Apple just released iOS 8 yesterday for download, and it promises quite a number of improvements to early versions of the OS. The update opens up the OS even more, and makes it much more intuitive and generally optimized for “continuity”. Perhaps one of the most notable additions to the OS is the Health app that exists under the HealthKit framework. There is a lot more, including Siri’s hands-free activation capabilities. There is better interaction that enables a user to interact with notifications without necessarily having to leave the app that they are currently on.
Additionally, the photos app has increased the editing options for more advanced capabilities. With the improved camera on the iPhone 6, there are even more customizations available, and one can play around with the settings to enable the best photo results. Some of the other apps and iOS features to receive major changes include Messages, Notification Centre, iCloud, Siri, and a host of other small changes and tweaks. In fact, Messaging now has the ability to enable the sending of certain messages that self-destruct after some set time. Not to mention the advantages of QuickType.
There is also HomeKit that is aimed at managing smart devices more effectively within a smart home. But the best is yet to come with the looming release of OS X Yosemite. Through this, there will be a seamless integration between all iDevices. As such, calls, texts, emails and a host of most activities will be easily accomplished on any of the devices, and their connectivity is expected to be remarkable.
Well, these are pretty good steps in Apple’s lane, and most iOS users are more than glad to download the latest iteration of iOS. However, for those who might not have, here are some points to take note of, to enable an uninterrupted installation.
- Ensure your device is plugged into a power source, just in case.
- The update is around 1.1GB at its max, so ensure you are connected to a pretty strong Wi-Fi network, or you have a solid data plan.
- For some reason, you will need to have up to 5.8GB of space on your iPhone/iPad. Ensure you have created such space before starting.
- You can overcome the above hurdle by downloading through iTunes, but this calls for a computer with the latest version of iTunes installed (v11.4).
