Apple releases iOS 6.1, expanding LTE capabilities

Apple, yesterday, released iOS 6.1, the first major update to iOS 6 since September 2012. The new update, which is now available to download, expands the device's LTE capabilities while adding a few minor features and bug fixes.

36 additional iPhone carriers and 23 additional iPad carriers around the world now have LTE capabilities, allowing for "ultrafast wireless performance."

“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,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iOS 6.1 brings LTE support to more markets around the world, so even more users can enjoy ultrafast Safari browsing, FaceTime video calls, iCloud services, and iTunes and App Store downloads.”

Other notable features in the update include the ability to use Siri to purchase movie tickets in the U.S. through Fandango, and iTunes Match subscribers can download individual songs to their iOS devices from iCloud. A few minor changes include a new boarding pass behavior in Apple's Passbook, some tweaks to Safari, and a back-end change in Apple's mapping software.

iOS 6.1 is available as a free software update and is compatible with iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad (third and fourth generation), iPad mini, iPad 2 and iPod touch (fourth and fifth generation).

In other Apple related news, the company today unveiled a 128GB iPad with Retina display. Learn more here.