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35 new features coming to iOS 8

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 2, 2014

Apple senior executive Craig Federighi is quite the personality. On stage today for the WWDC keynote, the hardware engineering chief announced several new features of iOS 8 in the most humorous way possible. But it would have been impossible for Federighi and the rest of the Apple team to cover all of the new functionality included in the software update, so instead they fit several features into one slide. We've gone ahead and rounded up all 35 of the featured listed ahead…

Apple introduces new iCloud storage tiers

Cody Lee ∙ June 2, 2014

In addition to all of the other big announcements Apple made during its WWDC keynote today, the company unveiled some significant iCloud changes. The service now has a Dropbox-like front end called iCloud Drive that allows you to access your files across all of your devices.

And that's not all. Apple also announced some much needed new storage tiers for iCloud that will allow you to store more things in the cloud, for cheaper. Unfortunately, the free tier stays the same at 5GB, but users can now get 20GB of iCloud storage for just $0.99 per month...

Watch the WWDC 2014 keynote now

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 2, 2014

Hopefully, you've followed along the announcements Apple made during its WWDC keynote that we've covered here at iDownloadBlog, but the whole event is so much better than the summaries provided by blogs. Apple has of course provided a live stream of today's event. If you missed it, a replay stream went live at Apple.com - remarkably enough, just minutes after the keynote has wrapped up.

Yup, now everyone can witness Apple's boss Tim Cook take slow talking to the next level, laugh at the geeky jokes software engineering boss Craig Federighi cracked on stage (choice quote: OS X Weed) and basically see for themselves why Apple totally killed it today...

Public OS X Yosemite beta only open to first one million applicants

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Non-developers wanting to try out the new OS X 10.10 Yosemite before it launches this fall will be happy to know that Apple is opening up the beta to the public via its AppleSeed Seeding program. That's the good news, that bad news is that only the first 1 million applicants will get access.

If you haven't already, hurry over to Apple's AppleSeed registration page and enter your iTunes credentials to sign up. As you can imagine, Apple's servers are getting slammed right now, so the pages are loading very slowly. But if you wait for them to speed up, you might just miss out!

Download iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite betas now

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 2, 2014

Apple has seeded the first beta versions of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite to developers. iOS and Mac registered developers can log into Developer Center to access the betas, alongside release notes. iOS 8 in particular is available for the iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPad mini or later and the fifth-generation iPod touch. Apple should follow up with additional beta releases on a biweekly basis over the summer…

Apple posts ‘Apps We Can’t Live Without’ video from WWDC

Cody Lee ∙ June 2, 2014

Apple opened up this morning's WWDC keynote with a video about developers and the apps they make for Apple's devices. Unsurprisingly, the clip was well-done and paid tribute to the strong app ecosystem developers have helped build for Mac and iOS.

For those that missed the presentation, Apple just posted the clip to its YouTube channel. It's called 'Apps We Can't Live Without,' and it highlights a number of apps that are being used in various fields and professions. And we've got it for you after the fold...

iOS 8 is compatible with iPhone 4S, iPad 2 or later

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 2, 2014

Apple has posted a list of devices that will be compatible with the iOS 8 software update on its website. The devices include the iPhone 4S or later, iPad 2 or later, iPad mini or later and the fifth-generation iPod touch. This means that the iPhone 4 is the only iOS 7 compatible device that will not make the jump to iOS 8. Hit the break to see a full list of compatible devices…

Apple adds iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite pages to its website

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Just minutes following the WWDC keynote, in which Apple announced iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, the company has added official pages for the new software versions to its website. The iOS 8 page provides a rundown of all the new features that will be available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, ranging from QuickType and Family Sharing to Continuity and Health…

iOS 8 adds always-on ‘Hey, Siri’ feature, Shazam integration

Cody Lee ∙ June 2, 2014

Adding to the long list of new features in iOS 8 is a handful of Siri improvements. The digital assistant didn't get a ton of stage time, but iOS/OS X chief Craig Federighi did take a moment to run down some of its new capabilities.

In iOS 8, Siri will be able to handle dictation—where you talk, it types—in 22 new languages (not sure which ones yet, but will obviously be available on Apple.com soon), and will feature Shazam ID technology for identifying songs...

Apple adds new iOS/OS X programming language: Swift

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 2, 2014

Swift, a programming language for distributed parallel scripting (if you're a developer, you know what I'm talking about), can now be used to develop apps for both iOS and OS X, Apple announced during today's keynote at its five-day WWDC developer-only show in San Francisco.

Matter of fact, Swift code can co-exist with Objective-C, which has long been the preferred programming language for iOS development. Jump past the fold for the full breakdown...

iOS 8 launches in Fall, beta release available today

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 2, 2014

Apple announced that iOS 8 will be available today as a beta for registered developers, while a full public release is slated for the Fall. The beta is available now through Developer Center for registered iOS developers. The software update will be free for compatible devices, which is the iPhone 4S or later, iPad 2 or later, iPad mini or later and fifth-generation iPod touch. In order to have access to the beta version, you must be signed up for Apple's iOS Developer Program…

Apple introduces ‘HomeKit’ smart home platform

Cody Lee ∙ June 2, 2014

As expected, Apple has announced a new platform for smart home accessories called HomeKit. The new API, which will launch with iOS 8, will make it easier for smart accessories to allow their devices to be controlled by iPhones, as well as Siri.

This will allow users to control HomeKit-certified smart appliances, such as garage doors, lights and security cameras, by simply speaking a command. Imagine saying 'get ready for bed,' and watching all of your [smart] doors lock and lights turn off...