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

[usamaah]

False. While you can send texts or make calls from Hangouts, you must do so using a Google Voice number. This utilizes your actual phone thus not requiring someone to have more than one number for you.

Actually, True.

If you ported your carrier phone number to Google Voice.. and use just that number. That's an option many have done.

But Hangouts (online) doesn't do SMS, for that you need Google Voice. But you can't send MMS from Google Voice. Motorola has a Chrome extension that handles MMS/SMS much but it doesn't "sit next to" your Hangouts (meaning the online protocol) messages. In summary, while I can, with my Moto X, answer both SMS/MMS and Hangouts messages on my Mac, I cannot do it all inside one app. Not a big deal to me.

As per usual, Apple did it later but in a more refined way. Google is getting there with baby steps slowly merging their services into one service.

EDIT: I should clarify since we're talking about Continuity that you can also answer and make phone calls via Google Voice on your computer -- and this does NOT use your phone as a portal (like Continuity) so, whether that's for better/worse, I don't know. Because at present while I can look at my GV call log it doesn't integrate into the phone dialer's call log. Whereas I'm sure with Continuity since it's using the phone as the device to make the call everything is logged in one place. Ha, again, Apple's is all in one place.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

My google voice number has been my main phone number for many years which has been amazing because I can switch carriers and phones and operating systems at will always getting the best deal with zero porting hassles. It is cross platform including Linux and has always worked. Except for windows phone which is why I have zero interest in that platform.

Except your voicemail and text messages are mined for advertising which means bought and sold to the highest bidder including the government.

 

[Roller]

It's not the iOS software that I'm saying is being dumbed down. It's the Mac Apps that got dumbed down to be compatible with the iOS versions. Yes, they will "improve" from there again, but why should the Mac versions get penalized to begin with? It's only for sake of compatibility with iOS. That's not a good reason, IMO. Mac software should be BETTER than the iOS versions. But since many seem to think (even hope) that future Macs will be ARM powered, I guess it won't matter. You just have a big smart phone instead of a real computer some day. It will be an appliance instead of what many of us think of as a computer. That's fine for some things, but some of us prefer an open model with real power. The company that keeps delivering that will get our business.

I also was disappointed when desktop iWork apps were released with fewer features than their predecessors, largely to make them compatible with their iOS counterparts. Apple has been gradually adding those features back in, though they have a way to go, at least for Keynote. I suspect that the desktop and iOS versions will eventually have all those features and more as it becomes possible for iOS devices to handle everything.

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

I've noticed that I can't "Forget this Device" on my iPad or iPhone - that is, I can't forget my computer. I've noticed the bluetooth icon connecting and disconnecting like crazy as well.. And I can't even forget the iPad or iPhone from the computer... I think something is up there, considering they work fine with each other.

My mac and iPhone will pair just fine, I just can't get any handoff feature to work and I can't imagine what the problem might be...

 

[ErikGrim]

Nope, it's magical.

So magical we could do it all the way back in 2002 with Jaguar:

(copied from Android…snort)

 

[isteal]

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.

After many many many attempts at installing iWorks apps on my iPad & iPhone running iOS 8 from my mbp running OS X 10.10, I was able to get find my iPhone installed on both iPhone & iPad both and pages & keynote installed on the iPad only. SMS is working for me also, but no continuity...

 

[Rigby]

As to how it works, it probably works the same way the iDevices can find Apple TVs via Bluetooth. The iDevice "discovers" other compatible devices via Bluetooth, and polls the device for its IP address on the network. From there it can create a session with the nearby device directly over IP. It's a genius use of Bluetooth and saves wonders of work arounds for us enterprise network guys.

I doubt it. According to this page, "peer-to-peer Airplay" to an Apple TV in an enterprise works without being connected to the enterprise network. Since enterprise networks are usually behind a firewall (i.e. the ATV would not be reachable via the Internet either), this means it has to use some kind of direct peer-to-peer connectivity, probably Wifi Direct or a derivative thereof, just like Airdrop.

If the "continuity" features were going through the cloud, this would be completely unacceptable for most enterprises (since it would allow Apple to e.g. read emails as the employees are composing them).

