Apple belatedly entered the phablet' market with a mammoth 5.5in device in 2014. While the iPhone 6 Plus has superior specifications to the smaller iPhone 6 - does it translate to a better user experience? We take a look at the good and the bad

Best features

Display

There are no questions as to why DisplayMate labelled this iPhone as the best LCD panel on the market when it was released. This is because it was the first iPhone with a full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution (401ppi). Text and images appear pin sharp on this display with natural colour replication and abaolutely superb viewing angles. The 6 Plus also impressed us when we were watching videos from the iTunes store as the 16:9 aspect ratio makes black bars obsolete.

The extra screen space is taken advantage of through the new beefed up landscape mode. Some apps provide two-pane views, sich as Mail and Notes, and you can even use undo, copy and paste which pop up on the default keyboard in this view.

The home screen can even use landscape view which means you can use the device exclusively in this mode just like a tablet. (Note: You won't be able to use the home screen in landscape mode if you switch to Zoomed Mode to make the icons larger)

We managed to measure a maximum brightness of 500 cd/m2 on the iPhone 6 plus. We were also able to reduce the brightness between 25% to 50% and still see everything on the screen comfortably. The only time when you will have to raise the brightness levels is when watching video or if you have to combat sunlight.

Best battery life of any iPhone

The iPhone 6 Plus ended the problem that iPhone 5/5s users had where they needed to charge their device in the middle of the day. Its big chassis is home to a 2915mAh battery pack which is almost twice the size of the 5s's.

Remarkably, this is the first iPhone we've been able to use without having to worry too much about the battery life. After a huge 23 hours from the mains we still had 16 per cent battery left.

Battery life will depend on how much you use the device - so if you load up lots of data hungry apps don't be surprised to see it drain quickly. However, another positive is the ability to charge the 6 Plus faster than previous models using the iPad adaptor. This should get to 90 per cent after two hours. Even charging the device from USB port on a MacBook Pro was swift. We managed to get to 47 per cent in 60 minutes.

Touch ID

This retains its position as the best fingerprint scanner we've tested on any device thanks to its simplicity and convenience.

Competitor handsets like the Galaxy S5 require you to swipe to activate the fingerprint scanner - but with Touch ID all you have to do is touch the home button. And because this is a natural way to wake iPhones, you can unlock devices with one action.

With Apple opening up the APIs to third-parties, Touch ID has become ever more useful as you can log into things like your Amazon account.

Excellent camera

The 8-megapixel camera uses the same sensor as the iPhone 6 but Apple has also included Optical Image Stabilisation. It's the inclusion of the Focus Pixels technology and the low-light performance, which helps this to stand out from other devices.

The 6 Plus focuses so quickly that you can snap away multiple pictures without worrying about focusing. During an event at the Electric Ballroom, we took some quick fire shots without tapping the screen to focus and they turned out perfectly.

What the deal with Bendgate?

Despite Bendgate trending on social media after pictures of misshapen iPhones appeared, the issue seems to have been exaggerated.Apple says only 9 customers have officially complained regarding bending of the iPhone 6 Plus - and out of the millions of shipped devices, this is insignificant.

According to Consumer Reports, the iPhone 6 Plus is structurally sound. Tests show it is capable of withstanding more pressure than the iPhone 6. Under normal usage, there should be no problems.

iOS 8

iOS 8.0.2 has been rushed out and we haven't experienced any major bugs so far. Apple has also fixed the bug with HealthKit - so health monitoring apps should be flooding the App Store soon.

The latest update brings a wealth of options including the ability to customise the keyboard, have more control over privacy, better web browsing and MDM controls for businesses.

Areas for improvement

Just too big

It would have been interesting to see if the 6 Plus would have made it to market if Steve Jobs was still in charge at Apple as he loathed big screen handsets.

Although we loved the big screen for web browsing and watching videos, the dimensions of the device made it unwieldy. Interestingly, the 6 Plus is longer than the Galaxy Note 4, despite the latter having a bigger 5.7in display.

The device slips snuggly into most trousers without any problem but it will protrude from cardigans and the pockets of smaller jackets.

Like most phablets, the 6 Plus will also make you feel self-conscious when holding it to your ear in public. This can be avoided by using the headphones to make calls. You will get used to the size with usage, but if your hands are small this could cause discomfort.

No Stylus

It's a shame Apple doesn't offer a stylus as this can increase the usefulness of the device for graphical work and make it easier to use with one hand.

Fear of the drop

While the iPhone 6 is highly unlikely to bend in your pocket, questions remain about how fragile the device is. Even with a cover, the results of a drop test are unlikely to be positive.

1GB RAM

The 6 Plus is loaded up with a snappy A8 processor, but Apple continues to use just 1GB of RAM. That's three times less than devices like Galaxy Note 4 and Xperia Z3.

It poses questions about how the iPhone 6 Plus will be able to handle upgrades. We've already seen the 4s struggle to run the iOS 8 and with apps demanding ever more resources, the shelf life of the 6 Plus is questionable beyond 12 months.

Value for money?

It's not cheap. The 6 Plus starts at 619 SIM-free (16GB). This rises to 699 for the 64GB model and 789 for 128GB of internal storage.

Contracts pricing is also at the high-end. The 16GB model costs 230 upfront with a monthly charge of 33 (24 months). This comes with 1GB of data, unlimited minutes and texts.

Overall - Is it better than the iPhone 6?

This is Apple's first-generation phablet so there's room for improvement. Although the 6 Plus has a superb display and great battery life, we found it too cumbersome for everyday usage.

At 4.7ins the iPhone 6 has a manageable size, the same processor/1GB RAM and almost identical camera. But with better battery life and screen, we'd opt for the 6 Plus if you don't mind the bulk.

Previous News

27/03/2017: Apple has won its battle to overturn a ruling on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus that would have seen them banned from China.

The tech giant yesterday convinced a Beijing court to overturn the Beijing Intellectual Property Office's injunction on the iPhone after Chinese firm Baili accused Apple of infringing its patent on the design of the phone last year.

However, the intellectual property court found that there was insufficient evidence for granting the injunction, adding that the phones' designs (Baili's was its 100C device) were distinct enough to easily tell which was which, according to BBC News.

Apple also urged the court to strip Baili of the patent, but the court declined. Baili is planning to appeal, TechCrunch reports.

While Apple's instant appeal against the initial injunction meant the iPhone 6 wasn't ever taken off the market, the tech giant can now continue selling it without fear. The company's sales in Greater China fell 11.6% year-on-year, according to its latest financial results, released at the end of 2016.

18/11/2016: After some users reported touchscreen issues with their iPhone 6 Plus, Apple has launched a repair programme aimed at resolving them.

The fix is called "iPhone 6 Plus Multi-Touch Repair Program", and is said to be aimed at phones that do not register touchscreen signals or have flickering displays, after "being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device."

This issue affecting the iPhone 6 Plus, launched in September two years ago, has been termed 'touch disease', as it involves the smart phone's touchscreen becoming unresponsive or a flickering line appearing on top of the phone's display.

If a user's iPhone 6 Plus is experiencing this 'touch disease' and the screen is not cracked nor broken, repairing it will cost $149.

Apple said customers who have already paid for a service repair before this fix was introduced can contact Apple to receive a refund of the repair cost.

The exact number of customers affected by this problem is still unclear.

Verdict

The iPhablet has a superb set of specifications with the display and battery life being the stand out features.

OS: iOS 8 (preloaded) Display: 5.5in, 1,080 x 1,920 (401ppi) Processor: Apple A8 64-bit + M8 co-processor RAM: 1GB Biometrics: Touch ID fingerprint sensor Storage: 16/64/128GB Camera: 8-megapixel with autofocus, flash, 1.2-megapixel front-facing Connectivity: Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4, NFC, 4G, GPS/GLONASS Ports: Lightning connector Dimensions: 158 x 78 x 7.1 mm (WDH) Battery: 2915mAh Weight: 172g

Since its release in September 2015, iOS 9 has brought multiple new features to Apple's devices both in the initial release and subsequent 9.x updates. Here you can find out all the latest news, features and information about Apple's latest mobile OS.

iOS 9 at-a-glance:

• General release was on 16 September
• Introduced split-screen for iPads, new keyboard shortcuts, and Siri upgrades
• iOS 9.2 was released on 8 December, containing general enhancements and bug fixes
• iOS 9.3 expected in Q1 2016

iOS 9 latest news

26/08/2016:Apple has rushed out an update designed to address critical security flaws that let hackers spy on iPhones, urging businesses and consumers alike to install it.

The Trident vulnerability lets hackers spy on your iPhone with one click, reading information from apps like Gmail, Facebook and WhatsApp.

It was first discovered yesterday by mobile security specialist Lookout, working with Citizen Lab, after a human rights activist in the UAE noticed suspicious messages on his iPhone and reported them to Citizen Lab.

Trident uses three previously unpatched security flaws in iOS to subtly install spyware on the iPhone, starting with SMS phishing messages that direct the user to a website that downloads malware onto their device.

The spyware copies the target's calls, texts, calendar and contacts, and can also activate the camera and microphone to spy on conversations.

However, Apple has issued a fix for Trident and other flaws in its latest iOS update, iOS 9.3.5. Users can upgrade to this today by going to Settings>General>Software Update, and selecting Install Now.

25/07/2016:Almost 90 per cent of iPhones and iPads now run iOS 9, according to Apple. The company released statistics on 18 July showing that the most recent edition of its mobile OS (excluding iOS 10, which is still in beta) is used by 86 per cent of devices, with a further 11 per cent running iOS 8, which was released in September 2014. Only three per cent use an earlier version of the OS.

In comparison, Google's latest version of Android, Marshmallow, is used by just 13.3 per cent of Android devices, according to Google's latest statistics. Its predecessor, Android 5 Lollipop, is used by a little over 35 per cent of devices, while 30.1 per cent use 2013's Android 4 KitKat OS. The remaining 21.5 per cent use an older version of Android.

iOS 9 is set to be superceded by iOS 10, which debuted at WWDC 2016 in June and is currently available as a beta testing version. Its general release is scheduled for this autumn, with a September launch date expected, alongside the iPhone 7.

23/06/2016:The third beta of iOS 9.3.3 has been seeded to developers and public beta testers.

iOS 9.3.2 is currently available on general release to consumers, but registered Apple developers and public beta testers have received the release of iOS 9.3.3 ahead of time to help ensure apps are still working properly, work out any bugs in the operating system and provide feedback to Apple.

This beta comes just two weeks after the previous beta release and is the third to be issued since testing began on 23 May. As it is a 9.3.x update, it will effectively be a bug fix and performance improvement update and will not introduce any new features. However, it's still important for users to upgrade if and when they can following the general release to ensure their mobile devices are as secure as possible, as is the case with all operating systems.

While 9.3.3 may be free of new features, iOS 10 is also currently with developers in beta form. It will be launched this autumn, likely alongside the iPhone 7, and has several new features including support for animations and a greater range of emojis in the Messaging app, improved Maps, the incorporation of AI into Photos to group fond memories together in a way that is similar to the Memories function on Facebook, and Apple Pay for online payments, although this will be restricted to certain trusted sites.

03/06/2016: iOS 9.3.3 is reported to have been jailbroken, according to reports.

According to Forbes, someone with a jailbroken device has managed to get the latest beta version of iOS, which could mean that the code allows jailbreaking.

Italian developer Luca Tedesco has claimed that he has successfully jailbroken a device with Apple's iOS 9.3.3 beta on board. Apparently iOS 9.3.1. and iOS 9.3.2 do not have any publicly available jailbreaks, which seems to suggest that Apple has been successful in keeping Jailbreak devices at bay.

With WWDC around the corner and iOS 10 expected to drop then, it has been speculated that jailbreakers are holding fire until the new operating system makes an appearence.

18/05/2016:There are reports that the latest update to iOS 9 is bricking the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

According to MacRumors, after installing iOS 9.3.2, users have reported seeing an "Error 56" message which instructs them to connect their device to iTunes.

While not all 9.7-inch iPad Pros have had the error, the report said the issue was widespread and cited numerous messages on social networks as evidence of the problem. According to Apple support documents, the issue is a hardware one. The fix involves installing the latest version of iTunes, checking third-party software and attempting repeat resources.

The problem could lead to Apple issuing a patch for its latest update.

17/05/2016: Apple has released iOS 9.3.2, which includes a number of bug fixes for iPhone and iPad.

The release, which is likely to be one of the final updates before the arrival of iOS 10, is primarily a bug-fixing and performance revision.

Included in the update are fixes for an issue where some Bluetooth accessories could experience audio quality issues when paired to the iPhone SE, for an issue where looking up dictionary definitions could fail, and for an issue involving VoiceOver users using the Alex voice, where the device switches to a different voice to announce punctuation or spaces.

A problem that prevented MDM servers from installing custom B2B apps has been fixed.

The update also fixes an issue that prevented typing email addresses when using the Japanese Kana keyboard in Mail and Messages has also been addressed.

More information on this iOS update can be found on Apple's support page.

03/03/2016:Apple's upcoming iOS 9.3 upgrade will notify you if your employer is tracking your iPhone.

With lots of businesses now using mobile device management (MDM) services to monitor workers' devices, Apple's latest version of iOS will feature a message at the bottom of the lock screen, saying "This iPhone is managed by your organisation".

The move, reported by 9to5Mac and revealed on Reddit,gives users more transparency over their device privacy, with the About' page in Settings' also warning users, saying: "This iPhone is supervised. [Company name] can monitor your internet traffic and locate this device."

Apple offers its own MDM service to companies, so the announcement shows the device maker is trying to straddle the line between company control and employee freedom, but at least users will now be aware if their device is being monitored.

IT admins will also get more control over employees' iPhones with iOS 9.3, with features allowing them to prioritise apps they deem most important, and an MDM service giving them the power to control home screen layouts and notification settings, according to developer Steve Stroughton-Smith.

Other management features let IT approve certain URLs in Safari and set out text on the lock screen.

The move reinforces the tech giant's security credentials as it fights the FBI's attempts to weaken the iPhone's security, to make it easier to access data in criminal investigations.

16/02/2016:Apple Pay could arrive in China on Thursday, bringing the company's payment technology to the world's largest single smartphone market.

The service will be rolled out on Thursday 18 February, according to aReutersreport citing officials from both the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Guangfa Bankal, though Apple has yet to confirm the date.

Apple Pay has been somewhat delayed in its arrival to China but looks set to be a huge opportunity for the company. Not only is China the second biggest market for Apple's iPhone sales, its people are already well accustomed to mobile payments.

Last year, the total number of Chinese consumers paying for goods and services via their smartphones totalled 358 million. That's more than 15 times the number of people in the US using similar technology in 2015, according to data from eMarketer.

This provides a huge potential audience for Apple. First, however, it will have to beat the current market leaders - Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group - who control most of China's mobile payments world between them.

20/01/2016:Code suggesting that the iPhone 7 will drop the headphone jack has been found in the latest iOS 9.3 beta 1.1 software release.

As reported by9to5Mac, Twitter user@kyoufujibayadiscovered code reading, 'Headphones.have.%sinput.NO.', appearing to confirm long-circulated rumours that Apple's next iPhone will opt for wireless audio solutions and Lighting adapter for connecting headphones and speakers.

13/01/2016:Three quarters of Apple devices now run iOS 9, just four months after it was released.

This is according to Apple's own App Store stats, based on which OSes are connecting to it, but if they are to be believed, the latest operating system is growing steadily, up from 70 per cent last month and 66 per cent the previous month.

12/01/2016:iOS 9.3, the latest version of Apple's mobile OS, has been seeded to developers, meaning it could soon be on its way to consumers.

Two key new features are Night Shift and private Notes. The former reduces the amount of blue light emitted by the device's screen, which has been shown to disrupt melatonin production and, therefore, sleep patterns, by shifting colours on the display towards the warmer end of the spectrum.

Additional privacy settings on Notes - the built-in note taking tool for iOS and Mac OS - allow users to lock entries that contain very sensitive data, such as financial details or medical data, with a password or Touch ID. Additional new features in Notes include the ability to sort entries by date created, date modified, or alphabetically.

There are also new features being introduced in iOS in Education in 9.3, including iPad sharing, Apple School Manager mobile device management (MDM) software, a new classroom app and a new identity management tool.

There are also updates to the News app, meaning the suggestions in For You will be "better tailored to your particular interests", according to Apple.

Health has had a few tweaks, including a new dashboard. The app also displays stand, move and exercise data, as well as users' goals.

Finally, there are additional CarPlay features. New and For You suggestions from Apple Music will be displayed on the head unit's screen and the Nearby service will, as the name suggests, inform the driver of car parks, restaurants, petrol stations and other significant locations nearby.

It took a little over a month for iOS 9.2 to make it from first developer beta to full release (with an additional three developer betas in between), meaning we could see iOS 9.3 released to the general public by the end of February.

09/12/2015: iOS 9.2 has come out of beta and is available to download for iPhone and iPad users.

As part of a slew of updates from Apple, including OS X, WatchOS, and tvOS, iOS 9.2 now improves Apple Music, iBooks and iOS Mail apps and bug fixes.

Improvements to Apple Music makes it easier toharmonise your iCloud Music Library with the streaming service, meaning users can now seewhether or not any song has been downloaded, and then download whole albums or playlists.

iBooks now supports 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

Mail now supports Mail Drop for large attachments as well as a number of bug fixes for the mail client. There is also Siri support for Arabic and a new Top Stories section in the News app.

There are also stability improvements for Safari and Podcasts.

30/10/2015:iOS 9.2 is now available to public beta testers, three days after it was opened up to developers. The release, which is available as a 1.6GB over-the-air update to those already enrolled in the beta program, has several bug fixes and update to the Safari View Controller that introduces support for third-party extensions, such as password managers.

In tandem with the beta release of iOS 9.2, Apple has decommissioned iOS 9.0.2, meaning it is no longer possible to downgrade to any version of the OS earlier than iOS 9.1, which was released on 21 October.

27/10/2015:A lawsuit has been filed against Apple by a couple in Florida, claiming that a feature present in iOS 9 caused them to exceed their wireless data cap, reports ComputerWorld.

The problem occurred, the couple claim, because of the Wi-Fi Assist feature - which switches the phone to a cellular connection if Wi-Fi signal is weak - automatically enabled with iOS 9.

The lawsuit reads: "Defendant failed to disclose to consumers that this automatic switch to cellular data caused by an activated Wi-Fi Assist (the default setting) may result in exceeding the data capacity allowed under their phone plans. This is especially true as there is no warning or disclosure when the phone switches from Wi-Fi to cellular data."

23/10/2015:After investigating claims that their app for iOS was draining users' battery life, Facebook has released an update to assuage the issue.

Rather than offer details on the new changes, the App Store release notes remain vague, promising a better experience and updates every two weeks. However, Facebook's Engineering Manager Ari Grant provided more information on the fixes in a public post.

The first issue identified was a CPU spina loop that doesn't perform a useful taskin the app's network code which drained battery life because of the repeated processing.

The second problem had to do with the way audio sessions were managed. In some instances, audio sessions remained open after viewing videosas though the audio was playing silently in the backgroundafter exiting the app. Although the app isn't doing anything, battery life was drained because the app remained active in the background.

Changes have been made to the app and the update is available for download today, but Grant's statement seems to imply that additional fixes are in the works. In relation to the CPU spin, he said, "the version released today has some improvements that should start making this better." The issue with audio sessions has been fixed, though, and background audio has been removed completely.

Grant made a point of mentioning that the issues addressed were not caused by any location features and reiterated that Facebook does not access device location without permission within the app.

Update the iOS Facebook app as soon as possible to eliminate unintended battery drain.

