Technolgy Rules: iOS, iPadOS and tvOS 13.1 updates are now available

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

iOS, iPadOS and tvOS 13.1 updates are now available

Apple has just released iOS 13.1. This updated brings everything new in iOS 13 in case you haven’t updated yet, as well as many bug fixes. I would recommend updating to iOS 13.1 to get a more stable phone.

But that’s not all. iPadOS and tvOS are finally making the jump to version 13 with iPadOS 13.1 and tvOS 13.1 also available today.

The update is currently rolling out and is available in the Settings app on your device. iOS 13.1 is compatible with the iPhone 6s or later, the iPhone SE or the 7th-generation iPod touch. iPadOS is compatible with any iPad, iPad mini and iPad Pro that was released in 2014 or later. tvOS 13.1 is compatible with any Apple TV that can run tvOS 12.

It’s also worth noting that today’s release of iPadOS and tvOS marks the launch of Apple Arcade on the iPad and Apple TV. For a $4.99 monthly subscription fee, you can access dozens of games across your Apple devices. You can also pair a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller with your Apple devices to play those games.

But first, backup your device. Make sure your iCloud backup is up to date by opening the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and tapping on your account information at the top and then on your device name. Additionally, you can also plug your iOS device into your computer to do a manual backup in iTunes (or do both, really).

Don’t forget to encrypt your backup in iTunes. It is much safer if somebody hacks your computer. And encrypted backups include saved passwords and health data. This way, you don’t have to reconnect to all your online accounts.

Once this is done, you should go to the Settings app as soon as possible to get in the queue. Navigate to ‘Settings,’ then ‘General’ and then ‘Software Update.’ Then you should see ‘Update Requested…’ It will then automatically start downloading once the download is available.

iOS 13 pushes the envelope across the board

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new in iOS 13. This year, in addition to dark mode, it feels like every single app has been improved with some quality-of-life updates. The Photos app features a brand new gallery view with autoplaying live photos and videos, smart curation and a more immersive design.

This version has a big emphasis on privacy as well, thanks to a new signup option called “Sign in with Apple” and a bunch of privacy popups for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi consent, and background location tracking. Apple Maps now features an impressive Google Street View-like feature called Look Around. It’s only available in a handful of cities, but I recommend… looking around, as everything is in 3D.

Many apps have been updated, such as Reminders with a brand new version, Messages with the ability to set a profile picture shared with your contacts, Mail with better text formatting options, Health with menstrual cycle tracking, Files with desktop-like features, Safari with a new website settings menu, etc.