while browsing Safari, they will be suggested when typing in Mail, Messages and other apps.

With the iOS 11, portrait mode images can be taken with optical image stabilisation, True Tone flash and HDR, so every shot looks even more professional. Live Photos are more expressive with new Loop and Bounce effects that create continuous video loops, while Long Exposure can capture time and movement. In Photos, Memory movies are optimised to play in both portrait and landscape orientation, and more memories, such as photos of pets or birthdays, are automatically created. With iOS 11, Apple introduces a new technology called High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) that reduces the file size of every photo taken with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. With the iOS 11, portrait mode images can be taken with optical image stabilisation, True Tone flash and HDR, so every shot looks even more professional. Live Photos are more expressive with new Loop and Bounce effects that create continuous video loops, while Long Exposure can capture time and movement. In Photos, Memory movies are optimised to play in both portrait and landscape orientation, and more memories, such as photos of pets or birthdays, are automatically created. With iOS 11, Apple introduces a new technology called High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) that reduces the file size of every photo taken with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Drive safe with do not disturb

iOS 11 introduces a new way to help drivers stay more focused on the road with Do Not Disturb while driving. iPhone can detect when you may be driving and automatically silence notifications to keep the screen dark. Users have the option of sending an auto reply to contacts listed in Favourites to let them know they are driving and cannot respond until they arrive at their destination. iOS 11 introduces a new way to help drivers stay more focused on the road with Do Not Disturb while driving. iPhone can detect when you may be driving and automatically silence notifications to keep the screen dark. Users have the option of sending an auto reply to contacts listed in Favourites to let them know they are driving and cannot respond until they arrive at their destination.

App Store is redesigned to make discovering apps and games easier than ever before. Through in-depth features and interviews, App Store editors will uncover the stories behind iOS developers and the incredible apps and games they create.

offers more customization, enabling quick access to frequently used controls all on one page, and a new Lock Screen delivers a more convenient way to see Notifications all in one place.

One-handed keyboard mode on iPhone makes typing on the go even easier and a new QuickType keyboard on iPad delivers quick access to numbers, symbols and punctuation.

The iOS 11 will be available as a free software update for iPhone 5s and later versions, all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation, iPad mini 2 and later versions and iPod touch 6th generation. Person-to-person payments and Cash will be available in the US on the iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, iPad Pro, iPad 5th generation, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 and later versions, and Apple Watch.</s>iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s, iPhone SE, iPad Pro 2. Nesil(12.9 inç), iPad Pro 1. Nesil(12.9 inç), iPad Pro(10.5 inç), iPad Pro(9.7 inç), iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad 5. Nesil, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2…</s>Apple today uploaded several new tutorial videos designed to teach users about lesser-known features on the iPad Pro, including some features that were just introduced in iOS 11.Apple's new videos cover copy and pasting across devices, retouching a photo using the Pixelmator app for iPad, and converting handwritten notes to text in the Notes app. Apple's Pixelmator tutorial video is the first time the company has released a tutorial for a third-party app.Converting handwritten notes to text is a feature that was just introduced in iOS 11, but copy and pasting across devices is something that's been around since iOS 10. Pixelmator's retouching tools have also been available since before iOS 11, but the app will undoubtedly gain support for iOS 11 features like Drag and Drop.Apple has released several tutorial-style videos in the past, teaching users how to use the camera features in the iPhone 7 and iOS 11 iPad Pro features like multi-tasking and using the new Dock.</s>iOS 11, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system, has start rolling out to iPhone and iPad users.

First revealed by Apple at its Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) in June, the next-gen mobile device software has been redesigned to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the iPhone, and includes a completely overhauled App Store.

Other new features of iOS 11 include a new version of the Siri voice assistant, Boomerang-style looping live photos, and a new "Do Not Disturb While Driving" feature.

"We’re going to take the world's best and most advanced mobile operating system and turn it up to 11," said Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi.

Here are some of the highlights of iOS 11 .

The new operating system was released to the public as a free software update on Tuesday, 19 September, a few days before the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus go on sale.

