A Closer Look at 'Handoff' and Other New iOS 8/Yosemite 'Continuity' Features

Really excited for these features more than anything else. Maybe it's because Yosemite is the first OS X since I've had my iPhone so I'm excited to be using the new features for once, who knows.

Either way, the prospect of being able to charge my phone and still answer calls / messages without having to un-plug it or deal with the chord is great. Now I just wonder what kind of range it has. Will I, for example, be able to charge my phone in a different room and still "use" it from my iMac.

Either way, this is the kind of integration I was hoping for from apple.

This made it work for me, thanks Trik

Trik said:

I was able to solve my problem by logging out of iCloud on my rMBP and then, logging back in again. I would try that on both your Computer, and then your iDevice as well if it isn't working. I tested with both the Maps and the Mail apps after logging out of iCloud and then logging back in on my rMBP.

For those interested: rMBP Late 2013 & iPhone 5s.

Also, make sure this box is checked in System Preferences -> General (see attached)

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So is the verdict that you need Bluetooth 4.0? I have a MacBook Pro late-2011 which doesn't have that. Am I out of luck? All I want is to be able to answer calls and text on my Mac. Is this possible?

RomanLeBlanc said:

You guys need to turn Bluetooth on, and on both machines for Continuity to work. Well, when I say 'work'...

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So its just a custom-named implementation for the bluetooth V1.0 Headset and SMS sync services?
(The same mechanic cars use)

The same feature thats been available on computers (PC included) for over a decade? Its one of the damn reasons I went with a Z77 Deluxe for the PC Deskop - since it allowed me to manage SMS messages, and call/answer phone conversations on my PC. And you could do that with a dumb phone.



Here I was thinking they'd at least gone with an extra step by including Wi-Fi.

iOS 8 Beta 1

My Quick Type from all keyboards disappeared. Nothing seems to help get it back. Is this a know issue? Thanks!!

AreuSleepy said:

My Quick Type from all keyboards disappeared. Nothing seems to help get it back. Is this a know issue? Thanks!!

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Remember that it is a beta release version.

AreuSleepy said:

My Quick Type from all keyboards disappeared. Nothing seems to help get it back. Is this a know issue? Thanks!!

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I thought I read something about swiping up/down to show/hide the quick type bar.

TechGod said:

Stop ranting.

Just please stop.

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Yeah, that's a helpful on-topic reply. Am I telling YOU to stop posting? No, I'm not acting like some fascist dictator. If you don't like what I or anyone else has to say, DON'T READ IT.

MagnusVonMagnum said:

Yeah, that's a helpful on-topic reply. Am I telling YOU to stop posting? No, I'm not acting like some fascist dictator. If you don't like what I or anyone else has to say, DON'T READ IT.

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You were the one going off topic.

Exhale said:

The same feature thats been available on computers (PC included) for over a decade? Its one of the damn reasons I went with a Z77 Deluxe for the PC Deskop - since it allowed me to manage SMS messages, and call/answer phone conversations on my PC. And you could do that with a dumb phone.

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Are you saying this is hardware specific? Dumb phones?!? We've been using ham radios for wireless communications for decade(s)

Its not who does it first, its who does it better.

linuxcooldude said:

Are you saying this is hardware specific? Dumb phones?!? We've been using ham radios for wireless communications for decade(s)

Its not who does it first, its who does it better.

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Actually Apple did it first in this case as well. In 2002 with Jaguar specifically.

Anyone managed to get this working yet?

Been running both Yosemiti & IOS8 for a couple of days now, and not managed to get Hand-off working. Any hints?

nothing works with my old E2008 macbook pro

I hoped handoff to work on my early 2008 macbook pro and iPhone 5 combo, but as it doesn't support bluetooth 4.0, it's a no-go!
sad...

linuxcooldude said:

Are you saying this is hardware specific? Dumb phones?!? We've been using ham radios for wireless communications for decade(s)

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This is a discussion about using your cellphone as a 'proxy' (wirelessly) on your computer for having phone conversations, including all the necessary control elements, but also including phonebook synchronisation and SMS synchronisation.

Its not about delivering voice wirelessly.

