The iOS 14 update has brought many new changes to the way iPhones look and function. Its variety of updated features allow users to uniquely customize their phones in both looks and function in ways never seen before. Apple has both added and removed features to texting, calling and FaceTiming. Additionally, users can now unlock their full creative potential using new features called widgets. 

Widgets are the most prominent new arrival to iPhones. All across social media people have been showing off their newly designed home screens, often utilizing the recent widget function. Widgets are icons with a variety of uses that can be placed on the home screen. Users can display anything with widgets, including the time, date, weather, reminders, astronomy, images and photos. Widgets can also be three different sizes: small, medium and large. 

While many users are organizing their apps in unique ways, a new feature called the App Library automatically organizes users’ apps into groups depending on the app’s function. The App Library has a wide variety of categories, from entertainment, to travel, to games. In order to access the App Library, the user must scroll past their last home screen page. 

Once the new update had been downloaded, iPhone users may have been surprised to find a new app on their phone: Translate. Using audio and microphone technology, users can now directly translate conversations into another language by speaking into their phone. Users can additionally type what they want to be translated if they do not wish to speak out loud. With this innovative technology, iPhone users now have the power to understand 12 major languages. 

Home Screens and apps are not the features that have undergone change. IPhone users now have the ability to pin important text conversations. Once pinned, conversations will appear at the very top of the Messages app, removing the hindrance of having users scroll down to look for a group or contact to text. Additionally, the iOS 14 update has gotten rid of having incoming phone calls take up the entire screen in the new Compact Phone Call feature. Instead, a notification will only appear at the top of the screen, thus avoiding the inconvenience of not being able to do anything while the phone rings. 

Texts and calls are not the only communication features that have been altered. FaceTime has gone through significant changes since the update. Before, users who exited the FaceTime app while still on a call would be put on pause for the other person. Now, users can remain seen even while not on the app. This can be illustrated to the user by the small green dot that appears by the battery percentage. Additionally, the user can choose to still be able to see the person on the other end while not being on the FaceTime app. A smaller window view of the person the user has called will appear in the corner of the screen. The user can move this smaller view around the screen to their discretion. If the user does not wish to see the other person, he or she can swipe the smaller window off screen. 

Apple has certainly changed the game with the new iOS 14 update. Not only does it eliminate inconveniences, it allows users to express themselves. Phones are a daily part of life for anyone, so it makes sense that a phone should reflect who its user is as a person. With new features such as widgets, personality can be shown through the expression of a special interest, such as a favorite movie, book or TV show, or through images of friends and family. No matter how iPhone users wish to customize their phone, the iOS 14 update gives many changes to work with.