The latest version of iOS 8 brings a number of changes, not least of which is a more diverse array of emoji. There are 300 new characters, including more countries’ flags and the “thumbsup” symbol in various skin colors.

The iPhone keyboard got a larger space bar, squeezing in on the “.” button’s prime real estate. CarPlay was given a boost thanks to the addition of wireless iPhone support. Finally, Siri learned more languages, as did the dictation tool, while Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and orientation/rotation all got a kick in the pants.

Here’s an explainer of all iOS 8 features.

The previous incremental iOS 8.1.3 patch brought with it new features that fix iOS 8 and round out that flat iOS 7 design, even if you haven’t upgraded toiPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus yet.

As we mentioned in our full iOS 8 review, instead of a dramatic redesign, this year’s mobile operating system update ties everything together with the overarching theme of “convergence.”

In October, iOS 8.1 released with features like tighter Mac OS X Yosemiteintegration while further loosening the restrictions on Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor for the same-day Apple Pay launch.

New software kits also bring once fragmented health gadgets together, something that this year’s “one more thing” surprise, the Apple Watch, will take advantage of in April.

Compatibility

When it comes to iOS 8.1.3 and iOS 8 compatibility, Apple requires an iPhone 4Sor newer and iPad 2 or newer to update to the latest software. Only the iPhone 4 is cut from the list.

Both the iPads mini and iPad mini 2 tablets and the forever alone iPod touch 5th generation also work with the new iOS, just like they did with iOS 7. No one besides 2010’s iPhone 4 gets left behind.

That’s not to say that every device worked flawlessly from the beginning. iOS 8 had been running slowly on the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 given the older hardware specs.

These older devices should be running more smoothly as of December’s iOS 8.1.1. Release notes detail a minor update, but one that give these two older devices a much-needed performance bump.

iOS 8.1.3 updates fixes problems

iOS 8.1, and now more precisely iOS 8.1.3, fixes some of those nasty WiFi and battery drain problems that resulted in a lot of negative “feedback” for Apple.

It also introduces Apple Pay to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners. Now you can link up for credit or debit card to Apple’s digital wallet if your bank is one of the 500 that support the NFC-like feature.

There are still plenty of iPhone users complaining about connectivity issues on Apple’s support forum, but a more WiFi and Bluetooth-focused patch come with iOS 8.2 eventually.

OS X Yosemite gets the most out of iOS 8.1 thanks to the new Continuity feature. Mac computers can now send and receive phone calls, texts and AirDrops from Apple mobile devices.

This is a major upgrade over iOS 8.0.2 and iOS 8.0.1. Yes, they populated the App Store with fitness and nutrition apps that tie into Apple’s Health app, but it was of no use if they broke your phone.

Touch ID for all

Apple’s fingerprint scanner has been limited to bypassing the lockscreen and buying iTunes Store content, but iOS 8 changes all of that as app developers get access to the five-digit login tool.

All sorts of apps can use the biometric scanning home button instead of pesky passwords. It only applies to the Touch ID-enabled iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. But the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 are rumored to include the sensor.

At WWDC, personal financial management Mint.com illustrated how third-party Touch ID use will expand beyond its iOS 7 lockscreen and iTunes confines. 1Password uses the same home button authentication the easier password management.

PayPal sent its developers to Apple’s Touch ID session at the conference, meaning all of your eBay and e-commerce transactions may be complete with the touch of the home button when upgrading to iOS 8.

While PayPal doesn’t think highly of Apple Pay, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus digital wallet idea is likely to be ready for iOS 8.1 in October in the US and in2015 in the UK.

In due time, “Forget password” will become a thing of the past, replaced by the pores in your fingertips. It should act as a much more unique method of protecting your valuable data.

This Touch ID convenience is on top of the fact that iOS 8 Apple Pay system ofscanning credit cards via an iPhone or iPad camera and automatically filling in the details to make shopping easier.

Of course, Apple went out of its way to say that even though you trust many app developers with your bank account data, they won’t have access to your biometric information. It’s locked away in the A7 and new A8 processor.

iOS 8 camera time-lapse mode

Believe it or not, the iPhone is consistently the most used camera in the world. It’s in so many hands and so easy to use. In iOS 8, the camera app is going to get even better.

Apple added a time-lapse camera mode to iOS 8 beta 1 in order to help users capture extended moments and automatically speed up the video with a higher frame rate. It’s a stripped-down rival to Hyperlapse.

Condensing everything road trips to candles burning down to their wick to just a few seconds in demoed in the YouTube video above.

iOS 8’s time-lapse mode is basically the opposite of the slow motion video recording option at 120 frames per second that Apple added to iOS 7 last year and Slow Mo 240fps in iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

SMS and phone calls on Mac

iMessages has been a wonderful cross-compatible tool for chatting on iOS devices and Macs – at least until you try to leave your iPhone behind for an Android.

Apple deserters, however, may be lured back to iOS 8 with SMS and voice callsbeing folded into iPads and Macs, just like blue iMessages currently pop up on Apple tablets and computers.