Yosemite is ugly mostly ... Only few apps look good otherwise its loosing texture.

used Yosemite for 2 days.. install Mavericks back it look so nice & colorful

agsmith87 said:

I'm on both iOS 8 and Yosemite - continuity isn't working.

SMSs across everything (iPad and Mac) have worked flawlessly - no fiddling or anything (very Apple-like).

Phone calls, on the other hand, were very temperamental - understandable as these are betas, but I at least could get it to work by simply doing it a number of times. Still, no fiddling, just more tries.

However, "Hand off" for emails, websites, and ANYTHING (I've even installed all the iWork - Pages, Keynote, Numbers - betas on my iOS devices) don't work. Nothing. No light at the end of the tunnel. Is it working for anyone else (and if so, did you do anything to get it to work) or is it just a "beta issue"?

Thanks.

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Im on both iOS 8 and Yosemite and every text (SMS) that i try to send to a non iDevice on My Mac Air goes through as an iMessage ( I have hand-off Turned on)
is there anything else I'm missing or Don't Have Turned On?

ErikGrim said:

Actually Apple did it first in this case as well. In 2002 with Jaguar specifically.

Image

Image

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Yeah this is very true indeed. My eMac is still running 10.2

MagnusVonMagnum said:

So this "handoff" concept is the reason Apple has been destroying professional quality applications and dumbing them down with new versions sans most of their features so that they could run the minmalist iOS version instead and thus be able to "handoff" the app between the two? ...

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Back when I was working on a DOS machine, I heard about these new ideas called a GUI and a Mouse. They were actually arguing in the computer magazine about wether a mouse should have one or two buttons. I figured if a person wasn't smart enough to type in a DOS command they shouldn't be using a computer.

I think history has proved me right.

Handoff does not work with iphone 4s

I can tell you guys that hand off does not work with iphone 4s.I installed 10.10 and I have iphone 4s with iOS 8.I am using the same icloud account and my bluetooth is turned on.My wifi is turned on and both the computer and the phone are connected to the same network.Result?Hand off does not work.

Experience with Handoff/Continuity

Finally got this to work after reading, that on the Mac I had to restart iCloud. This does delete the data in iCloud apps like Calendar and Notes on the Mac but it is restored as soon as you log back onto iCloud.

My Mac is a rMBP July 2012

Now when I open Safari, Maps or Mail on the iPhone 5s with iOS 8 , a little equivalent icon appears next to the Mac Dock.

If I open notes on the iPhone - the Safari icon opens on the Mac - so it appears that not all Continuity works yet.

Looks promising anyway.

Anyone else with Tips on getting this to work? I would love to see the Phone calls handoff working!

Had to restore my iPad3 back to 7.1.1 as there were too many apps that failed. But iOS 8 on the 5s has been fine so far.

RomanLeBlanc said:

You guys need to turn Bluetooth on, and on both machines for Continuity to work.

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This picture is from the keynote. There is no Bluetooth icon on the iPhone.

diskeeper said:

This picture is from the keynote. There is no Bluetooth icon on the iPhone.Image

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I'm guess it is because he wasn't actually using the feature but using a program that mimicked the feature. I would even go as far as saying that phone and iMac would only work with each other. If you brought your iMac with 10.10 on it and told him to show you with his phone it probably wouldn't work. hopefully in the next beta or two we will see it come to light.

imgmkr said:

I hoped handoff to work on my early 2008 macbook pro and iPhone 5 combo, but as it doesn't support bluetooth 4.0, it's a no-go!
sad...

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Maybe invest in an inexpensive USB Bluetooth 4.0 dongle?

Hmmm

Safari will handoff. Managed to make a phone call from my iPad. However, Pages does not handoff.

A little research goes a long way...

It's explained here that these continuity features, from Handoff to Airdrop between iOS and OS X to configuring hotspots, will be done over both Bluetooth and WiFi. This is done by using Bluetooth 4.0LE to initiate connections and "do a handshake" to setup a wifi connection between devices in order to actually transfer data. At least, that's what I got when I read this article:

http://iphone.appleinsider.com/arti...ty-coax-advanced-features-from-bluetooth-wifi

EDIT: just an FYI: DP8 and PB3 both have most continuity features removed until the GM release, so if you have one of those installed and you're trying to get things like Handoff to work, well... it won't.