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Apple released iOS 13 on September 19.
- Apple released the iOS 13 update for iPhones this week.
- The update comes with an updated Photos app, the long-awaited dark mode, and other changes.
- While some say that iOS 13 is off a buggy start, I've had a good experience so far.
- The best part are the changes to the Messages and Photos apps, both of which have updates that help you find exactly what you're looking for.
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Apple released iOS 13 for iPhones as old as the 6S on Thursday - and although some people have been using the public beta since June, it's new to me.
I downloaded iOS 13 to my iPhone XR soon after it was released, and so far I've been impressed. While I haven't had the time to extensively test out every new feature in the sweeping new update, some updates stuck out immediately as clear improvements.
In this update, Apple focused on privacy, on performance, and on improving core apps like Photos, Maps, and Messages. I've been pleasantly surprised to find that those tweaks make my phone a little better and more useful: The new design of the Photos app makes it more usable, so you can quickly find the photo you're looking for. I also found some useful updates in the Messages app and in the App Store.
Read more: Here's how to download iOS 13, Apple's big new iPhone update
Finally, I'm optimistic about Shortcuts, the Apple-made app for helping automate common tasks on your phone. It comes built-in to iOS 13 (before, it was a separate download), and suggests some helpful uses based on your habits. I've already used some of those routines several times.
The actual usefulness of these changes will become more clear over time, but here are some of my first impressions after a day with iOS 13:
