Apple iOS 8.1 To Launch Today. Here's What Is Coming In The Update

Apple ’s senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi said that Apple iOS 8.1 will be releasing today. Apple iOS 8.1 includes bug fixes, functionality for several Continuity features, the iCloud Photo Library, Apple Pay and the return of the Camera Roll.

Continuity

Continuity lets you easily switch between your iPhone, iPad and Mac or use them together. Continuity features include Handoff, Phone Calling, Instant Hotspot and SMS from any device. Several Continuity features became available when Apple launched the Yosemite operating system for Macs last week during the new iPad event, but iOS 8.1 is required to support SMS from any device and Instant Hotspot. The Instant Hotspot and SMS support features were originally supposed to launch as part of iOS 8, but they had to be delayed until the update was released.

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Should you upgrade to iOS 8?

I hear from many of you when I write about my mom, so here’s an email I received from her today with the subject “Dad’s iPad.”

“Jim, I downloaded iOS 8 … if that what it’s called. Now he is having trouble getting his mail. Can’t read new mail and can’t change mailboxes. Was getting mail yesterday. If you have a minute, give us a call.”

I’ll give you the short answer I could have given my mom: “Reboot it.”

But I didn’t give Mom the short version. I took my time to explain exactly the steps to reboot an iPad, which I suspected she knew, but I wasn’t taking chances.

As I was sending my reply, another email from Mom arrives, “Problem solved … rebooted!”

But there’s more that I want to tell her.

Dad has an iPad 2. It’s compatible with iOS 8, but I probably would have warned her against upgrading such an old iPad.

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