IDB Staff

New in iOS 5: Pinch to Zoom in the Camera App

IDB Staff ∙ June 17, 2011

We haven't posted new iOS 5 features for a while, and even though we have already published our ultimate list of new iOS 5 features, it seems that some of you would like to hear more about each new feature.

When launching the camera app, you can now pinch to zoom instead of sliding the bar at the bottom of the screen. It's a nice addition, but I can't see how this is more helpful that using the slider. Pinching requires 2 hands (one to hold the device, one to pinch), so to me it's even less convenient that using the good old method...

New in iOS 5: Use Your iPhone While Syncing with iTunes

IDB Staff ∙ June 13, 2011

One more feature to make our ultimate list of new iOS 5 features is the ability to now use your iPhone while it is syncing with iTunes. Until now, you couldn't use your iPhone or iDevice while it was syncing. This is now a thing of the past.

As you can see on the image above, the new "syncing" icon is running in the status bar, but I can still "slide to unlock" to use my iPhone. Jailbreakers might already be familiar with this feature as it was first made possible with Synchronicity...

The Ultimate List of New iOS 5 Features

IDB Staff ∙ Updated January 24, 2023

When Apple unveiled iOS 5 last Monday, Steve Jobs mentioned that their new OS for mobile devices included 200 new features. 10 of them were demo'd on stage, but what happens to the 190 remaining features?

Apple didn't give us a list of these 200 features, so it was left to beta testers to find them out by themselves. After spending almost a week with iOS 5, we've compiled the most comprehensive list of new iOS 5 features to date. This list counts 121+ new iOS 5 features, both documented and undocumented...

New in iOS 5: Snap a Picture with Your Headphones

IDB Staff ∙ June 11, 2011

We already knew it was possible in iOS 5 to snap a picture by pressing the Volume Up button, but iDB reader @MrSergioRamos now tells me you can also take a picture by pressing the Volume Up button of your iPhone headphones as well.

Once again, this is not a killer feature, but a nice one to have, and a nice one to know...

New in iOS 5: Rename Your Device

IDB Staff ∙ June 10, 2011

You know in iTunes how you can rename your iPhone or iPad while it's plugged in? With iOS 5, you can now do that directly from your iPhone. This is definitely not a groundbreaking feature but I'm sure some of you will appreciate it.

In order to change your device name, you will have to navigate to Settings > General > About > Name...

New in iOS 5: Print Maps Directly from Your iPhone

IDB Staff ∙ June 10, 2011

A new feature in iOS 5 allows you to print maps direction directly from your iPhone, assuming your have a Wi-Fi-friendly printer of course. I didn't pay much attention to this feature until I actually tried it.

In order to print directions, tap the little icon at the bottom right of the Maps app. You will then be given several options, the "Print" one included...

New in iOS 5: Support for Social Media Services in Contacts

IDB Staff ∙ June 10, 2011

Here is a feature that had slipped under my radar but I just found out out about it on AllThingsD, even though I still had to dig around to figure out how to get it to work since the article didn't mention how to get there.

We already know from the WWDC keynote that iOS 5 is bringing deep Twitter integration. One of the many new features in iOS 5 is that you can add a Twitter handle to any contact. What Apple didn't mention is that you can also add Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, and Myspace info to any contact...

New in iOS 5: Delete Songs from the Library

IDB Staff ∙ June 10, 2011

You'd think that by iOS 4.3.3, Apple would have figured out that deleting songs in your music library directly from the device was a much needed feature. Apparently it took Cupertino one more firmware version to reach that conlusion.

When in the Music app (previously know as the iPod app), simply swipe your finger across a song to have the option to delete. Hitting "Delete" will remove the song from the device. If your music is on iCloud, it will obviously still be in your download history for you to download again at any time for free...

New in iOS 5: Mark Multiple Emails as Read

IDB Staff ∙ June 9, 2011

This is not the right time to be a jailbreak tweak developer. As we had clearly predicted, Apple is going after all those little jailbreak tweaks and are now implementing them in iOS 5. The latest one to date is the ability to mark several emails as read at the same time.

If you go to your inbox, hit the Edit button, select several messages, and tap "Mark", you are given the option to either flag those emails, or mark them as read...

New in iOS 5: Delete Individual Calls

IDB Staff ∙ Updated November 26, 2016

The jailbreak killer hit again! New in iOS 5 is the ability to delete individual calls in your phone call logs. Strangely enough, we had covered a similar jailbreak tweak called CallDelete just a few days ago.

Once again, it's a very simple yet useful feature that should have been in iOS from its creation. But hey, if Apple gave us everything we want now, what would they give us next year, right?

New in iOS 5: Suggested Routes in Maps

IDB Staff ∙ June 10, 2011

If you go to the Google Maps website and look for directions to a specific location, chances are there are different ways to get there. This is what Google calls "suggested routes." The website lets you easily see those alternate routes and you can select the one that fits you best.

"Suggested Routes" is a new feature in the Maps app of iOS 5. Just like Google Maps on the web, the app will offer you suggested routes if available...

New in iOS 5: LED Flash Alerts

IDB Staff ∙ June 9, 2011

I remember a long time ago when I had my BlackBerry, one of the simple features I appreciated the most was the little LED flashing everytime I received a call, or if I had an unread text message. It was an unobtrusive way to tell me something was going on.

iOS 5 is bringing this idea to the iPhone 4. If you go to Settings > General > Accessibility, and turn LED Flash for Alerts ON, your iPhone camera flash will now flash when receiving a call or an alert...