iOS 9 Beta 5 Tidbits: New Wallpapers, WiFi Calling for AT&T Users, and More

[MacRumors]

Apple today released the fifth beta of iOS 9, and as with the previous iOS 9 betas, there are a few new features and tweaks bundled into the release. WiFi calling for AT&T users has been introduced and is coming soon, Apple's debuted several new wallpapers, and there are tweaks to CarPlay and the iPhone keyboard.

Several bugs have been fixed in iOS 9 beta 5, and features like News and Siri Suggestions are working more smoothly than ever. With approximately a month and a half to go until release, iOS 9 is feeling faster, more polished, and more full featured. For those eager to know all about what's coming in iOS 9 ahead of its release, we've rounded up a complete list of the changes introduced with iOS 9 beta 5 below.

You can also check out all of the changes, large and small, that have been made in previous betas: iOS 9 beta 1, iOS 9 beta 2, iOS 9 beta 3, iOS 9 beta 4.

Wallpapers - Today's update includes a wide selection of new wallpapers, introducing images featuring close ups of feathers, flowers, plants, and more. Many older wallpapers have been removed, so people running iOS 8.4 should save their favorites now before they're deleted with the launch of iOS 9.

WiFi Calling for AT&T - Beta 5 adds WiFi calling options for AT&T subscribers, but attempting to turn the option on results in a message saying WiFi calling is not yet available. The addition of the setting heralds the imminent release of the feature for AT&T users. Previously, WiFi calling was limited to T-Mobile and Sprint. There's also a new WiFi Assist feature that will "automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor."

Apple Music - There's a new "Shuffle All" option at the top of My Music when in Song, Album, or Genre view. It'll play all songs in a music library on shuffle mode.

Keyboard tweaks - On the iPhone, the keyboard has been tweaked and simplified with new shift and backspace keys.

Handoff - Handoff functionality has been changed in iOS 9 beta 5. Previously, Handoff had an option that would allow users to see lock screen suggestions for Apps in the App Store for a relevant location, but now only installed apps will be displayed. In the Settings app, Handoff options under General -> Handoff & Suggested Apps, the option to display App Store apps has been removed.

Regulatory info - The General portion of the Settings app has a new "Regulatory" section that displays regulatory information for iOS devices. This was information was previously hidden (and is still located) in General --> About --> Legal.

CarPlay - The CarPlay interface has been updated, changing the way images are displayed behind music controls and adding the ability to heart songs that are playing through Beats 1 radio or Apple Music.

Siri Suggestions - The Siri Suggestions interface has been tweaked slightly, removing the labels for calling and messaging a contact. Only icons are displayed now.

Text Replacements - In the Settings app, the section where you can create shortcuts for keys has been renamed "Text Replacements."

WiFi animation - There's a new animation that's used when WiFi is turned off. Instead of the bars disappearing one by one, the WiFi symbol now fades to gray before disappearing.

Additional feature updates in iOS 9 beta 5 will be added here as they are discovered. Apple is expected to release at least one or two more update to iOS 9 before the operating system's official launch. iOS 9 is expected to be released to the public in the fall alongside new iPhones.

Article Link: iOS 9 Beta 5 Tidbits: New Wallpapers, WiFi Calling for AT&T Users, and More

 

[PowerBook-G5]

I didn't notice the Shuffle All option. I'm glad that they finally made it easier to do.

Edit: The Shift and Backspace keys are changed on my 5C as well. Not a change limited to the 6/6 Plus. Image

 

[albertobrandt]

Wifi-Calling isn't just limited to T-Mobile. Sprint customers can turn the feature on as well.

 

[pgiguere1]

I have a feeling new iPhones may not ship with FCC labels anymore.
See: http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/27/e-label-act-is-good-to-go/

Also, those new wallpapers with a black background would look nice on an OLED panel (Force Touch = flexible OLED if it's anything like the Apple Watch).

 

[sanke1]

Finally they realized that those piss poor wallpapers in iOS 8 needed a worthy replacement.

 

[jeffUM]

New area showing size of iCloud photo upload size?

 

[andreiru]

Previous version was SUPER problematic and buggy on my iPad Air. Thank God for this!!