The update went live at 10am Pacific Time, which translates to 6pm here in the UK.

It is available for iPhone 5s and later, all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation, iPad mini 2 and later and iPod touch 6th generation.

Apple has completely redesigned its App Store for the first time in nine years, to make it easier for iPhone and iPad users to discover new apps and games.

The new-look store has several new tabs along the bottom of the screen enabling users to filter by Games, Apps and "Today" - a daily changing selection of highlights from the App Store.

The Today tab will also include in-depth features and interviews with developers, as well as exclusive premieres, new releases tips and how-to guides.

Apple has introduced an Updates tab, allowing customers to quickly see what has changed in their favourite apps and games with the latest update.

Search has also been enhanced, allowing users to search by name, category, developer or topic, and receive relevant results for specific apps and games.

Perhaps the biggest new feature of iOS 11 is the overhauled version of its Siri voice assistant.

Apple has used machine learning to create more natural voices for both the male and female versions of Siri, adjusting intonation, pitch, emphasis and tempo while speaking.

There's also a new visual interface that offers suggestions based on personal usage of apps such as Safari, News, Mail and Messages.

Siri has been updated to better understand context and offer results that it thinks the user will be interested in.

What's more, a new translation capability will translate English words and phrases into Chinese, French, German, Italian or Spanish, with more options coming later on.

Apple has added detailed floor plans for shopping malls and airports within its Maps app.

At first, these will cover a small selection of world cities, including London - and Heathrow and Gatwick - with more locations to be added at a later date.

Speed limits and lane guidance have also been added to make navigating on the roads a little easier.

Do Not Disturb while driving

Building on its Do Not Disturb function, Apple has introduced a potentially life-saving Do Not Disturb While Driving feature, to ensure drivers stay focused on the road.

This works by detecting when you are driving and automatically silencing notifications to keep the screen dark.

Users also have the option of sending an auto reply to contacts listed in Favorites to let them know they are driving and cannot respond until they arrive at their destination.

Apple is introducing new Loop and Bounce effects to Live Photos, allowing users to create continuous video loops - in a similar way to Instagram's Boomerang feature.

The updated Photos app will also automatically create "memory movies" from collections of photos of pets or birthdays on your iOS device.

Apple has improved the experience of taking photos in portrait mode - bringing them into line with landscape photos with features such as optical image stabilisation, True Tone flash and HDR.

Moreover, Apple introduces a new technology called High Efficiency Image File Format that reduces the file size of every photo taken, so they take up less space on your iPhone.

Following the massive success of Niantic's Pokemon Go app last year, augmented reality has shot to the top of the agenda.

This means apps that overlay computer graphics on top of real-world images.

Apple is introducing a new platform for developers to help them bring augmented reality experiences to iPhone and iPad using the built-in camera and motion sensors.

ARKit allows developers to tap into the latest computer vision technologies to build virtual content for interactive gaming and immersive shopping experiences.

One such game - Wingnut AR - was showcased at WWDC and will be landing later in the year.

With iOS 11, Apple is integrating Apple Pay into the Messages app, allowing users to make and receive payments with friends and family instantly on their phones.

Users can send money and get paid in Messages, or tell Siri to pay someone, using the credit and debit cards they already have in Wallet.

When users get paid, they receive the money in their new Apple Pay Cash account, which they can send on to someone else, or make purchases using Apple Pay in stores, apps and on the web.

Alternatively, they can transfer it from Apple Pay Cash to their bank account.

Person-to-person payments and Apple Pay Cash will launch in the US in the autumn. The company has not yet announced plans to launch it in other countries.

iOS 11 will include a couple of features that are specific to the iPhone X, which was unveiled at Apple's special event at its new headquarters in Cupertino on September 12.

These include FaceID - a new authentication technology that can verify the user's identity by scanning their face in 3D. FaceID replaces TouchID on the iPhone X.

iOS 11 also includes support for Animoji - 3D, live rendered emoji, which track your facial expressions and create animated characters to use in iMessages.
Apple Inc. releases the iOS 11 update for most current models of the iPhone and iPad.