Apple iPhone: New iOS 7 Ready To Download
Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL - news) customers are now able to download the company's latest operating system - which has been hailed as a new beginning for the technology giant.
British design chief Sir Jonathan Ive introduced iOS 7 as an "important new direction" when he showcased the software earlier this year.
The new system has a cleaner look than its predecessors and Apple's CEO Tim Cook said it was "the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone".
It was unveiled just months after Apple posted its first profit slide in a decade and drew accusations that it had failed to innovate.
Many people have taken to social networks to complain their attempts to download the software have stalled.
However it's not unusual for hotly-anticipated downloads to encounter errors during the initial surge in demand.
But its launch comes just days before two new iPhones go on sale - one of which features a fingerprint scanner.
Executive Phil Schiller sent a massive cheer through the audience at the San Francisco conference in June when he told developers: "Can't innovate any more, my a***!"
Industry observers appeared largely convinced and suggested the arrival of iOS 7 could go some way to silencing Apple's critics.
The new software has been designed to make the iPhone appear bigger, with features crafted to take advantage of the entire screen.
Text is said to appear sharper, while a "control centre" on the phone allows users to adjust settings with just one upward swipe.
This gives instant access to functions such as Airplane Mode, wi-fi, Bluetooth or Do Not Disturb, and enables users to quickly pause or play a song, jump to the next track and stream music.
Meanwhile a "notification centre" is available from the lock screen so users can view updates with a "simple swipe".
Apple has also introduced an AirDrop tool to share content - which is said to be fully encrypted - with contacts nearby, and has added further updates to its cameras, such as Instagram-like filters and a square format.
Other new features include:
:: A torch facility at the touch of a button, rather than having to download an app
:: A new, 'cleaner' look for the App Store
:: iTunes radio, which lets users stream radio stations (initially US only)
:: The Siri 'personal assistant' has new voices and commands available, such as the ability to search and post on Twitter
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