The iOS 8 Review
by Brandon Chester on September 17, 2014 1:00 PM EST
As another year goes by we see a new iPhone and a new version of iOS to accompany it. We also got a preview of the Apple Watch which will be going on sale next year. Our reviews of both new iPhones will be coming soon, with a look at new iOS features specific to those devices like ApplePay. But with iOS 8 rolling out today to millions of existing iOS users across the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, it's worth taking a look at what Apple is bringing to the users that are already in the iOS ecosystem.
This year brings the eighth iteration of Apple's mobile operating system, and with it comes features that users and developers have desired on iOS for many years. On the surface, iOS 8 seems like a minor update compared to the massive visual overhaul that iOS 7 brought. Indeed, there's no new design language, and no enormous changes to existing apps. But under the hood, with its features for application extensibility and continuity across the devices in Apple's ecosystem, it's a massive update that will be revealed over time as developers begin to take advantage of Apple's new features and APIs. If iOS 7 was the biggest update for users since the original launch of iOS and the iPhone 7 years ago, then iOS 8 is the biggest update for developers since the launch of iOS (at the time called iPhone OS) 2.0 and the App Store.
What's unique about iOS is the developer beta process that Apple runs in the time between announcement and release. While Google has taken a step into this area with the Android L developer preview, and Microsoft provides betas for Windows Phone 8.1, no mobile operating system operates on the 2 week beta schedule that iOS does. This cycle is interesting because it gives insight into Apple's development process on a smaller scale than looking at the changes from one major version of iOS to another. With iOS 7, developers became even more involved with this process as Apple began to really listen to the feedback given by people beta testing their software.
For example, the font weighting that we currently have is much heavier than what was originally demoed at WWDC back in 2013. It took many betas for Apple to eventually settle on what was a good balance between appearance and legibility. Likewise with iOS 8, I have observed many changes as Apple has gone through the different beta versions. The design of contact circles in the app switcher went through three or four different versions before Apple eventually settled on their current appearance. The buttons in Notification Center had a similar number of changes. Unfortunately, even when using iOS 8 betas on a daily basis it's difficult to keep track of all the changes made over time. What's most important to consumers is the end product though, and so with the exception of some features like SMS Relay, this review takes a look at the changes when making the jump from iOS 7.1.2 to iOS 8.0.
With that all said, lets dive into iOS 8, starting with the app that users use most.
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Samus - Wednesday, September 17, 2014 - link
I upgraded my iPhone 4S to iOS8 this morning, and wish I could go back to iOS 7.1.2 this afternoon. After reading this review, I couldn't agree more. The performance penalty is harsh. It feels like running Gingerbread on a HTC Dream (G1) and disabling UI features like transparency in Accessibility (something I actually do on ALL iOS devices because the notification center is hard to read with transparency on) only helped a little.If you plan to update your device to iOS 8, make a LOCAL backup in iTunes before doing so. As soon as someone jailbreaks iOS 8, we'll have a downgrade path.
Brandon Chester - Wednesday, September 17, 2014 - link
Did Apple seriously close the signing window that fast? If you shift + click the restore button in iTunes and manually select a downloaded 7.1.2 firmware you may have a chance of going back still.Strulf - Wednesday, September 17, 2014 - link
Wow that new Safari bookmark icon is ugly! Loved the old one. Generally I often have the feeling recently that Apple is making things worse in terms of design, see the new iPhone 6.nvmarino - Wednesday, September 17, 2014 - link
FYI, iCloud Photo Library (the only true iOS 8 feature I even really cared about!) did NOT make it in to the GM release. I spent a bunch of time trying to figure out why I didn't see the "iCloud Photo Library" switch under Settings --> Photos and camera, and even tried signing up for an iCloud plan thinking maybe it didn't show unless you subscribed to iCloud. A bit of searching finally turned up the Apple press release that states it will not be available until October, and that will be in beta:"In October, SMS Continuity will be available as a free update to iOS 8 and iCloud Photo Library will be available as a beta."
https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/09/09Apple-A...
Brandon Chester - Wednesday, September 17, 2014 - link
I have it on my device running the OTA update from 7.1.2. That sentence means that SMS Relay is coming in October and iCloud Photo Library is a beta currently, not that it will be a beta in October.nvmarino - Wednesday, September 17, 2014 - link
That is definitely not what that sentence means. You should read the entire press release. Also, from macrumors.com:Though iCloud Photo Library was available during the iOS 8 beta testing period, Apple appears to have demoted it to beta status and removed it from the iOS 8 golden master, the software that will be distributed to the public next week.
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/12/apple-demotes-...
No idea why you have it on your phone.
Brandon Chester - Thursday, September 18, 2014 - link
Turn on iCloud Drive.nvmarino - Thursday, September 18, 2014 - link
Wow. Did you take the two seconds and read the press release?I have iCloud drive turned on. Further, I have an iPhone 5s, iPod touch 5th gen, and iPad 2. The the option does not show up on any of them.
Here are the screenshots form my iPhone:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17743186/iOS%2...
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17743186/iOS%2...
Can someone else who has never had a beta build and done the OTA update to iOS 8 please comment on if the "iCloud Photo Library" option shows up under Settings --> Photos and Camera?
Brandon Chester - Thursday, September 18, 2014 - link
I've had someone on Twitter tell me that their iPhone has the beta for it having just gone from 7.1.2 to iOS 8. I'm looking into this because I need to find out whether or not people who are having it show up without using the iOS 8 betas have ever used the Yosemite beta/preview.nvmarino - Thursday, September 18, 2014 - link
Signing in to the Yosemite beta is definitely the key. I updated my mac and, as soon as I signed in, the option became available on all my iOS devices.To double-confirm I went as far as signing out of iCloud on my iPod touch, creating a new Apple ID and signing in with it. I enabled iCloud Drive and iCloud Photo Library was not available. I then signed out of iCloud on my Yosemite beta box and signed in with the new Apple ID I just created and boom - it's now available on the iPod Touch. It also looks like the flag is permanently set as the option continued to be available after signing out of the new ID on the Yosemite box, and even after signing out and back in again on the iPod Touch.