A great deal of internet buzz as of late has been about the iPhone 5, specifically how it stacks up against its predecessor and rival smartphones. But it’s time to give some love (or is it?) to the operating system that’s making Apple’s record-selling gadget run smoothly: the iOS 6. We’ve let you know what to expect from Apple’s new OS and we’ve given you hints on how to download it seamlessly to your device. But now, we want to share some reviews on how iOS 6 actually is.

Here are the iOS 6 reviews worth taking a look at.

Maps

TheNextWeb: “Apple chose to go for broke in iOS 6 by removing Google Maps and choosing to build its own solution from the ‘ground up’. Maps is one of the most used items on any smartphone outside of the browser, and Apple wants that data to be its own, not a competitors. Google has put forth an immense amount of effort to get Google Maps where it is now, and it would be surprising to see Apple come in and do as good a job without those resources. But stranger things have happened.”

TechCrunch: “This is pretty much a known weakness of iOS 6 at this point, but it’s going to affect those who depend on public transit most of all. Walking and driving directions are actually still pretty solid in Apple’s Maps offering, and turn-by-turn navigation works well, albeit at a heavy cost to battery (generally standalone GPS units spend most of their lives plugged in, so this isn’t a huge deal). There are reportedly third-party apps on the way to shore up the gap in public transit, and Yelp points-of-interest are useful, but for users coming from Google Maps (lack of street view hurts as much as anything else) either on iOS, or worse, on Android devices, it’s going to be a step back.”

Ars Technia: “I have confidence that some third-party developers will deliver on the transit end—at least here in Chicago, where I know some of them personally. But this may not be the case in every city, and not every app may be good or usable. One thing’s for sure: the experience between cities won’t be consistent. This is why I’m concerned about the usability of Maps in the long term; I think Apple risked alienating a huge chunk of the world’s iOS-using population by going this route, but I keep my fingers crossed that it will work out in the end—or that Google will release its own Maps app for iOS, one that works more smoothly than its mobile site.”

Siri

MacWorld: “Siri was the marquee feature of the iPhone 4S, and while the voice-activated virtual assistant technically remains in beta, in iOS 6 it debuts on the latest-generation iPad; later this fall, it’ll come to the fifth-generation iPod touch. In addition to all its old tricks, Siri picks up a few new capabilities in iOS 6.I’m heartened by the fact that Apple hasn’t ditched Siri by the roadside, despite the grief the feature has taken in some places. This is one of those technologies that has the potential to redefine how we interact with our electronic devices, but it’s not going to spring forth fully formed, like Athena from Zeus’s forehead; it’s a slow, gradual process that won’t seem revolutionary until we look back at how far we’ve come.”

Engadget: “Fortunately, Siri comes to the rescue here by lending her soothing half-human, half-robot vocal cords to a good cause. (Keep in mind that only Siri-enabled devices will have access to this feature, so iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 users will still need to rely on third-party apps for voice navigation). While we primarily used Siri on an iPhone 4S, iOS 6 is bringing the virtual assistant to the new iPad(2012 version) as well. This brings the grand total of iOS devices capable of using Siri to four: the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod Touch (5th generation) and the new iPad.”

ABC News: “Siri has become a bit smarter over the last year. She now knows more about sports and movies. In a the busy newsroom, Siri was able to tell me about the latest Yankees win and also where “Bachelorette” was playing. On a busy street, she was able to tell me the same. Still, there were some instances when Siri didn’t understand what I was asking in perfectly quiet environments and would butcher a word or two. Some people seem to depend on Siri for tasks such as setting their alarm at night and searching the web, while others simply don’t utilize the feature much after the novelty has worn off. I assume that will still be the case with iOS 6.”

Passbook

TheNextWeb: “The Passbook file format allows for changes to be made by a server and pushed out to your ticket, which is slick. If a change is made to a flight time or gate, for instance, you get a push notification alerting you that your pass has changed. And as the time or location that the pass will be used approaches, it will appear on your lock screen, if the option is enabled on the back of the pass.Toggling through a bunch of passes feels slick and pleasurable. A couple of gift cards, a movie ticket, more, it’s very nicely done. Frankly, I can’t wait until every business I frequent starts to use these.”

