X

A tour of iOS 5 on the iPhone (screenshots)

As Apple issues its iOS 5 update for the iPhone, the iPad, and the iPod Touch, CNET goes deep to see how it looks and how it performs.

Kent German
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
Kent German
Notifications_1.jpg
1 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Notifications bar

Apple's iOS 5 isn't the biggest update we've seen, but it offers enough to get us interested. A few of the changes, like the improved notifications system and the photo-editing features, are minor but long overdue, while others, like PC Free and iMessage, will change how you use your iPhone. Here's what we've managed to try out so far.


One of iOS 5's most welcome features is the new notifications system. Instead of multiple, and sometimes irritating, pop-up notifications, you now have one menu that shows a complete list of your missed calls and messages, app updates, a stock ticker, and the current weather. Swiping down from the top of the screen (much as in Android) will get you there.

Lock_screen_notifications.jpg
2 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Lock screen notifications

Notifications also will show up on the lock screen so you can see what you missed when you come back to your phone.
Game_notifications_3.jpg
3 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

You're notified

You'll even get notifications while you're using other apps or a game. You can access the notification by clicking on it, and it will disappear if you ignore it.
Reminders.jpg
4 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Reminders

With this new app, you can ask the phone to remind you to do something (like "call Mom"), either at a certain time or when you leave a location.
Completed_tasks.jpg
5 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Completed reminders

When you're finished with a task, you can check it off on your to-do list. Reminders can be shared between devices and sync with iCal on the Mac with CalDAV, and on Windows with Microsoft Exchange.
Reminders_calendar.jpg
6 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Reminders calendar

When setting a reminder for a future date, you'll pick your chosen day in this calendar. Though the basic layout is similar to the calendar app, the design (with the dark background) is different.
More_on_the_lock_screen.jpg
7 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

More on the lock screen

Here's how your lock screen appears, with both reminders and notifications.
gridlines.jpg
8 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Camera grid lines

In the camera viewfinder, the option to add grid lines now appears above the HDR control, which shows a tweaked design.
Image_editing.jpg
9 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Photo editing

After taking a photo, you can crop and rotate your image and access color correction and red-eye reduction controls. Considering that photo-editing features have long existed on basic phones, these options were sorely needed.
Photo_cropping.jpg
10 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Cropping a photo

You also can crop a photo to get the best out of your shots.
Alternate_routes.jpg
11 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

New in Maps

When planning a route in Maps, you can select from multiple route options.
iMessage_1.jpg
12 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

iMessage

The new iMessage feature is integrated into the standard messaging app. The iPhone will know when you're talking to another iOS device and activate the options to send locations and contacts, try group messaging, see when someone is typing to you, and get delivery and read-message receipts. Remember that iMessage will not count against your carrier's text message allotment.
Moving_names_1.jpg
13 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Move address fields

In the e-mail app, iOS 5 adds the ability to drag recipients between the different fields.
Rich_text.jpg
14 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Rich text format

When messaging you can now type in rich text format for bold text, italics, and underlines.
Personal_dictionary_1.jpg
15 of 24 Seenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Personal dictionary

Thanks to the personal dictionary, you can avoid future autocorrect mishaps by adding slang, acronyms, and other unrecognized words to your device's dictionary.
Twitter_integration.jpg
16 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Twitter integration

The tighter Twitter integration means that you now can tweet directly from YouTube, Safari (as seen here), the Photo Gallery App, and Maps. It saves a few steps since you no longer have to end your task, switch to a Twitter app, and then send your tweet. You'll be able to add a location and sync Twitter with your contacts list.
Link_choices.jpg
17 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

More fun with links

In addition to tweeting a Web site's URL, you also can mail an entire article (presently you can send just a link) and add it to a Reading List that can be synced across multiple Safari devices. The Print, Add Bookmark, and Add to Home Screen options are unchanged.
Safari_reader.jpg
18 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Reader mode in Safari

The Reader option in the Safari browser will strip down articles to a simple, easy-to-read format. You can change the text size if you'd like.
App_updates.jpg
19 of 24

PC Free

The PC Free feature enables wireless device activations and app and software updates. The updates will serve only the changes, so they'll be shorter. And with the new iCloud service, you'll also be able to wirelessly sync, back up, and restore your device with iTunes. As you might have guessed, the idea is for you to never have to plug your device into a computer again. Or, if you prefer, you won't have to own a computer at all.
Newsstand.jpg
20 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Newsstand

The Newsstand app's design is similar to iBooks'. You can add subscriptions from the App Store, and new issues will be delivered automatically. We haven't had a chance to examine it yet, but we'll check it out over the next few days.
Hourly_forecasts.jpg
21 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Hourly weather forecasts

The weather forecast may not be more accurate, but hourly reports should help you plan your wardrobe better.
Game_Center.jpg
22 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Game Center

The Game Center gets new features like profile photos, achievement point comparison, friends-of-friends and game recommendations, and support for turn-based games. What's more, you can buy games directly from the app.
FindMyFriends.PNG
23 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Locate your friends on the map

Download Find My Friends (free) from the iTunes App Store so you can locate your friends (with their permission) and find them on the map.
Cards.PNG
24 of 24 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

From your iPhone to their mailbox

With Apple's Cards app, you can choose from several different card variations, then customize the inside and outside of the card to your liking.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos