Apple just released the beta version of iOS 9.3, and it comes with some surprising new features. Alongside education tools, improved 3D Touch and the ability to pair multiple Apple Watches to one iPhone, the iOS 9.3 beta also comes with Night Shift – a feature designed to help you sleep. Developers can try the update out now, while those signed up to Apple’s public beta programme will have to wait until Wednesday. As for the rest of us? We’ll probably need to wait a few months more.
Night Shift
iOS 9.3 comes with Night Shift, a screen mode that should make it easier for iPhone and iPad users to sleep. While the sun is out, Night Shift will display your usual screen settings, but after sunrise Night Shift will change the colour palette of your iDevice’s screen.
Blue light tends to trick our bodies into staying alert or awake, and it’s found in sunlight as well as electronic screens. Night Shift works by reducing the amount of blue light used by your iDevice after sunrise, so should make using your iPhone or iPad after sunset a less jarring experience. While the feature is similar to apps like F.lux that are already available on Android, Windows and OS X, it’s an interesting addition for iOS.
As well as Night Shift mode, the iOS 9.3 beta also gives us some hints on Apple’s plans for its mobile operating system. New education tools allow for multiple logins, so iPads can be used by any member of a class. iOS 9.3 also comes with improved 3D Touch functionality, so users can now use pressure-sensitive shortcuts for the App Store, Compass, Health, iTunes Store and Weather apps.
The new beta also introduces fingerprint lock to the Notes app, and bolsters CarPlay to improve Apple Music suggestions and Apple Maps – bringing it closer to the handheld version of iOS.
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