Apple’s new iOS8 operating system was recently revealed at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.
While iOS8 may not be a game changer, it certainly offers plenty of new features for business use and should excite developers who want to share and build apps within the new framework.
On the business front, Apple has focused on stronger security. Data protection will be extended to more apps to allow finer control over things like mail encryption.
The extended data protection will basically include all relevant applications as well as user credentials. These credentials will be protected by a passcode until a device is unlocked after a reboot.
Apple says it’s releasing a variety of enhanced productivity tools with iOS8. Inbox mail management should be easier, as a quick left or right swipe allows the user to mark messages as read or unread or flag them for follow-up.
The new calendar view lets you see when your colleague is available to schedule a meeting, making it easy to find a convenient time for all parties.
Getting the job done will be easier with iCould Drive. Apple touts that you’ll be able to work on any file anywhere. This will include presentations, PDFs, images, and more. This will work directly from iCloud on any device you use, be it a MAC or a PC.
Do you need access to corporate documents? Third-party document apps can be used to access corporate file servers so you can access the document you need directly from the app you want to edit it in. Apple promises that you will be able to transfer files to and from a MAC device even without an Internet connection.
Improved connectivity should be a huge benefit. Apple says users will be able to start an email on one device and seamlessly continue it on another. iPhone users will be able to answer phone calls on their MAC or iPad and send SMS messages from either.
Those who use photos will enjoy the ability to edit and organize every photo they take across all of their devices through iCould’s photo library.
Messaging will also have new features. You can add your own voice to a text message and send a video of what you see as you watch.
If you want to work out with colleagues, the health and fitness apps will use an easy-to-read dashboard to share communication with friends, your coach, and even your doctor.
“Spotlight” will serve as a kind of search engine for answers. It will provide information from Wikipedia and offer trending news and more.
IT departments will have better data and device management tools. iOS8 has more ways to securely manage information without burdening employees with complex rules and job roles. IT staff can now automatically push iBooks, ePub and PDF documents to users’ devices using mobile device management (MDM) tools. Users should have access to what they need when they need it.
These new tools will give developers deeper and even more access to work with. This will include new keyboard options and even more ways to share content.
Developers will find the ability to create and use apps that communicate with each other an exciting incentive as Apple pushes the limits with this new innovation.
