Apple iOS 6: 10 Most Interesting Features

Apple Maps, battery problems, and app crashing issues be darned; Apple device owners are lapping up iOS 6 at a breathtaking rate.

The new system software from Apple has been available since September 19. It is compatible with the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2, iPad Retina Display, and the fourth- and fifth-generation iPods Touch. iOS 6 scored a 25% adoption rate across all iOS devices in the first 48 hours, reaching 100 million of them.

Information compiled this week by Chitika Research shows that as of October 1, about 60% of all iPhone owners have updated their device to iOS 6--that's three out of every five iPhone users. Compare that to the 1.8% of Android devices running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean after three months, and you can see how Apple's update story (for good or ill) is a better one than Google's. About 29% of iPhone users have stuck with iOS 5.1, 5% are still using iOS 5.0, and 6% are using another, older version of iOS.

[ What's to love--and not to love--about Apple's newest iPhone? Read iPhone 5: My First Week. ]

iPhone owners aren't the only ones upgrading. iPad owners, too, have shown a large propensity for updating to iOS 6, with about 45% making the jump from iOS 5 to iOS 6 so far. Of the remainder, 39% are still using iOS 5.1, 4% are using iOS 5.0, and 12% are using another, older version of iOS.

iPod Touch owners have been slower to update their devices, with only 39% making the jump as of October 1. Of the remainder, 31% are using iOS 5.1, 4% are using iOS 5.0, and a whopping 26% are using older versions of iOS (probably because the devices can't be updated to newer systems).

"This data points to Apple doing an outstanding job of keeping their user base up-to-date with the latest OS," said Chitika Insights. "Apple's performance in this area is a great selling point for mobile advertisers, as well as website and application developers, who can all confidently optimize their mobile properties to take advantage of the latest iOS capabilities without fear of shutting out a large portion of the user base."

iOS 6 isn't without its problems. Many users have complained of worse battery performance after updating to iOS 6. Then there's Apple Maps, which has been an unmitigated failure on Apple's part.

iOS 6 still manages to add a number of appealing new features. Siri has been improved and can perform more tasks; Passbook lets iOS device users collect their coupons, tickets, and loyalty cards in one place; the email, Safari, and iMessage apps all received new powers; and the Shared PhotoStream feature lets users seamlessly share photo albums with others.

iOS 6 is a free download.

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