iOS 6

The iPhone 5 is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than the other iPhones, but the price has remained the same. Apple will offer the iPhone 5 for $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB), and $399 (64GB) on September 21. Pre-orders for the next-generation iPhone open on September 14. If you're looking to upgrade from the now discontinued iPhone 3GS, but $200 is out of your price range, you can now nab an iPhone 4S for $99, or receive a free iPhone 4 with a new contract.

Apple is not only kicking Google Maps to the curb, it's also removing the stock YouTube app with the release of iOS 6. YouTube responded by releasing its own standalone app in the App Store on Tuesday. YouTube fans can either download the new app, or keep their old stock app by ignoring iOS 6 when it's released.

The new YouTube app brings an improved channel guide where users can swipe left or right to navigate their subscribed channels, better search tools that give suggestions while you type, and the ability to share videos on Google+, Facebook, Twitter or via text. YouTube promises the new app will give YouTube users a better mobile experience than the old stock app.

The images we've seen so far from Apple's 3D mapping software destined for iOS 6 are nothing less than stunning. AppleInsider gives us an in-depth comparison between Apple's Flyover maps and Google Street View, which provide more insight into how the new Maps app will look on the iPhone 5.

The level of detail in cities where 3D mapping and aerial photography data exist is much better in the Apple product according to screenshots. Although Google Street View lets us see everything close up from the ground level, the aerial view provided by Apple is continuous and still allows the viewer to look down individual streets for landmarks.

With all of the iPhone 5 rumors floating around, improvements to AirPlay don't sound too interesting on the surface. Some iPhone owners just wish that Apple's wireless streaming technology worked better in general. Well now The Telegraph reports that component manufacturers are getting ready for a major change to AirPlay.

The new version is called AirPlay Direct, and it's expected to launch this fall with iOS 6 and the next generation iPhone. The term AirPlay Direct is not even final as Apple puts the finishing touches on its media event planned for September 12. Currently, AirPlay requires a Wi-Fi network and compatible streaming device.

Do you hate when your iPhone doesn't automatically switch to 3G if your Wi-Fi connection is too slow? A new feature in iOS 6 will solve this problem. The new option called "Wi-Fi Plus Cellular" allows your iPhone to automatically switch to a cellular connection when Wi-Fi isn't doing the job. iPhone owners can also manage their data usage by toggling specific services on and off. As you can see from the picture below, the cellular option allows you to turn off access to iCloud Documents, iTunes, FaceTime, Passbook Updates and Reading List.

The "Wi-Fi Plus Cellular" option was discovered within the Settings menu in the latest iOS 6 beta by AppAdvice. The blog also discovered a toggle for Shared Calendar Alerts within the beta. When enabled, the new feature will notify you whenever the shared calendar is modified.