iOS 6 NDA Cheatsheet

I always find it really annoying to try and keep myself straight about what new features in an iOS update are public knowledge and which are hidden behind the developer NDA. This is especially tricky after WWDC where Apple presented in great detail on the new features during the conference sessions.

This year I decided it would be helpful to put together a cheatsheet by going through the public websites and keynote video and collect all the topics that are publicly displayed. I can then talk with some freedom about these topics. Collecting all the topics on one place will hopefully help keep me clear on what I can talk about.

I break down features into two categories:

  • Major Disclosures: Features described in depth by Apple. These are likely safe to discuss in some detail.
  • Minor Disclosures: Features mentioned but never described or detailed. These are likely only safe to discuss in terms of existence not functionality.

Please don’t take this article as legal advice (I am not your lawyer), but hopefully it is helpful.

Major Disclosures

  • Maps - The new Apple custom mapping system including: new vector based map display, turn-by-turn navigation, traffic, flyover and local search. Developer API, routing apps.
  • Siri - Now with Sports, Movies, Restaurants, Facebook, Twitter, App Launching and Eyes Free. Also now on iPad.
  • Facebook Integration - Including posting to Facebook, contacts/calendar integration and ‘likes’ for Apps/Songs. Developer API
  • Shared Photo Streams
  • Passbook, Developer API
  • FaceTime over cellular
  • Phone improvements - Reply with message, remind call back, Do Not Disturb
  • Mail - VIP Inbox, insert photos and videos
  • Safari - iCloud Tabs, Full Screen Landscape, Offline Reading List, Smart App Banners
  • Guided Access
  • New features for China

Minor Disclosures

  • Find My iPhone - Lost Mode
  • Find My Friends - location based alerts
  • Remodeled iTunes, App Store and iBookStore
  • Game Center - Challenges, Game Groups
  • Camera - focus, exposure, ROI controls, face detection, and video stabilization
  • Reminders - Developer API
  • In App Purchase - Buy music, apps and more without leaving 3rd party apps. Hosted Content
  • Safari - Web Audio API, upload videos and images from the Photo Library
  • Alarm with Song
  • Global network proxy for HTTP
  • Kernel ASLR
  • Bluetooth MAP support
  • Made for iPhone hearing aids
  • New iPad Clock app
  • Per account signatures for Mail
  • Personal dictionary in iCloud
  • Improved privacy controls
  • Audio and video sampling during playback
  • Auto Layout
  • Multi-route audio
  • Collection Views
  • State preservation
  • Pull to refresh on Table views
  • Inter-app audio
  • Remote Web Inspector
  • Rich text on labels, fields and text views
  • Voice over Gestures

If it isn’t here it is almost certainly NDA.

David Smith