With the announcement of bi-monthly updates and Grant's allusions to other potential issues, it seems reasonable to look forward to future battery life improvements.

iOS 9 release date

Apple unveiled iOS 9 at WWDC 2015, but it was only released three months later on 16 September, alongside the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus and iPad Pro.

Since then it has received multiple updates, having just hit the first developer preview for version 9.3 in early January, which will likely be generally available in February.

While the next major release of iOS - iOS 10 - is expected to be revealed in June this year and released in September, iOS 9 will likely continue to receive incremental updates until then.

iOS 9 supports five generations of iPhone, from the iPhone 4s to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, as well as all four generations of the iPad mini, iPad 2, 3 and 4, iPad Air and iPad Air 2, the iPad Pro, and fifth and sixth generation iPod Touch.

iOS 9 features

iOS 9 apps

iOS 9 features a brand new 'News' app, which will act as an aggregator similar to Flipboard or News Republic. The app will pull content from various online sources based on the user's preselected reading preferences, with embedded content like images, sound, and video.

It also features Health, which was first introduced in iOS 8 and, with iOS 9.3, can now show stand, move and exercise data, as well as users' goals, and Notes has been given a lick of paint - adding sketches, to-do lists, secure notes and more.

The Watch app is also pre-loaded, as it has been since the release of iOS 8.2 in early 2015, as is Maps, which now includes public transport data for certain cities (currently limited to London in the UK).

Wallet, which incorporates Apple Pay, also comes as standard, as well as Music, which replaced iTunes and incorporates both users' iTunes library, the Apple Music streaming service, and Beats Radio.

Old stalwarts like weather, reminders, iBooks, Podcasts and FaceTime are all also present and correct.

iOS 9 Siri and search

One of the features updated for iOS 9 is Siri, with anonymous search, a far lower word error rate, and a universal search screen. Siri will now be context sensitive, much likeAndroid Marshmallow's Now on Tap.

Asking Siri to 'remind me about this' while reading a web page or iMessage conversation will fill in the reminder description with details culled from that web page or the conversation and provide a link back to the relevant app.

iOS 9 also offers more in-depth search. When a user types in the search field, iOS 9's search function can predict what they want to see. For example, typing in "weather" will show the local weather forecast before the user has finished typing, as well as offering links to relevant apps and websites. Similarly, typing in the name of a sports team will bring up the results from its latest fixture, although it must be a quite well-known team - Manchester United works, Luton Town doesn't.

Additionally, even before the user has started typing, the search page will display Siri Suggestions for commonly used contacts and frequently used apps. The Nearby feature of Maps is also available, with shortcuts to Lunch, Coffee, Shopping and Petrol. The latest news headlines are also displayed.

Split-screen for iPad

For iPad, iOS 9 enhances the experience for enterprise users, with an improved keyboard multitasking - all designed for using the device at work.

"The iPad is a transformational device," said Craig Federighi, Apple's VP of Software Engineering, when announcing iOS 9 at WWDC 2015.

Using the Slide Over feature, swiping your finger in from the edge of the screen will allow you to quickly see a second app without having to leave the app you're currently using. Expanding upon this is Split-Screen, users will be able to use two apps onscreen at the same time, rather than having to switch between them.

Holding two fingers down on the keyboard will allow you to move the cursor without having to use the fiddly text caret as with current versions of iOS.

A feature that will be familiar to Samsung Galaxy users is the ability to play a video on top of another app in a small resizable and moveable window.

All of the multitasking features will be available on the iPad Air, iPad Mini 2 and newer, except for Split-screen, which can only be used on iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro.

iOS 9 keyboards

Apple's onscreen keyboard will have new shortcuts in the Quick Type predictions bar for copying, cutting and pasting as well as formatting text. Users of Lightning and Bluetooth keyboards will also get new shortcuts such as an OS X-style Cmd-Tab app switcher. These keyboard-related features are, however, exclusive to iPad and not coming to the iPhone.

iOS 9 memory requirements and battery life

iPhone users have previously complained about the amount of free space required when moving from one version of iOS to another. Apple has remedied this with iOS 9, meaning just 1.3GB of available space is required, compared with the 4.6GB needed to upgrade to iOS 8.

Power users will be particularly pleased to hear that Apple has focused a great deal of efforts on battery life with iOS 9. From the get go, this will give users an extra one hour of typical use, based on a full charge, according toFederighi.

But the battery life good news doesn't stop there. There is a new low power mode in iOS 9 that "pulls levers you didn't even know existed" to provide an additional three hours of juice on top of the bonus hour already delivered.

The back story

The new iOS was previously codenamed Monarch. It was expected prior to the event that the new iOS would improve stability and optimisation for Apple devices, sporting various new features but focusing primarily on eradicating some of the bugs and performance issues present in iOS 8.

Back in January, Apple was rumoured to be beta testing iOS 9, despite the previous iteration of its mobile operating system having only been released the previous September.

Previous to this, MacWorld reported that various analytics software was displaying searches and clicks that appeared to have originated from an operating system called 9.0'. This activity signalled that a prototype of the software was being used on Apple devices, possibly by employees.

The iOS 8 release was plagued with issues and bugs, and some users even took to legal action against Apple due to the update taking up too much space (19 per cent) on the 16GB iPhone 6.

This article was last updated on 12/01/16 to reflect new information.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are fantastic devices, which are largely without fault. However, nothing in life is perfect all of the time, so here are our handy tips and tricks for making your experience with either device as well as the latest iPads that little bit better.

Apple tablets and smartphones now ship with iOS 9 as their default operating system, and the latest OS offers plenty of opportunities to play around with the screen display, device security, and your input settings.

One useful inclusion in iOS 9 is the 'Search Settings' field in the Settings menu. This tool lets you search for a specific setting instead of scrolling through endless menus on your device.

A good way to avoid annoying your friends in the pub, or co-workers at lunch, is to turn off the click sound on your keyboard via Settings > Sounds > Keyboard Clicks this is something we'd strongly advise you do.

Before we really get started, we wanted to drop in a little bonus tip for when you're trying to send large attachments via email on the iPhone - something that's tricky to do but that has a very easy fix.

iPhone 6/6 Plus tips: sending large emails

If you're on version iOS 9.2 or later, OS X's Mail Drop feature is now availabe on your mobile device, meaning you can send huge attachments (up to 5GB) via iCloud.

Don't worry about trying to search this function on your iPhone or iPad - it comes up as an option automatically when you try to attach a very large file to your email. A pop-up window simply asks you if you'd prefer to send the file in Mail Drop.

iPhone 6/6 Plus tips: top five essential apps

Apps are arguably the most important part of any smartphone. Naturally, the first thing you'll want to do with a new handset is fill it up with Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and the like, but once you've done that, here are the five apps we think are absolutely essential.

Google Maps

One of the biggest benefits of the smartphone revolution is never having to get lost again. Thanks to GPS, we can find out exactly where we are at any given moment. However, Apple's Maps service pales in comparison to Google's far superior offering. As well as walking and driving directions, it'll even do public transport! Ace.

Dropbox

Dropbox's internet file-sharing service has proved invaluable to many users, both in business spaces and at home. With Dropbox also beefing up its feature-set for iOS 8, there's really no reason not to get on board with cloud storage. Dropbox is currently the most popular consumer service, but rivals like Box and Google Drive are also equally slick.

Silent Phone and Text

Data privacy is an increasing concern among those who use their smartphones for business. If you're handling sensitive information, we'd recommend outfitting your device with encryption apps. We're fans of Silent Circle's Silent Phone and Silent Text apps, for secure voice, video and SMS communication.

Feedly

No one wants to be the last to know about the latest news, and Feedly is a great way to keep on top of developments. Add your favourite sites, and all their latest news and articles will be displayed for you in the app. You can read them at your leisure, share or save them, and divide them into specific categories.

Evernote

When it comes list-making, quick memos and sharing projects with colleagues or friends, Evernote is among the finest note-taking apps you'll find. Using its sturdy iOS app on its basic (free) plan gives you access to cross-device syncing, the ability to share notes and store your web clippings. It's plus and premium tiers offer much, but you can do some much with the service in its basic form from storing helpful templates to managing entire projects that this digital notebook is an essential app.

iPhone 6/6 Plus tips: security and privacy

1) Setup Touch ID and a strong password

Everyone wants their device to be as secure as possible. When you're setting up the iPhone 6 it will ask you if you want to enable Touch ID we recommend doing this as it's simple and effective.

You'll also be prompted to set up a 4-digit passcode as default but you should take steps to beef this up.

Let's put it into context. Say you're on a train and the person looking over your shoulder sees you tap in your 4-digit pin. Now if this unscrupulous so-and-so happens to be a thief, you'll have a problem as they'll know the passcode to access your device once they pinch it.

To make it harder for people to access your device Go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode and then switch off Simple Passcode'. You'll be prompted to enter a longer 6-digit password with the ability to use alphanumeric characters. We recommend using three memorable words as a long password is a strong password (Click here for more tips on a secure password).

Using a long password may seem like a drag but, with Touch ID enabled, most of the time you'll be unlocking the device or paying for apps via a thumbprint. The strong password is there to give you peace of mind if the device ever goes missing.

There's also another option for users who carry around sensitive information on the device. You can set the device to wipe all data if the passcode is entered incorrectly 10 times. This is a nice failsafe and can be activated via Settings > Touch ID & Passcode > Erase Data.

2) Stop your iPhone (or iPad) from tracking you

Ever wondered where your phone gets that handy navigation and road condition information when you glance at the Notifications Center at different times of the day? It gets it by tracking your movements whenever you go provided you are connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot, such as at home, work, a coffee shop or even the Tube network.

Though this can have benefits, if you'd prefer to stop your phone tracking your frequently visited locations, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services and then Frequent Locations. From there, turn the option Off. For added privacy, hit the Clear History button, too.

3) Enable backup

The ability to backup your device is useful if you ever lose it as you can sync the new device and pick up where you left off.

Go to Settings > iCloud > Backup to enable it. When your phone is plugged into a power supply and connected to Wi-Fi, all documents, accounts, photos and settings will be backed up.

4) Hide photos

We've all had that awkward moment. Showing a friend or relative a few pictures in our camera roll and then suddenly swiping to an embarrassing picture. In iOS 9 it's possible to hide those private photos by pressing and holding it and then tapping Hide'. This means it will no longer show up in your camera roll and will be in its own Hidden folder'.

iPhone 6/6 Plus tips: accessibility and customisation

5) Get a new keyboard

Apple introduced its own QuickType' predictive text keyboard, but this takes time to adjust to your usage pattern. It's possible to download a third-party keyboard and our personal favourite is Swype (99p). This lets you drag your finger across the screen to type out words and has a great prediction feature.

SwiftKey is also a popular keyboard on Android, but so far its reviews aren't quite as good as Swype on iOS 9.

If you want to use a third-party keyboard as your primary form of input you need to go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Edit and then drag it to the top of the list.

6) Minimise email message

It's possible to minimise an email you're composing by swiping down from the top of the message. This allows you to check other emails for any important information or to copy an address. Once you're ready to continue with your message just tap on the "New Message" tab at the bottom of the screen.

7) Multitasking with videos or FaceTime on iPad

In our modern reality of multiple screens, multiple email accounts and multiple jobs, multitasking is pretty much de facto for us all. One of the new additions to iOS 9 on iPad is the ability to view another app while simultaneously seeing a FaceTime call or video in a smaller picture-in-picture screen.

To activate the feature, while holding a FaceTime call or viewing a video press the Home button or tap the Picture-in-Picture button to resize the viewing window. From here, you can then flick the smaller screen to move it about the main screen.

Currently, this feature is only available on iPad Air, Air 2, iPad Mini 2, 3 and 4, and iPad Pro. Great for when you need to finish that work email be can't resist watching the last 10 minutes of your favourite TV programme.

8) Get out of a group iMessage thread

iPhone 6 users can now opt out of iMessage threads in group chat. To do this, launch the iMessage app, select the group you want to opt out of. Then tap on Details in the top right-hand corner and choose "Leave this conversation". The only drawback is this only works when all people on the thread are iMessage users.

9) Use Siri-hands free

Up to now Siri has always had to be activated by pressing and holding the Home button. To make it easier to use iPhone in a car, Apple now lets you interact with Siri hands-free when the device is plugged into a power source.

Go to Settings > General > Siri > Allow Hey Siri' to activate this.

10) Train Siri

Siri is able to learn who your contacts are so - for example - you can tell her "Jeff is my dad" and then ask her to "send a message to dad".

It's also possible to correct any pronunciations - by saying "that's not how you pronounce it", ask Siri to identify songs as well as search the web.

11) Speak Screen

A useful option to have when your hands are tied. It's possible to get Siri to read back things on the screen.

To activate this mode go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Speech and turn on Speak Screen.

Then tell Siri to "Speak screen."

12) Optimise the display

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are bigger handsets, so there's an option to enlarge the icons and bold the text.

To do this go to Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and toggle the relevant options.

We also like the option to bold text - Settings > Accessibility > Bold.

13) Use Spotlight

iOS 9 has an excellent universal search feature. Swipe down from halfway on the home screen to activate Spotlight.

This searches your device, Maps, the web and the App Store.

14) Access the top of the screen

All iPhones were designed to be used with one hand. But as the screen sizes have increased, Apple has introduced its Reachability feature. Top reach the top of the screen, simply tap the home button twice (not press it twice) and the screen shifts down. You can make a selection and the screen will then pop back up afterwards.

iPhone 6/6 Plus tips: notifications

15) Setup emails/notifications

Adding accounts on the iPhone is simple, with all the popular services from Gmail to Exchange accepted. Go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars to configure them.

Don't forget to fine-tune alerts. It's possible to choose how many lines of a message are previewed in notifications - personally, I like 4 lines - but you can play around and see what suits you. It's also useful to enabled the Show To/Cc label' if you're used to sending emails to multiple recipients.

Going to Settings > Notifications > Mail allows you to choose how you are alerted about messages. You can choose none, banners or alerts and also whether you want messages to appear on your lock screen.

16) Email thread alert

Keeping on top of emails can be a headache at the best of times especially when you're on the move.

The Mail app has a handy Notify Me' feature to help make sure you don't miss the most important emails. This is particularly useful when you're collaborating on a project to deadline or trying to organise meetings.

To activate this go into the email, click on the Flag at the bottom then Notify Me. The email thread will then have an orange blob next to it and a little bell. Every time someone responds to the thread you get a notification.

If you want to be absolutely sure you never miss a notification from Notify Me' threads go to Settings > Notifications > Mail > Thread Notifications and change the notification type to Alerts'. This way the message will remain on screen until you dismiss it so you won't overlook it accidentally.

17) Change vibration settings

The vibration on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is so forceful, it verges on the annoying.

It's possible to change the vibration alert or even create a customised version. Go to Settings > Sounds > Ringtone > Vibration. From here you can choose another alert or tap out your own, less aggressive tone.

18) Reply to texts from any app

It's possible to respond to text messages from any app when you get a banner notification. If you swipe down from the top it's possible to tap out a reply and send it.

You have to be quick though because the ability to send a quick reply disappears along with the banner notification.

19) Turn off repeat alerts

On the iPhone, Message alerts are configured to repeat after two minutes. This can trick you into thinking you have a new message. Go to Settings > Notifications > Messages and turn 'Repeat Alerts' to never.

20) Use the flash as notification light

As there is no notification light on the iPhone, sometimes if can be difficult to tell if you have a message. It's possible to get the camera flash to blink when you have messages. To activate this, go to Settings > Accessibility > LED flash for Alerts.

iPhone 6/6 Plus tips: data and networks

21) Keep on top of Location settings

iOS 9 makes it easier to keep track of your privacy/location settings. When you open an app like weather or maps for the first time, it will ask permission to "use your location" in the background. It's best to click 'not allow' as you don't want apps sucking up battery life unnecessarily.

To check which apps are able to access your whereabouts - go to Settings > Privacy. From here it's possible to see which apps have access to information such as Contacts, Calendar info, photos etc.

The best thing about the Location settings is the ability to switch it off - and that's what we'd recommend. This will save battery and you can always turn on GPS for the times when you need turn-by-turn directions.

22) Find your iPhone

You can check whether this is activated by going to Settings > iCloud > Find my iPhone. The beautiful (and slightly worrying) thing is that even if your Location setting is Off' you can override the setting through 'Lost Mode' from iCloud.com.

Activating this automatically switches on Location tracking and also allows you to lock the phone and display a message on the screen along with a contact number.

It's also worth turning on the Send Last Location' setting, as this will tell you the last known whereabouts of the device before the battery died.

23) Use Safari's settings

Safari has plenty of new features. You can now request desktop websites by tapping on the URL, and then flicking down to see an option to Request Desktop site'.

If you accidentally close a tab it's possible to reopen it by pressing and holding the +' button. This brings up a list of recently closed windows.

Apple has also added Private browsing mode, but be careful. If you don't close individual tabs, the next time Safari is opened you could be embarrassed as the web pages will automatically load.

24) Limit background data downloads

This is a pretty simple setting, which can help to save battery life, especially if you've got dozens of apps. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and make sure non-critical apps are not pulling through data.

Most users won't need Stocks, Weather and Podcasts running in the background - whereas Mail and instant messages are vital. Remember to check back here periodically once you've downloaded a few apps to make sure nothing unnecessary is sucking the battery.

iPhone 6/6 Plus tips: battery

25) Charge your iPhone 6/6 Plus faster

Both iLounge and MacRumours have corroborated that it's possible to charge the latest iPhones faster with an iPad adaptor. The iPhones ship with 1 Amp chargers whereas the iPads double the capacity (2.1 Amps).

This doesn't appear to cause any damage (unlike the false report last year that microwaving an iPhone 6 would rapidly return it to full charge), but just make sure you don't do any intensive tasks while charging as you'll generate a lot of heat.

According to estimates, the iPhone 6 can get to full charge in approximately two hours with the iPad adaptor.

26) Check battery usage

The battery percentage is off by default and we'd recommend keeping it this way as this can create a sense of paranoia as you constantly keep checking battery life.

A useful feature is the ability to check which apps are draining battery life. Go to Settings > General > Usage > Battery Usage and you'll see a list. You can then close anything sucking up too much power.

27) What to do when you have a low battery?

There is no "power saving mode" to activate in iOS. But when you are running low on juice there are things you can do to conserve energy.

The display is usually the source of power drain so go to Settings > General > Accessibility and either Invert Colours' or choose Greyscale'. It also helps to turn down the brightness.

Using 4G also sucks up power - so this can be temporarily disabled via Settings > Mobile > Enable 4G. And don't forget you can also switch off Background refresh' completely until you are fully charged.

iPhone 6/6 Plus tips: camera

28) Burst Mode & Time Lapse

Holding down the shutter button will trigger burst mode and give you a running count of how many pictures you're taking.

It's also possible to record a time-lapse video within iOS 9 - handy if you want to check who's been pitching cookies from the jar.

29) Manually adjust exposure

Tapping on the screen to take a picture will not only refocus, it will also bring up a little bar allowing you to increase or decrease the exposure levels.

30) Record smoother video

The iPhone 6 has some impressive video recording chops, more so when a high frame rate is used. This doubles the number of frames per second from 30 to 60. To enable this, tap on the Photos and Camera option within the main Settings, and set Record video at 60 FPS.

31) Easily select multiple photos

Selecting more than one photo in the Photos app involves a tedious amount of tapping tapping on each individual photo, over and over again, until you've selected all the ones you want to share or delete.

