Every year, we engage in the same dance: Apple announces a new version of iOS, and we instantly start wondering how our devices will change as a result.
iOS announcements tend to work forward for phones (the new iPhone is expected this fall), but for iPads they work backward: the third-generation iPad with Retina Display came out in March.
A host of new iOS 6 features change some of what the iPhone can be. Will iOS 6 change theiPad, too? Yes, if you’re thinking of heavily using Siri or own a 4G/3G third-gen iPad or iPad 2.
iPad with 4G as a true communication device
Apple’s decision to allow FaceTime calls over cellular as well as Wi-Fi includes the iPad, too. That LTE connection will be more useful (although Skype and other services already work over 3G and 4G).
iPad with Siri and navigation becomes a car-mounted device
Take that same 4G LTE iPad and mount it on your dashboard and suddenly you have a voice-driven, connected navigation computer thanks to Apple’s new Maps app. Some people already use iPads on the road for GPS purposes, but expect that number to grow. And, with Eyes Free being a feature integrated into cars, it could be equally useful to connect a 4G-enabled iPad for long road trips.
iPad as a hands-free home device
Could Siri be used to enable hands-free control of a connected Apple TV or other services? Siri still doesn’t have an API — a way for developers to hook Siri functions into their own applications — but imagine docking your iPad and speaking to it to check out sports scores, e-mails, or other data. The larger screen and viewing distance make using Siri on an iPad in this regard more practical than doing it on an iPhone you hold in your hand, but you’d still need to press and hold the home button to activate Siri … or, perhaps a Bluetooth remote or another accessory could help make Siri more iPad-useful. Continue reading
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