Apple updates iOS 6.1 to expand LTE, add Siri movie ticket purchases

iOS 6 update 6.1 features
Good luck having Siri understand "Les Misérables"

Better LTE than never, Apple rolled out its free iOS 6.1 update today so that more international users can access their carrier's high-speed network on the iPhone 5 and newer iPads.

"iOS 6.1 brings LTE support to more markets around the world," said Apple in a press release.

Italy, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, the Philippines, and several Middle Eastern countries now have LTE capabilities.

Today's LTE expansion adds 36 additional iPhone carriers and 23 new iPad carriers.

Silver screen Siri

Downloading iOS 6.1, users in the U.S. will also discover that Siri has learned a new trick: buying movie tickets.

Yes, waiting in a movie theater line - at least in the U.S. - has finally become a thing of the past thanks to Fandango and Apple's voice controlled assistant.

The integration is even more enjoyable when you command Siri to buy you movie tickets next to a really long ticket line on a jam-packed Saturday night.

This incremental iOS update is rounded out by iTunes Match, which lets subscribers download individual songs to their iOS device via iCloud.

Apple TV updated too

iPhones and iPads weren't the only Apple devices to get a software update today. Apple also pushed Apple TV firmware 5.2 out to users of its "hobby" set-top box.

Second- and third-generation Apple TVs are now a little bit easier to control thanks to Bluetooth keyboard support, something we knew was coming since December's Apple TV beta.

Also in the new Apple TV update is an "Up Next" feature that displays which song will play next, and support for browsing and playing iTunes music from iCloud.

While these updates aren't enough to send Apple's fallen stock price back up, iOS 6.1 and Apple TV 5.2 should give dedicated users a little more speed and an easier way to control their devices.

Via PC Magazine, 9to5Mac

Matt Swider