It doesn't have to be this way though. Tap the Select button in the upper right hand corner of the Photos app. Then simply slide your finger over the photos you want in a single smooth motion to select them. This even works non-contiguously so you can slide your finger over one block of photos to select them, then scroll through to another part of your camera roll or album to select another bunch.

This slick new interface method is making its way to other apps the same trick also works in Google Photos, for example. The selection action and reaction animations aren't as smooth in Google Photos as they are in the stock Apple photos app, but it's still a worthwhile trick to know.

This article was originally published on the 24/09/2014 (related to iOS 8) and has been updated multiple times (most recently on the 30/6/2016, with tweaks to reflect iOS 9's changes).

Apple has slowly decommissioned the iPad Air 2 and it will no longer receive the latest iPadOS, but that doesn't mean it can't serve as a perfectly functional tablet for you and your business.

Along with the iPad Mini 2, the Air 2 was discontinued in 2017, with both replaced by entry-level models. The Air 2 was supported by eight different versions of the OS, from iOS 8 to iPadOS 15, but hardware limitations have meant it isn't eligible for iPadOS 16.

However, with refurbished models as low as £120 on Amazon the iPad Air 2 is potentially a good option for creative businesses with tight budgets.

iPad Air 2 review: Build quality, display and battery

The Air 2 looks almost identical to its predecessor, but it’s 1mm thinner than before and just over 30g lighter. We scoffed at such small changes in dimensions on paper, but they’re surprisingly noticeable in the flesh. With its lighter, more evenly distributed weight and thinner profile the Air 2 is much more comfortable to hold than its already slender predecessor - especially for long periods of time.

We were also sceptical about Apple's claims that the 10in screen is less reflective, but once again the difference was noticeable. Compared to other tablet screens, it was considerably less reflective under both domestic halogen lighting and fluorescent office lighting strips. This means it's less likely you'll have to change your seating position or turn down the lights just to avoid seeing your reflection while attempting to read or watch a video. Contrast and colour accuracy are both excellent -the only tablet display that's as goodis the one found on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 which has more vibrant colours.

It doesn't have the True Tone display of the iPad Pro 9.7in, which actively adjusts the colour depending on lighting conditions. However, it's still a very good screen, and it does take advantage of the Night Shift feature, first introduced in iOS 9, which automatically changes the colour temperature depending on time of day.

The Air 2's thinner build means that the battery is a little smaller than before, which we feared would result in noticeably shorter battery life. This wasn't the casethough, with the battery lasting ten and a half hours when playing videos - the same lengthy score achieved by the original iPad Air. However, rival tablets can last even longer - the Tab S 10.5 lasted 14 hours and 20 minutes for example, while the SonyXperiaZ2 Tablet lasted a staggering 16 hours.

iPad Air 2 review: Hardware, performance and connectivity

Part of the reason for the Air 2's lengthy battery life is its power-efficient triple-core processor, the 1.4GHz A8X.It's also very fast,excellingin our 3D graphics tests as well as our app and webpage loading benchmarks. Paired with 2GB of memory, it makes the Air 2 one of the fastest tablets we've seen so it should have no trouble running demanding apps for some time to come.

We suspect most people will opt for theWiFi-only version of the Air 2, but if you do opt for the 4G variant then there's a potentially handy new feature called Apple SIM. This SIM card can, in theory, be used with any mobile network so you can take advantage of the best mobile broadband deals by simply selecting the network and package you want in the Settings app instead having to order, wait for and swap SIM cards.

However, for now the only UK network that works with Apple SIM is EE, whereas Americans have their choice of almost all the major nationwide mobile networks in the US. Hopefully, the other UK networks will become compatible with Apple SIM soon. You can of course use a standardnanoSIM with a 4G Air 2 and the Apple SIM is still useful if you're travelling in the US and want to have mobile broadband as British visitors can sign up for one month plans with T-Mobile US.

Although the new fingerprint reader isn't as useful here as it is on an iPhone, which is more likely to be lost or stolen due to its smaller size, it's still a useful feature to have on an iPad. Whether you're worried about data security or simply want a more convenient way to unlock your tablet, the fingerprint reader worked flawlessly.

iPad Air 2 review: Camera, iCloud and iOS 8.1

We feel very conspicuoustaking photosusing a tablet, but many other people share no such inhibitions. We've seen tablets used as cameras from the streets of London and Rome to the Jordanian desert. The Air 2's camera coped well in brightly lit conditions, capturing surprisingly sharp and detailed photos. It's not as good as the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus for low light photography where its photos aren't as sharpor well-litand have more noise, but the Air 2 is still a respectable camera to fall back on.

There are lots of new features on the Air 2 that came embedded at launch with iOS 8, Apple's latest mobile operating system at the time of release, and one of our favourites is Continuity. This lets you use different iOS devices together more efficiently and now work with Macs too. For example, you can now instantly share the Air 2's 4G connection with your Mac without fiddling aboutwithsettings andyou canreply toiMessagesusing your Mac's keyboard.

You can even start tasks on your iPad, such as writing a long document or working on a spreadsheet, and finish them on your Mac picking up right where you left off. It's a shame but unsurprising that these useful features aren't available for Windows, but even if you do have a Mac most of the Continuity features rely on your Mac having built-in Bluetooth 4.0 or require apps to specifically support them.

One feature which does work with Windows is iCloud Drive, Apple's equivalent to online storage services such as Dropbox and is used for sharing files betweenthe Air 2 and your othercomputers. You get 5GB free, but this is shared with any other iCloud services you use such as iCloudemail. Extra storage is reasonably priced starting at 79p per month for an extra 20GB.

However, iCloud Drive does have some odd limitations. While it works with Windows 7 and 8, it only works with Mac OS X Yosemite and not any older versions of Apple's own desktop operating system. Plus, there's no currently no way to share a large file with non-iCloud Drive users by creating a link as you can with Dropbox. In any case there's little reason to use it if you already use other storage services as apps updated for iOS 8 can now access other storage services more easily than ever before.Plus, if you want to share files between your iOS 8 devices and Macs without using the internet you can do so using the revampedAirDropwireless file sharing feature.

iPad Air 2 review: Conclusions

Each of the iPad Air 2's new features seem minor on paper, but taken together they all add up to help make itone of the best tablets available it'ssimplya joy to use. If youwantthe longest possible battery lifethoughorifyou want waterproofingthen theSonyXperiaZ2Tabletis a better pickdespite its inferior screen and camera.

Should you buy a 9.7in iPad Pro instead? The cheapest iPad Air 2 a 16Gb WiFi-only model can be had for as little as £30 on eBay or Amazon, which is a big drop compared to the cheapest iPad Pro – £499 – though the latter includes 32GB of storage and will have much better performance all round. A refurbished iPad Air will be more than £100 but it will be more than good enough for everyday use.

Not a must-have for owners of the original iPad Air, but a great buy for owners of older iPads and first-timers.

FAQs

iPad Air 2 specs

Update:iOS 9.2 is now available to download with enhancements and bug fixes to the OS and a host of apps. For more details head over this article here. It brings improvements toApple Music, iBooks and iOS Mail apps as well as a number of bug fixes.

iOS 9 is unquestionably a great piece of software, but don't go hurrying to update your devices just yet.

As with any operating system, the more iOS is updated to accommodate new devices, the more troublesome it is on older technology, and iOS 9 is no different.

In our tests, we found that the benefits and features introduced by the update were generally outweighed by the negative impact.

For starters, the vast majority of new features were incompatible with the older hardware. The new twin-column notification centre for the iPad Mini and Low Power Mode for the iPhone 4s are among the only headline additions that are actually available to earlier devices.

On top of this, iOS 9 actually introduces noticeable performance hits, with a measurable decrease in app response times.

As such, iPhone 4s and iPad Mini users would be advised to stick to iOS 8, and avoid iOS 9 altogether.

The big reveal

Apple revealed iOS 9 at WWDC earlier this year, well ahead of a public release, so developers could start getting their apps ready. iOS 9 might arguably be more of an iterative update compared to iOS 8, but it still brings big revisions to many default apps, upgrades to Siri and Search, and finally, iPad-specific multitasking features that have the potential to make the tablet an even more invaluable business tool than it is today.

Side-by-side

We've put iOS 9 side-by-side with iOS 8 to see what features are being introduced, what changes have been made, and what quirks you can expect when your update finally completes its arduous download.

Built-in apps and interface

Almost every new version of iOS has introduced or redesigned an important of the overall interface and a built-in app, giving upgraders something new and fresh to try out as soon as their iPhone or iPad has rebooted from the install.

For iOS 8, this included Reachability, Apple's one-handed mode that brings the top half of the screen closer to your thumb. Double-tapping the home button without actually pressing it in fully activates the mode, and tapping it twice a second time restores the app to full-screen.

A series of new gestures were introduced in iOS 8, letting you swipe down from anywhere on the middle of the homescreen to display Spotlight search. You could also swipe left or right on an email message to mark it as unread, flag it, file it or trash it. Interactive notifications finally arrived too, letting you quickly reply to a text message directly from the notification, for example, rather than forcing you to open the Messages app.

Apple's larger iPhones are only usable for small hands thanks to features like Reachability

It was the redesigned Photos app that marked the biggest change, however. The new-look gallery app was divided into three sections; Collections, Albums and Shared. In Collections view, photos are sorted by location, but you can also alternately see them organised by years. Albums view is self-explanatory. Sharing lets you see exactly which photos you've shared with other iCloud users, or which are currently synced to your iCloud account.

With the latest build of iOS, several more apps get complete makeovers. Passbook has been renamed to Wallet, and now contains both credit and debit cards registered with Apple Pay, plus boarding passes, coupons and reward cards. It can be accessed with a double-tap of the home button when your iPhone is locked, making it very quick for accessing boarding passes when you're queuing at the airport.

Passbook has been overhauled into Wallet, mostly to make Apple Pay easier to use

Apple's homegrown Maps app finally gets public transport directions for the first time, helping it better compete with Google Maps. With Siri integration you can now ask for a route, rather than typing in a location, and as long as your locality supports online travel disruption information, you'll get warned about delays when planning your route.

You can also change the preferred mode of transport, limiting yourself to buses rather than swapping onto a train, for example, and change the leave by or arrive by times to suit your schedule. Unfortunately the only British city currently supported by Apple Maps' transit directions is London and there's still no option for cycle directions yet either.

Transit directions fill a gap in the Apple Maps feature set, although it's still limited

The big new addition is the News app, a curated destination for articles and content from a wide range of publications, displayed in an easy-to-read format. It's a lot like existing third party app Flipboard, except Apple is in charge of what content appears

Currently, big name news providers like the New York Times, CNN, the Telegraph and Bloomberg are all featured heavily, but so are more independent titles such as Vice and Buzzfeed. During setup you can choose some of your favourite publications and topics, which will be pushed to the front page when you open the app.

Some articles open in a full-page layout, with carefully laid-out and designed in-line images and flowing text that let you read the whole thing within News, but others simply show a preview and force you into a web browser to read the full story. In this way News is similar to a RSS reader, so it remains to be seen what Apple will do to make it stand out from the competition.

News doesn't really do anything new, with third party apps already nailing curated content

It's the Notes app which has seen the biggest upgrades. A toolbar above the keyboard finally adds formatting options, letting you choose between bold, italicised and underlined text as well as different font sizes. You can also add bulleted, dashed, numbered or check lists for the first time.

Rich content additions make Notes far more useful, especially now that you can add photos or video from the camera roll or take cuttings from websites. You can also add links to notes that, when tapped, open another app to display a specific bit of content although this depends on third-party apps supporting this.

Notes is now much more useful, especially once you start adding photos and links

You can also add sketches using the new drawing tools. These sketches are added to your notes as images, though, so you can't annotate around your text. Oddly, you can only use these sketching features if you're signed in with your iCloud account.

Keyboards

Apple is famously restrictive when it comes to customisation on iOS, refusing to allow the wild kinds of tweaks and modifications available on Android [node/24620] in favour of a consistent design and familiar features across all devices. This changed with iOS 8, when custom keyboards were allowed in the App Store for the first time.

Swipe to type and intelligent suggested type finally arrived with iOS 8, thanks to third party apps

If you did go down the custom keyboard route in iOS 8, iOS 9's new default keyboard could tempt you back. For starters, the entire keyboard now changes to show whether or not Caps Lock is engaged - a godsend for anyone that struggled to remember whether the illuminated shift key on Apple's iOS 8 default keyboard meant you would be typing in caps or not. Now the entire keyboard changes to lower case until you press the shift key.

Two iPad-specific additions are the shortcut bar and easy text selection. The shortcut bar places an extra row of icons above the keyboard, alongside the improved autocorrect suggestions that arrived in iOS 8. It's the buttons either side of this that make all the difference, however; undo, redo and cut/copy/paste, bold/italic/underline, photo and attachment buttons make it much more convenient to work on text documents. The bar can also be customised by third party app developers, putting important shortcuts within easy reach.

Certain shortcuts only appear in certain apps - text formatting doesn't appear in Safari, for instance

Easy text selection is a major improvement over the old magnifying glass text selection method, letting you swipe anywhere onscreen, including on the keyboard, with two fingers to move the text cursor. A tap will highlight the currently selected word, and dragging will move the selection. You can then use the shortcut bar icons to cut or copy text.

The entire keyboard turns transparent when using easy text selection

It's not just the onscreen keyboard that got tweaks; you can finally use keyboard shortcuts with external, physical keyboards. There are shortcuts for switching between apps, bringing up search, and custom shortcuts designed for individual apps and will be very familiar to Mac OS X users.

Multi-tasking on iPad

Ever since the first iPhone, iOS devices have concentrated on one task at a time, but as screens have got bigger (and some Android tablets started letting you run multiple apps at once) it has made more and more sense for Apple to add multi-tasking to iOS.

The company started sowing these seeds way back in iOS 4 which allowed a limited, very specific selection of tasks to run in the background. iOS 5 added multi-finger app switching. Rather than double-tapping the home button to see the list of currently running apps, you could now swipe up with four fingers. Swiping left or right with four fingers would jump directly from one app to another, which made things a little faster when working across multiple apps at once. Pinching inwards with all five fingers would also take you straight back to the home screen.

A lot of apps don't yet support Slide Over view, but most of Apple's default apps do

iOS 9 takes multi-tasking to the next level, making it possible to use two apps simultaneously on an iPad for the first time. There are three different multitasking modes, although to use all three you'll need an iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2 or iPad Pro. When using any app in landscape mode, a swipe from the right edge of the screen will pop out a new menu filled with a list of other available apps. Choose one and it will open to fill a third of the screen, leaving the original app running in the background. Apple calls this Slide Over and it's the only mode available on older iPads going back to the iPad Mini 2.

The Slide Over version of the app automatically adjusts to fill the smaller space and works and feels much like an iPhone app. Tapping anywhere else onscreen will return you to your original app. If you want to change which app appears in Slide Over view, swiping down from the top of the screen will bring back the app selection menu, and swiping to the right will hide the Slide Over app altogether.

Slide Over is great for quickly replying to mails or messages, or making notes without losing your place in a webpage or document

Split View goes a step further, letting you run two apps on-screen simultaneously. It works as an extension of Slide Over, adding a small slider to the edge of the window that you can drag to fill half the screen. The two apps then work side-by-side, letting you reference something while writing a document, for example. There are several different split possibilities, depending on the app, with 50/50 and 70/30 being the most common; dragging the dividing line will let you reposition the split, with both apps redrawing to correctly fill the space.

Working in two apps simultaneously could be a major boon for iPad productivity

Finally, Picture-in-Picture (PiP) lets you take a full-screen video or Facetime call and shrink it down, making it possible to work on other apps while the video keeps playing. You can then move the PiP video to any of the four corners of the screen, and expand or shrink it so it takes up more or less space, providing a better view of the app underneath. Tapping the video window will display playback controls.

Working on a document during a Facetime call is finally possible in iOS 9

Search and Siri

Apple also redesigned search in iOS 8, replacing it with Spotlight. Swiping down from the middle of the screen would then display a full screen search window, which could look up things on the web, the iTunes Store and the App Store, as well as what's saved locally on your device.

Spotlight Search gets a big makeover in iOS 9 with a more detailed screen pre-populated with your most frequently opened apps, top contacts and nearby amenities, as well as local news based on your location.

Quick access to frequently-opened apps makes Spotlight Search potentially useful if your homescreen is packed with apps and folders

Siri, Apple's virtual assistant, has been getting progressively more useful in every new version of iOS with better app integration, improved voice recognition and new search abilities.

Siri is now far more contextual, and works with photos and videos for the first time. You can say "show me photos from last year" and Siri will jump straight into the relevant part of the Photos app. Search within the Photos app has been made contextual as well, displaying a list of previous searches and using your location to show photos taken from the nearby area. As you use Photos, the number of suggestions increases, including One Year Ago flashbacks and Favourites.

Contextual search and Siri integration makes it much easier to find specific photos

Contextual reminders can now be set, meaning you'll get a notification to close the garage door when you get in your car, for example. If you're half-way through an email, saying "remind me to finish this tonight" will create a reminder with a shortcut straight into that specific email.

iOS 9's Siri is now proactive too, meaning it can create reminders, calendar appointments and warn you of traffic delays ahead of meetings automatically. It scans emails for dates, events and flight times, then offers to add them to your calendar. When creating group emails or calendar invites, you'll now get suggestions for the people you usually include.

You'll get a notification letting you know when it's time to leave for the next appointment in your calendar if you also included a location in the entry, and directions will be ready when you walk out the door. Finally, calls from unknown numbers will be cross-referenced with your emails, and if there's a match the most likely name will be displayed underneath the number.

iOS 9 Proactive should take out a lot of the hassle typically associated with calendar invites and group emails

Security and enterprise features

iOS 8 was more business-friendly in a number of ways, most notably through S/MIME encryption for individual emails and giving administrators wider ranging MDM tools. For example, companies could restrict files downloaded from corporate domains using Safari, remotely set device names, and block the device wipe feature. Password locks for mail, third-party apps, calendar, contacts, reminders, notes, messages and all user credentials after a reboot were another welcome addition.

The Mail app also gained tabbed messages and new VIP contacts, which sends you an alert when a specific contact sent you an email. This meant you could disable general email alerts but still get notified when important messages come through - ideal for anyone who gets hundreds or thousands of emails a day.

iOS 9 devices should be more secure thanks to stronger passcodes and two-factor authentication

With all the major enterprise features now in place, iOS 9 instead focuses on device security, enabling six-digit passcodes, rather than just four-digits, for Touch ID-enabled iPhones and iPads for the first time. With one million combinations instead of 10,000, passcodes should be a lot tougher for thieves to crack with brute force. Six digits is now the default, rather than four, so if you disable Touch ID on an older device then re-enable it later after upgrading to iOS 9, you'll need to come up with a six digit combination.

iOS 9 also gets support for two-factor authentication. This works similarly to the existing two-step verification process, but according to Apple uses "different methods" to trust devices and deliver verification codes. You have to enable the feature on Apple's websiteusing an Apple ID, but once enrolled, you'll get a prompt when signing in from a new device or web browser. This code is automatically displayed on your other Apple devices, or sent as an SMS message to your phone. The notification even shows you where in the world the new device is trying to sign in from.

Apple has made its latest iOS 9 mobile operating system available for both the iPhone 4s and the original iPad mini. These are two of the oldest devices to be supported by iOS 9. The iPhone 4s was launched in October 2011, with its 3.5in, 640 x 960 screen and Apple A5 chip running iOS 5 (the first version to include Siri). For a four-year old smartphone to receive a significant update in 2015 is remarkable.

