Well, after weeks of rumors and more than hours of keynote, we can say that we already have an overview of those who Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), has prepared us this year. Quite a lot of new features in iOS, news not profound changes, neither in appearance nor in operation, although the real revolution will be the developers.
What's new in iOS 8
Let's go by parts, since they have told many things and suddenly releasing them can confuse us.
It has undergone a couple of modifications, both in appearance and functionality. It is equated to its counterpart in OS X, with transparencies and they have added some cool features when you slide your finger over an email in the list. They have also implemented a very useful function such as being able to leave an email, while writing, in the background to check another email or to copy something and include it in the writing. Something curious is that, apparently, the same Mail app will make recommendations for actions that we can do with an email or with the attachments it carries, something very useful when sharing.
Safari
Also modified to the image and likeness of its version in OS X, with the translucent upper bar. They have changed the location of the "Preferred" that before we could see when opening a blank page in Safari and that are now displayed when tapping on the address bar.
Spotlight
Also traced from its desktop version, the searches on the device are expanded and now when writing in the search bar it will suggest apps or contacts (as it has done so far) but it will also show us the results of internet searches directly, or it will show us maps, all integrated into the search box
Notification Center
This one has undergone a somewhat deeper change since although the appearance is very similar, it seems that it is quite optimized. It is much more interactive and now allows, for example, to reply to a message directly from the notification center or from the lock screen without unlocking the terminal. In addition, it has been seen how in a message conversation you can listen to voice messages simply by bringing the phone to your ear and answer by dictating directly to the phone
Home button and multitasking
Now by double clicking on the button "Home" We can see, in addition to multitasking, recent or favorite contacts.
Keyboard improvements
They have improved the keyboard, which continues with the same design, but now has more functionalities. From now on, the keyboard will make suggestions for words in an intelligent and coherent way, about what we are going to put next. It also detects forms of language, for example if we are speaking in a colloquial way or if it is a formal conversation and it will learn from our way of writing and save it, safely that if, and use it the next times we write. Yes, our language will have support for this function.
Continuity
This function is something that those with an ecosystem Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), with several iOS devices they will be grateful, since thanks to this both messages and calls can be attended indistinctly both in our iPhone like in our iPad
Messages
Here if I see Apple's intention to steal some prominence from WhatsApp, since iOS8 it will include group messages, with options as interesting as adding or removing contacts from the group, mute them, leave the group, opt for the "do not disturb" status. They have also included the Tap to talk option, with which we click on the dialog box and the option to send a voice message or video message opens. In addition, the members of a group can share their locations for a certain time so that we are not constantly visible. By the way, when you receive a new voice message, you just have to put the phone to your ear and you will listen to it, without having to touch anything or unlock the terminal. Obviously many of these novelties, if not all, are present in Whatsapp, but it's new to iOS.
Healthkit
Something that so much to see it repeated It doesn't surprise us anymore, but it really does seem like something great. Healthkit It is the center where all the applications in charge of monitoring and monitoring your health will be present. It is open to third-party applications, great news among others for Nike and they have presented it together with an app made by the Mayo Clinic. It certainly promises a lot once the developers get their hands on it.
family-sharing
This if it is an app created by loyal users. It is an application that creates family groups, so that among the members of the group, photos, apps, music, books or videos can be shared and it goes further, since all devices can be synchronized with a single credit card where The purchases made by each member of the family group are charged, that if prior authorization from the main terminal, either the mother or the father.
Photos
They have also had improvements for this native app. They have improved the way to search for photos, by location, date, etc. They have also improved the photo editor, with some new functions, but above all very simple to use since you can change the color, brightness or contrast by sliding your finger on a bar and the other qualities of the photo are automatically adjusted. that the best combination of these elements is always left and the photo looks better. All changes we make to a photo will be recorded in iCloud and they will pass to the rest of our devices automatically.
iCloud
All this is also accompanied by an improvement in iCloud, all synchronization between devices, even between iOS terminals and table terminals, is done through the improved cloud service, which has changed prices and includes plans for storage up to 1 TB.
And in case we didn't have enough ...
In addition to all these news they have also improved Crab in the purest Google Now style and now you won't even have to press and hold the “Home” button, just say «Hey Siri« for this to answer you. We will also have the Shazam app integration with Siri and the possibility of purchase through the iTunes store, all of them through the voice assistant, which distinguishes 22 new dictation languages.
The best news for developers
Those present today at the conference of Tim Cook, were mostly developers and Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), He wanted to reward them in the way that they surely appreciate the most, which is by making their work easier.
Has implemented new features in the App Store, such as browsing tabs, most used searches, related searches. It will also allow them to make “packages” of applications, so that we can download several apps from the same developer simultaneously in the form of a pack. We will also have previews of the apps in the form of small videos to see them in operation before downloading them, as well as test apps so that we can test the applications before comparing them.
As far as raw programming is concerned, they have been given 4000 new APIs to implement in your apps. They have surprised with the extensibility, which is the possibility of extending the app outside of it, that is, they will be able to implement an application widget in the notification center, for example. The example that they have put on the stage is that they took a photo from the reel and from there opened it in a third-party editor, modified it and saved it on the reel without moving the file. Another significant example is that an eBay widget appeared in the notification center and you could directly bid on a product from the notifications, without opening the app. Something that has surprised is that Apple will finally accept third-party keyboardsSo if we don't like the keyboard that comes by default with iOS, we can have others, although in principle I think it will be more focused on applications having their own personalized keyboard. Another great news is that Apple has opened the TouchID so developers can use it in their apps.
Two other improvements for developers and quite important, have been Homekit and Metal. Homekit It was an open secret, the home automation control of our devices, from lights, locks or garage doors, yes, always in a safe way and making sure that it is our device and no other. Metal instead it is an improvement for game developers, it reduces the burden it demands OpenGL and makes them draw 10 times faster, a quantum leap and the gateway to great games on mobile platforms.
And finally the jewel in the crown, they have presented a new programming language that comes to replace ObjectiveC and your name is Swift. It can be made compatible with ObjetiveC, but it is a simpler and faster language. This will encourage many more people to learn to program for iOS and make things much easier for those who already did. They have made a demonstration and the truth is that the syntax seems quite simple and making code changes seems quite simple, not to mention the real-time viewer that is in the compiler and that shows us our app in motion where we can see the changes that we are doing.
In short, it has been an afternoon of many novelties, many, we cannot count them all here but we are waiting for you in the coming days so that we can see the details. That if, until autumn we will not be able to enjoy iOS 8, It will surely come out together with the new iPhone and the new iPad, until then we have time for what this presentation of the WWDC 2014.