iOS 8 will bring third-party keyboards, Notification Center widgets, Safari extensions

Posted:
in iPhone edited March 2015
When iOS 8 launches on iPhone and iPad later this year, users will be able to install their own third-party keyboards, custom widgets for Notification Center, and new extensions that will enhance functionality in Safari.




In a demonstration at Monday's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, Apple software chief Craig Federighi showed off Notification Center on both iPhone and iPad. One widget showed current sports scores via ESPN SportsCenter, and another one allowed users to track and update bids on eBay through the auction site's app.

In another example, Federighi accessed a Bing translation extension included in the Safari browser on iPad. This allowed him to quickly translate a page to English using Microsoft's search engine.




Another extension for Pinterest was shown, allowing Federighi to quickly post items he found to his Pinterest account. The extension automatically pulled pictures from the website and allowed him to select the one he wanted.

Finally, Federighi revealed to great applause that iOS will now support third-party keyboards. Users will be able to install their own keyboards of their choosing.

Apple will also introduce its own enhanced keyboard, dubbed "QuickType," in iOS 8, which will predict what a user may want to type based on their past usage.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 196
    ezhikezhik Posts: 101member

    So basically they ripped off a whole lot of Android features.

  • Reply 2 of 196
    nexusphannexusphan Posts: 260member
    Good to see Apple listening to it's critics!
    Anyone else think that Notification center seems waaay too busy now? I feel like they should have gone about this differently.
  • Reply 3 of 196
    nexusphannexusphan Posts: 260member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ezhik View Post

     

    So basically they ripped off a whole lot of Android features.


     

    Now we all know why Apple decided to drop the suit with Google!

  • Reply 4 of 196
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ezhik View Post

     

    So basically they ripped off a whole lot of Android features.


    Except that most Android users probably can't use those features with their ancient firmware revisions. Carry on.

  • Reply 5 of 196
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    I hope they have worked out the security issues that plague 3rd-party system-wide keyboards. Android definitely hasn't.
  • Reply 6 of 196
    ezhikezhik Posts: 101member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Napoleon_PhoneApart View Post

     

    Except that most Android users probably can't use those features with their ancient firmware revisions. Carry on.


    ALL of these were available on Android since at least 2010.

  • Reply 7 of 196
    cosmodcosmod Posts: 1member

    Cupertino, Start Your Copiers!

     

    It only took 7 years for them to add features Android had since 1.0: App-defined System wide sandboxed services and inter-app actions. 

     

    List of copied features:

     

    o Services and Intents from Android

    o Third Party Widgets

    o Notifications that you can interact with

    o Predictive keyboard

    o Google Drive clone

    o Third Party keyboards

    o Siri identifies Songs (Google Now Identifies Songs, TV your watching, even Faces within video your watching)

  • Reply 8 of 196
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ezhik View Post

     

    ALL of these were available on Android since at least 2010.




    It's still Android. I test a new Android flagship every year. They're pretty nice, but the apps and software always disappoint me. My opinion, but we're all entitled to that, right?

  • Reply 9 of 196
    pendergastpendergast Posts: 1,358member
    ezhik wrote: »
    So basically they ripped off a whole lot of Android features.

    Because these features were exclusive to Android.

    Apple is carefully removing the majority of anti-talking points like "no file system!!!" and "I can't use my elite keyboard!"
  • Reply 10 of 196
    nexusphannexusphan Posts: 260member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    I hope they have worked out the security issues that plague 3rd-party system-wide keyboards. Android definitely hasn't.

     

    You really gotta stop drinking that Apple Kool-aid.

     

    http://qz.com/131436/contrary-to-what-youve-heard-android-is-almost-impenetrable-to-malware/

  • Reply 11 of 196
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Pendergast View Post





    Because these features were exclusive to Android.



    Apple is carefully removing the majority of anti-talking points like "no file system!!!" and "I can't use my elite keyboard!"



    I smell inadequacy and fear. <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />

  • Reply 11 of 196
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by NexusPhan View Post

    Now we all know why Apple decided to drop the suit with Google!




