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iOS 6 is out now! You might know about the headline features, but once you’ve installed it (through iTunes or by going to Settings > General > Software Update on your iOS 5 device), what should you try first? Well, here are the features big and small we think you should start with to see how iOS 6 makes your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch even better!

Go for a drive with Maps
Surely, replacing Google Maps in iOS was too big a task to pull off? Wrong. As it often does, Apple has taken an existing idea and made it better – or at least more beautiful. Not only does the new Maps app offer beautiful cartography, but also the ‘Flyover’ feature that provides a 3D view of major cities, including buildings and landmarks – tap the page curl then select Satellite, and if your city is there in 3D, you can swipe and pan around with two fingers. Best of all, however, is the sat nav-killing turn-by-turn navigation features that make use of Siri to both show and speak directions.

Works with iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPod touch (5th generation) or later
Use it now Tap and hold your iPhone or iPad’s Home button and ask Siri how to get to a specific location. Maps will launch and show you suggested routes. All you need to do is pick one and tap the Start button.

Use FaceTime unshackled
No more hunting for an Internet café or being confined to making video calls at home, FaceTime now works on your mobile network (probably; your carrier may not let you). All you need to watch out for is draining your mobile data allowance and incoming lampposts.

Works with iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation with 3G), or later
Use it now So long as your device isn’t connected to a Wi-Fi network, place a FaceTime call as usual. Just don’t talk too long if you’re on a plan with a measly data allowance!

Pick up where your browsing left off with iCloud Tabs
If you’re a Mac user running OS X Mountain Lion, the iCloud Tabs list in Safari might have looked a little empty recently. That’s set to change, however, with the ability to view all of the pages open in Safari on any of your iCloud-connected devices. The same happens in reverse too, so you can continue viewing a website open on your Mac on your iOS device.

Works with iPhone 3GS, iPod touch (4th generation), iPad 2 or later
Use it now Open a bunch of tabs in Safari on any of your devices connected to iCloud, then open Safari on another iCloud-connected device. Now tap the iCloud Tabs button to view the open pages. On a Mac and iPad, the iCloud tabs button appears next to the Safari URL bar, but on an iPhone you need to find the iCloud Tabs section under Bookmarks.

Shoot a panorama
You don’t need an app to shoot panoramas on your iPhone or iPod touch anymore. New in iOS 6, the Camera app now allows you to sweep your phone across a sea of faces, a breathtaking vista or any other scene that won’t fit in one photo. Panorama works both horizontally and vertically, and smart background processing pulls together a high resolution image that is stored to your Camera Roll.

Works with iPhone 4S or later, iPod touch (5th generation)
Use it now Launch the Camera app and tap the Options button. Tap the Panorama button that appears to be taken to the Panorama interface. Now, simply begin shooting and slowly pan your iPhone across the area you want to shoot, making sure that the arrow stays on the line on screen.

Talk to a smarter Siri
Not only has Siri arrived on the iPad with iOS 6 but he (or she, depending on your location) has been learning since you last spoke. You can now ask for sports scores and player information for basketball, American football, baseball and even Premier League football in the UK. Using your current location, Siri can also tell you what films are showing nearby and at what time, as well as recommend places to eat.

Works with iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation) or later
Use it now Try asking Siri these: “What does the Premiership table look like?”; “Where can I get a pizza around here?” or “What’s on at the cinema?”.

Get closer to your Facebook friends
Facebook integration in iOS 6 allows you to quickly share content or update your status in the same way you currently can with Twitter. Even better, your iPhone can now pull down contact information from your Facebook account and merge it with contact information on your device. So, if a friend updates their details, you know you have the latest information. Similarly, events and birthdays from Facebook are added to your device’s calendar.

Works with iPhone 3GS, iPod touch (4th generation), iPad 2 or later
Use it now Launch the Settings app and scroll down the list until you see Facebook. Tap it and enter your details on the screen that appears. Once verified, you can allow Calendar and Contacts to access your Facebook account information. Tap ‘Update All Contacts’ to get started.

