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The best thing about iOS 7.1

Published Mar 14th, 2014 11:11AM EDT
iOS 7.1 Review

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After months of testing, Apple’s iOS 7.1 software was finally released to the public earlier this week. It came right on schedule, as per an earlier exclusive BGR report, but the wait was still agonizing for enthusiastic iPhone users waiting to see what Apple had in store for its first major revision following the big iOS 7 overhaul last year. Overall, the update brings tons of important improvements and bug fixes, and it brought about some new problems as well, the worst of which is likely shorter battery life. But what’s the best new feature in iOS 7.1?

We’ve covered Apple’s new mobile software at length and readers catching up should definitely check out these 5 fantastic new iOS 7.1 features you have to try out right now as well as our post on iOS 7.1’s most incredible secret feature.

Now that we have spent almost a week with the new software though, it’s pretty clear what the absolute best new thing about Apple’s iOS 7.1 software is: The speed.

It’s kind of strange, actually. Compared to rival devices, navigating the interface on Apple’s mobile phones and tablets always feels lightning fast. Then, all of a sudden, Apple releases a next-generation device and the old models instantly feel slow and dated.

Each time, we wonder how much faster and smoother the iOS experience can possibly get. Then, it gets even faster and even smoother again.

These big speed improvements typically come about with new hardware launches, but this time Apple put some serious work into speed optimizations in iOS 7.1. The results are fantastic.

Using iOS 7.1 on an iPhone 5s and an iPad Air feels like a fresh new experience. Opening and closing apps is faster, the transition animations are faster, and it seems as though the software now recognizes taps even before Apple’s zooming transition animations are completed, making the OS feel even more responsive than it already was.

For those who haven’t yet updated to the latest version of Apple’s mobile software, it’s true that there are a few good reasons to hold off — namely to maintain a jailbreak or to wait for battery optimizations. The pros will outweigh the cons for most users though, and iOS 7.1 really is a fantastic update for people with a need for speed.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.