Apple's newest mobile operating system iOS7 was released last week and since then has seen more than 200 million downloads, according to the company. Other statistics show the new software on more than half of Apple's tablets and phones.

(For more information on iOS7 in education, read our feature about the advantages iOS7 brings to iPads.)

The high adoption rate for iOS7 encourages developers to make their apps fully compatible not only with its new look and feel, but also with the under-the-hood changes that can take advantage of new sharing features and processing power. Those improvements may be rolling out gradually as developers explore the new operating system and feel out their competitors. 

For now, here are six education apps that are ahead of the pack and designed with iOS7 in mind:

THE HUMAN BODY
Price: Free this week 

This app lets children 4 and over explore a working model of the body. Every part is animated and interactive: the heart beats, guts gurgle and the lungs breathe. iOS7 had already been released to developers by the time this app was on sale, so it's been designed for iOS7 from the ground up.

TED 
Price: Free

This app promising "riveting talks by remarkable people" has a streamlined interface designed to improve usability and match the iOS7 design concept. (You can read an interview with the developer and see a comparison of the current and previous versions above.) Possibilities on tap for the next version include taking advantage of iOS7's new AirDrop feature, which allows users to quickly and wirelessly share files and links between their devices.

NIGHT SKY 2 
Price: $0.99

With the latest version, this astronomy app adds iOS7 support, as well as support for 64-bit chip architecture. What does this mean to the user? Eventually, the new 64-bit chip that powers the iPhone 5S will make its way to a new line of iPads, and this app will already be ready to take advantage of the chip's number-crunching power and memory handling capability. 

BRAINPOP FEATURED MOVIE 
Price: Free

The newest version of this app that lets kids watch an animated educational movie and take a quiz afterward has seen its design updated for iOS 7. It also takes advantage of iOS7's text sizing options to allow users to change the size of text in some areas. Finally, to comply with Apple's new app guidelines, external links are blocked without a parental OK.  

KHAN ACADEMY
Price: Free

This app offers a library of more than 4,200 videos to allow users to learn just about anything, including K-12 math and science topics such as biology, chemistry and physics. The whole app got a fresh coat of paint for iOS7, with more features promised soon.

EVERNOTE
Price: Free

The sixth app is for those looking to organize themselves behind the scenes: Evernote got a big iOS7 update. Along with a completely redesigned and streamlined interface, the note-taking, filing and archiving app lets users share notes with the new Airdrop feature.

Would you like to see more education news like this in your inbox on a daily basis? Subscribe to our Education Dive email newsletter! You may also want to read Education Dive's look at 5 iPad upgrades iOS7 brings to education.