 

[avanpelt]

Wi-Fi calling on AT&T? Sweet! That will go nicely with the U-verse fiber internet I just ordered from them (1,000 Mbps up and down). More importantly, I'll be interested to know what the specifics are regarding using Wi-Fi calling while abroad.

 

[alcides11]

So, who thinks AT&T will once again try to force customers to give up their unlimited data plans by limiting Wi-Fi calling to those on their tiered data plans?

 

[RosOne]

The keyboard on my 6+ looks exactly the same

 

[pirateRACE]

Would WiFi calling mean that I could get phone calls at work where I get no service?

 

[Mike MA]

Apple Music
There's a new "Shuffle All" option at the top of My Music when in Song, Album, or Genre view. It'll play all songs in a music library on shuffle mode.

I would have welcomed many changes or tweaks for Apple Music, but that surely was not on top of my list

 

[Dargoth]

"automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor."

THANK YOU! Wi-Fi is so often slower than cellular, especially if you're on the move and the iPhone keeps trying to connect to various public access points, resulting in no connectivity until you turn Wi-Fi off. I'm a happy camper.

 

[fishmd]

The new Public Beta 3 is available to download now as well. 487 MB in size.

 

[coolsean20]

This beta is running really smooth so far!! The difference is huge from beta 4

 

[nepalisherpa]

If only AT&T enabled Wifi calling soon, that'd be awesome! They had said 2015 so there is still 4 more months of hope.

 

[ProwlingTiger]

Not for me, but for anyone else needing this: how do you save the wallpaper?

 

[BruiserB]

Would WiFi calling mean that I could get phone calls at work where I get no service?

That's exactly what it has meant for me for the last year on T-mobile. My work building is in a remote location and is bunker like, but it has wi-fi throughout!

 

[DiscoMcDisco]

Backups are working again OTA
Custom Vibrations are gone, and can no longer be saved for use (you can record and play but save doesn't actually save)
Smoother/less lag issues that previous public beta

I'll add more as I find them

 

[coolsean20]

I don't know if this is new or not, but when you swipe to the left of the home screen and you're on the Siri suggestions page, when you pull down the keyboard comes up and you can search away. Let me know if I'm wrong.

 

[jent]

Wi-Fi calling on AT&T? Sweet! That will go nicely with the U-verse fiber internet I just ordered from them (1,000 Mbps up and down). More importantly, I'll be interested to know what the specifics are regarding using Wi-Fi calling while abroad.

Wifi calling is agnostic to the company providing internet/wifi and your location. As long as both iOS and the carrier allow for it, you'll be able to make calls from your AT&T number but actually routed through VoIP (think Skype). An additional benefit is that it usually sounds cleaner than a normal cell phone call.

 

[gotluck]

wifi calling on ATT, no frickin way!

 

[rjohnstone]

Would WiFi calling mean that I could get phone calls at work where I get no service?

That depends on your companies firewall settings.
When I was with T-Mobile, the ports required for wifi calling were not open on our network firewall.
T-Mobile uses the following tcp/udp ports for wifi calling:
tcp/udp/5060, tcp/udp/5061, udp/40000-59999, udp/4500 and udp/500

So I had zero service at my office. So I pretty much had no choice but to switch back to AT&T.

 

[jent]

THANK YOU! Wi-Fi is so often slower than cellular, especially if you're on the move and the iPhone keeps trying to connect to various public access points, resulting in no connectivity until you turn Wi-Fi off. I'm a happy camper.

Kind of off-topic, but several years ago Apple announced a feature of the then-new iOS version which was supposed to fall back to your cellular data connection when your wifi connection was weak. I'm surprised that with a modern iPhone and iOS 8 I still have problems where I'm connected to a weak wifi signal and my phone don't fall back to my five bars of LTE coverage. Hoping that feature eventually comes for internet usage too.

 

[mazz0]

There's a new themes in iBooks (which has had its rendering bugs fixed too, from my quick test).

I can't decide what my favourite font to use in iBooks is. I prefer sans serif, but San Fransico seems very heavy in iBooks for some reason.