iOS 8 Guide

App extensions. PhotoKit. HealthKit. Touch ID for all. Those are few of the many capabilities iOS 8 has brought as it has finally shipped to the public as of 12:00 PM on September 17th. iOS 8 brings much more capabilities to your phone, and Tim Cook even said it will be the biggest update since the App Store. On the Apple developer site, a basic gist of iOS 8 can be described as:

iOS 8 includes over 4,000 new APIs that let you add amazing new features and capabilities to your apps. Deeper integration with iOS means you can extend the reach of your app content and functionality. And with bold new technologies for game development, you can create even more incredible, responsive, and immersive gaming experiences.

Here is our breakdown of the most important features of iOS 8.

The Compatibility

First things first, no need to get hyped up if your phone is not supporting iOS 8. The devices that support iOS 8 are as follows:

• iPhone 4s
• iPhone 5
• iPhone 5c
• iPhone 5s
• iPod touch 5th generation
• iPad 2
• iPad with Retina display
• iPad Air
• iPad mini
• iPad mini with Retina display

App Extensions

Quite possibly the biggest feature of iOS 8 has to be the added extensions, which allows extending an "app's functionality and content throughout the system by supplying an app extension—code that enables custom functionality within the context of a user task."

It may be difficult to grasp at first, but essentially it allows the app to reach bounds outside of just within the app. An example of extensions would be the Today View, like OmniFocus's Today View widget.

Another popular example is 1Password—the popular password manager. Instead of having to constantly exit an app or webpage that requires a password to go into 1Password, it is much easier to have 1Password allow a popup with a Touch ID request to give you access to that particular app or webpage.

Which brings us to another new capability: Touch ID.

Touch ID

Touch ID had very limited usage in iOS 7. It was restricted to first-party apps made by Apple and the lock screen. With iOS 8, this is no longer the case. Apple has created an API that allows third-party developers access to this capability. And do not worry, it is completely secure.

Instead of getting the actual user fingerprint, the API simply asks iOS if the fingerprint provided matches the fingerprint initially provided and returns a yes or no token. No third-party developer will have access to user fingerprints.

HealthKit

Coming into iOS 8, something that might jump right out is the new Health app.

The Health app synthesizes all the health apps' information, fitness devices' information, and M7 processor information (for distance traveled and steps traveled) and brings all of it into one, safe location.

HealthKit enables third-party developers to provide data for the new Health app, upon which you can choose which sources are allowed to provide data for the Health app.

Continuity - iPhone, iPad, and Mac Connected Like Never Before

Continuity provides a seamless experience when collaborating with an iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Apps work beautifully together, making a transition from a Mac to iPhone/iPad and vice versa easier than ever—and in some cases, eliminated.

The three main counterparts of Continuity are Handoff, SMS Relay/Phone Calls, and Personal Hotspot.

Handoff

Imagine this: You get an email, read it, start typing back and realize something—the reply is going to be longer than you expected and you really wish you used your MacBook. You wish you could simply just open your Mac and there it is for you to finish typing. With Handoff, this is easier than ever.

Handoff lets you pick up where you left off. Not only does it do this in Mail, but Safari, Messages, Calendar, and you can expect many more from Apple and plenty of third-party developers.

SMS Relay and Phone Calls on the Mac

One of the biggest frustrations with Messages on the Mac was that it was limited to iMessage only—this is no longer the case. Macs are now empowered to send text messages through your iPhone.

Personal Hotspot

Not connected to WiFi? No problem. If your carrier supports tethering, just by clicking WiFi and having Bluetooth enabled, you can enable your iPhone's WiFi hotspot.

Interactive Notifications

Tired of having to unlock your iPhone to reply to a message? Want to archive a mail message by swiping down on the notification? Accept or decline an invitation in a snap? You got it.

More Powerful Messaging

Apple has now entered the messaging wars, and iMessage has never been more powerful.

In a standard message screen, the biggest difference is the send button is replaced by a microphone icon and the contact is replaced by details. The microphone is used for audio messages, but in a more simplistic way than ever before. Holding down the icon records a message, sliding up sends the message, and sliding left deletes the message. The messages are then only kept after playing once to conserve storage. As for the details, it breaks it down into multiple items:

• Contact
• Send My Current Location
• Share My Location
• Do Not Disturb
• All Attachments

Muting a noisy conversation is finally possible. Finding an image that was sent a long time ago is now easier than ever. Finding out when your spouse is home from the grocery store (or other, more curious reasons).

Spotlight Search - Bigger. Brighter.

Spotlight is no longer restricted to apps and data specific to your iPhone only. Spotlight can now suggest websites, apps, give showtimes, find iBooks, and more.

iOS 8: The World's Most Advanced Mobile OS

iOS 8 brings more functionality than ever before. Extensions, Touch ID compatibility, interactive notifications, and a seamless experience are only a few of the many features brought about. Not only is iOS more intuitive than ever, but it is more elegant than ever. The hardware works perfectly with the software. It is no question: iOS 8 is the most advanced mobile operating system.