Apple's iOS 8.1 Update Out of the Bin - Here's what to Expect
Published on 13 May 15
Selena0
The launch of Apple’s iOS 8 just a month ago had many iPhone users excitedly running around in circles, yet left a little to be desired, as some features were presumably being fine-tuned at the time.
Now that iOS 8.1 has been officially released, Apple finally brings in the goodies as promised with the original release. There is however, a catch: to capitalize on these features, OS X Yosemite must be installed. Also, you’re going to need an iPhone 5 or higher to take full advantage of the good stuff 8.1 offers.
Meet these requirements, and you have some enticing new features and functionality to look forward to. We’re certainly looking forward to these improvements, as are many iOS app developers.
No Wi-Fi? Eez No Problemo!
Dude, where’s my Wi-Fi connection? That’s pretty much a non-issue with Instant Hotspot.
Use your Mac to remotely access your iPhone’s personal hotspot by default, if the two are within close proximity. Your iPhone will appear as a network in your Mac’s Wi-Fi menu - you connect to it using a simple tap. View your phone’s battery and Wi-Fi signal strength in your Mac. Hotspot will automatically disconnect you the moment you stop browsing.
You need to confirm with your carrier though, if they run in tandem with the hotspot feature.Chat across Multiple Platforms
A continuity feature, SMS Relay allows you to send/receive SMS messages on any iOS 8.1 device or Mac (you must have OS X Yosmite running on it). Chat with anyone, anywhere irrespective of what Apple device anyone’s using.
I Pay, You Pay
This is an interesting one: you take a photo of your Credit Card and add it to Apple Pay. Your bank verifies it, the card’s added to Passbook and you can access it for purchasing, using either your iPhone 6 or 6 plus.
Once you’re ready to purchase, simply open your card Passbook, tap your phone at an NFC (near-field communications) payment terminal and you’re nearly there. The Touch ID sensor confirms your finger print, and that’s all there is to it.
Several retailers are already on the same boat as Apple Pay, including Nike and Bloomingdale’s. However, Apple is banking on Apple Pay usage to come mostly in the form of in-app purchases from titles such as AirBnB and Instacart; since iPhone 5s and newer iPads also have Touch ID, users can enjoy in-app Apple Pay purchases.Load the Cloud
Quite similar to the Photo app, the iCloud Photo Library is now available as a beta. The only exception is it runs from your browser via iCloud.com. In case you forgot to switch it on at the time iOS 8 was downloaded, you can always turn on access by pulling up device settings and going into “iCloud > Photosâ€. Since it’s a beta, you may want to back up all your photos before turning it on.
The iCloud Photo Library offers another advantage over Photo Stream - you get to store as many photos as you want, provided you don’t run out of space in iCloud. You do get the option to upgrade your storage space.
Apple’s updated iOS 8.1 brings several bug fixes, interface changes and speed improvements to the table as well. If you happen to be an iOS app developer, share your thoughts in the comments section.Related Posts:
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