Earlier this month Apple announced its latest iOS 10 operating system at its infamous WWD 2016 in San Francisco. Like always, Apple had us all guessing as to what the new updates, features, and devices would entail. As a mobile payment technology company, our Passport team was interested in how these updates could potentially influence the transportation industry. Although iOS 10 won’t be available until the fall, we couldn’t help but gain some insight from our teammates as to what they’re most and least excited about come September:

Emily Wilson, Marketing Specialist

“Being able to search along your route is a game changer for when you’re in a location you aren’t familiar with and are trying to look for the closest gas station, place to grab lunch, etc. If you’re in a place you’re unfamiliar with (on a road trip, business trip, vacation, you name it) there’s a good chance you’re using your Maps already. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve had to look that information up and it wasn’t convenient. Great feature addition to Apple Maps. There’s nothing I outright dislike, but I’d have to say I’m pretty indifferent towards the handwriting features, stickers, and Snapchat-like personalizations. Some of these are fun (the birthday celebration screen, the changing chat bubble), but I doubt I would actually use most of them.”

“The upcoming iOS 10 upgrade is showing us the importance of connectivity in travel. Take the feature that lets you incorporate other apps within Apple’s Maps as an example. You’ll have the ability to request a ride with Uber, book a table through Open Table, and much more ALL within Apple’s Maps. People want more than just viewing a map to get to their destination – they want to plan an experience from the convenience of one location.”

Daniel Bliley, Marketing Director

“A lot of talk and hype was around the new Messages features. It seems that they are really trying to incorporate more ways to communicate — especially for younger audiences. But I’m most excited about the Maps updates, specifically with the live traffic on-route. Getting around can be challenging for travelers and newcomers to big cities so making that experience easier is always a plus.”

Sara Wasserboehr, Graphic Designer

“With each iOS update, Apple brings us closer to anticipatory design. Some of the new features, specifically in the messaging app, seem superfluous and silly. But maybe silly isn’t bad thing for a big company like Apple.”

Kimberly Kufel, Content Marketing Specialist

“As an Apple fan, I was interested to see how their recent features and updates will impact messages, in particular, and give them a stronger sense of emotion. From a “Snapchatter’s” perspective, it seems like they’re really giving users the ability to add more value to messaging. I was also very impressed with their enhancements to Maps. Having the ability to gain quick information while you’re utilizing Maps, especially while traveling, is definitely extremely important for users. I think Apple Map’s enhancements will impact the transportation industry for the better. Being able to seamlessly navigate around your city or while traveling can lead to less traffic congestion, pollution, and more.”