iOS 7 Release Date for iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad on Sept 18

Sep 10, 2013 07:26 PM EDT

Apple announced that iOS7, the new operating system for iPhones and iPads, will be available to the public on Sept. 18. 

The new iOS 7 will be available for download for users of the iPhone 4, 4S, iPhone 5, the third and fourth generation iPads, the iPad mini and the fifth generation iPod Touch.  

There are over 200 features on iOS 7, and many popular apps will be free. Among those free new apps are iPhoto, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote. Other new features include improvements to Siri, new ringtones and new alert sounds. According to Apple, it will be faster at answering questions and also can find full results from Bing, Wikipedia and Twitter.  

Apple called the iOS 7 "the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone." Developers have been able to access the iOS 7 software in beta mode since June, so new apps may surprise users once the operating system goes live. 

Apple has completely revamped the design of the software with new colors and icons and animations. The brightly colored new operating system also has redesigned Mail, Calendar, Music, Photo and Camera apps. Not one part of the software looks the same.