Apple Launches iOS 6.1 Firmware Update

Apple has released the latest round of improvements and bug fixes to iOS. Version 6.1 has hit the streets, and the update includes several new features for the iPhone 3GS and later. The iPod touch 4G and 5G as well as all iPads from the iPad 2 on can take advantage of the free iOS 6.1 firmware update.

OTA update iOS 6.1

Installing the update is simple thanks to the over-the-air (OTA) updating included in iOS. To install, navigate to Settings -> General -> Software Update -> Install Now. The iOS 6.1 software download totals 107 MB. So what are the new features of Apple's latest mobile operating system?

iOS 6.1 features:

- iTunes Match subscribers can now download individual songs from iCloud
- LTE support for 36 new iPhone carriers and 23 new iPad carriers
- New button to reset the Advertising identifier
- Purchase movie tickets through Fandango using Siri
- Bug fixes and improvements

Apple even sent a press release to announce the launch of iOS 6.1 (excerpt follows):

iOS 6 is the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, and with nearly 300 million iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices on iOS 6 in just five months, it may be the most popular new version of an OS in history.

The revolutionary App Store offers more than 800,000 apps to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch® users, with more than 300,000 native iPad apps. App Store customers have downloaded over 40 billion apps, and Apple has paid over seven billion dollars to its incredible developer community.

Apple surprised some developers by not announcing that the latest beta version was actually a "golden master" copy ready for public release. The company is expected to release iOS 7 later this year.