Although the first iPad mini was released a year after the iPhone 4s, it still used an Apple A5 processor; even worse, in an era of Retina-class displays for almost all other Apple devices, it had a sub-Retina 7.9in 1024 x 768 screen. We didn't expect Apple to still support a device that looked like an unloved child, even in 2012. With the A5 processor struggling to run iOS 8 on either device, and promises that iOS 9 is kinder to old hardware, we were keen to see whether the update could extend the life of these old workhorse devices which doubtless remain in use in countless offices and homes.

New iOS 9 Features

Apple's latest iOS brings plenty of new and useful features, but most are confined to newer hardware. For example, none of the new multitasking features are available for the iPad mini. You'll need at least an iPad mini 2 or iPad Air to invoke picture-in-picture and Slide Over, while only the iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2 or iPad Pro can handle side-by-side Split View.

You also don't get Apple's new News app nor support for the new, very popular content blocker apps - the latter requires at least an iPhone 5s, iPad Air or iPad mini 2. Content blocking inexplicably requires a 64-bit processor the A5 in the 4s and original iPad mini is a 32-bit chip. Neither device receives the Apple Maps update to route via public transport. While the iPad mini has the option to suggest installed apps (part of Siri's new 'Proactive' update), we actually saw no change - there was no Siri Proactive screen to the left of our main home screen, nor any app suggestions in the app switcher. The iPhone 4s doesn't even have this option.

We saw no change with Suggested apps enabled, so either it doesn't work on the iPad mini or it needs a lot of time to build up a profile

Only the iPhone 4s receives the new Low Power Mode, though - as we discovered (see below) - this mode doesn't downclock the processor as with more modern iPhones. Instead it merely shuts down background app updating, push email, the fancy interface graphics, dims the screen and enforces options such as Auto-Lock. It's handy enough, with iOS offering the option once you're down to 20% battery and automatically turning off Power Saving Mode once you're charged back to 80%. You can enable Power Saving Mode manually via the Battery section of the Settings app.

The iPhone 4s supports a limited implementation of Low Power Mode, but it's handy nonetheless.

The iPad mini supports iOS 9's neat new two-column Notification Center, but only if the iPad is in landscape orientation before you swipe down. It's rather annoying that you can't switch the orientation of Notification Center while it's being displayed.

Both devices receive the new, more compact, San Francisco system font but we didn't see much difference on the two displays here. Certainly not enough to give us more usable space on the small iPhone screen after the updates to Notes and the default keyboard gobbled up so much screen space. Both devices receive updates to Mail (to attach documents from iCloud Drive and insert more than 5 pictures), Notes (though without the freehand drawing tools) and the revamped app switcher with larger previews of apps rendered as overlapping cards. Both devices also run the new Universal search - swipe down with a single finger from the middle of any home screen and search terms will be checked against a wider variety of sources, such as compatible third party apps, rather than the limited selection previously.

The differences between the new San Francsico font (right) and the old Helvetica Neue (left) are subtle, at least on older screens - especially non-Retina ones.

Left: With the extra formatting tools enabled in Notes, there's barely any room on the 3.5in, 640 x 960 iPhone 4s screen to see what you're typing. Right: Picking a previous route in Maps on an iPhone 4s is now almost impossible.

iOS 9 Performance

More significantly for old hardware users is Apple's claims that "the apps in iOS 9 now take advantage of Metal, making more efficient use of the CPU and GPU to deliver better overall performance", while "apps and key technologies have been made more efficient to trim battery usage". That sounds like good news if, like us, your old devices struggle to run iOS 8 smoothly and suffered battery fatigue.

Unfortunately, just as we saw a hit to app launch times when moving from iOS 7 to iOS 8, we saw a further hit after upgrading to iOS 9. Only the camera app on the iPad mini and Safari on the iPhone 4s saw a drop in launch times, with all other launch time tests showing slight yet repeatable rises in the time taken to launch an app. The typical experience in iOS 9 on these old devices is to tap, wait a split-second for that to register, look at a black screen for a second or so and then wait another second or two for the app to finally become ready for use.

The decrease in app responsiveness is a disappointment considering Apple's claims, but we have to consider that we are dealing with old hardware that just doesn't seem to handle Apple's new Metal API/compiler particularly well. At least flicking through home screens is reasonably smooth, even if using complicated apps isn't - scrolling through the Guardian app on the iPhone 4s or iPad mini is surprisingly juddery.

At least the iPhone 4s gained some battery life from the update to iOS 9 - the 40 minute (approximately 9 per cent) increase in our Web use test, as well as Low Power Mode, suggests that in everyday use you'll be less likely to feel battery anxiety. The iPad mini showed no signs of extra life after updating to iOS9. We should stress that both devices on test have been in constant use since their launches three and four years ago, so both devices have suffered battery fatigue. We're only interested in the comparative times, allowing for a few per cent margin of error due to climatic conditions affecting the battery chemistry in the devices.

As Low Power Mode enforces Auto-Lock (to turn off the screen), we can't empirically test its effectiveness as our tests require the screen to be permanently on. However, we did run our performance test with the iPhone 4s manually put into Low Power Mode. Whether plugged in, on battery power or on less than 20% battery power we saw near-identical app-launching times as when Low Power Mode was disabled. The phone remained as responsive (or unresponsive, if you prefer) in either Low Power or standard mode, so we conclude that either the A5 chip in the iPhone 4s isn't being downclocked, as more capable processors in other iPhones are, or that it's being downclocked to an insignificant degree.

While we didn't have time between iOS 9 being publicly released and the publication of this article to build up anecdotal evidence or insight, we'd still use Low Power Mode. It automatically disables all the things that we'd otherwise spend a few minutes turning off in the Settings menu, and then automatically re-enables them once the phone is charged.

Download and install size

After the controversy of iOS 8 requiring 4.85GB of free space on your device to unpack itself and install, Apple says you'll only need 1.9GB of free space on your iOS 8.4.1 device to install the iOS 9 download (809MB as an over-the-air download in the case of our 4s). Plus, excess apps will be temporarily uninstalled to make room for the OS upgrade if necessary, then reinstalled automatically afterwards which should assuage owners of 16GB devices. Also, and despite Apple's claims that it has pared down and tightened up code, iOS 9 takes up a further 200MB of your device's storage than iOS 8, which itself took up 500MB more than iOS 7.

The over-the-air download for our 4s may only have been 809MB, but it needs 1.9GB of free space on your device in order to unpack itself and install.

Both of our devices were nominally 64GB, but after iOS 9 we'd lost 7.5GB on the iPad mini and 7.6GB on the iPhone 4s, up from 7.3GB and 7.4GB respectively when running iOS 8 (the 100MB difference between the two is likely due to the telephony hardware, software and interfaces of the iPhone, as our iPad mini is Wi-Fi only). While a large chunk of this unavailable space will be file allocation tables and other mundane formatting data, the extra 200MB of iOS 9 might be a reason to defer the update on any 16GB Apple device if you've already filled it to the brim.

If you do update to iOS 9, remember to force-quit all apps before doing so. If you don't, those apps that were open before the update will always launch after a cold boot, possibly undermining the reason you cold-booted in the first place - for example, to ensure the skinny 512MB of RAM is clear before launching a game or resource-hungry app.

Conclusions

Despite Apple's claims that iOS 9 runs easier on older hardware, we found the opposite to be true. Performance actually dropped on both of of our devices when compared to iOS 8, which itself caused an appreciable decline in the responsiveness of both devices over iOS 7.

We saw some battery life gain on our iPhone 4s, and Low Power Mode is a welcome addition to iOS. However, our first-generation iPad mini saw no battery life benefits from the update.

With so few of the new features of iOS 9 supported by the iPhone 4s and original iPad mini, and a hit to performance and app responsiveness, there's very little point in owners of these devices updating from iOS 8. In fact, if you've stuck with iOS 7 you should continue as you are. The only real reason to consider upgrading such old devices to iOS 9 is app compatibility. Given the often rapid uptake of new iOS releases, many third party app developers are often similarly quick to drop support for earlier versions of iOS in the newest versions of their apps.

Testing details

iPad mini (64GB) using iOS 7.1, 8.4.1, 9.0

iPhone 4S (64GB) using iOS 7.1, 8.4.1, 9.0

Battery test details:

Video use: screen at half brightness, full-screen video looped, Auto-Brightness disabled, Auto-Lock disabled, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, Background App Refresh disabled, iTunes Wi-Fi Sync disabled, iTunes Automatic Downloads disabled, iCloud disabled.

Web use: screen at half brightness, web page loaded, music looped, Auto-Brightness disabled, Auto-Lock disabled, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, Background App Refresh disabled, iTunes Wi-Fi Sync disabled, iTunes Automatic Downloads disabled, iCloud disabled.

Update:The beta version of iOS 9 has been available to everyone in July if they had enrolled in Apple's free public beta program. It features many re-designed built-in apps and a couple of new ones to boot. It also manages to wedge a few more features into the iPad.

Among the new features iOS 9 brings are intelligent search and an improved version of Siri. There are performance improvements and transit directions in Apple Maps. The OS is slated for release in September.

iOS 8was released alongside an update to OS X (10.10.3). Among the changes, updates and bug fixes are; improved performance to app launches, responsiveness, messages, Wi-Fi and Control Center.

It also fixes a number of issues releateding to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth such as where a user could be continuously prompted for login credentials, intermittant disconnection from Wi-Fi and audio playback not working for some Bluetooth speakers.

There is also the introduction of aredesigned Emoji keyboard with over 300 new characters and an optimised version of the iCloud Photo Library that works with the new Photos app in OS X 10.10.3.

The update has also quietly introduced WI-Fi calling. This will currently work for users on EE, othermobile operators are set to follow over the next few months.

The iOS 8.2 update introduced a host of tweaks and bug fixes from previous updates, including stability fixes for Mail, Music and Maps Flyovers. It also features fixes for iTunes syncing errors, problems with Exchange accounts, and various improvements to Apple's Health app.

Those anxiously awaiting the arrival of Apple's first wearable later next month will also be gratified to know that iOS 8.2 includes support for the Apple Watch. This means that right out of the box, fully-updated devices should be able to integrate with the watch with no problems.

In case you missed it, the earlier iOS 8.1 update also returned a much-missed feature to the iPhone and iPad stable. The Camera Roll is now back, available in the Photos app and the My Photo Stream album if you haven't enabled iCloud Photo Library. For those new to iOS, Camera Roll is a continuous, scrolling list of every image and video in your Apple device's library, and was a favourite feature of selfie enthusiasts everywhere.

For tips on getting to grips with iOS 8, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, or just iPhones in general, check out our list of the 25 top tips and essential apps.

Let's get the bad news out of the way. Despite Apple claiming iOS 8 works on the iPhone 4s, iPad 2 and iPad mini (1st gen) we don't advise updating them.

These devices use the aging A5 processor and are limited to 512MB of RAM. After updating our 4s we found tasks like typing and switching between apps became sluggish. Plus Apple has had to axe Handoff for apps and AirDrop to get iOS 8 working on the older models, so you won't get the best experience.

If you've got an iOS device released in 2013 or beyond there shouldn't be any problems as these products have 1GB RAM and faster processors.

Once you've got your hands on a device capable of running iOS 8 without stuttering, you're in for a treat. Here's what you can expect...

Dropbox problems fixed?There have been numerous problems with Dropbox in iOS 8, including crashing, and duplicate photo uploads. However, the latest update seems to have remedied these as we didn't experience any problem.

1) Default iOS keyboard is revamped

The iOS keyboard has always seemed primitive when compared the multitude of options on Android. iOS 8 introduces QuickType' - a keyboard with predictive text capabilities.

As you type, a small bar at the top of the keyboard displays three word suggestions you can tap in order to select the appropriate word. Initially, we found ourselves typing words out in full out of habit but using the predictive text option started to feel natural.

QuickType is intelligent and context-sensitive. So if you're typing an email to your boss it'll suggest formal words, and recommend words like awesome', when you're typing messages to friends . This is a learning process, so isn't something we can assess so soon after release.

A massive change is the ability to install third-party keyboard apps on iOS 8. Popular Android apps such as SwiftKey and Swype are already in the App Store. The ability to pick a different keyboard will be welcomed by many users and should help to cut down the infamous iPhone autocorrect memes.

2) MDM is beefed up

Celebrities may be worried about storing compromising photos on their iPhones, but iOS 8 provides good security features for business users. The mobile device management (MDM) features in iOS 8 now allow admins to specify which apps are used to open documents downloaded via the Safari browser or the new iCloud Drive. They cannow check the date of the most recent back-up to avoid overwriting important data or files, too.

S/MIME encryption is available for individual messages, and it's also possible to highlight emails from addresses outside your organisation.

3) Mail app gets swipe gestures

The Mail app has been modified, with swiping gestures now allowing you to organise messages. Swiping right on a message marks it as unread, whereas a flick left allows you to flag an important message or delete it. We did find these gestures to be a sensitive, accidentally deleting emails when left-swiping too quickly.

Another useful option is the ability to organise messages into VIP threads'. These messages can be stored in a special VIP inbox for quick access, and it's possible to flag important emails so you automatically receive an on-screen notification as soon as a reply is received. Mail can also recognise date and time information within emails and provides an option for quickly adding this to the iOS Calendar app.

At long last, Mail can even help you set up out of office' messages too.

4) Notifications are interactive

The introduction of interactive notifications was overdue.

Notify Me' tells iOS to display a notification as soon as you receive a reply to a particular email, and when you pull-down to display the notification you'll see options allowing you to reply, or delete a message without needing to open the app.

Apple also includes options to Accept/Decline when you receive a calendar invitation. These options work directly from the lockscreen as well, so it's quick and easy to respond to emails and messages as soon as they arrive.

5) Messages includes features from Whatsapp & Snapchat

The 'Tap-to-talk' option in the Messages app allows you to send an audio recording, much like you can via Whatsapp.If the recipient is also using an iPhone they can listen to the recording by holding the iPhone up to their ear. The motion sensors within the iPhone recognise this movement and play the recording as though it were an ordinary voice call.

You can take photos and videos in a similar fashion, by tapping on the camera icon within the app. Apple now makes it possible to set audio and video messages to expire' after two minutes an idea borrowed from the popular Snapchat app and useful if you plan on sharing sensitive information.

We also like the inclusion of Instant Contacts, which works in conjunction with Messages and other apps. When you double-tap on the Home button to switch between apps, you now see a list of up to eight recent contacts. You can tap the person's name to quickly send them a new message or start a phone call.

6) iCloud Drive look promising

Apple's iCloud service works well for syncing photos, video and emails across multiple Apple devices. But it's never been able to upload and sync other types of files such as Microsoft Office documents in the same way as rival services such as Dropbox. Until now

iCloud Drive will now allow you to upload and store any files you choose, whilst syncing them across multiple Macs, iOS devices or PCs. You'll get 5GB of storage free, and Apple has cut its prices for additional storage, starting at just 0.79 per month for 20GB.

iCloud Drive on the Mac requires the forthcoming OS X Yosemite update, which still doesn't have a release date. Andthird-party apps for iPhones and iPads will need to be updated by developers in order to work with iCloud Drive.

Ironically, Apple has released a new version of its iCloud software for Windows, allowing PC users to make full use of iCloud Drive before Mac users.

7) Continuity will allows devices to talk to each other

Also waiting for the arrival of Yosemite is Continuity a set of features increasing integration between the Mac and iOS operating systems.

The HandOff feature is the main attraction - allowing you to switch from one device to another as you work. If you're writing an email on your iPhone or iPad and you want to use your Mac's keyboard to type faster then you'll be able to switch over to Mail on your Mac and carry on typing from where you left off.

You can even receive text messages or phone calls on your Mac, or start a Pages document on the Mac and then switch to an iPhone or iPad when you leave your office.

But, as with iCloud Drive, iOS 8 is half of the story, and we'll have to wait for Yosemite before we can assess how well Continuity works.

8) HealthKit gets postponed

The most high-profile casualty of the launch of iOS 8 was HealthKit, a set of tools and APIs designed to allow developers to create apps to monitor data like heart rate and blood sugar.

The discovery of a last-minute bug in HealthKit led to a number of health-related apps being withdrawn from the App Store on the day of the iOS 8 launch. Apple hopes to release an update for HealthKit by the end of this month, and this delay is unlikely to hinder its plans for the health industry in the long term but it's still an embarrassingly high-profile hiccup.

9) Safari gets cleaner look and more functions

The Safari browser gets an interface makeover too. The address bar and tabs are now hidden when on a page to give you an uncluttered view. You can restore the address bar and tabs whenever you want to by stroking down the page with a finger, and Safari on iOS now includes a sidebar similar to the OS X version of Safari. This displays your reading list of stored articles and pages.

The overview option is a nice touch, showing smaller previews of all your open web pages, and even grouping together multiple pages from the same web site. However, our favourite addition to Safari is the ability to press and hold on the Tab button to see a list of recently closed tabs perfect for the times when you accidentally close an important webpage.

Apple also seems to laying the groundwork for a battle with Google over privacy. You can choose the DuckDuckGo search engine as your default tool for scouring the web.

Safari also "borrows" a couple of features from Google's Chrome browser, such as the ability to view the desktop version of a web site, and create individual private' tabs.

We remain unconvinced by the option to take a photo of your credit card in order to autofill the card number for online purchases. It's simple enough to use, but taking photos of your credit card doesn't seem like a good idea, especially after the iCloud leak.

10) Photos are easier to manage

The iPhone and iPad are responsible for countless billions of photos being uploaded to the internet on a daily basis, so the Photos app has been updated with improved search tools for managing large collections of photos.

As soon as you tap on the Search tool in the top-right corner of the screen you'll see a list of photos taken close to your current location. You can also search by location name, date or album name. The last version of Photos was ideal for dealing with large photo libraries going back several years, so the improved search tools make a huge difference.

Perhaps even more significant is the fact that iOS 8 effectively kills off Apple's long-running iPhoto editing program. It's no longer available on the App Store, but a number of its editing tools have now been rolled into Photos. These include features such as a crop tool, various colour adjustments and filter effects, all of which are straightforward and easy to use.

However, some iPhoto users have reported problems when their edited photos are opened in the new version of Photos and, annoyingly, Apple's support documents state that you may not be able to make further edits unless you revert to the original photo and start all over again.

11) Will Apple Pay take off?

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are the first iOS devices to include NFC chips and these will be used exclusively with the Apple Pay system. PayPal has taken a potshot at this potential rival with wise-cracking ads referencing the nude celebrity photo security scandal.

However, many analysts predict that Apple's entrance into the mobile payment market will help to kickstart usage. This is due to the sheer popularity of iPhones and with Apple using end-to-end encryption and promising not to store credit card details. At present Apple Pay is available in the US only - and it is expected to roll out in UK during 2015.

Overall

iOS 8 brings much needed improvements to the keyboard, notifications and web browsing. With Continuity, iCloud Drive and HealthKit all to look forward too, this will be the best iOS update to-date.

Of course, with iOS being such a big update, teething problems are expected. Many of these should be ironed out quickly. But it is disappointing that older devices such as the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 will struggle.

iOS 8 now installed on 68 per cent of Apple devices

Originally published on 08/01/15 by Caroline Preece

The majority of Apple devices are now running on iOS 8

It has been revealed by Apple on itsApp Store Distributionpage that iOS 8 is now installed on 68 per cent of devices, including iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches.

iOS 7 now runs on 29 per cent of devices, which is three per cent down from previous figures, with four per cent of Apple device owners are still using older iterations of the iOS.

The number of people using iOS 8 has risen by four per cent since numbers were last released on 22 December.

It waspreviously reportedthat Apple was disappointed with adoption rates of the new operating system, with just 47 per cent of iDevice users having downloaded iOS 8 by the beginning of October. By theend ofthe month, this had jumped to 52 per cent.

Apple's latest operating system was released on 17 September, when there were various complaints about bugs and problems. One major issue experienced by users was about the size of the update, for which Apple is now being sued.

The argumentis that on devices such as the 16GB iPhone 6, the size of the iOS 8 update diminishes the amount of storage space the phone is advertised for by around 3GB (19 per cent).

Shortly after the release, Apple withdrew the ability to downgrade to iOS 7 after installing iOS 8, releasing subsequent updates in order to addressongoing teething problems.

iOS 8 now on over half of Apple devices

Originally published on 29/10/14 by Caroline Preece

iOS 8 has now been installed on more than half of Apple devices, up four per cent in two weeks

iOS 8 is now installed on more than half of Apple devices, it has been revealed via a new report on Apple's App Storedevelopers support page.

As reported byMacRumours, Apple's newest operating system has been downloaded on 52 per cent of iOS devices, which is up by four per cent from numbers announced during Apple'sOctober 16 event. At that point, CEO Tim Cook said that iOS 8 had been installed on 48 per cent of Apple devices.

This pushes iOS 7's share down to 43 per cent, with just five per cent using earlier operating systems on their phone, phablet or tablet.

iOS 8.1, designed to fix some of the bugs that had been widely reported by users, was released on October 20, which could explain the steady increase of adopters for the OS over a relatively short amount of time.

The upgrade included support for Apple Pay, the Camera Roll's return and more. Bugs plaguing Wi-Fi connection and screen rotation were also fixed with the update.

At the beginning of October,we reportedthat download figures for iOS 8 had been disappointing, as adoption rates appeared to have paused at just fewer than 50 per cent. At the same point in iOS 7's history, installation figures stood at 60 per cent, a milestone the new OS has yet to meet.

One of the major barriers seemed to be the sheer size of the update, which caused users to complain that they had had to wipe their devices before being able to install the update.

iOS 8 download rate disappoints

Originally published on 08/10/14 by Clare Hopping

Apple's own download stats have shown upgrades have slowed to a crawl

Apple's iOS 8 download statistics have shown that people have not taken up the operating system as fast as expected.

In fact, data displayed on the company's developer portal indicates just 47 per cent of iDevice users have downloaded and installed the update, which is only one per cent more than it was a week ago when Apple last reported download figures.

In comparison, three weeks after iOS 7 rolled out last year, the official installation figures stood at 60 per cent, with a much faster rate of adoption than reported this year.

iOS 8 launched on September 17, but, like any iOS update, it was plagued by customer complaints and problems. Most of these were related to the size of the update, with thousands of users flocking to Twitter and Facebook reporting they had to wipe their devices in order to install the 5.6GB update.

A number of bugs have since come to light in the update, includingincompatibility with Dropboxforcing the company to roll out a second update (iOS 8.0.1) just week after the initial rollout.

Apple was scheduled to includeHealthKit in the first iOS 8 updatetoo, but that had to be pulled before the operating system saw its public release because it wasn't ready for public use - but it was added in iOS 8.0.1. However, after installing the bug fixes, other users reported phone service and TouchID stopped working.

Apple has now rolled out a second update - taking the software up to version iOS 8.0.2 and although that seems to have fixed most of the problems, it probably won't be too long until the company decides to release another tweak.

The company measures the number of people downloading and installing its software updates using by measuring App Store visits over a period of time.

This article was originally published on 23/09/14 and has been updated multiple times (most recently on 12/08/15)

Verdict

iOS 8 adds much needed features to core apps like Mail, Safari and also makes notifications more interactive. With HealthKit, iCloud Drive and Continuity on the horizon there's much to look forward too as well.

If you're thinking about switching between Android and iOS, you've come to the right place.

Below we take a look at the differences between the two popular operating systems. Where appropriate, we've highlighted the features offered in the latest versions - Lollipop 5.0 and iOS 8 - to help you decide.

Android - Advantages

1) Choice of hardware & varied pricing

As Android is open sourced, there are hundreds of devices to choose from. All major manufacturers - including Asus, LG, HTC, Sony, Samsung and Motorola - offer handsets with varying screen sizes and specifications.

This wealth of choice means there's an Android device available for all budgets and tastes. TheOS is also optimised for older hardware, which is not something you can currently say about iOS.

2) Customisation

Android is designed to be customisable. Pick how many homescreens you want, change the themes and install widgets if you want a snapshot of emails or social networking messages.

Don't like the look of the default interface or the keyboard? Simply pop over to the Google Play Store and install a third-party alternative. You can even make Android look like iOS or Windows Phone is you want.

Experienced users can gain root level access to devices and flash the ROM with custom distributions such as CyanogenMod.

3) Notifications

I've always preferred notifications on Android, and Google has made improvements with Lollipop. It's possible to view and respond to messages from the lock screen and set up priority notifications.

Perhaps the best feature is the introduction of the heads-up display, which makes alerts less intrusive. When you're in an app and you receive a phone call, a pop-up appears so the caller ID doesn't take over your whole screen.

Android devices generally have a notification light or screen pulse too, so you can immediately see if you've got messages when you've been away from the phone without having to pick it up.

4) Battery life

Many of the high-end Android devices have larger battery packs than their iOS rivals and when you factor in the battery saving options, they usually last longer.

Handsets like the LG G3 and the Galaxy S5 allow you to swap out the battery by unclipping the back cover - ideal for power users.

Also, Google'sProject Volta has done a lot to make devices last longer without users having to rely on the individual efforts of phone manufacturers.

5) Set any app as default

You're not restricted to using default Android apps to open files. If you find a third-party app you prefer to open photos or videos, for example, Android gives you the choice to use this.

6) Google Now/Voice search

Google Now provides information cards about the weather, your favourite sports team, airport check-in times or how long it will take for you to get home from work.

Meanwhile, Voice allows you to search your phone, the web, and nearby locations without typing. You can also call contacts and get directions by saying "OK Google" followed by the command.

7) Pseudo-multitasking

Multi-window is a prominent feature on the Galaxy and Note ranges from Samsung. This allows power users to run two apps at the same time. You can watch videos whilst responding to emails or browsing the web, for example.

8) File Transfer

Transferring files from a Mac or PC to an Android handset is simple. All you have to do is plug in the device and it'll mount like a hard drive so you can drag and drop files.

9) Ability to boost storage

Many Android handsets feature micro SD support, allowing you to boost the internal storage of devices. Even if your device doesn't come with micro SD support, it's possible to buy an On-the-Go USB stick with micro USB connectivity or an adaptor for 64p so you can plug in any flash drive.

10) Camera

While Google has a mammoth task of optimising camera software for the thousands of devices running Android, Lollipop made strides in letting users directly access RAW image files.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Android - Disadvantages

1) Security

Android is a target for hackers due to its widespread usage and because there is huge fragmentation. At the time of writing, nearly half (46 per cent) of Android users are still using Jelly Bean 4.x, which is two generation's old.

Apps are not checked by Google before they are made available for purchase in the Play Store. Instead Google scans the store for malicious content, so it's easy for rogue apps to remain in the store. Whilst the issue of malware is a problem, using a common sense and avoiding apps from unknown developers and those with low star ratings should keep you safe. If it looks dodgy, then it probably is.

However, issues are restricted to dodgy apps. The Android Browser had a critical flaw exposed in September 2014, which meant code could be injected into it that allows hackers to read cookies and grab keyboard inputs, such as passwords.

2) No control over app permissions

Android 4.2.2 offered the ability to control the permissions of apps but this was subsequently removed. At present, you can see exactly what information your apps have but you can't restrict them. A particularly dodgy app we found was FM Radio, which gave itself permission to directly call phone numbers, and send text messages. Your only option with apps such as these is to delete them.

3) Software updates

If you own a Nexus or Google Play Edition handset, you'll be first in line to receive the yearly Android update. However, this isn't always a good thing as these early versions almost always introduce bugs and require a patch.

If you buy a device on a contract, you have to wait for the networks to push out the updates. This process takes months but on the plus side you'll probably receive more stable code.

4) Performance variation

Stick with the high-end handset and you'll have no problems. Issues are likely to become apparent if you invest in some of the low-end models with single core processors and 1GB of RAM or less.

5) ART takes up space

Android Run Time (ART) consumes a lot of space for each app. This means that lower-spec models with less storage will run out of space quickly when dealing with these apps. This is because it pre-compiles apps on installation.

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iOS - Advantages

1) Best of both worlds

Apple is criticised for having a "walled-garden" approach but it's not as straight forward as it seems. Of course the firm pushes its proprietary services such as iCloud, iTunes and the App Store but you're not restricted to Apple's applications.

Almost all of Google's popular services - including Gmail, Maps, Hangouts, Now, Inbox, Chrome, Translate and Drive - are available on iOS.

2) Immediate backup and restore

If you move to a new iOS device, you can install a backup from iCloud and get up and running in minutes.

3) Excellent default Mail app

The Mail app in iOS is superb - allowing users to sync up multiple email accounts. It's got a unified inbox, and also allows you to set up VIP contacts and thread notifications as well as search by content type like attachments or flagged.

4) Tight security and privacy controls

Apple keeps tight control of the App Store with all submissions vetted before they are made available to the public. This means there are few instances of malware.

iOS allows you to see what information apps have access to on your device and allows users to restrict them if they wish.

Tighter privacy controls have been introduced in iOS 8. You can see exactly which apps have access to location data and you generally have three options when it comes to tracking. You can set access to "Always", "Never" or "While Using".

You can turn off notifications and adverts that may pop up based on your location too.

5) Apple Pay

Initially rolled out to retail stores across the US, Apple Pay uses NFC so users can pay for purchases using either the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.

Payments are made in conjunction with Visa, Mastercard or American Express. Apple Pay is expected to arrive in the UK during 2015.

6) Opening up of APIs

Apple has started to allow users to customise their devices with iOS 8. Core APIs have been opened up to third-party developers to provide a better user experience.

There's a long way to go before it reaches the level of Android. But at least users can now do the basics like swap out the default iOS keyboard for a third-party alternative, such as Swype or Swiftkey.

Opening up APIs has meant the usefulness of Touch ID has been extended beyond unlocking the handset and paying for iTunes and App Store downloads. Touch ID now works with third-party apps including Amazon, eHarmony, Evernote Premium, LastPass and 1Password.

7) Siri

Apple's personal assistant lets users talk to their phone much in the same way as Google Voice.

You can ask Siri to set reminders, take notes, compose messages or for answers to general knowledge questions.

Unlike Google Voice, you need to long-press the home button to initiate Siri. You can only use it completely hands-free when the iPhone is plugged into a power source via the phrase "Hey Siri".

8) Content

The Apple App Store is the first port of call for developers, so if an app is worth having, it's guaranteed to be available on iOS. Apple users generally get first access too. For example, Microsoft introduced its Office suite on the iPad before rolling it out to Android.

9) Connect iOS to Mac OS X

Apple has increased communication between iOS and OS X devices with the latest updates (iOS 8 and Yosemite).

You can now make and receive calls on your Mac when it's connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone. It's also possible to see all your iMessages and respond to them as well as start using an app like Safari or Pages and continue where you left off when switching devices.

10) Connect to Apple Watch

Following the most recent update (iOS 8.2), iOS devices will be able to hook up wiht Apple Watch. At the time of writing, AppleWatch isn't genereally available, so the Apple Watch app (which cannot be uninstalled) will only open up a web page showing off the new wearable and not much else.

When the watch is finally released, this will be updated to provide more detail on how iOS works with the devices.

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iOS - Disadvantages

1) Choice of hardware is limited & cost is high

iOS isn't licensed out by Apple, so you're limited to four models: the iPhone 5c, 5s, 6 and 6 Plus.

The 5c is the cheapest and available free on contract from 22.50 per month or 319 SIM-free.

2) No multitasking or widgets

The iOS operating system doesn't offer multitasking or live widgets at this time, so if you're a fan of them, bear this in mind. There have been rumours that Apple plans to introduce these features, but so far nothing has been confirmed.

3) No way to expand physical storage

Probably the most annoying thing for end users is the inability to expand physical storage. Apple has also axed the 32GB model with the release of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The entry-level 16GB model is not going to be enough for most users, so this means you'll have to fork out for either the 64GB or 128GB model.

There are a number of devices on the market that connect via the Lightening port to provide extra storage but is not as elegant a solution as being able to insert a MicroSD card into a slot.

4) Battery life

With the exception of iPhone 6 Plus users, anyone who's ever owned an iPhone has probably had to carry out a mid-afternoon charge ready for the commute home.

We'd like to see bigger batteries and a manual power saving mode introduced to stop this.

5) Getting files on/off the device can be irritating

Getting files on and off your device can be fiddly, especially when they haven't been acquired via iTunes or the App Store.

iPhones don't mount as a regular hard drive. You can only copy pictures off them when they are connected to a Mac or PC. There are ways around this using third-party tools, such as iSkySoft Tunesover, but using these programs interferes with how the device syncs with iTunes.

6) Be careful of the yearly update

Apple rolls out yearly iOS updates to everyone directly, so fragmentation is less of an issue on the platform (69 per cent are on iOS 8). However, as we've seen with iOS 8, it's best to wait until bugs are ironed out before installing the update, otherwise you can lose critical functionality.

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So which should you get?

Android - Users on a budget will gravitate towards Android because devices are cheaper. But be careful because if you don't keep on top of privacy and security issues you could end up having your information compromised.

At the high-end, Android devices offer more options for power users with the ability to fully customise the interface, use the device as a hard drive and swap out the battery.

iOS - Generally suited to users for whom interface customisation isn't a priority, iOS is secure and has more privacy controls. It's ideal for those who want to mix and match services from Apple and Google - for example use iTunes and also have access to Google Maps on the same device.

This article was originally published on 21/1/15 and updated on 24/06/15 to add more features.

iOS 8 adoption has been ticking up at a rate that could ensure Apple's previous operating system is "virtually dead" by the end of Q2 2015, it has been claimed.

Suhail Doshi, co-founder and CEO of mobile analytics company MixPanel, told Forbes that iOS 7 would soon be effectively wiped out by the move to iOS 8, saying: "It's 10 per cent. [At that low level] developers will stop making new versions of their apps that have iOS 7 compatibility. If that happens, users are required to update either way."

Currently, 80.21 per cent of Apple devices are running on iOS 8 or higher, but adoption has still been slower than that between iOS 6 and iOS 7.

"iOS 7 adoption was much faster because it didn't have to deal with users not having enough space on their phones," Doshi added. "Also, iOS 7 was the time of huge iOS design changes that people weren't sure whether they'd work or not."

The popularity of iOS 8 among Apple users contrasts with the slow adoption for Android 5.0 Lollipop, which is only running on 7.8 per cent of Android handsets. Users have been more reluctant to switch, with 53.8 per cent still using Android 4.4.

Earlier this month, it was reported that adoption had slowed, hitting 77 per cent at the same point in its run as iOS 7 had reached 80 per cent before it.

The release of the Apple Watch could help to close the gap completely, it has been predicted, leading to what Doshi predicts as iOS 7 becoming "virtually dead" in the coming months.

Apple has announced iOS 8 is running on 77 per cent of Apple devices - up by two per cent on figures released at the beginning of March.

However, the adoption of iOS 8 still lags behind adoption of iOS 7, which stood at 80 per cent at this time last year. A fifth of iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches are running iOS 7, while three per cent are running iOS 6 or below.

The reason take-up could be so slow is it was a large update and those using low-storage devices such as the iPhone 5C were unable to install it without deleting their music, video and image files and applications.

However, Apple is hopeful the release of the Apple Watch will boost figures above and beyond iOS 7 adoption because it can only be paired with devices running iOS 8.2 (or higher if iOS 8.3 is officially released before the wearable goes on sale).

Any device which has been updated to iOS 8 will automatically be compatible with the Apple Watch thanks to an automatic firmware boost.

Apple calculates how many people have installed the latest version of its operating system - or purchased devices running on iOS 8 by tracking App Store downloads.

Alternative figures from mobile analytics firm MixPanel show iOS 8 adoption at 80 per cent, with iOS 7 on 90 per cent at this point last year.

Apple's next substantial update, iOS 9, is due to be launched in June and is rumoured to include speed boosts and bug fixes, although as usual, nothing has been formally revealed.

Apple is being sued again for failing to clarify how much space the iOS 8 update would eat up on users' iPhones and iPads, CBS Los Angeles reports.

A lawsuit was filed against the company on Tuesday by Jerry Jacobson, claiming Apple did not properly disclose the size of its iOS 8 update when pre-installed on devices advertised with a certain storage size.

With the operating system already occupying up to 23 per cent of that space, and Apple not making the distinction clear, Jacobson claims the reduced space is "a result that no consumer could reasonably anticipate."

IT Pro reported a similar case last month in which Miami residents filed a lawsuit seeking $5 million in damages for the fact the advertised 16GB iPhone does not actually offer 16GB of storage space with the iOS 8 update installed.

The claimants said: "Apple's misrepresentations and omissions are deceptive and misleading because they omit material facts that an average consumer would consider in deciding whether to purchase its products.

"Apple exploits the discrepancy between represented and available capacity for its own fain by offering to sell," it continues, "and by selling, cloud storage capacity to purchasers whose internal storage capacity is at or near exhaustion."

The most recent lawsuit also points to this issue, claiming Apple "exploits" the problem by charging between 99 cents and $29.99 a month for extra cloud storage space but stops users from purchasing additional storage from elsewhere.

The release of Outlook for iOS follows Microsoft's acquisition of a mobile email app called Acompli, so it's optimised for mobile devices rather than being a direct port of the desktop version of Outlook.

Apple's own Mail app has had problems working with Exchange in the past, so organisations that use Exchange will certainly welcome the arrival of Microsoft's own email client on iOS at long last.

Free Mail

Outlook for iOS uses up a tiny 22MB of memory, but it packs plenty of useful features. Designed to run on iPhones and iPads, it's free to download and unlike the iOS optimised versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, does not require a subscription to Office 365 to use full functions.

To run the Outlook app you'll require iOS 8 or above. This tends to run slowly on older devices such as the iPhone 4/4S and iPad 2, so you'll need a fairly new iPhone or iPad for the best experience.

Microsoft's focus is on corporate email services, so the app supports Exchange, Outlook and Hotmail services, as well as Gmail. There's currently no support for IMAP or POP services on iOS, which may rule out the email services that many people use with their home broadband accounts (IMAP is supported on the Android version). However, you can hook up sync up iCloud and Yahoo Mail accounts.

We were also pleased to see that Outlook was able to work with our existing iCloud email accounts with no problems at all. One other useful option is the ability to link Outlook to a Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive account so that you can send files that are stored online as email attachments from within Outlook.

Focused Inbox

At first glance, Outlook doesn't look all that different from Apple's own Mail app. On an iPhone, Outlook shows a simple list of email headers that you can tap in order to read the full email, while the larger screen of the iPad allows you to view the header list alongside the body of the email.

There are some important differences, though. The mail inbox shows two tabs at the top of the screen, labeled Focused' and Other'. The Focused Inbox is one of Outlook's key features. The app attempts to learn which of your emails and contacts are most important, and then automatically places them into the Focus' inbox, while leaving everything else in the Other' inbox.

When you're reading an email there's a small pull-down menu that allows you to move the email between the Focus' and Other' inboxes, and this helps Outlook to learn which contacts and subjects should have priority. But if you prefer to keep all your emails together in a single inbox then you can simply turn off the Focused Inbox option in the app's main Settings panel.

