WWDC 2014 – iOS 8 Which Revolution!
The opening Keynote WWDC 2014 ended a few hours and for what concerns the iOS we can say that you are dealt a revolution is for applications for a way to develop: the GUI is the same as iOS 7 , but the functions are very many more.
Think about the fact that the SDK (Software Development Kit) iOS 8 has been enhanced with 4000 new APIs. But let’s start from the functions mentioned by Craig Federighi.
Notification Center.
Now the notification center has many more features, including support for widgets for third-party app, similar to what is available on OS X Yosemite. In addition disappears useless tab ” Lost ” and you gain the ability to have actions on notifications, such as a rapid response to a message.
Calls and SMS.
As we have already discussed in the previous post, with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, Mac and iDevice are now linked. In this context, Apple announced two new features that allow respectively to answer calls on Mac and iPad using the network of the iPhone and sync on all devices even the normal SMS.
Instant Hotspot.
This is also a function inserted by Craig Federighi inside the package ” continuity ” of iOS 8 and Mac OS X. With Instant Mac Hotspot or iPad instantly recognize the iPhone nearby and connect to the cellular network automatically activating the hotspot (also showing the receipt in the connections menu).
Continuity.
The package provides continuity, in addition to the above functions, in general synchronization between devices, allowing for example, to start a text document on the Mac and then scroll up the unlock screen on iPad to continue to write while in lap. Or start writing an email on iPhone to then continue it on the Mac.
iCloud Drive.
Always reflect the continuity also fits iCloud Drive, Yosemite shared solution with OS X and even Windows to save virtually any type of data and make it available to various applications. It starts as 5 GB free storage, then climb up to 1TB with paid plans from affordable (something like $ 4 per month for 200 GB).
Messages and QuickType.
The Messages app has been greatly improved with the addition of features such as tap-to-talk (which would seem to be more useful than the same function in Whatsapp since we can decide whether to delete or send the message with a simple swipe); QuickType, for the prediction of the text that is much more interesting than the Android counterpart, as it analyzes all of our movements on the devices to predict what we might write after depending on the context in which we are (for example, if I’m talking football with a friend of mine on iMessage and I have an event that relates to a game of football, I suggest the keyboard data related to this event); group messages, with the ability to mute notifications and share your location in real time; installation support for alternative keyboards.
Family Sharing.
A new interesting feature is definitely the sharing of purchases, images and iCloud data between members of the same family: especially important for parents who will now be able to control unwanted purchases of their children, that if you try to buy an app will have to wait for approval by the father or the mother.
App Store.
Even the App Store deserves a paragraph important, because from now on will be offered the opportunity to sell the app bundle, we could also look at the video in the description of an app, we will have sections Explore, and Trending On App Store tries the app more useful to us. In addition, we download apps of which we are beta testers directly through the App Store.
Other functions.
There are many others really what is new in iOS 8, for example, the function that allows us to call Siri without pressing the home button, but simply saying ” Hey, Siri ” and the recognition of the songs with Shazam through it. Worthy of mention also the smart editing images in the app that adds an extra touch to the change with many of the functions previously reserved to iPhoto. Of note also the extension of the Touch ID in all apps and the strengthening of Spotlight to search in the App Store, on Wikipedia, in the maps and other services.
Extensibility and Metal.
A small section (but that will be discussed at length in the future). We must also dedicate it to Extensibility, which now enables developers to bring apps to the next level, through the exchange of data between the one and the other in native mode, but without affecting the ” heart ” of iOS, will manage the whole kernel. Metal will instead be important for manufacturers of video games, as it offers the maximum CPU and GPU optimization present in the System-on-Chip Apple, especially the A7 at 64 bits. Metal To add another kit from OS X as SceneKit and SpriteKit.
There are many features found and discussed, many others are those who for reasons of space have not been mentioned. All that remains is to wait and try this new operating system from Apple that will arrive in the fall and is already available in beta today for developers.
