Apple unveils iOS 8 with interactive notifications, QuickType keyboard, group text enhancements

Posted:
in iPhone edited June 2014
While taking the wraps off of iOS 8 on Monday, Apple showcased a broad array of new features for users, including interactive notifications, a faster and smarter text entry system dubbed "QuickType," and enhancements to Messages that will improve group texting.




One of the highlights of iOS 8 are new interactive notifications that allow users to reply to text messages or accept calendar invites without leaving the app they are currently in. These new interactive notifications can be invoked from their temporary banner that appears at the top, as well as on the lock screen.

The iOS keyboard has also been revamped with predictive typing suggestions, a feature Apple has dubbed "QuickType." It also intelligently interprets appropriate responses: In one example, a text message asked whether the user wants to do dinner or a movie, and suggestions were either "Dinner" or "Movie."

These new suggestions learn a user's language and words they prefer, but Apple also emphasized privacy, saying that the information will never leave the device.




Continuity features on iOS and Mac also allow users to easily share content, receive standard text messages on other devices like an iPad or Mac, and even remotely enable Personal Hotspot.

Messages has also been improved with the abilities to name threads, add and remove users, and even enable "Do Not Disturb" for a specific thread.

Recent contacts and favorites are also shown in the multitasking view, allowing users to quickly place phone calls, send messages or start a FaceTime call. Safari on iPad will also also gain a new tab view that is similar to the iPhone view.




When composing mail, users can now swipe down to access other mail without closing the message being written. Mail also adds the ability to quickly delete messages or flag them, while smart integration with Calendar allows events to be easily added.

Spotlight searches have also been expanded, now allowing users to find news, songs, movies and other content that may not be saved on the iPhone.

iOS 8 also adds support for iCloud Drive, allowing users to easily open documents from other compatible applications. Edits are saved back to their original location, so there aren't different versions or copies. iCloud Drive syncs to iPhone, iPad, Mac and Windows.

Additionally, Apple introduced a new Family Sharing program for content purchased from the iTunes Store. Up to six family members --?who all share the same credit card -- can access each other's purchased content automatically from any device.

In a nod to regulators, Family Sharing also includes a new parental control feature that will notify parents when their child wants to make a purchase through the App Store. The parent can then accept or reject the purchase.

Also coming along for the ride are a number of new editing options in the camera, including an extended automatic "fixing" mode. In one demonstration, Federighi brought up a simple levels tool that allowed him to scrub over a live preview to find an aesthetically pleasing setting while iOS adjusted a number of variables in the background to achieve the desired effect.

Siri received an update as well, with a new "Hey, Siri" function that allows users to activate Siri with their voice while driving. Additionally, the personal digital assistant now supports song recognition via a new partnership with Shazam.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 57
    19831983 Posts: 1,225member
    Definitely like the improvements in iOS 8, not so much Yosemite.
  • Reply 2 of 57
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member

    Remove myself or DND a group message?  The best news ever.  Other than that, meh- just more minor improvements to the best mobile OS by a mile.

  • Reply 3 of 57
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member

    Quicktype, finally Swiftkey style. Love it. It's all about continuity...Ecosystem. yup.

  • Reply 4 of 57
    nexusphannexusphan Posts: 260member
    Were all of these features really missing from iOS? These are all old Android features from years past. Pretty embarrassing.
    Good to see Apple is still innovating /s
  • Reply 5 of 57
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NexusPhan View Post



    These are all old Android features from years past.

    Which Android version are you talking about- the measly 9% on Kitkat? <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" /> 

  • Reply 6 of 57
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by NexusPhan View Post

    These are all old Android features from years past. 

     

    Thing is, does Android even have a one of them? <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />

  • Reply 7 of 57
    bullheadbullhead Posts: 493member

    is that the new iphone?

