Apple releases major iOS 7.1 update, here’s what’s new!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Software, Transportation

Earlier today Apple released iOS 7.1, an update for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that brings with it several major features and improvements. Some of the more notable additions include CarPlay, Siri enhancements, iTunes Radio improvements, and overall stability improvements for iOS 7 on the iPhone 4. If you're unfamiliar, CarPlay was unveiled last week at the Geneva Motor Show, and will be available in some 2014 model vehicles, bringing iOS 7-style functionality to the center console dashboard, allowing users to control things like Maps, Music, Messages, and other apps.

You can download iOS 7.1 now, and we've got the full list of all the changes, according to Apple, after the jump.

CarPlay

• iOS experience designed for the car
• Simply connect your iPhone to a CarPlay enabled vehicle
• Supports Phone, Music, Maps, Messages, and 3rd-party audio apps
• Control with Siri and the car's touchscreen, knobs, and buttons

Siri

• Manually control when Siri listens by holding down the home button while you speak and releasing it when you're done as an alternative to letting Siri automatically notice when you stop talking
• New, more natural sounding male and female voices for Mandarin Chinese, UK English, Australian English, and Japanese

iTunes Radio

• Search field above Featured Stations to easily create stations based on your favorite artist or song
• Buy albums with the tap of a button from Now Playing Subscribe to iTunes Match on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to enjoy iTunes Radio ad-free

Calendar

• Option to display events in month view
• Country specific holidays automatically added for many countries

Accessibility

• Bold font option now includes the keyboard, calculator, and many icon glyphs
• Reduce Motion option now includes Weather, Messages, and multitasking UI animations
• New options to display button shapes, darken app colors, and reduce white point

Other

• New Camera setting to automatically enable HDR for iPhone 5s
• iCloud Keychain support in additional countries
• FaceTime call notifications are automatically cleared when you answer a call on another device
• Fixes a bug that could occasionally cause a home screen crash
• Improves Touch ID fingerprint recognition
• Improved performance for iPhone 4
• Fixes display of Mail unread badge for numbers greater than 10,000
• Continued user interface refinements