Never forget the tickets again
Passbook is a new iOS app for the iPhone that stores important documents like boarding passes and coupons so you don’t have to carry printed versions around with you. Making use of barcodes and QR codes, Passbook uses location information to show you the relevant information at the right time and place. Information within Passbook is updated live so you’re always reminded if details change – especially important when travelling.

Works with iPhone 3GS or later
Use it now Launch the Passbook app from your iPhone’s Home screen and tap the App Store button at the bottom of the interface to view compatible apps.

Tell people you’re busy playing with a new OS
When you receive an incoming call on an iPhone running iOS 6 you can now choose to reply with an SMS or iMessage, or be reminded to return the call later. You can even set custom responses for specific situations such as “Sorry, I’m too busy reading Tap! magazine”. Achem.

Works with iPhone 3GS or later
Use it now When your phone rings, swipe up on the small phone icon that appears to the right of the Slide To Answer slider. You can now tap Reply with Message or Remind Me Later. Custom responses can be created in the Phone section of the Settings app.

Add words to your own, Cloud-based dictionary
iOS doesn’t like profanity, even when it’s friendly banter between friends. It rarely understands new slang terms and it definitely hates nicknames. Stop telling people you “had a shot day” with a new feature for the iOS dictionary that learns the strange words you type on a regular basis and keeps them in sync across all of your iCloud devices.

Works with iPhone 3GS, iPod touch (4th generation), iPad 2 or later
Use it now Ignore spelling suggestions when typing obscure words that you want to use regularly – tap the little × to dismiss the suggested corrections as you type. iOS will soon get the message and store your odd terms in the Cloud.

Wake to your own kind of music
Rather than be forced to have the thoroughly irritating Old Phone ringtone rouse you, pick a track from your iTunes library to get you going in the morning. iOS 6 now allows you to pick any song stored on your device as an alarm sound, which works very nicely if you plug your iPhone into a speaker dock at night. Now there’s (finally!) a clock app on the iPad, you can add custom music for alarms on your tablet too.

Works with iPhone 3GS, iPod touch (4th generation), iPad 2 or later
Use it now Launch the Clock app and set a new alarm. Tap the Sound section (second option from the top) and then tap Pick a song to choose a track from your music library.

_{iOS 6 image at the top of this post is courtesy of Apple}

In the August issue of Tap! The iPhone and iPad magazine, we’ve picked the hundred best apps ever made for iOS, and now we’re inviting everyone to vote to crown just one of these apps as the ultimate app of all time.

As we start on the last week of voting, and with thousands of votes cast so far, I thought I’d give you a little peek of what apps are currently in the top ten!

1. Hero Academy (Robot Entertainment)
2. Clear (Realmac Software)
3. Tweetbot (Tapbots)
4. Jetpack Joyride (Halfbrick Studios)
5. TVCatchup (GZero)
6. Dropbox (Dropbox Inc)
7. Flipboard (Flipboard Inc)
8. 1Password Pro (AgileBits)
9. Plants vs Zombies HD (PopCap)
10. WeatherPro (MeteoGroup)

Whether you think a different app should be at the top of the chart or  you think the current selection is right and want to fight to protect your favourite app’s position, vote for up to three apps on our poll.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

One last thing; spare a thought for Blowup!!, iHandy Carpenter, Notefile, Strategery and zeebox, none of which currently has any votes at all!

Every month, Tap! finds the best apps, games and kit for your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and helps you get the most from your devices. What’s more, the rich, interactive iPad edition is actually made using an iOS app we created ourselves! Download it today from the App Store at:
http://tapm.ag/appedition

Even we sometimes have to stop and pinch ourselves about the scale of the world of the iPhone, iPad and App Store. Take a look at our infographic below and you’ll see what we mean!

We’ve selected 100 of the best apps ever made in the latest issue – that's just 0.01538% of the App Store! Get it now to read all about them, and don’t forget to vote for the very best app of all time!

