14 DAY TRIAL // Apple wants to embed new functionality in its mobile software to assist drivers in finding their cars in case they’ve lost their way around the parking lot. The feature would work in the background and would not require any special action from the user.
There are already a handful of apps on iTunes that claim to take drivers to their cars, complete with walking directions and other cool stuff. Some require additional hardware to be installed on the car, while others act like a mere compass.
Apple wants to go the extra mile (pun intended) and give users a far better solution that requires almost no input on their behalf. Embedded deep in iOS 8, code referencing a ParkingPin utility would theoretically drop a pin in Maps showing you where you parked your car.
The feature would leverage the phone’s hardware (mic, sensors, the M7 chip) to sense when the owner parked his / her car and instantly store that location for future reference. The trick is pretty clever, and the feature will undoubtedly make waves among drivers who tend to get lost in vast parking lots.
Since it will be a Maps feature, the ParkingPin utility will most likely run in the background and will not have a specialized app / interface, like the Health app, for instance. Moreover, it could be a while before we catch our first glimpse of the feature in action, since Apple has delayed most of its plans with the updated version of Maps for iOS 8.
According to reports, an internal struggle between project managers and software engineers has caused the latest Maps update to be derailed. As part of the quarrel, several developers are said to have resigned, leaving Apple to look for new talents to finish up the new Maps features.
Among these features is the widely reported public transit enhancement, a revamped interface, and augmented-reality functionality.
iOS 8 is currently in the hands of thousands of registered Apple developers who are discovering one new feature after another by poking around its code. The public release date is Fall 2014, and there will be at least one or two more betas seeded for testing until that time arrives.
Developers are also actively testing OS X 10.10 Yosemite, the latest version of the company’s desktop operating system which marks the first major overhaul in years. OS X Yosemite is expected to debut alongside iOS 8 in the September-October time frame.