iOS 15, which will be released this fall, includes some of the most geeky iPhone features I've seen from Apple in a long time. Want to select a text or phone number from a photo? You can do that; how about using SharePlay to virtually watch a show with a friend over FaceTime? Yes, you can. You can even use your cell phone as a state ID card.

The problem is that I doubt I would use such a feature often.

As evidenced by the WWDC 2021 keynote, Apple is clearly trying to eclipse Google Lens with the live text feature, and frankly, the people I want to watch TV with are already at home. And while it may be tempting to board at the TSA with only the iPhone glowing, I don't think I would trust the iPhone to carry such personal information, even with Apple's privacy assurances.

However, there are a few new features in iOS 15 that I am really looking forward to.

The new Notification Summary collects and delivers notifications in the morning and at night, so you won't be overwhelmed by a barrage of ignored alerts. Also, Apple's intelligence will help prioritize what needs attention first based on past interactions with your apps.

It also helps that the notification icons have been enlarged to make it easier to identify which ones are worth your time and which ones you should skip.

Another feature I'd like to try is "Focus," which helps minimize distractions when I'm at work or should be with my family; Focus suggests people and apps to allow notifications based on the scenario I choose, such as "private" or "work." Even better, you can change your home screen so that you don't want to check your work email after work hours.

The third feature I really want to try is the improved Apple Maps. There is a new 3D city driving experience, with added road details. These include turn lanes, medians, crosswalks, etc. But I am very excited about two new features in particular.

The first is that Apple Maps now renders overlapping highways in 3D, so you no longer have to wonder where to turn or what road is what. And the second has to do with augmented reality. When you get off the subway, or out of a cab, or in an unfamiliar city, you can hold up your iPhone and get walking directions wherever you are.

Sure, people around you will yell "tourist" when you hold up your phone like this, but my hope is that AR directions will soon take effect.

More misleadingly, iOS 15 looks like a meaty upgrade. But I've seen enough WWDC keynotes to know what sounds cool and what seems practical for everyday use. And for me, the real standouts are the more intuitive notifications, Focus, and the much-improved Maps app.