Apple Makes Big Changes With iOS 8

Author: Jim Lundy
Date: October 9, 2014
Topic: Mobile
Research Note Number: 2014-38

Issue: Who are the mobile providers and how will they compete?

Summary: Apple has released iOS 8, and with it new capabilities and services that aim to make Apple devices more at home in the enterprise. This marks a shift in Apple’s strategy.

iOS 8 was previewed at Apple’s 25th Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June 2014. It is now out, packed with more new capabilities than we have seen in years. While Apple has not revealed all of its long-term software strategy, iOS 8 shows that the company is still a thought leader with enormous influence on mobile operating systems and the user experience. This note overviews the Apple iOS 8 release.

iOS 8 User Experience: Wearable Preview and 3-D Graphics

There are a number of updates to the iOS 8 user experience, such as better multi-tasking that lets you reply to invites and messages without leaving the app you’re in. Beyond the interface and operational improvements, some of the deeper changes will only show their full power in future versions or on wearable devices, such as the recently announced Apple Watch (see Note 1).

Apple has also developed a new way to render 3-D environments in iOS based on a technology called Metal. Apple partners have already published games in the App Store that use it to produce graphics with the same high quality as a game console.

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