Apple’ iOS 8 – Top Quality Functions

Apple’s iOS 8 is likely to be launched this fall and in the meanwhile Apple fans and consumers can wait patiently for its latest updates on what new features lies in store with the upgraded operating system that is being offered.

The iOS 8 device of the Cupertino based company products will mark another changing upgrade to the software and would be different from its predecessor – iOS 7 which had been the most terrible change in Apple history. Its visual appearance was the most significant altered change though the iOS 8 will not bring about much alternation on how its operating system performs looks or feels.

As per Design & Trend, iOS 8 is very much the same as iOS 7 with regards to visual appearance and consumers cannot expect another major transformation on the transitions icons, etc.; on the display screen. Moreover, Apple’s iOS 8 is also said to be targeted more on top quality functions along with some preferred tweaks on the side. Minimum changes have been done but with the intention of giving a new experience to users who had been deprived of capabilities which Android users have been utilising all the time.

Keyboard Features - QuickType

The latest software update will now come with a keyboard feature known as the QuickType which suggest words like it does in SwiftKey. Apple is on its way in being more open in permitting third party developers in major parts of their devices, which is the first time that Apple is permitting third party keyboards to run on their device according to Tech Life.

The iOS 8 will be giving users the opportunity of switching keyboards with third party options. Though the default keyboard had got a major boost with the QuickType feature, Apple has come up with a decision to users with the option of switching keyboards of their choice according to their needs.

Developers of SwiftKey, Swype, Minuum and Flesky have reportedly confirmed that they will be working on keyboardswhich are iOS 8 compatible. Another feature which can be expected from the new operating updated system is the new set of system widgets for the pull down notification as well as the lock screen.

Enabling Third Party Widgets in the System

Apple could be going Android with its latest updated software as it has been confirmed by several sources that iOS 8 will enable third party widgets in its system while iOS 7 had only limited widgets, the Weather and Stock in the notification pull down.

 The intended upgrade will be expanding Apple’s widget section though it may not be compared to the Windows Live Tiles and Android’s widget system. Pocket-Lint states that consumers should not expect much from this since the new widgets may not be interactive and may not even sport update element regularly.

Beside this, the iOS 8 is considered to be family friendly wherein through this new feature of Family sharing, one can have the advantage of sharing purchased iTune content such as book, music, movies as well as select apps to the other members of the family which supports up to six members in a family to share personal content.

This too comes with a system security feature which will prompt an adult member whenever a young member tries to access mature content etc. Two more additional features which are highly functional like HomeKit and Health Kit will also be included wherein HomeKit technically permits Apple devices to be connected to a wide range of third party devices and HealthKit generates data from fitness devices like the Nike Fuelband+.

Apple Granted Patent for Wireless Disposable Wristband

Apple has been granted patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office on communication between a devices like the iPad or iPhone and a wireless disposable wristband and the technology could be used for disposable wristband which can store as well as transmit all health related information to the doctor’s smartphone.

Earlier reports state that the Apple Patent covers up technology for an autonomous battery free microwave frequency communication device which could be embedded on physical object like the wristband, card or flyer and in the patent it is described how the smartphone can wirelessly transmit the data collected to a disposable hospital wristband.

The incorporated microwave frequency device also contains sensors or stored information like medical records or procedures which have been carried out during hospitalization. The smartphone would be capable of both reading as well as writing information to and from the wristband.

One Card in the Wallet

The Apple patent suggests that the wristband should have sensors which can measure some health functions like the body temperature and the pulse. Apple had announced its health app, at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, a type of dashboard for all health as well as fitness data. It was believed that Apple iWatch could also be accompanied with sensors which would be capable of evaluating health and fitness information providing software developers with the opportunity of collecting and using the said information in their apps.

The patent did not focus solely on health related functions for an embedded microwave frequency device but described how the given information can be conveyed from a mobile device to disposable loyalty cards or credit or ad flyers. It further states that the technology also has the possibility of `one card in the wallet’, for various purposes such as payment, promotions and identification.