Every month, Tap! finds the best apps, games and kit for your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and helps you get the most from your devices. What’s more, the rich, interactive iPad edition is actually made using an iOS app we created ourselves! Download it today from the App Store at:
http://tapm.ag/appedition

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

Henry Ford probably never actually said that, but it’s a phrase that rings true, especially in the technology industry. We were reminded of it when we received the results of a survey from VoucherCodesPro.co.uk, which asked people what features they’d like to see in the next iPhone. Some of them we think are mad, some we think are pretty sensible. Here’s their top ten, and what we think about the chances of getting each one.

1. Stronger screen
A whopping 93% of people said they want this – and we think they’re quite right to. It’s not that the iPhone’s screen is weak at the moment, but we’d never say no to a stronger one. So good news! Corning, the company that makes the strong Gorilla Glass used in many phones, including iPhone models, announced Gorilla Glass 2 in January. Stronger than ever, and potentially thinner than ever, making the screen stand out even more.

2. USB port
86% of the survey’s respondents said they want a USB port on the next iPhone. 86%! To us, it’s madness. For a start, there are two practical considerations: USB ports are thick, and USB ports are deep. Both massively affect the design of the phone, meaning it would put limits on how thin the new iPhone could be, and taking up lots of valuable space inside that could be used to batteries. On top of that, we’re not sure why people are so desperate for it – are they all desperate to connect up external hard drives to their phones? With the likes of Dropbox and iCloud, a USB port seems like much more hassle than it’s worth to us.

3. Better camera
81% of people want an improved camera on the new iPhone, but we’re not sure we’ll see much of a change there. Partly, the ability to improve the camera is limited by the amount of space available in the phone, but partly it’s that the iPhone 4S’s camera is very good already. We might see some tweaks to the lenses and image processor, and possibly even a slightly larger sensor, but we doubt there’ll be that much of a change.

4. Bigger screen
77% want to see a bigger screen, and the current indicators suggest they’ll get their wish. It looks like the new iPhone will be taller than the 4S in portrait, but no wider.

5. Larger storage options
64% of people want more space to store their stuff on their phone, and we’re right there with them! We know a 128GB iPhone would be expensive, but with more stuff coming in from iCloud, apps and games taking up ever more storage thanks to fancy graphics, and better cameras using more space for photos and videos, many people will quickly eat up even 64GB. A 128GB option might be too expensive for many people, but there’s some who’ll jump at the chance.

6. More lightweight
62% of people want a lighter phone, and who can blame them? Like with having a stronger screen, we don’t reckon the iPhone is too heavy right now, but lighter is pretty much always better.

7. Higher-resolution Retina display
53% of people want a higher res display. Higher than 330ppi. Seriously!? Are these people holding their phones four inches from their face? It’s fine as it is.

8. Faster processor
39% said they want more power from their iPhone, and we though this would be higher in the list, to be honest. It just goes to show that a lot of people understand that phones are about more than just a spec race. The iPhone 4S is pretty damn zippy as it is, so while we will likely see a small boost in power, we don’t think we’ll see a quad-core processor or anything. Like the people who took this survey, we think Apple will be focussing on other aspects of the new iPhone.

9. Stronger structure (not inc. screen)
24% of people want their iPhone to be stronger overall, which again we thought would be higher, because the glass back of the iPhone 4/4S came in for some stick back in the day. Clearly, it doesn’t bother people too much these days, but it does look like this is one aspect of the iPhone that will improve, with a unibody-style construction touted – much like Apple uses for its laptops. It should make the iPhone stronger, but potentially thinner.

10. Different colour options
19% of people want to see the iPhone in colours other than black and white. While we don’t think that’ll happen as such (we’re pretty sure there won’t be a red iPhone or anything), the switch to unibody construction may mean some slight changes in hue.

Interestingly, a smaller dock connector turned out to be the least wanted feature, with 67% of respondents saying they actively don’t want it. So… sucks to be them, because it’s starting to look like the new iPhone will definitely have a new, smaller connector. Sorry folks.

