If you are a fan of Apple, you probably already know that the new operating system for their iDevices, iOS 9 is finally available to download. In the annual Apple developer’s conference, Tim Cook stated there would be quite a few changes to look for as this new OS is launched. One of the items Mr. Cook addressed was privacy. That was the start of many of the privacy improvements to revolutionize the community. The iOS 9 operating system innovates with a number of privacy improvements that will complement the use a of VPN. Before we discuss the specifics, we ask that you please take a look at our list of the best VPNs to use for iOS 9.
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
| 4 |  | 9.0 | 110 | |
| 5 |  | 8.8 | 73 | |
Apple has done some positive things with this new operating system. The changes this version offers are more than just superficial. IOS 9 fixes the bugs in the software released in iOS 8. Everything is designed to and does run more smoothly now. Since the new update has been released, the device that gains the most is the iPad. Special features like multi-tasking abilities help unlock the iPad’s potential. They make it more than just an entertainment device.
A new and improved Siri, Apple’s assistant, graces the walls of iOS 9. This new Siri promises to be more helpful and proactive than the previous version. It has robust lists of suggestions where you will find your most recently opened apps and contacts. According to Apple, Siri is 40% faster, and 40% more accurate.
The new update offers new maps as well, including versions that have public transportation versions, and even routes by ferries, subways, and buses. These route maps are available for major cities around the world. Apple maps are their answer to Google maps, and they are finally able to compete in that space.
This OS is smaller than other iterations of iOS and is only 1/3 the size. That can be a big deal, especially if your device only has 16 GB of space. It is also backward compatible and supports devices as old as the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Clearly, Apple has taken a lot of time to clean things up.
One big feature is the privacy feature. Tim Cook announced that he wants the device to know you, not the company behind the device. There is also additional adblocking software included in iOS 9. During the conference, he made it a point to separate the iPhone from Android-based devices. Yes, it seems that Apple is going to try to set the trend for privacy. So, with all this privacy, why would you use a VPN?
If you are reading this, you probably already know what a VPN is. However, in case you don’t or need a refresher, we will explain the benefits of using one with iOS 9. A virtual private network (VPN) is software that creates a secure connection to a server, possibly in another country, depending on your purpose. By doing this, a layer of encryption is added to anything you do online, as long as you are connected to the VPN. Whether you are communicating with someone or browsing material online, there is a potential for any wireless activity to be intercepted. Even if you are at a location that specifies they have secure wireless, do not trust those words. That creates a false sense of security.
Another good reason to use a VPN is to unblock access to geo-restricted content. Geo-blocking is a technology that identifies a user’s location based on IP address. This technology creates a blockade that will restrict content to a specific area. By selecting a server in a different country, you could get around these restrictions. Let’s use an example for this scenario. Suppose you lived in the USA, and you had an Amazon Prime subscription and/or a Netflix subscription. With a VPN, you could connect to a server in the UK and view their library, or visa-versa. Since both of these streaming services have different libraries in different regions, you could watch content from areas that are different from normal. The same could be said for any other region you wanted to connect to.
Another good use for a VPN deals directly with phone minutes. With Voice over IP (VoIP), you can make calls or send texts over the internet, even if you don’t have a data plan. Be aware if you plan on using a data plan instead of wi-fi, VoIP will use data quickly. It is better to use a Wi-Fi connection if at all possible. Also, some countries ban VoIP. You could get around that restriction by connecting to a server where it is not banned. As we mentioned, any time you are on a Wi-Fi connection you are vulnerable, so you would want to use a VPN to provide an extra layer of encryption.
Now that we have explained the concepts, let’s investigate companies. No matter which company you go with, they will have different protocols. All of the companies we have here offer secure encryption, but using a version of the OpenVPN protocol will always be your safest avenue of approach. If speed is of the essence, you would use OpenVPN (UDP). That is the best option for VoIP, Skype, online gaming, or even using streaming services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, or Pandora. If you have an unstable connection, we suggest switching to OpenVPN (TCP). Because TCP error checks the data, it is not as fast as UDP. If you are a high-speed wireless connection though, that should not matter so much. After covering that, we will go over the companies that are good for specific reasons.
If you want to unblock content or secure your data, we recommend IPVanish. They don’t keep any kind of logs and they offer a kill switch feature, so you will make sure you are protected when and if the connection drops. If you want to use streaming services, IPVanish again is the best choice. Because they offer an iOS client, you should have no problems using it on any iDevices. They also have the fastest network in North America and Europe, so you would only need to connect, and you could enjoy streaming blocked content from other countries.
That said, If you are only interested in unblocking geo-restricted content, your best option is to go with IPVanish or OverPlay. Both of these services offer internet traffic encryption, but OverPlay also includes SmartDNS with their VPN which may aid in unblocking channels without the slight speed loss. Of course, that depends if the SmartDNS unblocks the specific channel you wish to see. Because of the nature of Wi-Fi, we would suggest using the encrypted option. There is no need to sacrifice security for speed. Whereas speed could be a problem if you are streaming on a slow network, but as long as you don’t see any quality difference, any speed loss that may happen is recovered in security.
Of course, you could always look at our top 10 VPN services list if you want other choices, but we picked these specifically. In choosing the best overall options here, we used speed, security, price, and server availability as factors in our decisions. Also, we also picked the companies with large numbers of network servers you may wish to connect to for the best viewing, web browsing, or even making calls. For VPNs, you want to look for a dependable provider. They are the ones that will safeguard your privacy and have fast networks to give you the opportunity to stream high definition content from other countries.