iOS 8 Release Date, Features: What You Should Know About Apple's New iOS 8

Xander de Lacy Tuesday, September 02, 2014

The iOS 8 is just around the corner and with the upcoming Apple event, which is scheduled for September 9, it is very likely that we will be seeing the non-beta version of Apple's new mobile operating system that day or soon after. With Apple's habit of releasing updates on Wednesdays, there's a big probability that the iOS 8 will hit Apple servers the day after the scheduled event, which is September 9, a Tuesday.

According to Apple, the iOS 8, like its predecessor the iOS 7, will be very much compatible with a lot of iDevices, from the iPhone 4s up to the latest iPhone 6 (most probably), which is yet to be officially released.

Here are some key features that have been making iPhone and iPad owners excited about the next iOS version;

Updated iMessage: The popular built-in messaging app for iOS will have a new function that will let users send Audio and Video messages aside from the usual text and photo-only messages. Apple's a bit late on a feature that has been featured with other instant messaging apps like Skype, but it's never too late to comply, right?
App Extensions: The introduction of this feature will let users integrate apps within other apps. How cool is that? For example, you like using the "To-Do-List" app, another app called "Washio" can be integrated within it, saving you the trouble of manually entering the information that you already entered on either of the two apps.
Bigger and Better Spotlight: The Spotlight feature will also be greatly improved with the next iOS version. Instead of being limited to what's on the device you're using, it will also search certain online sites like Wikipedia or Bing. This could be a watered down alternative to Android's Google Now feature.
HomeKit: This is the future! Lock your door, adjust your thermostat or close down the garage. Do this all without having to get up from your couch. That's not all. You don't have to touch your iDevce as well. You could just tell Siri to do these tasks for you.

There are other cool features to come with the release of iOS 8, but this coming September 9, we will learn more, as Apple reveals everything regarding their product.