Apple has iOS 9.3 in beta form for a few months, but from the looks of things we won't have to wait long until we see the final version. If the rumours are right, Apple will take the lid off of the OS update on Monday 21 March at its special event. It's set to launch the new iPhone SE and the iPad Air 3, both of which are said to run iOS 9.3. Typically, Apple launches its new operating systems shortly after the launch event, so there's a good chance that you'll be able to upgrade by the end of this week. You can watch the launch event live, but Expert Reviews will be covering it in detail, so come back to this page to find out everything you need to know. In the meantime, here are the reasons you'll want to upgrade to the new OS.
1. A better night's sleep with Night Shift
It's been proven that blue lights from electronic devices can mess with our circadian rhythms, disturbing our sleep patterns. This is the reason that many scientists suggest that we avoid using phones and tablets last thing before going to bed. Well, there is a different way, too: adjust the amount of blue light that comes out of our devices. This is what Night Shift does, automatically shifting colours at night to the warmer (more yellow) end of the light spectrum; in the morning, everything's back to normal. Interestingly, Google seems to be on the same track with Night Mode in Android N.
2. You can password-protect Notes
Notes is an app that I use all of the time, but there's no way to password-protect any with sensitive information. Well, until now. With the release os iOS 9.3, you can lock a note so that you need Touch ID (your fingerprint) or a password to unlock them.
3. Multi-user is coming (sort of)
OK, this is a feature for educational use, but Apple will now let schools create multiple user accounts on iPads, so kids can log into different ones and get their same stuff. I'm more excited because it means that Apple now has this ability, which Android has had for a while. Hopefully, by iOS 10 we'll all be able to do the same and share our iPads with the whole family.
4. Health is getting better
Apple is overhauling the Health app so that it will show more information on the main screen. It's also making it easier to add data from third-party apps, so you can keep everything in one place no matter which apps and kit you're using.
5. A few more things
If you've got a car with Car Play, you'll definitely want iOS 9.3. It upgrades the music player and adds a 'near me' option for Maps, so you can quickly find points of interest, such as the nearest petrol station. Finally, News has been updated with better personalisation and the ability to play video in-app.
