By Graham K. Rogers

Having finally downloaded iTunes 10.6, connecting my iPhone -- as I hoped -- shows me that the latest version of iOS (version 5.1) is now available. The following are shown as improvements and bug fixes, including:

• Japanese language support for Siri (availability may be limited during initial rollout)
• Photos can now be deleted from Photo Stream
• Camera shortcut now always visible on Lock Screen for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (4th generation)
• Camera face detection now highlights all detected faces
• Redesigned Camera app for iPad
• Genius Mixes and Genius playlists for iTunes Match subscribers
• Audio for TV shows and movies on iPad optimized to sound louder and clearer
• Podcast controls for playback speed and a 30 second rewind for iPad
• Updated AT&T network indicator
• Addresses bugs affecting battery life
• Fixes an issue that occasionally caused audio to drop for outgoing calls

And I will be able to run the iOS version of iPhoto that I bought earlier today ($4.99).

I will later try the iPad download as there will be differences between the two versions (no outgoing calls, for example).

See Also: Notes on Apple Updates after The iPad Event.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs.