iOS 8 and OSX 10.10 Yosemite were announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) 2014 in San Francisco. Also another big announcement – at least to developers – was that Swift will be the new language replacing Objective-C.

iOS 8 and OSX 10.10 Yosemite are due for release in the autumn/fall.

Here’s the edited highlights of iOS 8 and OSX 10.10 Yosemite:

iOS 8 

  • New APIs – HomeKit and HealthKit
  • HomeKit – allows people to control household objects and appliances – directly from their iPhones – Internet of Things
  • HealthKit – collection of lifestyle tracking tools
  • Health – app which ties into the HealthKit
  • TouchID – will be open to developers for things like authorisation, login etc
  • Photos – some new features to edit lighting and contrast
  • iCloud Photo Library – will also be on OSX 10.10 – allows users to store photos and access across all their devices
  • Messages – new audio and video controls to allow quick record and send of multimedia – group message updated
  • Keyboard – will be predictive and changeable / allow third-party keyboards
  • QuickType – update to auto-correct (at last!)
  • Family Sharing – allows permission for purchases etc
  • iCloud Drive – will also be on OSX 10.10 – allows upload of files that can be accessed via any device – will also mean there will be a file browser in iOS
  • Continuity – also on OSX 10.10 – should make working across Mac and mobile devices more seamless
  • Interactive Notifications
  • Spotlight – will also be improved to access info like Wikipedia, news, maps, results from iTunes, iBooks, App Store, suggested websites
  • AirPlay – will allow peer-to-peer sharing, so not just via wifi networks
  • Notes app – will allow rich text

iOS 8 Will run on iPhones from iPhone 4S up and iPads from iPad2 / iPad Mini up – plus on iPod Touch 5th Gen

Further info on iOS 8 – from Applefrom MacWorld hands on from CultOfMac

OSX 10.10 Yosemite 

  • New interface, new dock, ‘beautiful’ icons
  • New interface – iOS 7 style re-design with translucent, flatter icons
  • Spotlight – more prominent – as well as searching your Mac can search on the web
  • Mail – productivity updates
  • Will allow more connectivity with iPhones – can make calls on Mac
  • Continuity
  • Handoff

Further info on OSX 10.10 Yosemite – from Applefrom MacWorld