    Originally Posted by Ezhik View Post

    So basically they ripped off a whole lot of Android features.

     

    So basically neither of you have a clue what you’re talking about.

     

    Originally Posted by NexusPhan View Post


     

    Sorry, no, blatant lie.

  • Reply 13 of 196
    os2babaos2baba Posts: 262member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    I hope they have worked out the security issues that plague 3rd-party system-wide keyboards. Android definitely hasn't.

     

    Say what?

  • Reply 14 of 196
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    nexusphan wrote: »



    BTW, drinking the Kool-Aid would mean I don't think Apple could possibly have any security issues yet I clearly showed concern that allowing a 3rd-party to have access to all your keystrokes on a system is an issue. I use 1Password on my iPhone and DO NOT want any 3rd-party keyboard app being able to tell what I'm typing in to unlock my 1P database. Perhaps you should start looking at these issues as a rational and objective viewer, and not take a stance as an anti-Apple, pro-Android troll.
  • Reply 15 of 196
    ezhikezhik Posts: 101member
    Quote:



    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

     

    So basically neither of you have a clue what you’re talking about.

     

     

    Sorry, no, blatant lie.


    And then there's this guy.

  • Reply 16 of 196
    ezhikezhik Posts: 101member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Pendergast View Post



    Because these features were exclusive to Android.



    Apple is carefully removing the majority of anti-talking points like "no file system!!!" and "I can't use my elite keyboard!"

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Napoleon_PhoneApart View Post

     



    It's still Android. I test a new Android flagship every year. They're pretty nice, but the apps and software always disappoint me. My opinion, but we're all entitled to that, right?


    My point still stands; these features were on Android first. Considering how passionate Apple fans are about ripping off, I thought I'd point out the irony.

  • Reply 17 of 196
    os2babaos2baba Posts: 262member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Pendergast View Post





    Because these features were exclusive to Android.



    Apple is carefully removing the majority of anti-talking points like "no file system!!!" and "I can't use my elite keyboard!"

     

    Is the file system now exposed to apps?  I missed that.  And you still can't use a 3rd party keyboard.  The iOS8 keyboard is essentially the Google Keyboard (sans swiping), not the ability to replace it with a better keyboard (Swiftkey, KeePass Keyboard with userId/Password of selected entry, Swype, Minuum etc.)

  • Reply 18 of 196
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ezhik View Post

     

    So basically they ripped off a whole lot of Android features.


     

    Browser extensions were around long before Android.  Widgets have been around a while in OS X.  3rd-party keyboards is the only one where you're right (though the point is a bit ironic given that Android is a ripoff of iOS).

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NexusPhan View Post

     

    android-is-almost-impenetrable-to-malware


     

    Other than via attack vectors :)

  • Reply 19 of 196
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    ezhik wrote: »
    My point still stands; these features were on Android first. Considering how passionate Apple fans are about ripping off, I thought I'd point out the irony.

    As it's been noted ad nauseam pretty much everything in some general form comes to all other HW, SW and services before it Apple releases it. Apple, however, perfects it to a point that the UX is excellent before it releases it. This is why Apple wasn't the first with a fingerprint scanner or the first with cut/copy/paste or the first with a plethora of other poorly integrated fathers that only appeal to douchebags that like to masturbate to spec sheets.
  • Reply 20 of 196
    os2babaos2baba Posts: 262member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

     


    BTW, drinking the Kool-Aid would mean I don't think Apple could possibly have any security issues yet I clearly showed concern that allowing a 3rd-party to have access to all your keystrokes on a system is an issue. I use 1Password on my iPhone and DO NOT want any 3rd-party keyboard app being able to tell what I'm typing in to unlock my 1P database. Perhaps you should start looking at these issues as a rational and objective viewer, and not take a stance as an anti-Apple, pro-Android troll.

     

    I see.  Yes.  It's a valid concern.  But you will be unlikely to use a 3rd party keyboard from some shady source.  Also, if you are still concerned, you can always switch over to the default keyboard for the few sensitive apps when you want.  It takes a second to do that.

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