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iOS 8 - Biggest Difference from 7?

C

cassini007

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 6, 2014
80
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I haven't had the privilege of trying out iOS 8 (just the public Yosemite beta).

For those of you who have used iOS8, what would you say is the biggest difference, or improvement, in terms of day-to-day use from iOS 7?

I ask this because the interface for both look very similar, at least from static screenshots. But from experience it's one thing to see screenshots, and another to actually use a software product regularly.
 
My opinion is that the messages app in general has had a massive overhaul which I really like. From quick reply (the notification that pops down from the top of the screen) to the group message improvements and the new audio/video messaging, I think it's come a long way.

Everything else that's been updated has mainly been small graphical tweaks and real estate movement.

One thing I do like is the "Hey Siri" feature although it's a real shame that you need to have your phone plugged in charging for it to be enabled. Not to mention the iOS and OSX device group you own being able to piggyback on your iPhone and accept calls and texts.

Not a great deal really but there are some really handy features that have been introduced for sure so it's not a pointless update by any means.
 
Dan70 said:
My opinion is that the messages app in general has had a massive overhaul which I really like. From quick reply (the notification that pops down from the top of the screen) to the group message improvements and the new audio/video messaging, I think it's come a long way.

Everything else that's been updated has mainly been small graphical tweaks and real estate movement.

One thing I do like is the "Hey Siri" feature although it's a real shame that you need to have your phone plugged in charging for it to be enabled. Not to mention the iOS and OSX device group you own being able to piggyback on your iPhone and accept calls and texts.

Not a great deal really but there are some really handy features that have been introduced for sure so it's not a pointless update by any means.
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Making calls and replying to texts could be the reason alone to update from day one for me. It's a deal breaker, don't even mention the rest.. All the times i come home and change my clothes, leave the phone in the pocket and then search like a mad man for it when it rings cause it might be an important call. It's really a beautiful feature and makes you think "why didn't they make it like.. 3 years ago?".
 
It has to be Extensibility (inter app communication, 3rd party widgets and keyboards), quick reply and a lot more :)
 
cassini007 said:
I haven't had the privilege of trying out iOS 8 (just the public Yosemite beta).

For those of you who have used iOS8, what would you say is the biggest difference, or improvement, in terms of day-to-day use from iOS 7?

I ask this because the interface for both look very similar, at least from static screenshots. But from experience it's one thing to see screenshots, and another to actually use a software product regularly.
Click to expand...

Control Center's new look is something I encounter all the time. So the fact that when I change the brightness, I can actually see the brightness being changed, is a good thing although trivial.

The photos app and camera will have changes you will see probably on a daily basis such as the custom brightness in the camera app and the date and location for the photos you take.

In the future you'll run into Notification Center widgets here and there for many apps. 3rd party keyboards will likely be based on preference really.
 
deviant said:
Making calls and replying to texts could be the reason alone to update from day one for me. It's a deal breaker, don't even mention the rest.. All the times i come home and change my clothes, leave the phone in the pocket and then search like a mad man for it when it rings cause it might be an important call. It's really a beautiful feature and makes you think "why didn't they make it like.. 3 years ago?".
Click to expand...

Never mind three years ago, this was available in 2002 - 12 years ago! It was cut when they announced the iPhone. Obviously they've decided it was useful enough to bring it back.

image005.jpg


image011.jpg
 
cambookpro said:
Never mind three years ago, this was available in 2002 - 12 years ago! It was cut when they announced the iPhone. Obviously they've decided it was useful enough to bring it back.

Image

Image
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I was really confused with where you were going with that then you said it was cut which made a lot of sense! Especially with the incredibly old looking UI there. A very useful feature, I had no idea it was originally part of OSX.
 
Dan70 said:
I was really confused with where you were going with that then you said it was cut which made a lot of sense! Especially with the incredibly old looking UI there. A very useful feature, I had no idea it was originally part of OSX.
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Yeah, I think the idea is a great one, but I don't think the technology was mature enough back then for it to work reliably.
Hopefully, a decade and a bit later, they've sorted all the issues! :p
 
cambookpro said:
Yeah, I think the idea is a great one, but I don't think the technology was mature enough back then for it to work reliably.
Hopefully, a decade and a bit later, they've sorted all the issues! :p
Click to expand...