Communication wristbands – Patient Identification 

Coloured wristbands can be worn for various purposes to show support for a certain cause or an organization and comes in various colours which may have some messages embossed on them. In the case of hospitals, coloured wristbands are used to convey information or to alert the staff to a certain requirements of the patient. When the patients wear their own coloured wristbands, it may cause confusion for the staff who may misinterpret its significance.

A communication gateway wristband serves as a source of patient identification as well as an interface between wireless wide area network- WWAN like a hospital network and a personal area networks– PAN of miniaturized electronic medical sensors on a patient. The gateway wristband comprises of a PAN transceiver which acts as a wireless data link with wireless medical sensors.

The WWAN transceiver establishes a wireless data link with its infrastructure, a memory that can store the identification of a patient as well as a processor that can receive data through the PAN transceiver and convey the information received to an external network through the WWAN transceiver. The processor on the other hand manages communication with the PAN as well as the WWAN transceiver, stores the received sensor date in memory, and translates the data from the PAN protocol to the WWAN protocol to enable the sensor data to be relayed to the hospital infrastructure.

iPhone 6 Modified Recessed Volume Button Cut-Outs

A month ago, the luxury modified iPhone vendor, Feld & Volk – Instagram page, shared a few high quality photos and video of the purported rear shell of the iPhone, while it had not been polished or fully processed and was in an intermediate stage of production, though it still offers a look at the body of the device. Feld & Volk who has received the completed 4.7 inch iPhone 6 rear shell, has shared some of the new photos, revealing some features not indicated in the earlier information.

These include a good look at the volume button cut-outs which have been slightly recessed in a change enabling a lower profile along the edges with decreased likelihood of accidental volume changes. The new images are put on display and are believed to be the final casing for the 4.7 inch iPhone 6 and with it we now have some details which had not been given earlier. Similar recesses have also been seen, on a purported perfect replica for the volume buttons and have been claimed as actual rear shell for the iPad Air.

Extraordinary Scratch Resistance Metal

A look at the embedded Apple logo by Feld & Volk’s photos is also offered, which Apple has not used on the iPhone from the time of the original iPhone in 2007 and as per Feld & Volk’s statement, the embedded logo is said to be similar to the original iPhone and it is made of very extraordinary scratch resistant metal which is presumed to be of liquid metal alloy, though there is no specific proof which supports this issue.

Another image portrays it to be an external camera ring measuring 6.66 mm in diameter and fits accurately on the rear camera hole of the shell. Design drawings and physical mock-ups which have been revealed convey that the 5.5 inch iPhone 6 would be seeing a protruding rear camera as in the case of the current iPod touch though the rumours have shown it to be a flush camera for the smaller 4.7 inch model. It is now left to be seen if the camera ring would be paired with the rear shell of the 4.7 inch model or not.

Flex cable, New Home Button

The last image is shown with a flex cable which is the source for the iPhone 6 and as in the case of the previous rumour, it is speculated by Feld &Volk that it could be the new home button but as MacRumours points out that based on its length it more likely tuned towards the flex cable for an iPad and not for its upcoming iPhone..

Apple is all set to launch the iPhone 6 very soon during the event which will be coming up in September and it is confirmed that Apple will be holding its annual iPhone media event then though it is not clear that both 4.7 inch as well as 5.5 inch models would be arriving together. Probably, the 4.7 inch model would be launched roughly one and a half week after the event based on earlier release patterns.

Apple’s Yosemite – A variety of Changes

Apple has been highlighting a variety of changes for OS X Yosemite in its feature page on the release beginning with a more modern and flatter look for OS X, with its focus on translucency, streamlined toolbars with smarter controls, the base OS X system which includes various feature improvements such as `Today’ view in the updated Notification Centre.

It provides a wide variety of information which includes integration with third party apps while Spotlight search which has also been improved with updated data sources, acts like a search engine by taking in data from Wikipedia, movies, Map, news etc.

The new Notification Centre in Mac OS X 10.10 would be very useful than the earlier version with the addition of both the Today view as well as the widgets and after using if for the past few weeks, the upgrades to the Notification Centre move the OS in Yosemite further ahead of Windows unless one would prefer the Windows 8 live tiles as a good option to check notifications. Mac OS X Mavericks does have a notification centre with slide out window from the right and access with a swipe or by touching a button in the upper right.