 

[joshuapending]

You can also sms from cpu or iPad on android via mightytxt or airdroid

 

[iolinux333]

Except your voicemail and text messages are mined for advertising which means bought and sold to the highest bidder including the government.

And google was always very explicit about that. In return I saved a few thousand dollars on phone bills. Fair trade in my opinion.

 

[That70sGAdawg]

Everything going through iCloud means that everything you do on any of the devices is the property of Apple????

 

[76ShovelHead]

False. While you can send texts or make calls from Hangouts, you must do so using a Google Voice number. This utilizes your actual phone thus not requiring someone to have more than one number for you.

Actually,

You don't need a separate number for google voice. I have my LG G2 on Sprint setup with google voice to use my sprint number. And with Chrome's notifications on menubar, when someone calls/texts my phone I can answer right from my mac. I've had this feature setup for over a few months now...

 

[Asclepio]

don't worry guys these things works only on keynotes

 

[Mak47]

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?

While in principle, it sounds neat to be able to do such a thing, it's a shame that it has to be at the expense of the software's capabilities on the Mac. I guess if they move to ARM, it won't really matter anymore since the iPad (in a clam shell or whatever form instead) will BE your "Mac" from then on. Welcome to the dumbing down of the computer, the Internet and the population that uses it. I couldn't help but notice how messages pretty much chooses your words for you now. At some point, it will just go ahead and reply FOR you and make the decisions as well using artificial intelligence, freeing you up to stare at more commercials (which are currently at a 20 minutes of commercials for a 60 minute program ratio or a 3 hour for a 2 hour movie despite the fact that hardly anyone watches them (skip them with the DVR or get your stuff from iTunes or wherever and don't even have to skip them).

Heck, I remember the days when we had really high tech phones. Those phones actually allowed you to use VOICE CALLS where you could talk hands free and not have to use your thumbs to type fractured sentences or stare at a screen that could get your killed while driving. Somewhere along the line, phones got DUMBER and required "texting" instead of talking. Imagine that. Slower productivity and more danger for what? ZERO benefit. Frankly, people don't need to know what you're doing at work. Obviously, you're not working if your texting and if you weren't texting, you should be WORKING. I wouldn't be shocked if companies started an automatic zero tolerance FIRING policy if they catch you texting on company time. I would. I'm not paying you to chat with your friends. IT CAN WAIT.

It's pretty evident that the "Dumbing down" of Mac apps is a one step backward/two steps front scenario. If you constantly update features on both platforms at the same rate the two will simply never catch up to each other. While it may not be important to you, there are many people who want to have this kind of functionality.

As for Macs running ARM chips...It's a logical transition at some point in the future. The Mac didn't get dumber when Apple switched to Intel and I can't believe that's what will happen this time either. Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, not harder. There are many ways to exercise our minds, computers and communications platforms are far from the only way. If people don't realize this, or choose not to take part, I don't think we can blame the technology. It's not my iPad's fault that the majority of the population is hardly capable of basic critical thinking.

As for the texting thing, get over it. While you may not value the efficiency of text messaging, the rest of us do. Phone calls waste inordinate amounts of time, at least if you're looking at sheer productive hours.

I agree with you that texting while driving is ridiculously stupid and dangerous. I also agree that people should keep personal communications to a bare minimum while at work.

However, as a functional adult, I am capable of both embracing modern technology and using it responsibly.

 

[BvizioN]

Yet another feature taken from Android.

It's either sarcasm or are born yesterday!
Or a trolling attempt.....

 

[paradox00]

"Handoff currently works with the following Apple apps: Mail, Safari, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Maps, Messages, Reminders, Calendar, and Contacts. There's also a Handoff API for developers, which will likely see Handoff capabilities added to a range of different apps."

When Handoff gets into the hands of 3rd party developers I might get a little excited about it. Right now it only works with stock Apple apps I never use. Better 3rd party apps dominate my MBA and iPad (better for me). Even still, as of yet, I can't think of a need for Handoff in my workflow.

Maybe this is more for someone "all-in" with Apple. I have Apple, Android, MS and all of it works great together. It might grow to be useful for me down the road, who knows.

