Apple’s iOS 8 upgrades apps and adds health-related features

Apple%E2%80%99s+iOS+8+upgrades+apps+and+adds+health-related+features

Shay Lari-Hosain-Winged Post

iOS 8, Apple’s newest operating system, scheduled to release in September, enhances several features of iOS 7 and introduces a new application called HealthKit.

Major improvements were made to the Messages app, which “is the most frequently used app on iOS” according to Apple senior vice president Craig Federighi. In group messages, users can name their conservations and share their locations with other members. They can also add and remove people, including themselves, and enable a “Do Not Disturb” function that blocks notifications from a noisy thread. Messages allows users to send photos or videos with a one

swipe gesture, and all of these attachments can now be seen at a glance.

Apple also created interactive notifications, which means that users can answer a text message, a calendar event, and even a third party app without having to leave their current application. In addition, double clicking the home button gives the user access to people who are favorited or who have been recently called, making it easy to quickly call someone.

Along with all of these improvements, Apple created HealthKit, an application that creates a wellness plan containing the user’s health information, like blood pressure, weight, and physical activities performed.

Additionally, the Photos app includes a new SmartEditing feature on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, giving users more detailed editing tools. Every photo taken appears on all devices that share the same Apple ID. Through family sharing, a feature that allows up to six devices to share purchases, family members can download apps, songs, or books bought on different devices.

QuickType, another improvement, upgrades the current keyboard and Autocorrect feature by providing users with word suggestions based on their typing style and intended audience. This is not only made possible in English, but also in 13 other languages.

More information and pictures of iOS8 can be found on Apple’s website. 

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on August 29, 2014.