Apple to improve iOS for Education in a major way
Ever since the first iteration of the iPad, Apple has sold the device as a key tool for educators. Well, sales of the iPads in classrooms have been failing for a while thanks to Google's cheaper Chromebooks. To battle this, Apple is now improving their iOS software for the educational market.
The updates for the classroom come from a preview of a new iOS update. In the update, there is multiple-user support. Teachers or school staff members can set up user profiles for each child in the classroom, and they would be accessible from any iPad in the classroom, not just one specific device. One plausible reason this feature was added could because Apple is finally realizing that schools can't afford to have an iPad for every student either in the school or district. To make sure that the multiple-user accounts don't take up too much storage, the iPad will re-download most of the content on the device as the student uses it, and then will remove the data once the student is done.
Some additional features include an option for teachers to see what apps and programs each students are using as a whole or individually, and even to see what the student has displayed on their screen. Additionally, they have the option to launch apps, websites and even specific book pages for the whole classroom at once, and even locking that app to the screen, like what is similar in Android's screen pinning. Apple is also setting a website up that will help schools manage all of the user accounts for the students and staff to buy and distribute books and applications.
The educational updates are in Apple's iOS 9.3 update, which is coming out soon, as well as new updates such as Night Shift, which is similar to F.lux, improvements to Apple news and Health are just some of the new features in the update.
Via: | The Verge |
Source: | Apple |
Image Credit: | Phonearena |
