Apple Finally Announced The iOS 14 Release Date, & It Is SO Soon

Apple announced its upcoming iOS 14 update for iPhones at the 2020 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, June 22. The updated operating system includes new features for iPhone users to get excited about, such as the App Library to declutter your Home Screen and the ability to pin conversations in Messages, but it's not available just yet. If you're wondering when you'll be able to upgrade your phone, check out the details on when Apple will release the iOS 14 update.

Following the summer event, fans finally got a look at some new Apple products during the company's fall event on Tuesday, Sept. 15. In addition to the announcement of the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE, as well as the new iPad Pro and iPad Air, Apple finally revealed the exact date iOS 14 will hit iPhones: Wednesday, Sept. 16.

Back in June, Apple introduced a few new updates, including iOS 14, during its annual conference, which was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. During the keynote address, the company announced major upcoming software updates and unveiled details about iOS 14, the next update to the iPhone operating system. Apple's iOS 14 will bring some new capabilities that weren't available with iOS 13, including a less-obstructive Siri design, widgets sized to your liking, expanded features on Maps, pinned conversations in Messages, and the ability to specifically mention individuals in group messages so they can directly reply to the mention. In addition to a drop-down banner for incoming calls to not disrupt what you're doing when a call comes in, Picture-in-Picture video will even allow you to keep watching a video or FaceTime while using another app on your phone.

Apple rolled out a developer beta version for iOS 14 for iPhones on Monday, June 22. Following that, a public beta version for iOS 14 was released in July 2020, and the official update will come to phones on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Similar to other iOS updates, the official update will be a free update for most iPhone users in the fall, which is when Apple also announces new iPhone models. For the iOS update, iPhone users with a an iPhone 6S or later will be able to get the operating system update when it comes out in the fall. For anyone looking to try the beta version, it's important to remember it's a test version of iOS 14, so it may still have some bugs the final version won't have. But for that reason, it's recommended you don't try it on your main device in case there are any bugs that would affect your daily usage.

If your phone is already set to automatic updates, you'll be notified before the update occurs and it'll automatically install iOS 14 when it's released in the fall. If you haven't set your phone to automatic updates, you can opt for a manual update or an update via your computer. Once you're all set with iOS 14, you can start counting down to the iPhone announcement, which is likely to come in October.