Five Things To do Before Installing iOS 7

On Wednesday, Apple will
release a highly anticipated
update to iOS devices: iOS 7.
The new version is a
complete departure from prior
versions of iOS.
The update is set to bring an
entire new look and feel to
iOS devices, which in turn will
likely lead to late-night calls
from your parents asking why
their phone or iPad looks so
different. That is, if they can
find the redesigned Phone
icon.
In addition to the new look,
there's a long list of new
features such as a new
Control Center, photo filters,
and AirDrop.
With the looming update in
mind, it's important you
prepare yourself and your
device to make the transition
as smooth as possible.
Check device compatibility
First, make sure your devices
are capable of running iOS 7.
Apple has posted a list of
devices that will be able to
run the latest OS:
Delete unused apps
Once you've determined your
iDevice eligible for the
upgrade, it's time to quickly
go through the apps you
currently have installed and
delete any that are unused.
Odds are, if you haven't
opened an app in the last
couple of months or so, you
likely don't need it. Tap and
hold an app icon until it
starts moving, then tap on
the X icon to delete. If you
do end up needing the app in
the future, simply redownload
it from the App Store.
Update installed apps
After pruning up your
installed apps, launch the
App Store and ensure that
the remaining apps are up-
to-date. Some apps, such as
Foursquare, are already
releasing iOS 7 app updates
so you'll be able to use them
as intended on iOS 7 as soon
as your OS update is
complete. With iOS 7, app
updates will automatically be
downloaded for you; take a
minute to cherish the last
time you'll be forced to
manually install app updates.
With your apps up-to-date,
you'll minimize the wait for a
lengthy list of apps to update
as well.
Back that thing up
You'll want to be sure to
back up your device(s). Not
only is this something you
should be doing on a regular
basis, but it's something
that's especially important to
do right before upgrading an
OS. Should anything go
wrong, you'll be able to
restore your device with the
same settings and
information currently stored
on it. The more recent the
backup, the more recent the
information capable of being
restored will be.
You can back up your device
using iTunes or by letting
iCloud take care of it for you.
Unsure how to back your
device up, or which method
to use? Rick Broida walks
you through each process,
making sure your comfortable
with either method.
Update iTunes
When a major version of iOS
is released to the public, it's
almost always accompanied
by an update to iTunes. The
update usually adds new
features to iTunes, but it also
brings with it compatibility
for new devices and the new
OS.
You can check for the
updated version of iTunes on
Apple's site shortly after the
release of iOS 7, or check for
software updates on your
Mac by clicking on the Apple
Menu icon followed by
Software Update. Windows
users can use the Help menu
in iTunes and click "Check for
Update."
Once you've gone through
this checklist and prepared
your device for the update,
prepare yourself to hold off
on updating until later in the
day after you get home or
have some time away from
work. Apple typically releases
the update midmorning or
early in the afternoon,
depending on your time zone.
In the past, there have been
occurrences of the activation
servers going down, leaving
users with a device they can't
use.
If you try to update while at
work or away from home
only to find yourself in a
similar situation, you won't
be able to restore your device
until later in the day when
the servers are stabilized.
Have some patience early in
the day to prevent yourself
from being frustrated the
remainder of the day.