It’s a pain to have to fetch your phone for a single SMS from an Android user, especially when you’re sitting in front of a 13-inch MacBook Air screen and full keyboard capable of handling simple texts and phone calls.

Of course, enabling text messages and phone calls to a Mac requires upgrading OS X Yosemite, but that’s a piece of cake since it’ll be free today and iOS 8.1 come out on Monday.

Handoff and WiFi hotspot

iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite are going to be joined at the hip with the Handoff feature that lets you pick up where you left off between devices.

Starting a project or email on an iPad or iPhone will let you finish the task on a Mac with no annoying overlap. There’s no need to reopen windows or rewrite text on the computer. And it goes the other way, too, from a Mac to a an iOS 8 device.

What if you don’t have access to the internet on your computer or iPad to get the job done? That’s where the Instant HotSpot feature will come into play, easing the messy personal hotspot setup of iOS 7.

The one problem with this joint iOS 8-Yosemite feature is that it may require you to own a fairly new Mac. Handoff has been tipped to be not be compatible with Apple computers that pre-date Bluetooth 4.0.

Source : techradar.com

In this article, we like to focus on the positive features of the device instead of mere specifications.

Feel

Through the design of Apple Watch, the makers have blown the minds of the customers completely. Both the analog and digital watches do not stand a chance in front of this beautiful device. Optimum fluidity has been managed by providing attention to the design. High quality of Apple watch has placed it an adequate bracket of price. Lot of imagination has gone through in to the making of this watch.

Finish

Gorgeous design of the Apple Watch flows perfectly to the case with a little curved screen. It has become quite difficult to differentiate hardware of the device from software. Signature of the Apple Inc has been maintained with the round edge. Bezel of the watch has seamlessly amalgamated with the design of the case. Similar design can be located to the attachment of the Apple Watch in to the body. In case of Sport edition, an additional strap can be sited.

Restraint

Apple Watch has been made available in screen size of 38mm as well as 42 mm. It fits adequately with the wrist. Options are not exaggerated in the process as the edition for the girls can be obtained at 35 mm. Therefore, both the man and woman can wear this device without any problem. It is one of the first wearable devices from the Apple Inc. Due to this reason innovations can be expected in the future. Beautiful spectacle can be created with this watch in the wrist.

Respect

Though Apple Watch, manufacturer has bestowed a huge amount of respect to the watch making industry. Development of horology has been given their due credit in the process. In the beginning, watches are created on the basis of movement of the sun. Similar technology is implemented now-a-days as well.  Importance of cosmos is shown through two faces of Apple Watch. Origin of the timekeeping history is respected in the process.

It is believed that other faces reminiscent of watch can be presented in the future. Development of the Apple Watch will be skyrocketing in the near future. Crown of the watch has been retained as there is apathy towards buttons in men. Surprise has thrown towards the expert as Apple has not avoided physical control in the device.

Various Models:-

At first you need to choose the right watch model among three available models.

Apple Watch Sport:

This model is especially for the athletes and continuous users made up with the combination of strength and light weight. This is the cheapest option. It is made of 7000 series aluminum alloy that is 60% stronger than normal alloy. There will be Ion-X glass to protect these sport models from scratch and other impacts.

Apple Watch:

These models are available in stainless silver case with polished silver form or in the space black. It is stronger than sports model. The company will use sapphire crystal to protect the watch display. 316L stainless steel will be used to give a good corrosion resistance.

Apple Watch Edition:

This watch is for the serious Apple Watch aficionados who are willing to spend thousands of dollars for the watch as the status symbol. The watch case will be made of 18 karat gold and it will be available in yellow and rose gold. Here also sapphire crystal will be used to cover its display. This model will be available in limited edition in the limited luxury stores.

Different Bands:-

To choose the right band for the Apple Watch might be the most important decision for you. The company will provide a set of band option with each model.

Apple Watch Sport:

A fluoroelastomer band is offered with this model. There are five different colors such as blue, black, pink, green and white. Moreover, Apple will provide two bands in separate sizes such as small/medium and medium/large.

Apple Watch:

For this model there are six bands as Classic Buckle, Link Bracelet, Milanese Loop, Leather Loop, Modern Buckle and a sporty band. The prices vary with the specific band type.

Apple Watch Edition:

The 38mm and 42mm models of Apple Watch Edition are available in black or white sports band. The 38 mm models suit with either Bright Red leather Modern Buckle band or Rose Gray. The 42mm models suit with either black leather Classic Buckle band or Midnight Blue.

Different Sizes:-

Apple is providing two different sizes as 38 mm and 42 mm for each watch. The measurement of the size has been done vertically, not horizontally. These two sizes have different screen resolutions with Retina display. Whatever the size you will choose, it depends on your personal preference but you should keep in your mind that Leather Loop Apple Watch is available in 42mm and Modern Buckle Apple Watch comes in 38mm. the size of the watch depends on the size of your wrist.

Prices:-

The Apple Watch price in the UK will start at £299. Now depending on the models and other criteria the watch price will go higher. With the actual price there will be 20% VAT along with a little more ‘Apple Tax’.

