Apple iOS5

When Apple announced the new iPhone 4S last week, some people were disappointed that Apple did not announce an iPhone 5. But you won't hear me complain, because the meat and potatoes of what I'm excited about isn't in the hardware. It's in the operating system. And today, version 5 will arrive.

Apple's iOS 5, the latest update to its mobile operating system, has a number of excellent new features, and it's free. But as of this morning (Eastern time), it's not here yet.

When Will iOS 5 Arrive?
1:00 p.m. Eastern, or 10:00 a.m. Pacific, is the estimated time of arrival. Apple won't confirm, but based on the history of releases and a few rumors, we believe that time is a good guess. Apple has already confirmed that the release date is today (October 12), so it's just a matter of hours (UPDATE: iOS 5 has now arrived, so follow the steps below to check for availability).

How to Get iOS 5Here's the quick and simple way to check for the availability of iOS 5:

1. Plug your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into your computer with the USB cord.

2. Launch iTunes (if it doesn't open automatically).

3. On the left side of iTunes, find your device, for example, "Jill's Phone," and click on it.

4. In the center of the screen, you'll see "Version" and a button "Check for Update." Click "Check for Update" (see below).

a) If the new OS is not available, a pop-up box will tell you that you have the most current version, as shown below. If you're a few versions behind, you should upgrade now to whatever version is the most recent for your carrier. For my phone, on AT&T, version 4.3.5 is the latest, as shown. [Thanks to our readers for pointing out that version number will vary by carrier.]

b) When iOS 5 is available, a dialog box will instead tell you that a new software version is available. Select "Download and Update," and be patient while your phone and computer work their magic.

Who Can't Get iOS 5?One sad note: If you have an older iPhone that is not supported anymore—iPhone or iPhone 3G (notiPhone 3GS)—you won't be able to get iOS 5. You will be able to migrate all your data, like phone numbers and apps, to a new device, so long as you have an iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, or iPhone 3GS.

Why iOS 5
To learn more about what makes iOS 5 unique, see PCMag's full review, as well as the slideshow below, which highlights 10 of the most exciting features. Also check out PCMag's full review of the iPhone 4S.