With Apple rolling out its new iOS 8 this past week at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco, already the buzz has been around some of the new features that the operating system for iPhone and iPad will bring to the table. Here are some of the five best features that all those interested in iOS should know about.
The company has praised its latest iOS as saying it is the most important since iOS was released on the App Store in 2008. Many experts believe this might be jumping the gun, but already there is budding interest in the OS as tech gurus clamor for information.
Being pushed by Apple as its most innovative concept with the new iOS is its HealthKit, where users are able to better monitor their health status, including heart rate, fitness levels and even get in touch with doctors and medical researchers at The Mayo Clinic to answer any and all questions users may have.
This comes after Andy Cue, senior VP of Internet software and services at Apple, said, "Later this year, we've got the best product pipeline that I've seen in my 25 years at Apple."
Another of those new features announced at WWDC is the smart keyboard, which many have said is similar to Android phones, whereby users can keep their hand on the keyboard and move from letter to letter across their screen in order to spell out words. This avoids being forced to tap each letter individually. Now, it appears Apple is going to follow suit, employing apps like Swiftkey and Swype to help make this happen. Many view this as an attempt to close the gap with Android as it continues to win out in the marketplace.
Likewise, messaging also is going get easier for iPhone users as the company is looking to compete with companies like WhatsApp and Snapchat, where users are to be able to create voice and video segments that allow them to be posted with text and images. It should also make sharing and establishing talking times with friends and family based on location much simpler. In many ways, the new messaging app will bring Apple on par with other devices currently on the market.
At the end of the day, the new iOS 8 builds on Apple's predecessors, but it also helps to maintain the company as a leader in the tablet and smartphone sector, even as they have fallen behind Samsung as the global leader in smartphone sales.