We had a quick survey of the team here at Tap! Towers, and here’s what we want to see most in the new iPhone. Spoilers: it’s mostly about battery life – something that didn’t even crop up in the top 10 on the survey above!

Christopher Phin, Editor
Better battery life
Oh sure, I want at least 128GB, the idea of ditching my cards and paying for everything with an NFC-enabled device is beguiling, and I would love a camera with a bokeh-tastic f1.8 or wider lens, but for me, the big problem the iPhone essentially always has been that its battery essentially never lasts a day without being charged. I’ve always said that the battery isn’t bad as such; it’s just that the device is so good that you want or need to use it heavily throughout the day, and it’s that that sucks the power. A larger design to allow for a greater volume of battery, plus a more advanced chip fabrication technique should mean more stamina for the next iPhone, but it’s a constant arms race with more power-hungry apps, services and hardware.

Graham Barlow, Editor-in-Chief
A new form factor
I’m happy with most things on the iPhone 4S, but what I’d most like in the next iPhone is a new form factor. The current design looks more functional than anything else, even a tad boring, and I’d like to see what Jonathan Ive can come up with. If anybody can make a more sophisticated phone that still performs exactly as you’d expect, then it’s him.

Matthew Bolton, Deputy Editor
NFC
I would have said better battery life, but almost everyone else is, so I’ll say that I’m really looking forward to the future possibilities for NFC, so I hope future iPhones support it. If you don’t know what it is, our colleagues at TechRadar have this NFC explanation, but it’s basically a very simple way to pass small amounts of information between your phone and another device. So it can do mobile payments, but you can also use NFC to pair two devices over Bluetooth, or you can use it to share a Wi-Fi password, making it easy to set up an AirPlay speaker. There’s so much it can be used for, and you just know app developers will make the most of it!

Alex Thomas, Managing Art Editor
A new design
I think I would like to see a return to the curved back of the iPhone 3GS and original iPhone and for it to be made of brushed aluminium, like the iPad instead of glass. The 4 just feels a bit too boxy in your hand some times. I’d also like to see them do away with the home button in order to make the whole of the front one giant screen. Alternatively I’d like to see them do something genuinely new and create a completely new form factor which we haven’t yet considered!

Alan Stonebridge, Digital Production Editor
Better battery life
We’re constantly finding apps that make the iPhone useful in new ways in our daily lives. They add up to a strain on the iPhone’s battery, so I’d like to see its capacity increased, so I can use the device as much as I want without worrying that its power will be depleted before the end of the day.

Tom Harrod, Production Assistant
Better battery life
Battery for me. I hate having to carry a charger with me if I’m going out to London for the day and need to charge it on the train journey on the way back – because after a day of fun and games, it’s wheezing and running on empty. Yes, I could attach an external battery case on, but who wants the extra bulk?

Are you lacking visual inspiration? Is the old grey matter refusing to play nicely? Or perhaps you’re an art director trying to find some bright spark to commission, but aren’t sure where to look for funky and/or classic portfolios? Well, stop staring at the walls, and stare at this instead. The good folks at Creative Bloq – just across the way from Tap! Towers – have created Design Spring, their own app for showcasing design work, and it already has some great art on there. Ooh look, a dinosaur! Made out of roads and parks and churches and stuff!

You can filter the images into categories, and also, interestingly, by colour. There are daily updates too, so if you’re just looking for something fun to chew on alongside your Bran Flakes each morning, you can swipe through to see what new pieces various arty bods such as Kerry Hyndman and João Oliveira have submitted. If you’ve created a visual masterpiece so brilliant it’d make da Vinci or Banksy weep (or maybe scratch their heads), this could be a great opportunity to show off your own work to the world.

And saved until last, the best news: it’s free. So for your daily dose of inspiration, why not check out Design Spring on the App Store? There’s already some really amazing designs on there, and if your own artwork is ready to be unleashed, yours could be up there with them…