Beta available to developers today, public release in fall

Jun 2, 2014 19:07 GMT  ·  By

At the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced iOS 8 today featuring the usual round of features and enhancements you’d expect from the Cupertino company, with a beta being made available to developers immediately.

Calling iOS 8 the biggest release since the launch of the App Store, Apple today revealed plans to offer customers a more intuitive user experience with iCloud Photo Library, new Messages features to share voice, video, or photos with a swipe, and a new Health app.

iOS 8 also includes Apple’s QuickType keyboard with predictive typing, Family Sharing, and the all-new iCloud Drive that finally makes iCloud as usable as Dropbox.

Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, said, “iOS 8 offers simpler, faster and more intuitive ways to use your device with incredible new features like iCloud Photo Library, a new Messages app, the QuickType keyboard and an entirely new Health app.”

“We’re also giving developers amazing new tools to make managing your health and your home from your devices an integrated, simple and secure experience,” added Federighi.

iOS 8 is immediately available to developers as a beta and will be released to the masses as a free software update this fall. Supported devices include iPhone 4S and later, iPad 2 and newer, and iPod touch fifth generation.