Apple iOS 8 review

Review by Brad Molen









Last year's iOS 7 update was the largest redesign in the
platform's seven-year history, but it didn't add much in the way of
functionality. Which is a shame, because although the ecosystem has been
robust, it was still missing a lot of stuff that Android users already
enjoy. Now that developers have had time to tweak their app designs to
fit Apple's vision, iOS 8 is here with features that iPhone and iPad
users have long been begging for. Custom keyboards, manual camera
controls, extensions that let apps interact with each other, widgets
(albeit limited) and actionable notifications are features that Android users have enjoyed for a long time -- and they work well on iOS, too.




That said, the new software isn't perfect. iCloud Drive, Apple's
alternative to a proper iOS file manager, is in the early stages. For
now, at least, it's easier to access on OS X than iOS, which doesn't
currently have its own app. Very little was done to improve the
struggling Apple Maps, and while "Hey Siri" is a welcome addition to the
digital assistant, I only found it useful in the car, and even then,
only as long as I have it plugged in. Finally, while I find myself using
Notification Center more than ever, I'm frustrated that I have no way
of knowing if anything's in there until I actually take a peek.




Nitpicks aside, the strengths of iOS 8 clearly outnumber the
flaws. During our time with the new OS, we couldn't help but wonder
where many of these new features have been the last few years. Apple's
working hard to stay competitive, matching its rivals feature for
feature. iOS 8 isn't a ground-breaking update, then, but for Apple
loyalists, this improved user experience is nonetheless great news.


 - Engadget