Mac OS X Mavericks Performs with Toast Notification 

The notification centre in Mac OS X Mavericks performs with toast notification- floating popup bubbles, towards the upper right of the screen and a sidebar to keep track on the latest notifications.

Moreover, the toast notification enables you to answer iMessage directly for instance if one gets an incoming FaceTime call, they can reply with an iMessage within the Toast notification.

These are helpful tools though when they come from the sidebar part which tracks all notification in Mavericks; it tends to get less useful.Yosemite has the same functions with the usual updates but with the addition of new Today view and widget from the Apple’s core apps and from third party software with more information readily available at one’s fingertips.

In Yosemite, the notification centre is more useful and besides being able to use the Toast notification and review missed messages in the sidebar it adds another tab at the top to see the Today view.

Today View Connects with Calendar ….

The Today view can connect with the calendar, reminders, social networks and much more, enabling the viewer with a quick overview of the days’ activities. One can view the appointments, meetings, reminders, if they have been set in the reminder app, birthday updates, as well as the current weather in the area, all of which is done with clean design indicating each category and is easy to view at a glance.

With the addition of widgets, the sidebar notification centre tends to be more useful. Earlier assigned to the Dashboard, users can add core Apple widgets like weather, stocks, world clocks, calendar, calculator etc. which will enable them to interact directly without the need of exiting from the notification centre.

These are all included in the launch of Yosemite, this fall, which according to Apple; users would be able to add widgets from third party app developers from the Mac App Store.

Apple’s New Launch - Apple TV in Newest Beta

With the arrival of the beta 4 update, Apple has finally launched a new Apple TV software beta alongside iOS 8 beta and the fifth Yosemite beta which includes the long awaited interface update and the design is said to be very dramatic.

The new interface consists of new icons which have been designed to resemble the icons in iOS7 with a less glossy and a flatter look. Many icons have new colours like the computers, music, movies and TV shows and the slim Helvetica Neue font that Apple had adopted previously with iOS7. The on-screen have also been updated.

Earlier Apple TV beta had added new Family sharing options together with support for iCloud photos and both these features have been introduced in OS X Yosemite and iOS 8. Presently the Apple TV beta is only available to the registered developers though the updated software would be released to the public at large in fall probably along with the launch of iOS 8.

The new Apple TV update can be downloaded by registered developers from the iOS Dev Centre. Apple has not completely done away with the grid of icons approach for Apple TV but has revamped the UI, an iOS 7 style makeover with a new set of icons which are flatter than their earlier counterparts.

Default Icons Reworked/Weight of Typeface Changed

Each of the default iconshave been reworked with more modern cover to avoid the present defunct iOS gloss effect for a matte finish while the background starburst effect which has been given leads to gradients that is present in iOS 7. Besides this, the weight of the typeface has been changed to slightly thinner with the icons no more casting reflections.

The pictographs have also been changed to make them look sleek and the `setting’, icon has been given a radical change with the same nested gears icon found in the latest Apple mobile and desktop operating systems.Lastly, the glow which surrounds the currently selected icons are tightened to include a better define white ring offset by a small black margin.

Apple TV User Interface Paradigm 

On the whole the Apple TV user interface paradigm seems to be largely unchanged from its earlier debut in the year 2007 and rumours have been spreading for years which picked up steam in 2011 with the publication of the autobiography of Steve Job, where the late Apple CEO was quoted as saying that he had `finally cracked’, the television issue.

These rumours came up in the early 2014 when various media outlets recommended that a refresh would be essential but nothing materialized till then. With recent reports, there are indications that Apple’s new set top solutionwas stalled since negotiations prolonged with the content providers.

Consistent design across platform is a good thing though third party apps tend to hold on to their same old icons and getting some consistency there, keeping in mind the platform as a whole has not been drawing much attention of late. The latest update is likely to come around the same time iOS 8 would come, this fall.