iOS 15 is here – These features are only available on newer iPhones

The new iPhone operating system iOS 15 has been available worldwide since yesterday evening and brings a variety of exciting features. Although six-year-old devices (up to iPhone 6s) are also supported, some of the new features are, however, only available for newer smartphones.

iOS 15 available now

iPhone users have reason to rejoice, as the new version of the iOS operating system is finally available for download. The new edition was officially presented during WWDC in June and comes up with a lot of new features, which Apple neatly lists on its own website.

How do I start the download of iOS 15? To download the new operating system, you simply navigate to the “General” item in the settings on the iPhone and then select “Software update”.

The delivery of the new operating system usually takes Apple only a few hours and runs in phases. If the download is not yet available for you, it is worth checking regularly.

Among the most exciting new features are new SharePlay functions or a portrait mode for Facetime, 3D audio or text recognition on photos and in the camera app (Live Text). However, these are not available to all iPhone devices, as Apple reveals in the fine print.

These iOS 15 features are only available on newer models

While Apple is once again supporting six-year-old iPhones like the 6s or iPhone SE with the new software update, not all devices will enjoy all of the new features. For the most exciting features, a smartphone from the iPhone XS or XR series from 2018 is necessary.

Starting with the iPhone 8 or newer smartphones, the new walking stability measurement is available in the health app. It uses special algorithms that assess balance, strength and gait. In the process, notifications are sent when walking stability is low or very low. It also provides exercises that can be used to improve stability.

The most exciting innovations, such as Live Text, 3D Audio and the extensive Siri improvements, on the other hand, are only available from the iPhone XS and iPhone XR, respectively, i.e. devices that have at least the A12 Bionic chip from Apple installed. These include:

• 3D audio
• Text recognition on photos and in the camera app (Livetext)
• Portrait mode during video chats via Facetime
• Zoom in QuickTake videos
• Interactive globe in maps app
• Augmented reality directions for pedestrians
• Detailed city view (map app)
• House, car, hotel and office keys in wallet app
• Speech processing directly on the device, instead of online
• Siri personalization options
• Offline mode and faster working speed for Siri
• On-device and continuous dictation capability

Nevertheless, the update to iOS 15 is also recommended for users of older iPhone models, because of the other innovations – including design adjustments, the new focus mode, organized notifications and the revised Safari browser are available on all supported smartphones (from iPhone 6s).