It’s the beta code that also gives away some nifty hints as to what’s coming down the road.
According to noted iOS developer Steve Troughton-Smith who made the discovery, the current iOS 9 beta contains references to a collection of unreleased products and features, including the next-generation Apple TV, the “iPad Pro,” and new options in Photos.
The Apple TV is mentioned in both UIKit and GameKit, interface and multiplayer gaming frameworks normally oriented towards iPhones and iPads,as observed on Monday. The next-gen Apple TV was absent from WWDC 2015, although the next Apple TV set-top is expected to have access to an App Store, possibly including games. Apple could release the updated set-top this fall, though that may depend on whether a rumored subscription TV service is in tow.
iOS 9 meanwhile appears to contain an even larger iPad keyboard, supporting not just a shortcut bar but things like Tab and Caps Lock keys, and a complete extra row devoted to characters like exclamation marks and parentheses. Troughton-Smith remarked that the keyboard is linked to “a much larger heretofore unseen iPad screen size,” presumably the company’s rumored 12.9-inch model.
The iOS 9 Photos app was said to have support for ordering photobooks and calendars. Though a relatively minor feature, it should bring the iOS app closer to parity with its OS X counterpart.
iOS 9 itself is set to launch this fall. Apple typically announces new iPhones in September and new iPads a month later.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and Twitter
One reply on “iOS 9 beta code finds references to Apple TV apps, larger iPad keyboard, new features for Photos”
Great article. For those who live outside US like me, you can access Netflix, Hulu and similar media stations on your Apple TV by using UnoTelly or similar tools.