I sure hope so. This is definitely the feature I am most looking forward to.
 
cambookpro said:
Never mind three years ago, this was available in 2002 - 12 years ago! It was cut when they announced the iPhone. Obviously they've decided it was useful enough to bring it back.

Image

Image
Click to expand...

Wow!!! Do you possibly remember how it worked? I'm super curious!

I remember i could send texts from a windows machine using nokia software ( i had the 6630) but i don't remember if it was usb only or bluetooth as well. but calls.. never heard about that :)
 
deviant said:
Wow!!! Do you possibly remember how it worked? I'm super curious!

I remember i could send texts from a windows machine using nokia software ( i had the 6630) but i don't remember if it was usb only or bluetooth as well. but calls.. never heard about that :)
Click to expand...

I was quite young at the time (too young to have had a mobile phone), but I remember my dad used it quite a bit - and subsequently complained of how it didn't work very well...

The only article I could find about it was here: http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/wireless/2002/11/27/sms.html

It describes pretty much in full detail how you'd set up and use the feature.
 
They have made some good improvements and adjustments, but the fact the Music.app still sucks compared to iOS 6 is a shame... a real shame.

Other than that, I like iOS 8 way better than 7.
 
I'm waiting for the 'Up Next' feature. Once that becomes available in the Music app then I'll consider the app to be pretty much finished in a sense. The fact they still haven't included that yet does annoy me. It's so good to use that feature on my Mac and I'd love it on my phone.

A quick playlist that essentially disappears when played. Would be so good. Permanent playlists are just annoying to me, I want to pick some songs and just listen to them on a one off. My tastes change per day as to what I want to listen to in my library.
 
Iphone is introducing their new Phone Iphone 6 tomorrow and everything will be clear :D
 
There's two huge improvements over iOS 7 - extensions and Mobile Safari. I've got an ancient iPad 3 and installed Beta 5 on it last night - Safari (and Mail) were smooth, fast, and accurate - even without a clean install. iOS 8B5 made my iPad 3 nice to use again.

With all of the hacking crap, and an owner of 1Password - I'll stop using iCloud password synching. I've been an advocate of extensible OSes and apps for over 20 years (ouch). With iOS 8 extensions - there's no reason for me to ever consider Android again for any reason.
 
cassini007 said:
I haven't had the privilege of trying out iOS 8 (just the public Yosemite beta).

For those of you who have used iOS8, what would you say is the biggest difference, or improvement, in terms of day-to-day use from iOS 7?

I ask this because the interface for both look very similar, at least from static screenshots. But from experience it's one thing to see screenshots, and another to actually use a software product regularly.
Click to expand...
It's like Vista SP2 - not as bad as it was once.
 
campyguy said:
even without a clean install.
Click to expand...
I don't think there is a difference between a clean install and an upgrade on iOS. That is an option on OSX, but not on iOS. So however you install it, it will be a clean install.


campyguy said:
With all of the hacking crap, and an owner of 1Password - I'll stop using iCloud password synching.
Click to expand...
The iCloud password synch has not been hacked yet. And 1Password can be hacked just as well. So it is hard to tell which one is more secure than the other.
 
FotoDirk said:
I don't think there is a difference between a clean install and an upgrade on iOS. That is an option on OSX, but not on iOS. So however you install it, it will be a clean install.



The iCloud password synch has not been hacked yet. And 1Password can be hacked just as well. So it is hard to tell which one is more secure than the other.
Click to expand...

Your iCloud passwords are very secure. Ever notice you have to put in another security code when you try and activate keychain? And sometimes a text message code.
 
Simplicated said:
Talk about paranoia... (1Password owner here as well, but there's really no reason to fear iCloud syncing as long as you have a reasonably strong password.)
Click to expand...
Melodramatic, yes, but paranoia? F that. Paranoia: "suspicion and mistrust of people or their actions without evidence or justification".

Last year I had to deal with the Adobe breach and two of my 401k companies having executives walking off with personal data. And, yes, I bought some stuff at Home Depot. Justification enough for me.
 
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