The slick new features of Apple iOS 6 (pictures)

Boasting 200 fresh skills, a huge part of the improved iOS 6 will be updates to the Siri virtual assistant. The female-voiced search platform will now be able to function across multiple apps and online services, and book restaurant reservations or buy movie tickets intelligently.

As part of the Apple event, Scott Forstall, Apple's senior vice president of iOS software, asked Siri to get the latest score from the San Francisco 49ers.

Apple unveiled plans to have Siri get behind the wheel, too, with multiple automobile makers pledging support for the technology. Manufacturers include Toyota, GM, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, and Audi.

Siri's new skills don't stop at combing the Web, controlling apps, or performing Twitter updates. The assistant can now post to Facebook in iOS as well.

iOS 6 users will have more ways to expedite incoming calls with the "reply with message" feature. You can create outgoing voice mail messages that say "I probably can't pick up right now, so just e-mail me instead." A "Do Not Disturb" feature instructs your phone not to trouble you with calls but will still let texts and other alerts through.

More iOS 6 updates consist of integrated iCloud Tabs (pictured here), FaceTime chatting over a cellular connection, an offline reading list, smart app banners, and shared photo streams.

One significant iOS 6 feature is the Passbook app, which stores boarding passes, movie tickets, gift cards, bar codes, and QR codes all in one place.

The most anticipated change to iOS 6, a fully Apple-developed Map app for iOS 6, includes: info cards that give information about places, 3D features, a crowd-sourced traffic service, turn-by-turn navigation, and an estimated arrival time feature.

Taking a page from Google Earth, the Flyover feature of Apple's new Maps app lets you "fly over" beautifully rendered 3D representations of cities.

Want to experience iOS 6 for yourself? Apple expects it will roll out iOS 6 next week for iPhone users running the 3GS, and above plus the second- and third-generation iPad.

You'll now be able to select a group of photos and easily share them with friends and family. iOS and Mac users will be able to view them in Photos and iPhoto immediately, while non-iOS users will be able to see them in a Web browser.

Get all your tickets and gift cards on your iPhone so you can quickly browse and scan at the venue.

When you open an airplane ticket from Passbook, a QR code appears for a quick scan at the gate.

Select VIPs in Mail to make sure you get the important e-mails and also notifications from only the most important contacts.