iOS 9 Rumors: 5 Things We're HearingiOS 9 Rumors: 5 Things We're Hearing

Apple's WWDC 15 conference is coming up in June, and the rumor mill is already abuzz with news about iOS 9.

Kelly Sheridan, Staff Editor, Dark Reading

May 31, 2015

3 Min Read
<p align="left">(Image: Ellica_S/iStockphoto)</p>

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Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference 2015 (WWDC) kicks off in San Francisco on June 8. As it does before all major Apple events, the tech rumor mill is churning with ideas about what the company will announce.

It's expected that we'll see the latest version of iOS at this year's WWDC. Apple has maintained its usual silence on the release, but the tech community has had quite a lot to say about the upcoming iOS 9.

While the new iOS likely won't introduce any major changes, industry watchers are expecting features that will improve communication amongst Apple mobile devices such as the MacBook, iPhone, iPad, and new Apple Watch. It should also address some of the bugs users experienced in iOS 8.

[What else is keeping the Apple rumor mill buzzing? Read: Apple Acquires Metaio, Targeting Augmented Reality]

Here are a few of the rumors that we're hearing, and how they'll likely affect Apple users when the new iOS eventually makes its way to iPhones and iPads:

Apple Proactive

A new project called Proactive has been underway at Apple for a few years now. Proactive reportedly combines the capabilities of Siri with apps such as contacts, Passbook, and calendar to create a competitor for Google Now.

Google Now and Microsoft's Cortana (also coming to iOS) can already dig through inboxes and schedules, and then alert users to upcoming appointments. Proactive will seemingly perform similar functions, and have its own screen and user interface. The tool will go deep into users' personal information and provide alerts based on individual user habits.

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Proactive will integrate with the Maps feature on iOS to show locations that might be relevant to users based on their alerts. For example, if a scheduled meeting is coming up later in the day, Proactive will surface its location.

Rootless Security

Apple sources have spoken of a new kernel-level security feature for iOS and OS X, reports 9to5Mac. The system, called Rootless, will boost extension safety, prevent malware, and secure sensitive data on Apple devices by preventing administrative users from accessing specific protected files. While sources claim that Rootless can be disabled on OS X, it will still be an obstacle to jailbreaking.

Multitasking Capabilities

Apple may bring users the ability to run multiple apps at once, reported The Telegraph. This is something already available on Microsoft and Lenovo devices. It was predicted that it would arrive in iOS 8, but it got pushed back into development. Maybe we'll see split-screen view in iOS 9?

Force Touch

We first learned about Force Touch when Apple announced the feature on Apple Watch and new MacBook and MacBook Pro models. Force Touch pads display different information on screens, depending on how hard you press. Force-clicking a MacBook trackpad, for example, will let you preview file contents or research certain terms. Force-clicking Apple Watch prompts a menu to change the watch face. We'll probably hear a mention of Force Touch in iPhone and iPad at WWDC, but more details are likely to be revealed when the next wave of iPhones is announced. 

Multiple Logins

Good news for anyone thinking of purchasing an iPad to share: iOS 9 will support logins for multiple users, similar to Macs, reported ComputerWorld. There is a chance that not all devices will support this feature.

[Did you miss any of the information conference in Las Vegas last month? Don't worry: We have you covered. Check out what our speakers had to say and see tweets from the show. Let's keep the conversation going.]

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About the Author

Kelly Sheridan

Staff Editor, Dark Reading

Kelly Sheridan is the Staff Editor at Dark Reading, where she focuses on cybersecurity news and analysis. She is a business technology journalist who previously reported for information, where she covered Microsoft, and Insurance & Technology, where she covered financial services. Sheridan earned her BA in English at Villanova University. You can follow her on Twitter @kellymsheridan.

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