Managing Mail

Other options for managing emails include the ability to swipe left or right on the email header in order to perform various tasks. One feature that many people will find useful is the left-swipe schedule' option. This allows you to read an email and then specify a time when that email will pop up again with a notification to remind you that you need to deal with it.

Swiping to the right archives the email, placing it into a separate Archive folder so that you can keep it for future reference. However, these default commands can be changed in the Settings panel, allowing you to select other commands, such as deleting the email or marking it unread.

There's a conventional Search tool that allowing you to locate text or emails, but Outlook also provides a Quick Filter option that can locate unread, flagged, or messages with attachments. There's no out of office' option, though, which suggests the app was rushed out and we expect this to be a priority addition in future updates.

Calendar And Events

Apple's Mail and Calendar are separate apps, and while they do have some ability to share information when creating meetings or other events you still need to switch back and forth between the two apps. Outlook has an edge over Mail as it includes an integrated calendar alongside its primary email functions.

The Calendar views vary on the iPhone and iPad. The tablet (above) can display both one-day and seven-day views. When holding our iPhone 6 (below) in the upright position the Calendar just displays one day at a time, although you can get a three-day view if you turn the phone's screen sideways.

There's a useful Agenda' view that provides a quick day-by-day list of all your events on both devices.

You can add events by tapping on the required date and time, and events can be colour-coded to keep business and private events separate. However, the lack of an option for creating repeating events is another sign of the app's rushed release. You can invite people while creating an event in Calendar mode, but it's also possible to create an event and send invitations when composing an email. We were pleased to see that Outlook synced events between our iPhone and iPad although not to the desktop version of Outlook running on our office iMac. There's currently no support for shared Exchange calendars either, although Outlook does support shared Google calendars.

Overall

The iOS version of Outlook may not be described as a preview' as the Android version is but it does still have the feel of a work in progress, which will be improved with future updates.

Even so many organisations will welcome the arrival of an official' Microsoft email client for iOS devices. Many business users will also prefer Outlook's integration of email and calendar features, which make it an attractive alternative to Apple's home-grown Mail and Contacts apps.

Verdict

This rushed release does have some rough edges, but Exchange support and slick email management will appeal to business users and IT managers.

Requires iOS 8.0 or later.

Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

The app is optimised for iPhone 5, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Spyware targeting iOS 7 and iOS 8 devices has been uncovered by security firm Trend Micro, who claim it could be used to steal users' text messages, photos and contact data.

The surveillance software is one of a number of tools used by members of Operation Pawn Storm, an ongoing cyber-espionage project targeting government, military and media organisations.

"The actors of Pawn Storm tend to first move a lot of pawns in the hopes they come close to their actual, high-profile targets," the company said in a blog post.

"When they finally successfully infect [one], they might decide to move their next pawn forward: advanced espionage malware."

The spyware highlighted by Trend Micro falls into the latter category, and tends to be installed on devices that have already been compromised in the form of two malicious applications - XAgent (detected as IOS_XAGENT.A) and the one using the name of a legitimate iOS game, MadCap (detected as IOS_ XAGENT.B).

Their aim is to spy on activities of iOS device users and in the process steal their personal data, take screenshots, record audio and pass this data on to a command-and-control (C&C) server somewhere.

While the spyware works on iOS 7 and iOS 8 devices, its modus operandi depends on the operating system being used.

"After being installed on iOS 7, the app's icon is hidden and it runs in the background immediately. When we try to terminate it by killing the process, it will restart almost immediately.

"Installing the malware into an iOS 8 device yields different results. The icon is not hidden and it also cannot restart automatically. This suggests that malware was designed prior to the release of iOS 8 last September."

Interestingly, iOS devices do not need to be jailbroken in order to fall victim to this malware, Trend Micro added, and infection could be caused by connecting them to another compromised piece of hardware.

"One possible scenario is infecting an iPhone after connecting it to a compromised or infected Windows laptop via a USB cable," the blog post concluded.

Microsoft has updated its Yammer apps, allowing the enterprise collaboration tool to support Android Wear compatible smartwatches and the Handoff in iOS 8.

Android users will have notifications pushed to a smartwatch and will be able to 'like' incoming messages and reply using voice commands.

Meanwhile, iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite users will be able to start using Yammer on an iPhone or iPad and then carry on where they left off if they transition to a Mac midway through a task.

Microsoft has also added interactive notifications to its apps and made it easier to share content from Safari and Chrome.

"We want to craft intuitive, powerful mobile experiences that enable teams to collaborate openly, individuals to scale their impact and organisations to bring down silos so everyone can do more and achieve more," it was noted on The Yammer blog.

Since mid-2014, Yammer has pushed out updates on a weekly basis. Previous improvements have included adjustments to search and notifications, and the firm has also increased message translation to cover 25 languages.

Apple has pushed out updates for iOS and OS X devices to improve the stability and fix a range of issues.

iOS 8.1.3 fixes bugs with Spotlight and log-in issues with Messages and FaceTime. The software update also aims to remedy problems users may be experiencing with gesture controls on the iPad.

Another important feature of iOS 8.1.3 is the reduction in size. The update requires 247MB of free space so even users with 16GB devices should be able to install it without having to move/delete any data. iOS 8.1.3 is a minor update but it looks like this will extend to major software installations going forward.

Meanwhile, the OS X 10.10.2 patch attempts to fix an on-going Wi-Fi bug that has plagued Yosemite users since general release. The update also attempts to resolve slow loading web pages. Business-focused enhancements include:

To install the update on an iPhone or iPad go to Settings > General > Software update.

On OS X devices, you need to open up the App Store and then go to the Upgrades tab.

Apple is being sued by users who've taken issue with the consumer electronic giant's claims about storage space on the 16GB iPhone in the wake of theiOS 8 update.

The Miami residents filed the lawsuit last week, according to CNN Wire, and are reportedly seeking $5 million in damages because the 16GB iPhone 6 doesn't offer 16GB of storage space, as advertised.

In fact, around 3GB of that storage is occupied by the new iOS 8 update, which amounts to 19 per cent of what Apple is promising users. This results in customers being duped into buying Apple products without the accurate information to aid them in the decision making process, the plaintiffs say.

In the complaint, they said: "Apple's misrepresentations and omissions are deceptive and misleading because they omit material facts that an average consumer would consider in deciding whether to purchase its products."

They continue on to say this could be perceived as part of a plan by the company to encourage users to store files and photos in the iCloud rather than on their device.

"Apple exploits the discrepancy between represented and available capacity for its own gain by offering to sell, and by selling, cloud storage capacity to purchasers whose internal storage capacity is at or near exhaustion."

The iOS 8.1.1 update is continuing to cause issues for iPhone and iPad users, prompting some to take the drastic step of downgrading to the previous version of the mobile operating system.

The update was pushed out by Apple a week or so ago to fix the bugs and problems that have plagued the operating system since it was released back in September, and users have now started to receive notifications from the vendor about upgrading.

According to the release notes, the update includes "bug fixes, increased stability and performance improvements for iPad 2 and iPhone 4s," but recent decisions from Apple indicate that iOS 8.1.1 is a more significant release than first thought.

As Forbes reports, a beta was released to developers two weeks ago, which is the first time Apple has ever done this. This has no doubt been sparked by the consistent problems users have reported with iOS 8, including cellular connectivity issues, being locked out of the device and a HealthKit bug that caused its release to be held back.

According to users on Apple Support Communities, things had improved with the release of iOS 8.1.1 in the early days, but new problems with have started to emerge since then.

"Well its early days yet to tell for sure and I don't want to tempt fate, but so far for me it seems way faster now on 8.1.1," user dtcb67 said around the time of the software's release.

"Games are also now way more responsive and seem as they were on iOS 7 so far. I will see if the Wi-Fi remains stable and has the range issues later, but thought I'd post to let you guys know, for me at least so far it seems to be a big improvement."

Since then, further stories have been shared by users within the Apple support forums, with tales of Wi-Fi connectivity issues, battery draining problems and app malfunctions.

According to a report on GottaBe Mobile, this has prompted Apple to provide users with a window of opportunity to downgrade from iOS 8.1.1 to the previous version of the software.

Apple has made big changes to text input in iOS 8 by allowing third-party developers to design keyboards to take over from the standard Apple keyboard. Some allow for faster text input whilst others have entirely unique ways of using your onscreen keyboard. Here is a selection of the best available on iOS 8.

To download any of the keyboards below just head onto the link included, download it from the Apple App Store and then head into your Settings app. From there head under General and find the Keyboards section. All the keyboards you have installed on the device will be ready and waiting for you to activate at any time.

Fleksy Keyboard

URL: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/fleksy-keyboard-custom-colors/id520337246?mt=8

Price: 69p

Fleksy has become popular for its customisation tools that allow for a variety of different colours, themes and sizes. If you want the keyboard to take up less of the display just choose a smaller option and customise it to the desired size.

Fleksy has stand out language support with the option to seamlessly switch between 40 supported languages. From Albanian to Ukranian, Fleksy always has the quick switch language ability meaning you'll be back to typing in English with the hit of a button.

Privacy is also key with Fleksy, the app doesn't collect any personal data without your permission. It will also never log your key strokes unlike some other third-party keyboards. If you are dealing in confidential information through your iPhone, Fleksy is likely the perfect choice for you.

Swiftkey Keyboard

URL: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/swiftkey-keyboard/id911813648?mt=8

Price: FREE

Swiftkey's keyboard will change the way you work on your iPhone or iPad. Once the app is installed on an iOS 8 device it'll ask if it can have access to personal accounts such as email or Twitter. Swiftkey then reads through emails and social networking accounts to get a basic idea of your writing style.

If you don't want it to read through confidential information there is an option to stop it but the app will continue to keep note of everything you write with Swiftkey in order to give you better recommendations when writing. Swiftkey introduces a much better predictive text feature once it learns your use of language and it'll even add in those forgotten spaces whilst typing.

Your personalised dictionary will even save itself to the cloud in case you want to upgrade to a new iPhone or use the keyboard on both another iOS device. Swiftkey also allows you to write in two languages simultaneously including English, Portuguese, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

URL: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/swype-keyboard/id916365675?mt=8

Price: 69p

Swype's keyboard has been tried and tested on the Android platform and offers one of the fastest typing experiences available on a touchscreen. It uses a finger dragging input, swiping, and predictive text to allow you to speed up the word count on those lengthy emails or whenever you're writing documents.

The keyboard combines four different ways of entering text, Swype, Type, Write and Speak. All four work seamlessly in the same interface so there is no need to switch to a speech keyboard whenever you want to use your voice or just type normally.

Swype claims the app allows users to get up to 40 words per a minute through the unique three-way input method. If you are using an iPhone you'll get the choice of five free colour themes whilst iPad users only the get the choice of two.

KuaiBoard

URL: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/kuaiboard-type-text.-quicker./id912651227?mt=8

Price 1.49

KuaiBoard differs quite a bit from every other keyboard available on iOS. KuaiBoard allows you to set up common templates of text you have to repeat on a regular basis. Whether you need a message of "I'm in a meeting, speak soon" or multi-paragraph responses, you'll only need to type it out once with KuaiBoard.

Just tap on the template and all the text will be entered automatically saving you a mass of time for repetitive tasks. It even works for billing information and address details. It can especially become useful for when inputting details on repeat orders or long addresses. Templates can also be protected with a password on the keyboard itself giving peace of mind when you enter in confidential card information.

Minuum

URL: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/minuum-little-keyboard-for/id914968934?mt=8

Price: 1.49

Minuum harnesses minimalist design to make your text input look beautiful whilst be a simple and fast process. It features a similar word prediction dictionary to Swype and Swiftkey by monitoring how you speak but the stand out feature of Minuum is the two different size keyboards.

With the tap of one button you can shrink the keyboard down to one line allowing a much better view of the display above. This feature can be a lifesaver in some apps where you need to see more of the display and means you don't have to spend ages zooming in to see specific detail.

Quick gestures such swiping up and down on the display allows you to switch between the full and mini keyboard with ease. Swiping left deletes a word and swiping right adds a new space making text input much faster than on a stand iOS keyboard.

Apple used its iPad Air 2 launch to confirm the final version of iOS 8.1 will be released to iPad and iPhone users on Monday 20 October, and now that day has been and gone we take a look at the new features it has to offer.

The update is designed to build on the mobile operating system Apple introduced with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

iOS 8 was released in September and was warmly received, until a couple of concurrent bugs emerged, resulting in people losing signal and rendering the Touch ID biometric fingerprint scanner useless.

Apple sought to resolve these via a series of minor updates, but has now pushed out iOS 8.1 to enhance the functionality of the operating system.

The iOS update was officially released yesterday as an over-the-air update or through iTunes.

As is tradition whenever a new Apple mobile operating system drops - some users reported problems while trying to download and install it.

Most of the problems seem to stem from the sheer number of people rushing to download the update all at the same time, with many encountering download delays and interruptions.

Even so, there's no denying that iOS 8 has a lot to offer iPhone and iPad users, as our list of some if its main new features and bug fixes below shows.

Before we start our run through, it's worth remembering that iOS 8.1 is only compatible with the iPhone 4S and higher, the iPad 2 and later, as well as fifth generation iPod Touch devices and above.

Apple Pay

While Apple Pay - the firm's NFC payment system - is only available to US iPhone and iPad users at the moment, the iOS 8.1 update makes it possible for iPad and iPhone users to pay for goods and services using their devices.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus both contain an NFC chip allowing users to pay for items in stores by tapping their devices against a compatible point-of-sale sensor, while Touch ID allows them to verify the payment.

iPhones and iPads without NFC technology can still be used to pay for products online using Apple Pay, as the firm has partnered with more than 200,000 US retailers to make this possible.

SMS Continuity with Yosemite

One of the standout features of Apple's reworked desktop operating system OS X Yosemite was Continuity, which allows iPhone and iPad users to open documents stored on their smartphone or tablet remotely from a Mac and take calls.

With the launch of iOS 8.1 this functionality has been extended to SMS text messages. So Mac users can now read text messages from their friends, family and work colleagues sent to their smartphones on the Apple laptop or desktop.

Connectvity improvements

In the release notes for iOS 8.1, Apple claims to have resolved some unspecified Wi-Fi performance issues, as well as another pertaining to problems users have experienced while trying to pair their devices to others via Bluetooth.

Further to this, users now have the option to switch between 2G, 3G or 4G networks when downloading mobile data.

Photos and video enhancements

As discussed at the iPad Air 2 launch last week, iOS 8.1 introduces the iCloud Photo Library as a beta service.

This offering will sync and store any photos and videos users capture on their iPad or iPhone in iCloud, which should - one assumes - free up space on their devices.

The iOS update also introduces a feature that will alert users when space on their devices is running low before they embark on Time Lapse videos, and also fixes an issue that sometimes prevented videos from playing in Safari.

Developers got their hands on the first beta of iOS 8.1 at the end of last month, with the code containing information about the firm's Apple Pay system and also suggesting the fingerprint scanner is coming to the iPad.

iOS 8.1 contains a brand new settings panel, showing options related to credit and debit cards, according to MacRumours. There are also default card/billing address/email/phone options, along with a disclaimer from the company concerning privacy of the feature.

Apple Pay, the payment system being introduced with iOS 8, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, is the company's first foray into offering NFC technology to its users.

The new feature means that users can either use the payment information they have already used on iTunes or upload a photo of their card to Passbook and use their device to make purchases thereafter.

There are also reportedly signs of Touch ID being introduced for the iPad, which ties in with the imminent introduction of Apple Pay for the iPhone and Apple Watch.

With Touch ID on the next generation iPad, users would not need to manually input payment data and information when making purchases in relevant apps, though it is unclear whether Apple Pay will become available for the devices or be limited to the iPhone and Apple Watch for the foreseeable future.

The company previously revealed that Apple Pay would be launching at some point in October, and is expected to be a part of the upcoming iOS 8.1 update.

The iPad has grown to become the most popular tablet since its launch in 2010. With iOS 8 now here - we go through 15 key tips to help you get the most out of your mobile companion.

1 Get the most out of the default keyboard

Apple has revamped the default keyboard - which is now known as QuickType. This aims to recommend contextually appropriate words to help you complete sentences faster. It does this by learning your vocabulary, so the more you use it, the better it will become.

If you want to type with two hands you can split the keyboard by placing two fingers in the middle and pulling them apart. This makes it much easier to input content with your thumbs. You can rejoin the keyboard by pushing it together with your fingers.

2 Download a third party keyboard

If QuickType isn't up your street, it's also possible to download third party keyboards.

Swype is our favourite and is also proving to be the most popular in the App Store. The app allows you to type out words without lifting your finger off the screen and you can also add slang words to the dictionary.

3 Answer calls with you iPad

With iOS 8 it's possible to make and receive phone calls from the iPad when it is sharing the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone.

To do this you must sign into FaceTime using the same Apple ID on both devices and make sure Wi-Fi calling is off.

4 Make use of Safari

Apple has introduced private browsing in the latest edition of Safari. It's also possible to reopen tabs you may have closed accidentally by pressing and holding the '+' button.

Not all websites are mobile friendly and even the ones that are can be cluttered and distracting. Safari comes with a Reader button in the URL bar. Press this once the page has loaded and the web page will instantly declutter by remove all the ads and increase text size for more readability.

5 Send messages without unlocking your iPad

In iOS 8, it's possible to reply to messages without the rigmarole of unlocking, entering passcodes and opening up the app. When a message comes in, simply swipe on the message to the left, tap on reply and type your response and then send.

6 Use Assistive Touch

Assistive Touch is a great feature if you have a problem with the home button. To enable this, go to Settings > General > Accessibility and scroll down to Assistive Touch.

Once on, a black and white button appears on the screen which not only acts as a home button but also allows you to activate the Control and Notifications Centres.

7 Zoom in on text

If you have a visual impairment, the Zoom function will help you see things on the iPad screen better, allowing you to work more quickly. To enable this, go into Settings > Accessibility > Zoom.

Once this is enabled, you can double tap anywhere on screen with three fingers to enable and disable this zoom window. You can also use one or two fingers the scroll particular sections.

8 Use multi-touch gestures

Go to Settings > General > Multitasking gestures. This allows you to return to the home screen from any app by pinching the display, Multitasking can be activated by swiping up four fingers from the bottom of the screen and you can flick between apps by swiping four fingers from the right and left hand edges of the display.

9 Make your own shortcuts

The iPad also allows users to create their own keyboard shortcuts. To do this, go into Settings > General > Keyboard. Scroll down and at the bottom is the option to "Add New Shortcut. Here you can type in the phrase and the shortcut that will be replaced by the specified phrase.

10 Become a dictator

If typing isn't your forte, you can just talk to your iPad and it will do the rest. On third generation iPads and above, there is a microphone button on the keyboard. Just press this and talk away. Dictation is good and seems to cope with all but the strongest of accents. Pressing it again will let the iPad figure out what you are saying and type things for you.

Bonus tip: iOS 8 has introduced a feature called 'Hey Siri' (Settings > General > Siri > "Hey Siri"). When the iPad is connected to a power source you can use the voice assistant hands-free - ideal for using it in-car.

11 Find text in a webpage

If you're looking at a webpage in Safari and you want to find a particular word on the page, you can do this by tapping on the address bar at the top and start to type that word in. Once you have done so, if you scroll down past the web page suggestions and at the bottom is an "On This Page" section. It will show you how many matches for that word is on the page.

Tap on the word and it will bring you back to the web page where the first instance of that word is found. A bar at the bottom will help you navigate through all instances of that word.

12 Sync passwords between iPad, iPhone and a Mac

Instead of having to enter user names and passwords on a website every time, the iPad (as well as iPhones and Macs) can remember those details for you via the iCloud Keychain.

