New details have emerged of Apple’s upcoming iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 operating systems, with Safari set to be given some new features like automatic language translation for the first time, and enhanced Apple Pencil support to make browsing the web with a stylus easier.
In a leaked version of iOS 14, first seen and reported by 9to5Mac, Apple has been working on a new version of Safari, which will allow users to automatically translate web pages and digital content without the need for a third-party app.
This feature is already available on Google Chrome, but an Apple-powered translation version would be great news for Apple-centric consumers.
It is believed that, if the feature arrives with iOS 14, it could also come to Safari on macOS.
According to the leaked code, Apple will display an alert asking users if they want the content to be translated, and a separate automatic translation feature can be turned on in Settings.
Apple has also been working on translation testing for other parts of its ecosystem, such as allowing users to see App Store reviews in their native language. It is believed that the new translation service is powered by Neural Engine, and will work without internet connectivity.
The company has also been adding additional features to Apple Pencil and its support for the Safari web browser.
Code suggests iPadOS 14 could allow users to draw or mark up content on websites, such as signing documentation or analyzing web pages and studies.
Another theory is that PencilKit could be adapted to allow users to handwrite text into input fields on websites, and Apple would automatically convert their writing into standard text.
It’s important to note that the leaked version of iOS 14 is an early version of the operating system, and features may or may not be included in the standard release.
The COVID-19 pandemic may also have slowed down testing and development of some features, and as a result, Apple may decide to hold off new functionality until a later date, perhaps even 2021.
Are you excited about getting your hands on iOS 14? Let us know what features you’d like to see, and check back to the blog regularly for more news as we gear up to the virtual WWDC.
