iOS 7: 5 Things to Know Pre-Launch

we take a look at five things to know about iOS 7, pre-launch.

iOS 7 Release Won’t Come Soon

Yes, iOS 7 is likely on the way at WWDC 2013 but that doesn’t mean that a release will be coming any time soon. In fact, current and future iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch owners should temper their expectations and expect the iOS 7 release date to land on a date far off in the distance.

For one, rumors indicate that the iPhone 5S, Apple’s next iPhone and the device which will likely launch alongside iOS 7, isn’t coming until September. This isn’t set in stone but with Apple CEO Tim Cook professing Apple products for the fall rather than the summer, all signs point to an iPhone 5S launch later in the year.

Maybe more telling is the fact that we haven’t seen an iOS 7 beta emerge. In the past, final releases of iOS software come around 60-90 days after the release of the first beta. With no iOS 7 beta to speak of, we don’t expect the software to emerge at any point in the near future with September being a much more likely candidate for an arrival.

New Look All But Confirmed

For years now, iOS has, for the most part, looked the same. With iOS 6, we saw the introduction of some new colors but for the most part, it has kept the same textures and design. With Scott Forstall out, rumors have suggested that iOS 7 will finally get a major design overhaul, one that has been influenced by Jony Ive himself.

While iOS 7 in its entirety has yet to emerge, rumors and leaks point to a flatter design being possible. The design is said to be in flux but at this point, it’s safe to expect a new look from iOS 7.

Rumors out of 9to5Mac suggest that Apple will push out the leather, felt and linen textures in the operating system and in core apps, in favor of black and white elements. The core system apps are said to share a similar look and the home screen is said to be flatter than before. This iOS 7 concept video from SimplyZesty shows off what a flatter iOS design could look like.

Of course, a new look isn’t guaranteed, but with leaks and clues emerging, pointing to a different look, consumers who are invested in iOS or are thinking of taking the plunge should know that iOS 7 is more than likely going to boast a different design from iOS 6 and its predecessors.

New Features, Unique for iPhone 5S

A new look likely won’t be the only thing new about iOS 7. No, Apple, as it always does, will more than likely load it up with new features and improvements to older features, culminating in a list of new features that should go into the hundreds.

Apple boasted that the last two iOS updates had more than 200 new features along for the ride, some of them big, some of them small. Of course, there will likely only be a handful that consumers care about but that likely won’t stop Apple from boasting about the many new features of iOS 7.

A look at what a new iOS 7 lock screen could look like.

Exactly what those features are is unclear at the moment. There are rumors that Apple will be replacing the old lock screen with a more modern take, that it will include Notification Center toggles and widgets, and that it could come with an AirDrop feature that could negate the need for NFC.

One thing that consumers should also know is that the iPhone 5S will more than likely have some unique software, not found on any other devices. This is how Apple separated the iPhone 4S from the iPhone 4, the iPhone 4 didn’t get Siri, and we expect the company to do something unique with the iPhone 5S as well.

Rumors suggest that it could have a fingerprint sensor which would likely mean some type of unique software and it could mean that the ‘S’ in iPhone 5S stands for security.

Limited Features for Some

Know that the iPhone 5S will likely come with a unique software feature or two, but also know that iOS 7 will more than likely be limited for other devices, particularly older ones.

As we saw with the iPhone 3GS and iOS 6, Apple cut many of the big time features out of the picture. Whether this was a performance decision or a way to push its other phones isn’t clear but expect more of the same from iOS 7.

Don’t expect a full-fledged iOS 7 for the iPhone 3GS. If iOS 7 even comes at all.

At this point, the iPhone 3GS, given how old it is, may not get iOS 7 at all and we wouldn’t be surprised to see a limited version of iOS 7 arrived on devices like the iPad 2 and iPhone 4.

You Can Try iOS 7 Early for a Price

Average users should know that the iOS 7 will available early though it will come with a price.

IMZDL, one of the biggest names in iOS betas and device registration, closed up shop late last year but have made a triumphant return ahead of the iOS 7 launch. IMZDL will allow iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to pay $8 to register their device so they can take part in the iOS 7 beta program, just like a developer would.

The iOS 7 beta won’t be for all users as apps likely won’t work and betas have expiration dates, but for those that wish to get their hands on the software early, IMZDL is a trustworthy and fairly cheap way of doing so.

As we’ve pointed out, there is no guarantee that Apple will roll out an iOS 7 beta on June 10th after the iOS 7 launch, but the odds of an arrival soon after its announcement are very good.