SAN FRANCISCO—Apple's iOS 8 has more new features than Apple had time to tell us about. We're likely to hear about dozens of them in the upcoming weeks, as developers dig into the new iPhone and iPad software. But every year when Apple rolls out a new OS, it also displays a "hidden features" slide with dozens of new features it didn't get around to talking about during the keynote.
This year, there were 32 features on the slide, and some of them were repeats from the presentation: "Hey, Siri" for hands-free access to Siri, for instance. But as always, there were some unheralded biggies.
Wi-Fi calling is the biggest deal. T-Mobile and Sprint let you make standard cellular phone calls over Wi-Fi in areas where you don't have any cell phone signal. But until now, iPhones have never supported that helpful feature. It looks like the next version of the iPhone will have Wi-Fi calling.
A few of the other features appear strategic. Apple has moved away from Google and towards Bing with its Spotlight search this year: adding DuckDuckGo to Safari emphasizes that there is more than one search engine in the world, and maybe you should consider using a non-Google one. There are a few moves to integrate iBooks more closely - remember how Amazon is having trouble with publishers? Apple should want some of that market share.
I'm also happy to see a focus on accessibility for blind and hearing-impaired users. But look through the list - maybe you'll find something else that really floats your boat.
Here's what's coming in iOS 8 that you may have missed.
Accessibility Features
- Alex voice for accessibility
- Braille keyboard for direct 6-dot braille input
- Improved zoom for accessibility
- Multi-device support for Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing aids
- Touch ID to exit from Guided Access
App Enhancements
- Auto night mode in iBooks
- DuckDuckGo support in Safari
- Flyover city tours
- iBooks built into iOS
- Navigation for China
- Private browsing per tab in Safari
- Rich text editing in Notes
- RSS feeds in Shared Links
- See your books as a series in iBooks
- Tips app
- Vector maps in China
Camera Enhancements
- Camera timer
- Instant burst mode
- Panoramic photos on iPad
- Separate focus and exposure in Camera
Other Features
- 24 new dictation languages
- Battery usage by app
- Hey, Siri
- In Case of Emergency card
- Indian, Tagalog, Irish Gaelic, and Slovenian keyboards
- Lunar calendar support
- New definition dictionaries
- Purchase iTunes content with Siri
- Shazam with Siri
- Sneak screen
- Travel time notifications
- Wi-Fi calling