It is in the hands of developers. That's exactly what the part you bolded says. Third party apps can have this capability on the same day that consumers install iOS 8 on thier phones... Obviously it doesn't work with third party apps now. It was just introduced to them, but the iOS beta exists so that they can make iOS 8 apps prior to launch...

 

[TechGod]

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?

While in principle, it sounds neat to be able to do such a thing, it's a shame that it has to be at the expense of the software's capabilities on the Mac. I guess if they move to ARM, it won't really matter anymore since the iPad (in a clam shell or whatever form instead) will BE your "Mac" from then on. Welcome to the dumbing down of the computer, the Internet and the population that uses it. I couldn't help but notice how messages pretty much chooses your words for you now. At some point, it will just go ahead and reply FOR you and make the decisions as well using artificial intelligence, freeing you up to stare at more commercials (which are currently at a 20 minutes of commercials for a 60 minute program ratio or a 3 hour for a 2 hour movie despite the fact that hardly anyone watches them (skip them with the DVR or get your stuff from iTunes or wherever and don't even have to skip them).

Heck, I remember the days when we had really high tech phones. Those phones actually allowed you to use VOICE CALLS where you could talk hands free and not have to use your thumbs to type fractured sentences or stare at a screen that could get your killed while driving. Somewhere along the line, phones got DUMBER and required "texting" instead of talking. Imagine that. Slower productivity and more danger for what? ZERO benefit. Frankly, people don't need to know what you're doing at work. Obviously, you're not working if your texting and if you weren't texting, you should be WORKING. I wouldn't be shocked if companies started an automatic zero tolerance FIRING policy if they catch you texting on company time. I would. I'm not paying you to chat with your friends. IT CAN WAIT.

Stop ranting.

Just please stop.

 

[AppvanceTech]

Connected my 5s via bluetooth to my Macbook Pro Retina and I got the Safari icon in the lock screen that launches to the current page I'm viewing on my Mac.

 

[CynanX]

I just want FaceTime to ring on preferred devices when I'm home at the moment all three ipad iPhone and MacBook ring at once, kind of annoying. F you could select preference when on the same network or something, this would be great

If we had this, and if it took into account which device you used/moved last then that would be great. Otherwise your MB could be ringing when you have just popped upstairs wih your phone and you might miss the call / have to run down stairs.

 

[SurfSpirit]

Please Apple innovate!

Really can't wait to try this feature out, I'm sure this will make some more Android users switch too.

Android users have plenty of the same features already implemented, apple is just implementing on their own list of apps, and while it seems good, there's lot of problems, document size/cpu needs, network traffic limits on mobile phone, so at least I hope a message appears asking for resume. I actually was waiting more from Apple. Reading SMS on computer wireless sync, answering phone calls on PC etc etc, on Android "there's an app for it" already!! !

 

[haravikk]

I think Continuity/Handoff are a pretty exciting feature for the desktop side of things; it shows that Apple clearly still feels the desktop is important even in an increasingly smart phone world, and hopefully the halo effect will keep Macs popular among iOS users. I also hope it means good things for the Mac Mini, as a good entry level Mac will enhance the effect if iOS users want to take advantage of these features.

 

[peterdevries]

After all, they gotta find something to do with those MASSIVE data centers they've built.

Well, I guess a BIG part of that is the new iCould Drive function that will make many MANY people switch over from Dropbox. I know I will at these price points and better integration with the OS.

 

[MacrumoursUser]

Yet another feature taken from Android.

Yes you are right android holds patents on the obvious.

 

[attila]

I hope Handoff will work with iTunes!

 

[dabirdwell]

Easy guys, these are just beats.
Oh, I mean, betas.

 

[hugoZA]

Handoff between iPad Air (1g) and iPhone 5 shows for email, but when opening it I get an error: Failed to continue activity. The connection to your other device may have been interrupted. Please try again.

Handoff for Safari shows up, and opens Safari, but on a blank page.

Calls from iPhone to iPad are hit and miss. I noticed that if I manually connect the bluetooth between the two devices it works better.

SMS on iPad works fine. Voice messages do not and video messages crash when activating recording on my iPad.