iOS 13 release - huge iPhone update adds Dark Mode and swipe-texts today - The Sun, Thesun.co.uk

APPLE’S huge new iOS 13 update for your iPhone launched today – and it’s loaded with new features.

The biggest changes include a new Dark Mode, an upgraded Maps app, and swipe-to-type texting.

The software will be available on all iPhone models from the iPhone 6S upwards.

Apple also announced that iOS 13. 1 will be available on September 30, introducing new features and bug fixes.

iOS 13 – what is it?

Apple typically sends out a major update to iOS – the software that powers your iPhone – every September.

As well as performance boosts, the upgrade adds new tools to your phone’s arsenal that Apple have spent months developing.

Apple officially unveiled iOS 13 – its latest update – back in March, but is only now releasing the final version to the world.

Everything launched at the Apple event

Here’s everything we saw …

Three new iPhones
Apple Watch Series 5
New iPad
Apple TV news
Apple Arcade games on App Store

iOS 13 features – what’s new?

The new Dark Mode will give your iPhone a black themeCredit: Apple

Dark Mode should make using your iPhone at night easier on the eyesCredit: Apple

Perhaps the most exciting new feature is the addition of Dark Mode.

This is a black theme for your iPhone that makes it easier on your eyes in the dark.

It’s a long-awaited (and widely rumored) feature that is already offered by a number of apps, including Facebook Messenger and Twitter.

Also added is a new “swipe to type” function for texting. This lets you drag your finger around the keyboard to type words, just like the SwiftKey keyboard or Android phones.

Apple Maps is also getting some much-needed love, with 3D terrain mapping (courtesy of Apple flying and driving across the USA with scanning tech).

Other countries will get this eventually, but it’s US-only for now.

Apple is introducing a new ‘Sign In With Apple’ feature that offers an alternative to ‘Log In With Facebook’ buttons you see on websites.

It means you’ll be able to sign up easily (and privately) for websites using your Apple, with an option to share a fake email that reroutes emails to your actual account.

There's also a new 'swipe to type' texting feature — There’s also a new ‘swipe to type’ texting featureCredit: Apple

Each app gets a unique random email address, so you can disable them at any time when you’re “tired of hearing from that app “, Apple exec Craig Federighi explained earlier this year.

It’ll be available across all of Apple’s platforms, and across the web.

Your iPhone camera roll is getting a major upgrade too, thanks to artificial intelligence.

There’ll be an option to hide duplicate photos, boring screenshots and photos of receipts, so you see a streamlined album of your best snaps.

It should make looking through your camera roll much more enjoyable.

You can split your camera roll into ‘Days’, ‘Months’ and ‘Years’ to see attractive highlights over those time periods, with the AI tech applied to make it look “beautiful”, according to Apple.

Upgrades to Siri’s text-to speech function will apparently make her sound less robotic, while Memoji are getting more customisable with the addition of new makeup and accessory options.

Spam calls will also become easier to deal with: iOS 13 can automatically silence unknown callers.

Dark Mode is one of the most long-awaited and oft-requested iPhone featuresCredit: Apple

As well as tonnes of new tools to play with, Apple is adding a number of performance upgrades.

We’ve summed up some of the most exciting below.

Face ID will unlock your phone (% faster)
App Store downloads are 50% smaller, due to a re-jig of how apps are package
App updates are now 60% smaller than before
App launch speed is up to twice as fast as before

Speeds will vary depending on the iPhone model you have, but it’s going to be super beneficial to any iPhone owner that can access iOS (************************************************************************************************************.