iOS 5.1 is out today, available to download and install on the iPad, iPod touch and iPhone. It’s the latest version of Apple’s mobile OS, but it’s a rather minor update.
The biggest boon to owners of Apple’s glossy gadgets is the ability to delete photos from Photo Stream. Photo Stream is the iCloud service that saves your photos online, and pushes them to other iOS devices registered to you.
Handy, but until now there’s been no way to delete piccies from Photo Stream. Apple’s fixed this now, but it’s worth noting that deleting a Photo Stream photo only removes the snap from that device. So an embarrassing drunken pic you foolishly took on a night out could easily make its way onto your iPad back home — one that you share with family members. Eep!
Other tweaks include a persistent camera shortcut on the lock screen for the iPhone 4S, 4 and 3GS, as well as the fourth-generation iPod touch (swipe upward on the icon to start the camera), and the iPad camera app has been redesigned. iOS 5.1 also brings Japanese language support to Siri.
Most owners will be most intrigued by Apple’s claims to have addressed bugs affecting battery life on its gadgets. If you’ve found this update altering your own device’s battery (for better or worse), let me know in the comments, or over on our Facebook wall.
While updates are always welcome, I’ve used this one and I think it’s unlikely it’ll affect day-to-day use that much. But it’ll arrive on the new iPad Apple unveiled last night — a modest upgrade to the iPad 2, bringing a retina display and improvements to the camera and processor.
Send me your thoughts on iOS 5.1 — and Apple’s recent iPad and Apple TV announcements — via the comments or the CNET UK Facebook page.