It seems like every week some Apple product is in need of an update and after awhile it gets really annoying. However sometimes an update is necessary to remind Apple connoisseurs why we’ll never go from a mac to a laptop of from an iPhone to an Android. That sometimes moment, was yesterday with the iOS 8 update. It was one of those shining moments we really felt a step above the rest (not like we ever felt equal). After some of us dreaded clearing up space and we all went through the painstaking task of watching our phone slowly download iOS 8 and restart, we have arrived to a better realm of technology.
While many users have 24 hours until their iPhone 6s arrives, those of us that aren’t “eligible” for our upgrades can use this latest version of Apple software. Trust it makes your now old iPhones feel like new.
Flip the page to check out six reasons an updated to iOS 8 is a must!
Password
With the new upgrade even Apple won’t be privy to our password. According to Apple’s CEO Tim Cook, “On devices running iOS 8, your personal data such as photos, messages (including attachments), email, contacts, call history, iTunes content, notes, and reminders is placed under the protection of your passcode. Unlike our competitors, Apple cannot bypass your passcode and therefore cannot access this data. So it’s not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8.”
However if you upload anything outside of your phone like iCloud, they will be able to access it.
Group Messaging
Ever wanted to leave a group or at least put it on mute. Well with the new upgrades you can. By clicking the top right corner of your specific group, you can rename it, exit yourself out, look at old pictures sent through, and even put it on “do not disturb.”
Location
You can now share your exact location with anyone you choose for a certain period of time. So if they are looking for you and your phone dies they will have your most recent location.
Song Identifier
Just call Siri, Shazam because now she can recognize music playing around it.
Family Sharing
Sharing is caring and now with iOS 8, six people can share purchases from iTunes, iBook and the App Store. They don’t have to be on the same account either. You can also easily share pictures if you create a shared photo album. You can do the same with the shared family calendar.
Audio Text
Moving quickly and can’t text, send an audio text instead. Hold the record button down, talk and slide up to send.
Photo Timer
Love taking pictures but want to be included, you now can with iPhones new photo timer. You can choose between three and 10 seconds.
Message Attachments
If you’re anything like my friends and I, you send loads of pictures on a weekly basis. Now when you want to remember a picture sent you don’t have to scroll up anymore because they are all in one location within the chat. If you hit “details” in the top right corner of your chat and scroll down you’ll see all the pictures and videos ever sent to your particular conversation.
Extensions
You can now use other apps within Apple apps. If you have a photo editing app, those extensions can be used in your main photo app without exiting the program. Other extensions work in the same capacity.
Notifications
You can now respond to text messages without exiting your app. You just swipe downwards to open a small reply window at the top of the screen. You can also set your emails on a notification alert so that your phone will alert you anytime someone replies to a certain thread.
Keyboard
iOS 8 now has a built-in prediction keyboard. It can predict what word your trying to spell and the word you want next, however if you’re a fast typer you may not care for this feature. You also can download a keyboard app that that allows you to swipe your fingers across the keyboard letters to spell out a word.
Contacts
If you press the home button twice, you’ll now be able to not only move between your open apps but also see your most recent and favorite contacts. There you’ll be able to initiate a text, phone or video call with said person.
Send Last Location
If your phone is about to die you can now turn on “send last location.” Your phone will send Apple its last whereabouts in case you lose your phone and it’s dead. However this feature is only available for 24 hours.