So now it’s the high time to place an order for the Apple Watch as the order starts from 10th April when the sipping will start from 24th April, 2015.

Procedure for Downloading Apps for Apple Watch:

According to the company’s source, there will not be any app store on this watch. To get the apps, you need to download them from particular section of the App Store on the iPhone and then sync them with the Apple Watch.

Apps Available for the Apple Watch:

• Apple watch has the facility of message extension that will enable you to read any text by just raising the wrist after receiving the alert. The app has the facility to respond.
• For any incoming calls, there will be vibration on the wrist and then you will be able to receive or reject the calls from the watch only.
• The watch will alert you after getting an email and the mail can be read, flag or deleted from the watch.
• Calendar will be displayed on the watch from where you will be informed about any events and you can accept or decline any invitation.
• There is an app called Apple’s Activity app which will keep the record of your exercise, movements, how long you are sitting at a place and when you need to stand up. It will present you the graphical representation of your statistics.
• The Workout app will help you to monitor your exercise along with the workout session, time, speed, distance and burned calories.
• The watch can display a miniature map in the Map app which will show your location and there will be custom vibration for navigating the destination without having looked on the watch.
• The Music app will allow you to store your desired tracks up to 2 GB.
• The watch will give the facility of remote control the iPhone camera and the Apple TV.
• The hourly and weekly forecasts of the weather will be reported through Weather app.
• The Stock app will provide the updates and performance of your stocks.
• For some selected photos the Photos app can give 75 MB storage.
• You will definitely get the options for Alarm, Timer, and Stop Watch on the Apple Watch. World Clock is also available on the watch.

Third-Party Apps Available for Apple Watch:

• Through the Instagram app, you can browse the Instagram feed and liked photos and leave comments.
• You can respond and correspond with the other users in Twitter through Twitter app.
• The Darkroom app used as a photo editing purpose allows you to adjust RGB colour curves.
• There is facility for bidding for Ebay app.
• You can dictate and view notes as well as set reminder by Evernote.
• The Apple watch supports Shazam which will inform you what song is playing.

Not only these, there are numerous apps such as Salesforce, Dark Sky, Sky Guide, Lifesum, OpenTable and many more.

1. Samsung Galaxy S6
2. Samsung Galaxy A7
3. Samsung Galaxy A5
4. Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime
5. Samsung Galaxy S5
6. Asus Zenfone 5
7. HTC One M9
8. Apple iPhone 6
9. Samsung Galaxy E7
10. Motorola Moto E (2015 Edition)

This list is dominated by Samsung, the worlds largest smart phone maker.

http://www.goldgenie.com/gold-iphone-6.php

Click here for iPhone 6 Plus

In a nutshell

The iPhone 6 is the foremost iPhone revision on the entire design with a 19th September release date. Sim-free, the device will cost around AU$869 in Australia, £539 in the UK and $649 in the US. iPhone 6 Plus is a little larger than iPhone 6, which is also a bit larger than 5S.

iPhone 6 Cost

There are two sets of iPhone 6 buyers. Those buying a Sim-free device will have to cough up more money with the iPhone 6 16GB going for AU$869, £539 and $649 while the 64GB model will be sold at AU$999, £619 and $749. Those interested in the 128GB iPhone 6 model should have AU$1129, £699 and $849 at the ready.

On the other hand, in the United States, a two-year contract gets you the 16GB iPhone 6 from $199, 64GB for $299 as the 128GB version goes for $399. Pre-orders for the iPhone will begin on 12th September.

Design Hallmarks

One major highlights of the iPhone 6 is the square off type of design, which entered the market with iPhone 4 and has been revised by Apple. The overhauled design is replaced by a slimmer yet rounded body in the eighth generation of the iPhone.

At about 6.9mm, the iPhone is arguably one of the thinnest you will ever come across in the market with rumours of a rear yet protruding camera lens being confirmed as true.  At 129g the iPhone 6 is a little heavier than some iPhones, such as the 5S. It has a 138.1mm by 67mm body.

The lock/power key is no longer at the top, but on the right hand side of the handset. If you love using your phone with one hand, then you will love iPhone 6. Along the left hand side of the gadget are volume keys, separated, with mute-toggle switch above the volume keys.

Display

iPhone 6’s display at 4.7 inches of an LED back-lit display heralds the Retina HD for Apple, especially due to a 1334 by 750 resolution. Essentially, a 326ppi pixel density is assured, equal to that of 5S. As the screen is a little larger than that of iPhone 5S, it is believed it will do well among Asian consumers of the iPhone who had reluctantly ignored the Apple phones due to their small screen sizes in contrast with others in the market.

Powering the iPhone 6

With a RAM of 1GB, iPhone 6 comes with A8, second generation 64-bit processor and an M8 next generation motion coprocessor as well.

Operating system

The obvious guess is that iPhone 6 is running on iOS 8 after its announcement during the WWDC Developers conference earlier in 2014. iOS 8 is already in both the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6.