MacWorld: “I’d love to tell you that Passbook is another one of those revolutionary technologies I just mentioned—heck, I’d love to tell you anything about Passbook. But unfortunately, as I write this the app remains an enigma. I’ve been unable to locate an app or business that is actively taking advantage of the app, so all I know is what Apple’s told us: The goal of Passbook is to collect all those disparate cards and tickets you carry around into a single, central location.”

TechCrunch: “If there’s a feature in iOS 6 that wins the award for most promising rookie, it’s Passbook. The virtual wallet app holds tickets, coupons, gift cards and more, and can pop up on your notification screen when you’re in the right place at the right time to use one. That’s a potentially powerful tool for marketers, retailers and brands of all stripes, and the interest from third-party companies either looking to help users create them (Passk.it, PassRocket and PassTools to name a few), or brands looking to take advantage (Eventbrite,Virgin, Starbucks, Amtrak, many more) suggests it’ll be everywhere pretty quickly. The only reason it qualifies as good and not the best is because we’ve yet to be able to test it in real world situations, which is the only place that counts.”

App Store

BGR: “Whereas the old App Store displayed apps in an infinite list, the new App Store uses a card-like system that displays apps horizontally. I don’t mind eye-candy, but when it’s at the sake of function, I’ll pass. To say it’ll take you forever to scroll horizontally through a search of hundreds of apps is not an understatement. I prefer the old vertical list view more. What I do like in the new App Store is that it doesn’t boot you back to the home screen when installing or updating apps and doesn’t constantly nag you to provide a password to download updates to apps or apps that have been previously installed. Instead, the new App Store shows you a single unified page with progress bars for app that is installing.”

Engadget: “Hitting the “download” button on an app won’t kick you out to the Springboard anymore. Instead, you’ll stay on the same app page and can view your download status directly from there, or you can immediately go back to searching for more apps to buy. If you’re installing an application that you’ve purchased or downloaded previously, you will no longer be prompted to enter your password. On a final note, all recently downloaded apps get placed on the Springboard with a fresh “new” ribbon across the icon’s upper-right corner. The label remains until the first time you launch it.”

Do Not Disturb

Ars Technia: “Your reasons for using Do Not Disturb may differ—maybe you are a light sleeper yourself, or maybe you just need to limit work-related or other distractions. For those who rely on iOS’s notifications to keep abreast of appointments, to-dos, important e-mails, or even just Ticket to Ride Pocketchallenges—but still occasionally need to sleep, spend time with family, or just take a technology break—Do Not Disturb is for you.”

MacWorld: “It’s not specifically a phone-related feature, but iOS 6’s new Do Not Disturb feature can help prevent you from getting bothered by unwanted phone calls while you’re catching some shut-eye. The feature, which can be activated at the top level of Settings, lets you temporarily mute all notifications, including phone calls. When active, alerts will not sound and your screen won’t even light up.”

ABC News: “It’s not a front and center feature, but one of the coolest additions is listed in the Settings menu. The Do Not Disturb feature lets you silence all your notifications yet still allows calls or texts from some of your favorite contacts. You can even schedule when it turns on — say, from the time you regularly go to bed to the time you wake up. In case of an emergency, you can enable a setting that will send the call through if it is the second call from the same person within three minutes. Also new is the ability to reply to an incoming call with a text message.”

Overall

TechRadar: “We could say the same about iOS 6 as we did about iOS 5: it “has been trailed for so long that the element of surprise went ages ago, but there’s enough here to make your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch feel shiny and new all over again.” iOS 6 is rather like the iPhone 5 or Mountain Lion; the refinement of something that already works extremely well.”

TechCrunch: “Overall, iOS 6 is a big step forward, but that’s hardly surprising given Apple’s track record. As always, there will be those who say it doesn’t push the envelope enough, and Maps has already ruffled quite a few feathers. But that Maps has raised such an outcry is perfect example of why Apple’s generally doing things right with iOS updates: it stick out like a sore thumb, and in truth, it’s not a big enough step backward to do anything beyond mildly inconvenience a few folks. Plus, it’s inevitable that Google will offer up its own standalone Maps app to address that single deficiency. So, in other words, what are you waiting for? Go get that update.”

TheNextWeb: “Overall, iOS 6 is very good, with some nice touches throughout that ease pain points and refine the experience. And Passbook has the potential to be wonderfully useful. But the question marks of Maps and the App Store are big ones, integral to the ability to recommend iOS as the best platform for a smartphone purchase down the line. These are challenges that Apple will hopefully meet, but we’ll see.”