iOS 5.1 is out: Redesigned Camera app, battery optimizations, delete Photo Stream images

Apple said today at the new iPad unveiling that the device runs iOS 5.1, which is an unreleased version of its mobile operating system featuring Siri in Japanese, several camera app tweaks, and other little nice-to-haves. Interesting, this update also “addresses bugs affecting battery life.” Other features include new podcast controls for playback speed on iPad, the redesigned camera app on iPads, the always-visible camera shortcut on the lock screen, updated AT&T network indicator, Genius Mixes and Genius playlist for iTunes Match subscribers and more. We are guessing iCloud users will appreciate that they can finally remove photos from their Photo Stream directly on the device without having to go to iCloud.com on their computer.

Depending on your location, the update might not have hit iTunes, but you can always download the right firmware for your device using direct links here. Of course, you can also bring your device up to date over-the-air by hitting Software Update under the General section of the Settings app.

According to release notes accompanying the over-the-air download on my iPhone 4S, the iOS 5.1 update has “improvements and bug fixes.” However, the software also brings out a couple nice enhancements, including:

• Japanese language support for Siri (availability may be limited during initial rollout)
• Photos can now be deleted from Photo Stream
• Camera shortcuts now always visible on Lock Screen for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (fourth generation)
• Camera face detection now highlights all detected faces
• Redesigned Camera app for iPad
• Genius Mixes and Genius playlist for iTunes Match subscribers
• Audio for TV shows and movies on iPad optimized to sound louder and cleaner
• Podcast controls for playback speed and a 30 second rewind for iPad
• Updated AT&T network indicator
• Addresses bugs affecting battery life
• Fixes an issue that occasionally caused audio to drop for outgoing calls

• Apple March 7th iPad event Liveblog (9to5mac.com)
• Apple drops 16GB iPad 2 to $399, $529 for Wi-Fi + 3G (9to5mac.com)
• Apple launches gestures-heavy iPhoto for iPad, can tell you weather in images. Available today for $4.99 (9to5mac.com)
• In new GarageBand, 4 iOS devices can “jam” in realtime (9to5mac.com)
• The new iPad has 10-hour battery life, is 0.6mm thicker and 0.07lbs heavier (9to5mac.com)
• New iPad preorders start today, available March 16 in ten countries (9to5mac.com)
• Yes, the new iPad is 4G LTE (9to5mac.com)
• iPad gets better cameras: iSight on the front, 5MP with 1080p video recording on the back (9to5mac.com)
• Voice Dictation on new iPad (9to5mac.com)
• Apple confirms A5X with quad-core graphics in new iPad (9to5mac.com)
• The new iPad is here and it’s got a Retina Display packing a million more pixels than your HD TV (9to5mac.com)
• Tim Cook: iPad is the poster child of the post PC world (9to5mac.com)
• Apple unveils new Apple TV: Streamlined UI, 1080p video output, full HD iCloud movies, same $99 price (9to5mac.com)
• Apple launching iOS 5.1 today with Japanese Siri support (9to5mac.com)
• Tim Cook: Post-PC devices made up 76 percent of our revenues (9to5mac.com)
• We now see International 4G iPads in Apple’s inventory system (9to5mac.com)

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• iOS 5.1 is out: Redesigned Camera app, battery optimizations, delete Photo Stream images (9to5mac.com)
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