11 More New iOS 15 Features Apple Didn’t Mention at WWDC

New Memoji Customizations

Apple's been constantly updating Memojis to make them more diverse and inclusive, and iOS 15 will bring even more customization options. You'll be able to customize your Memoji with over 40 different outfits for different seasons and moods, each outfit with up to three different colors. You can also set different eye colors for the left and right eye and use one of the three new glasses options. Now there are also three new accessibility options for your Memojis. You can add a cochlear implant, oxygen tubes, or a soft helmet to represent yourself better.

(Temporary) Extra iCloud Storage for iPhone Upgrades

Apple announced new changes to iCloud and introduced a more secure service with iCloud+, but the company forgot to mention that you'll get extra iCloud storage temporarily when you're transferring your data to a new device.

Let's say you upgrade to the iPhone 13 by the end of the year, and you have no extra space on your iCloud account to transfer all your apps and data. With iOS 15, you'll be able to use iCloud Backup to move all your data to your new iPhone.

You'll get as much iCloud storage as you need to complete your backup temporarily, at no charge at all. That way, you can transfer your apps, settings, and other data without problems. Keep in mind, though, that this backup will only be available for three weeks.

You Can Transfer Even More Data from Android

If you or someone you know wants to switch from Android to iPhone, iOS 15 is the best opportunity to do so. Now you can move more content from Android than ever before. The Move to iOS app can now also move your photo albums, files, and folders. Likewise, if you have any Accessibility settings you'd like to transfer, you can also move them with Move to iOS.

Use Find My to Locate Your iPhone Even If It's Powered Off

This is one of the coolest features coming to the Find My network. If someone steals your iPhone and turns it off, or if your iPhone runs out of battery and you don't know where you left it, you'll still be able to use the Find My app and locate it. What's even cooler is that even if someone resets your iPhone to its factory settings, you can still locate it with the Find My network. Plus, when someone turns it on, the screen will be locked, and it'll still belong to you. That way, no one will be tricked into buying a stolen iPhone.

You Can Get Security Updates Even If You Don't Update to iOS 15

Let's say you don't want to update to iOS 15 even after the software update is available for everybody. Well, the good news is that you can keep using iOS 14 without worrying about security problems. Now software updates and security updates will be separate. Users can choose to update both or continue using iOS 14 and still still important security updates along the way. Not that you should wait, since iOS 15 has many cool new features that'll make the update worth it, but it's still good to know you have a choice. 

New Separation Alerts

There's a new Separation Alert feature that's part of the Find My network update. Now, you'll receive a notification on your iPhone if you forget your AirTag, or any other third-party item behind. And what about when you leave your iPhone behind? Well, with iOS 15 and watchOS 8, you'll receive a notification on your Apple Watch that you left your iPhone behind. This works both ways, so you'll get an iPhone notification if you leave your Apple Watch behind too.

Easier Spotlight Access

On top of the amazing new features coming to Spotlight, which include Photos search, web image search, and better results for when you search for famous and influential people, you can know access Spotlight from more places. Now, you can access Spotlight from your Lock screen or Notification Center. Sure, it's nothing compared to the plethora of other features that Spotlight now has, but it's good to know that you can access it from basically anywhere.

Focus for Gaming

Apple spent a lot of time touting the new Focus feature as something to use to get in the zone and become a productivity machine without being bombarded with unwanted notifications. However, the company didn't mention that you can use Focus when you're gaming too. You'll also be able to filter unwanted notifications when you start a game, so you can get fully immersed when you're playing some of the best Apple Arcade games available.

Shortcuts Cross-Device

Now that you'll be able to use shortcuts on your Mac, you'll also be able to manage the Shortcuts app from any device you want. You can create, edit, and manage your shortcuts on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and your shortcuts will automatically sync across all of your devices.

5G Will Be Preferred Over Wi-Fi

If you have an iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max, your device can prioritize 5G over Wi-Fi. That won't happen every time, though. Your iPhone will know when the networks you visit are running slow and it'll switch to 5G to keep a stronger connection. Moreover, if your iPhone knows you're using an insecure network, it'll also switch to 5G.

More Accessibility Features

Apple's also adding more Accessibility features to make the iPhone easier for anyone to use. For instance, now you'll be able to use sound actions for Switch Control. You can control your iPhone with clicks, pops, or "ee" sounds without using any physical buttons or complex verbal commands. You can now use VoiceOver to explore your images in more detail and navigate your receipts and nutrition label values in logical order. You can even move a finger over a photo to see a person's position relative to other objects in the pictures.