There was no applause when iOS 14 was introduced in the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park earlier this summer, but that wasn't due to a lack of excitement. Rather, social distancing left each presenter by themselves onstage for Apple's online-only WWDC.
Upcoming changes to Apple's mobile OS include the App Library, which allows for an A-to-Z view of all installed apps but also separates them into category boxes. Widgets also get their time to shine; move them around and nestle them among app icons.
Messages have made a significant shift, with Slack-like inline responses in group messages and the ability to @-reply specific contacts. There's also a feature cribbed from WhatsApp—the ability to pin a conversation to the top of all chats.
Apple Maps, meanwhile, has been made more friendly to bikes and electric vehicles with detailed information about routes for each, while Siri is a more subtle onscreen presence now. Oh, and your Memoji can now look more like you than ever, with age options and the addition of today's accessory of the moment: the face mask.
A developer beta was released in June, and a public beta arrived in August, meaning Apple has (hopefully) worked out all the bugs for today's final release. Here's how to upgrade.
Can My iPhone Run iOS 14?
If you can't afford a new iPhone, upgrading the OS is the next best thing, and iOS 14 works with quite a few of Apple previous-generation smartphones. If you have one of these iPhones, you're in the clear.
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone 8
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7
iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 6s
iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone SE (1st generation)
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
iPod touch (7th generation)
General Release
You can either wait for your phone to remind you with a pop-up alert that iOS 14 is available or you can force a manual update. (Before you update, it's always a good idea to back up your data.)
Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update and select Download and Install. If your iPhone has a passcode, you'll be prompted to enter it. Agree to Apple's terms and then...wait. You'll see Update Requested on the screen, which means Apple has added you to its download queue.
Once it begins downloading, you'll see a time estimate bar up top; how long you'll wait depends on how many people are trying to upgrade. Your phone will then need to reboot, which could also take a few minutes.
If there's not enough room on your iOS device, you'll get a message asking to temporarily remove apps. Hit Continue and the apps will be restored when the installation is finished. If you have trust issues, hit Cancel and remove apps manually before returning to the update.
If you need your phone during the day, there's also the option to Install Tonight, which will do exactly that—install iOS 14 while you sleep, provided your device is charging.
You can also turn on automatic updates. Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates. Your iOS device will then automatically update to the latest version of iOS overnight when it's plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi.
Public Beta
If you want to get in on the iOS action early next time around, consider the public beta. Some of your existing apps might not work with the OS and you could lose data, but if you're willing to try it out there's no fee to join. The point of a public beta is to find bugs developers have not yet uncovered. If you're an iOS fan, this can be an interesting side project. Especially if you have an older iOS device you can afford to upgrade with possibly buggy software. Sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program, and when iOS 15 comes around, you'll be ready.
Become an Apple Developer
If you want to be the very first to try out any software updates from Apple, join the Apple Developer Program.
The program is designed for app developers—individuals and companies. But anyone can join for $99 per year. A note of caution, though: since you'll have an early version of iOS, you'll face bugs that are more than the minor annoyances you're used to on stable versions of iOS. The entire point of developers having the software is to test it out with their apps, so you might find that some of your apps become unusable or that you lose information. Make sure you're comfortable with that before signing up. Or install the dev version on a second, non-primary iOS device.