To enable this go into Settings > iCloud > iCloud Keychain. You may also have to verify the account through a notification on other devices.

You can see which details are stored by going to Settings > Safari > Passwords and Autofill. Credit cards details can be entered to save time with online shopping. If you do choose to do this we recommend setting up a strong passcode.

13 Charge your iPad faster

If your iPad is running low on juice and you need to recharge it as fast as possible, make sure Airplane mode is switched on. With no radios sucking power, the device will charge faster.

14 Select the text you want faster

Many people select text on the iPad by tapping in the area they want and then dragging the blue bars until they have exactly what they want. If you want to choose a line of text, simply tap on the line with two fingers.

15 A bit of quiet time

If you really need to concentrate on a task in hand or you are in a meeting you can use the Do Not Disturb feature on the iPad to shut out distractions. Tap on Settings > Do Not Disturb and switch this on manually until you have completed that job.

This feature can also be used to stop calls, FaceTime, messages and emails from bothering you when you are asleep. In that same Do Not Disturb setting, you can schedule this feature to switch on between those hours you need sleep in.

Despite several updates released for Apple's latest operating system, iOS 8, problems have persisted.

It has also been announced that users who have already updated their device will not be able to downgrade to iOS 7, which could become a problem in light of the ongoing hardware and software issues.

Apple released the iOS 8.0.2 update on Thursday, which was created to correct some problems that users had reported having with iOS 8.0.1.

Problems included people being unable to connect to their cellular network to make phone calls, getting locked out of their device due to the Touch ID fingerprint sensor not working correctly and HealthKit apps not being available on the App Store due to a bug.

The HealthKit bug meant many apps that were planning to release iOS 8-compatible updates for Apple's new health and fitness tracking hub had to delay plans until the problem could be resolved.

Addressing this, a spokesperson for Apple told Cult of Mac: "We're working quickly to have the bug fixed in a software update and have HealthKit available by the end of the month."

Once these problems were first reported, Apple released the second update. According to Mac Rumours, the company did however announce that fewer than 40,000 iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices had been affected by the bugs.

In a statement on Thursday, the company said: "iOS 8.0.2... fixes an issue that affected iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users who downloaded iOS 8.0.1, and includes improvements and big fixes originally in iOS 8.0.1. We apologise for inconveniencing the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users who were impacted by the big in iOS 8.0.1."

The second update did not rectify all of the problems as promised, however, and many users continued to report issues they were having with their device.

Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at Kantar Worldpanel, said: "There's a certain perception that Apple has to get things right, and when they don't, the whole company gets questioned. But they came out and said We apologise; we're working 24/7 to fix it.' I think that's what matters."

It has also emerged that Apple is withdrawing support for iOS 7 for users who have already upgraded their device, which can be seen as an attempt to get as many people using iOS 8 as possible.

The problems that Apple's newest operating system has experienced so far have received a lot of attention, so the news that disgruntled users will not be able to downgrade to iOS 7 could be cause for concern.

iOS 8.0.2 has been released by Apple to fix the network problems and Touch ID issues the previous iOS update released this week caused for iPhone 6 users.

Apple was forced to withdraw its iOS 8.0.1 update after iPhone 6 users complained that installing it had resulted in them losing network access.

The update also stopped Touch ID, Apple's biometric fingerprint scanner, from working, meaning users could have ended up locked out of their devices.

As a result, Apple issued guidance telling users how to go about rolling back their devices to iOS 8, while promising a full fix for the problems in the coming days.

How to re-install iOS 8 on the iPhone 6

1) Connect your device to iTunes, and back up the data on it.2) Download either the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus file for your device.3) Select the file you just downloaded, and check for updates in iTunes.4) An option to install iOS 8 should appear, so press update.

"You can reinstall iOS 8 through iTunes... We are also preparing iOS 8.0.2 with a fix for the issue, and will release it as soon as it's ready in the next few days."

Much to the relief of iPhone 6 users, the consumer electronics giant has now released iOS 8.0.2 to help fix these issues, and several other bugs users have encountered since upgrading from iOS 7 to iOS 8.

These include a bug that prevented HealthKit apps from being made available on the App Store, third-party keyboard issues and a fault that prevented some apps from accessing pictures stored in Photo Library.

The update also addresses the problem of SMS/MMS messages using more data than expected, and a bug that stopped users from uploading pictures and videos to Safari.

News of the network connectivity and Touch ID issues, which appear to be isolated to iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices, caused by iOS 8.0.1 first came to light on Wednesday night, with many Apple users taking to Twitter to report problems after installing the update.

In a statement the company apologised to those affected: "We apologise for the great inconvenience experienced by users, and are working around the clock to prepare iOS 8.0.2 with a fix for the issue."

iOS 8.0.1 was pushed out to users just one week after the major iOS 8 update was released by Apple, and was designed to fix a number of bugs that have emerged in the mobile operating system.

These include Wi-Fi connectivity and battery drain problems, as well as app performance issues.

News of the botched update comes hot on the heels of further complaints by iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users about their devices bending after being in their pockets.

The iPhone 6 packs enough upgrades to make it the best iOS smartphone to date. But, like any device, it's not perfect. Below we go through our favourite features, highlight some problematic areas and also have a hands-on video.

Top 5 features

Display & Design

The iPhone 6 is the most comfortable iPhone to hold, thanks to its rounded corners. It's not the lightest because it's bigger than previous versions, but 129g isn't going to weigh you down. Some reviewers have complained about the antennae bars on the back of the device spoiling the look, but I don't think it detracts from the design as this is the best looking iPhone to-date.

Having grown used to using large Android handsets, my favourite feature of the iPhone 6 is the 4.7in display, which gives websites and videos plenty of room, without making the handset awkward to hold.

The iPhone 6 panel isn't quite full HD - the resolution is 1334 x 750- with a density of 326 pixels-per-inch. Professionals using the device for graphical/photo work may find the iPhone 6 doesn't have enough pixels, but for normal tasks like browsing and viewing multimedia you'll struggle to tell the difference between this and a full HD handset.

Brightness cannot be faulted, with the iPhone 6 blasting out an eye-searing maximum of 585cd/m2.

According to DisplayMate, the iPhone 6/6 Plus have the best LCD displays to date and we'd be hard-pressed to disagree. However, Apple's Retina Display technology is not quite able to match the Galaxy Note 4. The forthcoming Samsung device uses Super Amoled technology and has been labelled as the best smartphone display on the market.

Faster charging

Apple has tweaked hardware settings so the iPhone 6 can be charged faster when using an iPad adaptor. The device is able to reach full charge in approximately two hours when you use the 2-Amp adaptor instead of the 1-Amp charger provided in the box.

Open APIs

iOS 8 includes 4000 APIs and this helps to give the iPhone 6 lots of interface enhancements. Top of the list is the ability of developers to submit third-party keyboards to the App Store, with Swype being our personal favourite.

Touch ID was previously restricted to unlocking the handset and making purchases from the App/iTunes stores, but it's now possible to log into apps like Amazon using fingerprint authentication.

APIs for HealthKit and HomeKit have also been opened up so future third-party apps could enable you to control various accessories via your handset.

Camera

Despite not having the largest pixel-count, the iPhones have always been excellent all-round cameras. The iPhone 6 retains an 8-megapixel snapper but the lens has been improved in comparison to the 5s.

Two things stood out for us. The iPhone 6 has the most realistic colour replication we've seen to-date (see below) and the addition of Focus Pixels means it'll adjust focus so quickly you won't notice.

For an excellent comparison showing the difference between the cameras from the original iPhone to the iPhone 6 - check out Snapsnapsnap.

iOS 8 adds plenty of features and the best are yet arrive

Apart from the customisable keyboard, iOS 8 brings interactive notifications, private browsing to Safari, and makes it easier to manage privacy settings.

iCloud Drive and Continuity will come into action when OS X Yosemite drops in October. These will allows users to share any files between Apple devices and also to switch between machines mid-task without interruption.

The ability to measure health metrics via the HealthKit app is also incoming, although the time-frame is unknown due to the need to fix bugs.

More testing needed - Battery life

After starting our day at 7am we were down to 50 per cent at 1:30pm. This was with heavy usage in the morning. Arriving in the office at 11am we turned off push emails.

The device will last a full day with moderate/high usage - but power users are likely to need a top up before the end of the day before using it to view multimedia on the commute home.

5 areas of improvement

Simple passcode remains standard

Apple continues to promote the simple 4-digit pin-code as standard and this is disappointing. The ability to create a complex passcode is an option, but it needs to be made defacto.

With the ability to unlock the device using Touch ID, enforcing a long password is not going to cause much inconvenience because it would be used sparingly - ie. after rebooting.

32GB model gets the axe + only 1GB RAM

Apple could have earned a lot of goodwill by axing the 16GB model and offering users 32GB of internal storage for the same price. Instead it offers a 16GB model starting at 539 and then 64GB or 128GB versions, with an 80 jump in price at each level.

Analysts have speculate Apple is persuing this strategy because the 16GB models have always been the best-selling and Apple wants to promote its iCloud storage service. It's a strategy that'll probably pay off as anyone who buys a 16GB handset will run out of storage space in double-quick time and then have to use iCloud.

Sadly the iPhone 6 also ships with 1GB of RAM. Whilst iOS 8 has always been able to run smoothly using fewer system resources than Android, the lack of memory there is less certainty over how well future updates will run. We've already seen the iPhone 4s struggle to run iOS 8 with its 512MB of RAM.

Then again, it could be argued most handsets are built for a 24 month life-cycle, so it wouldn't make business sense for Apple to increase lifetime.

No removable battery/power saving mode

The unibody design means the 1810mAh battery is sealed into body. This is common among vendors, with Samsung being the exception.

Although we do like the new battery usage menu, which shows exactly which apps are draining power, the lack of a dedicated power saving option is missed. Power users are going to find it a chore having to disable background tasks, change the display and network settings manually to save juice. This is an area where Android devices, such as the Galaxy S5, win hands-down.

NFC is locked to Apple Pay for now

The iPhone 6 includes an NFC chip but Apple has confirmed this is limited to use with Apple Pay at this time. The US is the only country where Apple Pay is currently active, so users in other countries will no doubt be frustrated. Visa confirmed Apple Pay will be coming to the UK in 2015.

Fragility is an issue

The Aluminium body is sturdy, but the iPhone 6 still has a feeling of fragility. It's not got any of the IP dustproof/water resistant ratings you get with the Galaxy S5 or Xperia Z models.

I did feel a sense of paranoia carrying the iPhone around, especially after watching a fair few drop tests on the web. Using the device without a cover is asking for trouble, which is a shame because it looks beautiful.

On a side-note, the iPhone 6 does not bend (like the 6 Plus) even with considerable pressure applied.

Overall

There's much to like about the iPhone 6. The design, screen size and customisable keyboard are leaps forward. The camera remains one of the best all-round snappers on the market and iOS 8 brings numerous useful updates.

However, there are downsides. The biggest problem remains the fragility, lack of RAM and sealed in battery. On the plus side, the issues we pointed out with the passcode can be remedied and Apple Pay will come to areas like the UK eventually. With the positives outweighing the negatives, we can give this device a recommendation.

Verdict

The screen finally gets a much needed boost in size, helping to make this one of the best handsets on the market.

Dropbox has been updated for iOS 8, taking advantage of the operating system's new support for widgets and bringing with it many other improved features and new options.

The app now has a widget for the Notification Centre, reports TechCrunch, which displays an overview of activity and files for the user's account, making it easier to quickly review what has been uploaded or recently updated to the cloud storage application.

The files will be displayed in columns sorted by their role, such as one column for personal files and another for files associated with work or business, and this display can be altered and customised by the user for the best possible navigation style.

Users can also launch the full app from the notification centre widget.

Shared folders can now also be created via the app, allowing users to efficiently share files between friends or colleagues straight from their device. The level of access these people get can be managed by the folder's original user, and those using Dropbox Business Pro can set read-only permissions.

Files from other apps can also be imported and exported with iOS 8's introduction of support for Storage Provider App Extensions. In short, this means that users can both access Dropbox files from other apps and access files from other apps through Dropbox.

Shortly after iOS 8 was released, it was reported the operating system was having compatibility issues with Dropbox, leading to duplicate photo uploads being recognised as new files and even frequent, unexplained crashes experienced by some users.

iOS 8 adoption has been slower than iOS 7, according to a number of reports monitoring the download rates of Apple's latest mobile operating system.

Mixpanel said only around 14.22 per cent of Apple device users downloaded and installed iOS 8 on launch day, showing a slight decline from last year's update when 15 per cent of users installed iOS 7 on the day of release.

Two days after its release, 38 per cent of iPhone, iPod and iPad users had downloaded the new update, but this year just 21.6 per cent of the world's Apple mobile users had installed the update.

Rival analytics firms Tapjoy and Chitika also found fewer people had downloaded the iOS 8 update in comparison to last year's launch.

The reason behind this decline could be because of the huge amount of storage needed to download the update. Most iDevice users have photos, music and apps installed on their devices, meaning they didn't have enough space to download and install the 5.8GB update and were forced to delete their content before doing so.

Other reasons people may have held back is because they were waiting for the bugs to be rectified before taking the leap. Previous versions of iOS have proven to be unstable on release, despite going through a rigorous beta testing.

Chitika said in its blog: "Perhaps most importantly, the pool of iPhones eligible to upgrade to iOS 8 is limited to iPhone 5S, 5C, 5, and 4S models, and many outlets have suggested that iPhone 4S users should not upgrade due to subsequent performance and functionality issues."

However, Tapjoy said the reason was most likely because people were waiting for Apple's new hardware to be released rather than update older devices: "This is likely due to having a separate release schedule for the software and hardware with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus not having been delivered to consumers just yet. It could also be because the download takes up quite a bit of space."

iOS 8 is now available to download over-the-air and is compatible with device from the iPhone 4s and iPad 2 onwards.

Before we go through all the key features iOS 8 brings - there are a four things you need to know before updating:

- If you've got an iPhone 4s, the advice is not to upgrade, according to Ars Technica. iOS 8 is designed to run on large screens and the 2011 iPhone has a slower A5 processor, which results in degraded performance. The 4s also lacks features like Touch ID so it's not compatible with Apple Pay and the firm has also removed features like AirDrop and Handoff. The same is likely to iPad 2, which also uses the A5 processor.

- Heavy Dropbox users may want to hold off updating as there are various compatibility problems between the popular cloud storage service and iOS 8. These are being worked on, but you could potentially lose files or find that files are duplicated.

- Before you can download iOS 8, you'll need at least 5.8GB of free storage despite the update actually taking up 1.1GB when installed. This could prove problematic if you only have a 16GB device as you will likely have to transfer content off the device or delete some apps to make space.

- Various bugs have also been reported within iOS 8 - with some serious bugs affecting accessibility features like VoiceOver.

If the above doesn't apply to use, it's worth upgrading and we run through the top features iOS 8 will offer:

1. Keyboard

Ever since the first iteration of iOS, users have been stuck with the same input method. Apple has finally improved the default keyboard. Known as QuickType', it will aim to offer casual and formal word predictions depending on whether you are messaging a friend or writing an email to a colleague.

If you're asked a question - the device will automatically try and display relevant answers to the query.

But the best news is that Apple has finally opened up the API to developers. So after seven years, users will be able to install a third party keyboard like Swype or Swiftkey on their iOS device.

2. Safari

Safari has been given a number of improvements to help bring it up to par with the Chrome browsing app.

- The first thing you'll notice is the cleaner look. Apple has decluttered the interface so bookmarks, reading lists, and shared links are hidden until you slide out the Sidebar.

- An overview feature shows all your open web pages and groups together tabs from the same site.

- When you're making a purchase, Safari will give you the option to "scan credit card details". This means you can take a picture of your credit card and web browser will automatically fill in the relevant boxes.

- It's possible to get a list of recently closed tabs by pressing and holding the '+' icon. Handy if you accidentally close a webpage.

- Users can now set the increasingly popular 'DuckDuckGo' website as their default search engine. This claims to allow users search without tracking them. Go to Settings > Safari > Search and check the box.

- Safari on iOS 8 will now let you request desktop websites and allow Private tabs to run in conjunction with existing tabs. Previously, when you selected private browsing, all your tabs would be switched to this mode.

3. Contextual search

The Spotlight has been enhanced so it now provides search results based on the context, location and is able to return results from multiple sources.

Type in something factual like "Yosemite" and you'll get a snippet from Wikipedia. Start typing in X-Men and you'll get showtimes and results from iTunes. Type the name of a restaurant and the contact details of the pop up and click through to get directions.

4. Enterprise security

MDM tools are being beefed up so admins can prevent users from adding restrictions or erasing a device. Admins can see when a device was last backed up so they don't push through anything which may result in data loss.

It's also possible for admins to control which applications can open documents from Safari and iCloud Drive as well as authenticate apps with single sign-on.

5. Interactive notifications

It's now possible to reply to messages directly from a notification much like you can on Android devices. This means you don't have to leave an app when you get a message - you can tap in a reply and continue what you were doing.

It's also possible to reply from within the notification centre or the lockscreen.

6. HealthKit

The built-in app allows users to monitor metrics like heart rate, calories burnt, sleep, blood sugar and cholesterol.

It's also possible to create an "emergency card" detailing crucial facts like allergies and blood type, which can be accessed from the lockscreen.

Apple is opening up the API to developers to increase the usefulness.

7. Continuity

This integrates iOS 8 with OS X 10.10 Yosemite. Users can now Airdrop files between Mac and iOS devices.

"Hand-off" allows users to switch devices when working on a document or email and pick up where you left off. This is done using a feature called "proximity awareness". Start typing an email on your iPhone when you're near a Mac and a prompt will appear in the dock asking if you want to finish writing the message on the desktop. This also works visa-versa, so you can finish off a task you started on your iOS device.

iPhones are now able to display all text messages on Mac, and the desktop can even be used to accept an incoming call or make an outgoing call.

8. Mail

In your mailbox, external messages can be marked up in red to make them easier to identify. Messages can be marked as read, unread or flagged with a swipe.

Users can also classify threads as VIP to track updates to important conversations and S/MIME users can sign and encrypt individuals messages.

9. Messages

It's now possible to send video and audio clips directly to other users, start group conversations (or remove yourself from annoying threads) and share your location mid-conversation.

Borrowing a feature from Snapchat, Apple will also be introducing messages with a self-destruct option.

10. iCloud Drive

This cloud repository allows you to store all your documents and files and access them from all your Mac or iOS devices. Any edits made are automatically synced too.

11. Siri goes hands-free

Siri is now "always on" so you don't need to touch the home button to activate her - simply begin a query or command with "Hey Siri".

You can use Siri to make purchases from the iTunes store. The assistant is integrated with Shazam and offers streaming voice recognition. There are also 22 additional dictation languages.

12. Revamped Photos app

Every photo is now saved to the iCloud, so you can view them on any device. You get 5GB of storage free. It's also possible to crop, straighten, enhance, or add filters to your pictures.

Changes are uploaded to iCloud and visible on your other devices. And the edits are nondestructive, so you can always revert back to your original if you change your mind.

This article was orginally published on the 6/6/14 and has been updated on the 19/9/14 to include information about possible bugs in iOS 8.

iOS 8 users are being urged not to microwave their phones, following the circulation of a spoof online ad telling them that doing so would quickly re-charge their iPhones and iPads.

The fake Apple ad details a fictitious new feature of iOS 8 called Wave that reportedly allows devices to be "charged wirelessly through microwave frequencies".

It then goes on to state that Wave is automatically activated when users update to iOS 8, the latest version of Apple's iPhone and iPad operating system which was released on Wednesday 17 September.

