iOS 11 news: Release date set for September 2017; Apple to drop support for 32-bit apps?

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Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is just a few weeks away, which means iOS developers will soon get their hands on the latest version of iOS — the iOS 11. As expected, the tech giant is not giving away any details on what the new iOS can offer to consumers. If one thing is for sure, Apple will be introducing more state-of-the-art features for its upcoming system upgrade.

The iOS 10 was released to the public in September 2016 after having been previewed at the Apple Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) earlier that year. If Apple follows its previous launch dates, consumers can expect the company to officially unveil the iOS 11 in June 2017 before releasing it on September. The upcoming refresh to the iOS is likely to be announced on the first night of the said event.

Reports say that the iOS could introduce a more advanced version of Siri. Apple's personal assistant might have an offline mode and a text-based version in the update. It is speculated that the company will launch the Voicemail Transcription feature from beta as well. The said feature, which has only been released in beta, automatically gives users a transcription of a voicemail message. Other additional improvements expected from the iOS 11 include the ability to merge Apple IDs, multi-user support, customizable control center, dark mode and more.

The end of 32-bit app support on iOS has long been reported as an inevitability. With the iOS 11 release less than two months away, the new system might finally put the last nail in the coffin. Even though this change will not have significant effects on most users, it might disappoint those who happen to rely on old apps that have not been updated for a long time. Over 187, 000 32-bit apps are currently on the App Store, which means those programs will possibly lose support from Apple come September of this year.

The Apple WWDC 2017 will be held from June 5 to 9 at the McEnery Convention Centre in San Jose, California.