Apple's next big iPhone update includes a feature to reduce eye strain, and a shot at Google

Screenshot/Apple

Apple's iOS in Education apps.

The headlining feature in iOS 9.3 is called "Night Shift," which uses your phone's clock and GPS to figure out when it's dark outside and "automatically shifts the colors in your display to the warmer end of the spectrum, making it easier on your eyes."

When the sun comes back up, the colors shift to normal. It's a lot like f.lux, an app for desktop Macs and PCs that many people find completely essential for reducing eyestrain when using their computers at night.

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Apple is also using 9.3 to show off an early version its new iOS in Education features, which make iPads easier to use in the classroom. Students will be able to log in to any iPad in the classroom with their own accounts, and teachers will be able to share student iPad screens among the whole class.

It's a shot across the bow at Google's massive success in the classroom with its cheap Chromebook laptops.

The Notes app is also getting an upgrade to let you place notes with sensitive information - bank passwords, for instance, or somebody's social security number - behind a password, or even require an Apple Touch ID fingerprint.

Meanwhile, the News app gets better personalization features to better tailor the articles it finds to your interests, while the Health app will suggest third-party App Store apps with which it can integrate.

Apple's CarPlay car operating system is getting an improvement, too, with a new feature called "Nearby" for Apple Maps that shows everything around you, alongside new music recommendation features in Apple Music.

Get THE MID-YEAR SMARTPHONE MARKET REPORT now! A comprehensive look at the global smartphone market from BI Intelligence by platform, vendor, country and more. Insights into the power struggles between the biggest platforms and the underdogs. Get the Report Here »