iOS 10 vs iOS 9: the big changes

Apple Music

The new look Apple Music

News now also includes subscriptions, giving the Cupertino firm another revenue stream, but other than that it's just the looks which have changed – and the same goes for Music.

Apple's spent more time improving Photos, from the still relatively tame picture viewer on iOS 9, to a far more feature filled offering on iOS 10.

A lot of comparisons can be drawn between it and Google Photos, with artificial intelligence able to identify different people, scenes, objects and animals in images and then group them together under various categories.

It's also added a Memories tab, where it automatically pulls together photos and videos into sections it thinks will be most relevant to you. In a play which is almost identical to HTC's Zoe, the iOS 10 Photos app can also put these memories into a nice little video, with text and music for adding viewing pleasure. How lovely.

iOS 9 vs iOS 10: compatibility

The iOS 9 update came to all iPhones from the iPhone 4S and up, iPads from the iPad 2 and above, all the iPad Minis and the 5th generation iPod Touch. In short, its support is impressive.

It was also the operating system which launched with the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. Why is that important? Because iOS 10 is more than likely going to arrive with the iPhone 7 (and 7 Plus) later this year.

With iOS 10, there's bad news for iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPad 3 and iPod 5th gen users – as none of those devices are supported. Those rocking the iPhone 5 and above, iPad 4 and up and the iPod 6th gen though are all in luck. Huzzah!

You can see the full list of supported iOS 10 devices below.

iOS 10

iOS 9 vs iOS 10: release date

Pretty much everyone has iOS 9 on their iPhones and iPads already, if they're supported that is – but if you're missing it head over to the Software Updates section in your settings menu and get downloading!

If you're looking forward to iOS 10, you'll have to wait until the Fall for the update to hit your device. While that's still a few months away, the good news is the update will be free, and unlike Android it'll hit all your devices on the same day – no waiting around for months.

For those of you who simply cannot wait until then, Apple will launch an iOS 10 Public Beta in July, allowing you to get a taste on what's on offer - but there's also likely to be a fair few bugs too. Developers can get involved right now, with a developer preview already live for those who have access.

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.