  • Reply 8 of 57
    joelsaltjoelsalt Posts: 827member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NexusPhan View Post



    Were all of these features really missing from iOS? These are all old Android features from years past. Pretty embarrassing.

    Good to see Apple is still innovating /s

    By this logic no one else could have ever created a touch screen phone because "these are old features"

  • Reply 9 of 57
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by bullhead View Post

    is that the new iphone?

     

    Of course not.

  • Reply 10 of 57

    It actually took longer than I thought for the pimple-witted trolls to wake up in their parents' basements.

  • Reply 11 of 57
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    SUBCATEGORIES OF

     SUBCATEGORIES OF

     SUBCATEGORIES OF 

    SUBCATEGORIES

     

    YEEESSSSS YESSSSSSSS YEEEEEEEEEES

     

    I’m actually going to use the App Stores now!

  • Reply 12 of 57
    lorin schultzlorin schultz Posts: 2,771member

    Did I understand correctly that I'll be able to send and receive standard SMS text messages from my Mac? If so, WOOHOO! I hate typing on the tiny little iPhone keyboard when I have a Mac sitting right next to me! That's one of the features I've always really liked about OS X Messages and wished I could use with contacts who don't have Apple devices.

  • Reply 13 of 57
    nexusphannexusphan Posts: 260member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

     

    Thing is, does Android even have a one of them? <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />


     

    Google Predictive Text Keyboard is available to all Android users on 2.3 and later. Introduced in 2012.

    Android Expandable Notifications were introduced with Android 4.1. Also in 2012.

    "Okay, Google" is about a year old and available to all Google Now users (4.1 and up)

    iCloud drive is clearly an attempt to duplicate Google Drive from the very beginning of Android.

     

    Did the App store really not have subcategories???? It's 2014 that must be a joke.

     

    FYI Android 4.1 or above is on 71% of Android devices, which is somewhat substantial. I don't know anyone earlier than 4.2

  • Reply 14 of 57
    Thing is, does Android even have a one of them? :lol:
    Android has had the predictive text for the past two years baked in. Swift key I think is going on five years. Interactive notifications are two years old on android. Placing the location has been baked into the hangouts since hangouts was added into the messaging last year. Many of the other features are original apple ones however.
  • Reply 15 of 57
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Did I understand correctly that I'll be able to send and receive standard SMS text messages from my Mac? If so, WOOHOO! I hate typing on the tiny little iPhone keyboard when I have a Mac sitting right next to me! That's one of the features I've always really liked about OS X Messages and wished I could use with contacts who don't have Apple devices.

    SMS will not be sent or received from your Mac. That requires a device with a cellular connection as that communication happens over your mobile provider's carrier signal. What it looks to do is have the iPhone aware that an SMS has arrived, then forward it to iMessage (over IP) that will have some sort of tagging so your other devices know this originally came via SMS so the conversation and transmission can remain intact.
  • Reply 16 of 57
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by NexusPhan View Post

    Google Predictive Text Keyboard is available to all Android users on 2.3 and later. Introduced in 2012.


     

    Yeah, but it’s nothing like this.

     

    iCloud drive is clearly an attempt to duplicate Google Drive from the very beginning of Android.


     

    Which was a pathetic attempt at copying the storage from .Mac.

  • Reply 17 of 57
    chipsychipsy Posts: 287member
    All nice additions but nothing really new. All of these are already available on other platforms.
  • Reply 18 of 57
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Where is the guy claiming WWDC was going to be underwhelming? 

     

    Holy Cow! That was f**king incredible!

  • Reply 19 of 57

    Android's had the predictive text thing since version 2.3, which was years ago. But Apple took this one farther by stealing it directly from SwiftKey, circa 2008.

     

  • Reply 20 of 57
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by Chipsy View Post

    All nice additions but nothing really new. All of these are already available on other platforms.

     

    Here comes the FUD, doodle doo doo… 

    Here comes the FUD, and I say…

    Get out now.

     

    *guitar riff*

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