8 Things To Expect in iOS 8

It is expected that Apple will be previewing iOS 8 at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. Traditionally the company releases an update to its mobile operating system every year at this very conference so I think it’s very likely that we will be introduced to any new functionality and features.  However with the expected arrival of a new iPhone that is rumored to have a new design, it could be that Apple decides to just release an OS with just minor updates. Whatever the case, let’s look at eight things iOS 8 is rumored to have.

Healthbook App

Thanks to a leaked screenshot of the Healthbook app, iOS 8 is expected to come with this new feature that doesn’t look too dissimilar in design to the Passbook app. It has been speculated that the data will come from the much anticipated iWatch, which could be like the other high-end fitness trackers that are already on the market. It is thought that the app will store a person’s personal medical information, as well as track your sleep, steps and hydration. To make sure that Healthbook is not just limited to iWatch users, it could be that the M7 co-processor from the iPhone 5S plays a roll in supplying the data too.

Improved Maps

Although a lot of major issues with mapping were solved with the release of iOS 7, Apple has continued to struggle to compete with Google Maps, so it is expected that we will see further improvements in iOS 8, with better directions, an addition of transit directions and indoor mapping, which will provide directions for places like museums and hotels.

iCloud Integration

In order to encourage more people to use iCloud for storage and viewing, iOS 8 is expected to come with its own versions of TextEdit and Preview, which are note taking and photo viewing applications for Mac OS X. Although editing may not be permitted through the iOS versions of the apps, expect to be able to view your documents and photos.

Removal of Game Center

At the moment the Game Center is pretty pointless, with most of its services being used within games that use it for multiplayer settings or leaderboards. With the removal of the app, changes would be made through Global settings instead, giving users more functionality within the games themselves.

TouchID Payments

Rumor has it that Apple is developing a mobile payment system, allowing users to purchase goods and services via the fingerprint sensor.

iTunes Radio

At the moment the iTunes Radio is part of the Music app but it could be that we see its functionality separated in to its very own app. This would give users more options and also help Apple compete with the likes of Spotify and Pandora.

Siri

Digital personal assistants are getting increasingly better and it was inevitable that everyone would expect iOS 8 to bring the same functionality to Siri as Google Now. It is thought that there will be more updates that add greater access to web resources like the already-connected Wolfram engine and that Siri will be able to apply voice commands to third party apps that are available through the App Store.

CarPlay

CarPlay could be about to go wireless in iOS 8. Obviously this will only effect you if you have a posh car that can support the feature but over time we are only going to see an increase in CarPlay as more cars adopt the software.

With WWDC just around the corner now, stay tuned for all the latest news and releases! Plus tell us what you’d like to see improved or added in iOS 8.