iOS 11 Released (theverge.com)

Today, Apple released the final version of iOS 11, its latest mobile operating system. If you have an iPhone or iPad that was released within the last few years, you should be able to download the new update if you navigate to the Settings panel and check for a software update under the General tab. The Verge reports: OS 11, first unveiled in detail back at Apple's WWDC in June, is the same incremental annual refresh we've come to expect from the company, but it hides some impressive complexity under the surface. Not only does it add some neat features to iOS for the first time, like ARKit capabilities for augmented reality and a new Files app, but it also comes with much-needed improvements to Siri; screenshot capture and editing; and the Control Center, which is now more fully featured and customizable. For iPads, iOS 11 is more of an overhaul. The software now better supports multitasking so you can more easily bring two apps into split-screen mode, or even add a third now. The new drag-and-drop features are also much more powerful on iPad, letting you manage stuff in the Files app more intuitively and even letting you drag and drop photos and text from one app to another.

Comments

Features removed, Fing neutered

[m0gely]

I use Fing quite a bit for quick network scans. It's super useful because it identifies a large number of devices by brand. It does this by using MAC addresses. I got a notification in the app that with ios11 it would lose this capability as MAC addresses are no longer available for apps to see. The OS doesn't allow it. I remember when you could scan wifi channels with iOS. I like iPhones but I guess they just want normal people using the device, and not professionals who use it as a tool as well. Fing mentioned they will use other methods available to supplement the old method, but to expect it not to be as accurate.

Re:Features removed, Fing neutered

[Yaztromo]

I use Fing quite a bit for quick network scans. It's super useful because it identifies a large number of devices by brand. It does this by using MAC addresses.

Unfortunately, allowing apps to access your MAC address gives them a unique device identifier that can be sent over the network and used for tracking. Apple has removed this tracking vector. It sounds like Fing found the one useful non-tracking use for MAC addresses, and it got caught up in the security improvements.

Yaz

Re:Features removed, Fing neutered

[TheRaven64]

The nicest way of doing this would be to add a permission to see MAC addresses. The problem is then explaining this to most end users. If you have too many permissions, users get into the habit of simply approving all of the ones that they don't understand. Given the ratio of apps that use the MAC address for useful-to-the-user purposes vs apps that use the MAC address for spying on the user, I can't immediately think of a way of doing this that would work well.

Re:Features removed, Fing neutered

[cyberchondriac]

My son just tested his, it scans the MAC addresses themselves fine, it just doesn't auto-detect the device brand or hostname; you get "generic". You could cross reference the brand from a mac-vendor list website, but it seems to scan MAC addresses themselves. You just won't get any further info about the devices it finds.

Re:It changes the file system without asking

[MouseR]

You never had direct access to the file system, so why do you care?

I work on a file system -intensive commercial App and we haven't had to bat an eye lid about these changes, because we use standard APIs and dont linger on deprecated APIs.

Re:iPad 2

[mschwanke97402]

I have an iPad2 that is working perfectly well - except the AppStore won't let me upgrade past iOS 9.something.

Thanks Apple!

Your iPad 2 was released 6 years ago. It was supported with bug fixes and upgrades for just about 5 years. That is actually remarkable for any device in this day and age. You say it is working fine, so keep using it until it dies.

You are confused

[SuperKendall]

iOS devices were automatically converted to APFS back with iOS 10.3....

Yes more Apple Hater ignorance on parade, like a giant floating turkey with the word STUPID stamped on the forehead.

Re:New poll

[WillAffleckUW]

You need to post options.

But, they are literally sitting on a pile of cash larger than the money the US government just wasted on the US military in budget increases this year.

So ... never.

Re:iPad 2

[DogDude]

That is actually remarkable for any device in this day and age.

"Remarkable" if you're an Apple user. Windows 7 is supported for 11 years (at least). Windows XP was supported for 13 years.

Re:iPad 2

[baker_tony]

Thanks Apple!

Apple: You're welcome! Please continue to enjoy your perfectly working 6 year old device.

Re: iPad 2

[Moofie]

Iâ(TM)d love for you to make that argument for Windows Mobile. Thatâ(TM)d be pretty funny.

Progressive features, like blocking public wifi

[urbanriot]

Not sure if this is a typical Apple 'progressive' feature or a byproduct of bugs but sit long enough at a location with public wifi and listen to the people who upgraded having a powwow trying to figure out how they can connect after upgrading to IOS 11.

Users reported issues during the dev builds earlier in the summer but it seems they've rolled out these 'features' (bugs) regardless and piles of people can't connect to public wifi, especially if it doesn't have a password. There's an auto-join function to override whatever the feature is supposed to represent but it's not working.