14 DAY TRIAL // The second beta of iOS 8 was released to developers yesterday evening and testers far and wide have discovered a truckload of new things, from small aesthetic tweaks to major changes like the addition of a stock Podcasts app.
Developers report that Apple has added new privacy settings in the HomeKit pref-pane, new Assistive Touch options, separate photo albums (burst, slo-mo, time-lapse, videos, etc.), book series in iBooks, tweaked colors in Messages, and other small changes.
More noteworthy is the addition of a stock Podcasts app, a slightly improved Spotlight, a new option to monitor battery usage without cellphone coverage, a master Notifications switch to shut up the phone for good, and the all-new QuickType keyboard for iPad.
One thing that people will probably hate is the stock Podcasts app. Podcasts is not only one of Apple’s worst products (having spawned countless complaints on the App Store and the Apple Support Communities forum), but it’s also something that many people don’t want on their phones because they don’t listen to Podcasts.
What’s the purpose of removing Game Center from the Home screen if you’re going to add Podcasts, Apple? We don’t want another app to tuck in the “unused” folder.