"You can now Wave-charge your device by placing it within a household microwave for a minute and a half," the ad states.

"iOS 8 contains new drivers that interface with your device's radio-baseband allowing it to synchronise with microwave frequencies and use them to recharge your battery."

The missive has been distributed around social networking sites, including Twitter, with some users falsely claiming to have successfully charged their devices in their kitchen microwaves.

Meanwhile, another Twitter user claims to have tried it, but succeeded only in burning his iPhone.

This isn't the first time iPhone and iPad users have been targeted by online pranksters. In the wake of last year's iOS 7 release, users were told upgrading to the new mobile operating system would result in their devices becoming waterproof.

IT Pro contacted Apple for comment on this story, but was still awaiting a response at the time of writing.

Apple has announced that users' data is protected from the authorities - at least in the US - stored on iOS 8-enabled devices, providing they have a passcode set up on their device.

A statement released to iOS 8 users said the company cannot access user data and therefore, it cannot pass the information to police or anyone else even if there's a search warrant present.

However, it can still access iCloud data and can hand over this data if the police request access.

The company said: "On devices running iOS 8, your personal data such as photos, messages (including attachments), email, contacts, call history, iTunes content, notes, and reminders is placed under the protection of your passcode.

"Unlike our competitors, Apple cannot bypass your passcode and therefore cannot access this data. So it's not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8."

In previous versions of the iOS operating system, Apple would store encryption keys, meaning it was able to find and release data if requested by the authorities. This data included content such as SMS, iMessage, MMS, photos, videos, contacts, audio recording, and call history.

However, this new system could have knock-on effects for iOS 8 users - if you lose or forget your access password, Apple support won't be able to help you unlock your device or send the data to you.

iOS 8 was released on Wednesday and it would seem a lot of those downloading the software update experienced problems with the 5.9GB download. Because of its size, the download took longer than average to download, angering many eager iDevice owners.

iOS 8 reached iPhone and iPad users on Wednesday, but problems with Apple's HealthKit software led to many apps being taken down at the last minute, reports The Guardian.

Many apps were reportedly planning to release updates that would be compatible with HealthKit, Apple's new health and fitness tracking hub, but these have been pulled due to a bug.

HealthKit has been one of the most anticipated aspects of iOS 8 since it was announced at WWDC in June, but Apple's new health and fitness tracking hub has been hit with problems that reportedly won't be resolved until later in the month.

The tool has been designed as a health and fitness centre for the iPhone with which various third-party apps can share data.

A spokesperson for Apple said to Cult of Mac: "We're working quickly to have the bug fixed in a software update and have HealthKit available by the end of the month"

The apps affected by this problem include MyFitnessPal, WebMD and Carrot Fit.

Brian Mueller, Carrot Fit developer, said: "The rep couldn't clarify what was wrong, though users of the app who had already downloaded the update were able to use the HealthKit features without any issue."

The apps affected have been taken down from the Apple App Store, and previous versions without the HealthKit updates will reportedly replace them until Apple solves the problem.

Specific details of the bug haven't been revealed, but Apple would understandably be keen to ensure security is as tight as possible due to the sensitive nature of the data being stored in the apps after the recent iCloud issues.

iOS 8 was released yesterday, and has already caused various problems for Dropbox users by preventing the cloud storage platform's automatic upload feature from working as it should.

The issue had been resolved, according to Dropbox, before assuring users they could download the latest versions of both Dropbox and Carouselto avoid the problems with auto-uploads on iOS 8.

However, since the fix was sent out, it has become clear those who downloaded the latest versions of the software on the company's recommendation have been experiencing additional problems.

These include 'duplicate' photo uploads (thumbnails from iCloud recognised as new images by Dropbox, according to the blog post) and crashes at launch for others.

They have recommended that users experiencing these issues should disable the photo backup function on Dropbox and Carousel, or alternatively disable Apple's iCloud My Photo Stream, taking them back to the start.

A compatibility issue caused the feature to be temporarily suspended' on Wednesday, according to a blog post on the Dropbox site, and only users' photos and videos would be automatically uploaded from the Recently Added album until the problem was fixed.

As a result Dropbox users who rely on the service to back up their files have been urged to be careful not to erase photos and videos that had not been uploaded as usual.

The potential confusion led Dropbox to suspend the automatic uploads feature entirely.

The problem also affected Dropbox's photo managing app Carousel.

It is always recommended that all files stored on an Apple device should be backed up before updating to a new OS, as these kinds of bugs and problems are common occurrences whenever a new iOS rolls out.

Dropbox said in its blog post that work was currently being done to resolve the issue with Apple.

Apple device users are able to download the iOS 8 update now, which is compatible with all iPhone models from 4s and above and iPad 2 and above.

iOS 8 was released last night and, as usual, users are having problems installing the update.

The new mobile operating system is compatible with the iPhone 4s and above, including the newly-launched iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as the iPod touch 5th generation and iPad 2 and above.

Last year, those wanting to update to iOS 7 were faced with an error message, saying the server was overloaded and although a number of users received this message yesterday when trying to download iOS 8, it seems the size of the update is causing most of the problems.

iOS 8 requires 5.8GB of spare storage before it even allows users to download the update onto iPhones, iPods and iPads. When installed, the update only actually takes up 1.1GB of space so you can imagine the uproar this has caused.

After managing to get through the usual problems connecting to the server, the complaints starting rolling out onto social networks.

Even celebrities got in on the act of moaning about how hard the update was to install. Lady Gaga posted a picture of people all holding their hands up when she asked how many people were struggling.

Another user complained the update's size meant it was taking a long time to download, despite using a solid internet connection.

Some of those trying to install the update even joked it was Apple's auto download of U2's album to their devices that was responsible for the issues.

Many of the complaints have come from users trying to download and install the update over the air (OTA) rather than using iTunes.

If users plug their iDevice into iTunes, it is possible to download the 5.8GB files onto a computer and then install it onto a device.

Before attempting this, users will need to make sure they're using the most recent version of iTunes (11.4) for it to work.

Aside from the capacity issues, others have said they've had to spend a lot of time after receiving iOS 8 updating incompatible apps.

iOS 8 will be available to download from September 17, which is today, and looks set to drop in the UK around 6pm GMT.

The new mobile operating system will be compatiable with iPhone models from iPhone 4s and above, including the newly-launched iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as well as the iPod touch 5th generation and iPad 2 and above.

However, it has been reported by Gizmodo that users who have applied iOS 8 to the iPhone 4s have found that it causes the three-year-old device to struggle with the running of various features such as Touch ID and AirDrop. The older hardware on the phone and the smaller screen size make it hard for iOS 8 to function to its full capacity.

How to get iOS 8

As mentioned, the iOS 8 update will be available to users with iPhone 4s and above, a fifth generation iPod touch or an iPad 2 or above. The update can be downloaded over the air with Wi-Fi or via iTunes on a PC or Mac.

For the former, a notification will pop-up on the screen when the iOS 8 software becomes available on the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad in question. If this doesn't happen automatically then users can check whether the update is available by manually going to Settings>General>Software Update.

If choosing to update through iTunes, the device must be connected to a PC or Mac. If iTunes is up to date, which can be done by clicking on Help>Check for Updates, an alert for iOS 8 should appear once the device is plugged in via USB.

Once the update has been downloaded and installed, the device will restart.

As is the case with most iOS launches, iPhone and iPad users are being urged to back up their apps, photos and other phone data before embarking on the iOS 8 update.

To do this, go toSettings > iCloud > Storage & Backup.

In related news, the OS update has alreadycaused problemswith certain features of Dropbox and Carousel, with a compatibility issue causing the automatic updates to be disabled.

iOS 8: From the beginning

New iOS 8 updates were first announced in June at Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco, with many rumours and predictions made ahead of time proving to be correct, or at least near enough.

Further details on iOS 8 features have been unveiled in the wake of WWDC, such as the introduction of Safari AutoFill for apps on iOS that allows easier and faster logins, and the arrival of possible split-screen functionality for iPads.

A third beta update available to developers and other early adopters included a new iCloud Drive on/off toggle switch, the ability for iPhone to gather health data - such as steps taken, a recycle bin for pictures and improvements to the Weather Channel app.

Apple has also chosen to drop the Yahoo service from its weather app. Instead the mobile OS will use the Weather Channel for iOS 8. It is thought this will allow Apple to offer an improved experience to users.

iOS 8 beta 4 became available on 21 July, two weeks after the third, and brought with it a new tips app designed to help users get more out of the new operating system once it's officially launched.

The feature was mentioned at WWDC but this is the first time it has appeared on the OS available to developers and other early adopters. It initially provides users with six tips, with new ones to be released weekly.

Apple has also announced that an Ask to Buy' option will be added for in-app purchases in order to prevent children from downloading pricey extras and to prevent other incidents of mistaken spending.

Apple said in a statement: "We are always working to strengthen the protections we have in place, and we're adding great new features with iOS 8, such as Ask to Buy, giving parents even more control over what their kids can buy on the App Store."

iOS 8 beta 5, which was made available in early August,introduced integration of location information from the Maps app to the iPhone's Recents list and Spotlight search. This should make it easier to recall information such as addresses and contact details without having to re-enter the app and search for a location again.

It emerged that iOS 8 beta 6 was given to carrier partners for testing, reportedly because of how close Apple believes it to be to the golden master version of the operating system. The beta has reportedly been rejected, however, over issues with the YouTube app and Safari browser.

So what else is new?

Keen to tout the success of iOS 7, which boasts a 97 per cent satisfaction rate, iOS 8 was teased as a "giant release" at WWDC

The design hasn't changed too much, and follows the trend of generally looking cleaner and faster, and it's the little tweaks that are going to be talked about.

A refined notification centre now includes interactive alerts that allow users to reply to messages directly from the notification centre and from the lockscreen.

Safari for the iPad has also had a makeover of sorts, with a new tab view and sidebar. Then there's email, which now sports handy flagging and marking functions along with the ability to open multiple emails at once, swipe down messages to view the inbox and add calendar events straight from mail through a contextual drop down menu.

Group messaging is also much more interactive than before, with the added capability to name threads, remove people from conversations, leave a thread, share your location (for an hour, a day or forever) and send self-destructing audio and video recordings ala Snapchat.

One of the most talked about iOS 8 features, HealthBook, turned into a demonstration of HealthKit, a new app that allows third party app integration to bring information on health and fitness together in one place. It also aims to receive and transmit data from doctors checkups, allowing the health industry to better interact with users.

Siri has had a little makeover with the iOS 8, now integrated with Shazam and able to be used with purchasing iTunes content, streaming voice recognition and with 22 new dictation languages. Users can also talk to Siri without touching their phone. It will also be integrated with the new HomeKit feature, and with things such as home lighting, door locks and thermostats.

One of the things most people were looking for from the iOS 8 was multi-app functionality for the iPad, and they weren't disappointed. Dubbed the biggest release since the App Store, Extensibility is coming with the new

operating system

and will allow apps to share and interact with each other. Extensions will live in a sandbox, allowing users to share between apps at last.

A list of apps that will make use of the Extensions feature created by MacObserver includes SwiftKey, Swype and Fleksy third-party keyboards developing iOS versions and 1Password with Touch ID, already available in iOS 8 betas.

QuickType will enable predictive text suggestions for the keyboard and learns from your habits, and third party keyboards will allow users to install default keyboards across the operating system.

For the App Store, iOS 8 will introduce the explore tab and top trending search. The most welcome change here will undoubtedly be app bundles, while users will also be able to preview apps via a video demonstration before purchasing.

Widgets will also be introduced, accessible from the notification centre, and Touch ID updates will allow further protection of logins and user data.

Apple also confirmed iOS will go on general release in the autumn, and will make its debut on the next iteration of the iPhone. Meanwhile, any iOS Developer account holders will be able to preview the software immediately.

Every iOS update introduces a bevy of features and apps so, prior to the official WWDC announcement, we took a look at what was expected to be revealed during the opening keynote.

But did we get it right? Read on to take a look at our predictions and wish list of iOS 8 features.

iOS 7 ushered in a new era of design for Apple's flagship mobile operating system, which was long-overdue. Here, we run throw a raft of other features we'd like to see put in an appearance on iOS 8.

1. Health monitoring apps

Apple is said to be focusing heavily on the health and fitness market with its next update. This will be done through the integrated Healthbook app. This is expect to allow users to comprehensively monitor their health by tracking everything from steps walked, to blood pressure, blood sugar, levels of hydration and quality of sleep.

However, as current iPhone models don't have sensors to monitor things such as heart rate or blood pressure, users will have to wait until hardware such as the iPhone 6 and long-rumoured iWatch are released.

2. Apple Maps upgrade

Problems with Apple Maps have been widely reported, and iOS 8 has an uphill battle if it is going to redeem the app's reputation. The updated Maps app is expected to feature improvements to location data accuracy as well as greater interactivity to reinforce its position as a credible challenger to Google Maps.

We also expect Apple Maps to provide routes using public transport.

3. Preview and Text Edit for devices

Up to now, Apple's Preview and Text Edit desktop apps have been unavailable for use on the iPhone or iPad but iOS 8 looks set to bring them to mobile devices.

With Text Edit allowing users to view text files and Preview photos and PDF files, the next iOS update will hopefully solve the problem of being unable to use these apps across devices beyond OS X.

4. Deeper Siri integration

iPhone users' virtual assistant, Siri, is expected to be integrated with third-party apps to increase its usefulness.

Right now, Siri is predominantly used to answer voice queries and is only integrated with core iOS apps including email, calendar, contacts, notes, music, clocks and the web browser.

5. Split-screen view

iOS users have been longing for devices to include a split-screen view option for a while, with Microsoft's Surface tablet already offering this capability. iOS 8 is expected to bring this

It'd be great to see this on the iPads as users will have the screen space to interact with multiple apps at once. Dragging files from one app to the other will be far more efficient that having to switch between apps.

6. Enhanced Touch ID support

Apple introduced the fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5s and it was one of the most talked about features. The scanner allows users to unlock their device as well as make purchases from the Apple App and iTunes stores.

With Samsung integrating its fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S5 with PayPal, Cupertino is widely expected to increase the usefulness of its Touch ID sensor. Reports from the WSJ have suggested Apple wants to allow users to pay for physical goods, not just software purchases. This means that the firm could also be gearing up to include NFC connectivity in future mobile devices, something it has resisted so far.

What do IT Pro readers think?

We asked ourTwitter followers earlier today what features they'd like to see make an appearance in iOS 8. You see their responses below.

This article was first pubilshed on 02/06/14 and has been updated multiple times (most recently on 20/08/14) to reflect new information that has become available since its original publication.

Early reviews of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are in and the general verdict across the board is that Apple has nailed it with the larger designs.

The quality and size of the display and camera have been lauded as stand-out features. Battery life has also improved - particularly with the 6 Plus.

Reviewers were also impressed with the ergonomics and metallic feel of the handsets. However, the protruding camera lens and the lines that are on the back of the devices means they aren't the prettiest iPhones to-date.

Interestingly, the iPhone 6 has had better scoring reviews so far - despite packing a smaller 4.7in screen, lacking optimal image stabilisation and having a shorter battery life.

The Verge was one of the three publications to test both handsets and give the iPhone 6 a higher score.

iPhone 6 - 9/10

Display - The 4.7in screen is deemed to be an extremely good display with great colour reproduction and phenomenal viewing angles.

Camera - Despite lacking Optical Image Stabilisation - the 8-megapixel camera on the iPhone 6 is described as "fantastic". The revamped sensor with Focus Pixels means autofocusing is faster than ever.

"It never appears to be focusing," the reviewer pointed out.

Battery life - So far the device has been lasting over a day, thanks to the bigger battery.

"I still charge it almost every night, but at least I'm not forced to baby the battery just to get it through dinner anymore."

iPhone 6 Plus - 8.7/10

Display - Labelled the 5.5in display as "stunning" and great for multimedia consumption.

"If you're a traveler who carries an iPad just for movies on the road, the 6 Plus is going to be your best friend."

Work still needs to be done on the apps, which are scaled up and using the larger screen takes time to adjust especially when you are using the newly-designed landscape keyboard.

Camera - Highest praise was reserved for the 8-megapixel snapper which features Optical Image Stabilisation for the first time. The Verge claims it's the "best smartphone camera" it has tested to-date.

Battery life -The iPhone 6 Plus has been offering 2 days of battery life. But it's early days and the review was quick to point out the day will come when the device will "inevitably" need to be stuffed into a battery case.

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Engadget also gave the edge to the smaller iPhone 6. The reviews praised the iOS 8 update even though it feels like Apple is "playing catchup" to Android.

iPhone 6 - 90/100

Display - Remains comfortable to hold despite being noticeably larger than the iPhone 5s. Colour replication is less saturated than the Super Amoled technology on the Galaxy Note range.

Camera - The 8-megapixel sensor is dubbed "modest" but the Focus Pixels don't disappoint - making it easier to snap images back-to-back without losing focus.

Battery life - It could be better. The iPhone 6 last 6 hours and 19 minutes in a video playback test - slightly worse than the 5s (10 hours 50 minutes).

It also managed 13 hours of real-word usage.

iPhone 6 Plus - 87/100

Display - Images and text are sharper on the 6 Plus - but it's not enough to choose it over the 6. The 5.5in screen has its disadvantages too. One-handed usage is "frustrating and uncomfortable", despite the inclusion of the reachability mode.

Camera - The camera holds it own against most flagship competitors in terms of low-light. It's "near top in every scenario".

Optical image stabilisation helps images to comes out sharper than on the iPhone 6

Battery life - The 6 Plus lasted 12 hours in the video loop test - and managed 17 hours of real world usage.

"With moderate to light usage, you should expect to see the Plus get roughly a day and a half, if not more."

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The Independentwasthe third publication to find in favour of the iPhone 6.

iPhone 6 - 5 stars

Display - Offering "faithful, natural colours" the screen iPhone 6 looks spectacular.

Camera - The lack of a higher pixel count doesn't affect quality. Pictures are "so effectively processed and adjusted in the phone that they can look instantly stunning."

Battery life - Is dubbed "massively improved" but the reviewer pointed out that its conceivable it could be flagging by lunchtime for power users.

iPhone 6 Plus - 4 stars

Display - The display is richer than the smaller iPhone 6."This is really more like a little iPad that makes calls than anything else."

Camera - Thanks to the addition of the optical image stabilisation, and better lower light performance - "this is Apple's best camera".

Battery life - "The iPhone 6 Plus just keeps going. I found it seriously capable of going strong even when I didn't charge it for two successive nights."

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The Guardian found little to differentiate between the two devices, giving them both top marks.

iPhone 6 - 5 stars

Display - Deemed excellent for colour and brightness. The swiping gestures from the side of the screen also work well because of the way the glass curves around to the edge.

Camera - Shoots better pictures that the iPhone 5s.

Battery life - Battery life is "about 30 per cent" better than the 5s. You can get one day's use out of it.

iPhone 6 Plus - 5 stars

Display - The extra screen space is welcome - but "many apps will need rewriting to deal with the new screen".

Camera - "Expect this device to become the new 'must-have' among photographers who like traveling light."

Battery life - No figures provided but it is has the "best battery life of any iPhone".

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The Telegraph labelled the iPhone 6 as "Apple's best phone ever" and also gave the 6 Plus full marks.

iPhone 6 - 5 stars

Display - Whilst the display is not class-leading with its 326ppi density, most users will not be able to perceive differences between this panel and its rivals.

Camera - Despite dubbing it the weakest aspect of the iPhone 6, due to a lack of 4K recording and optimal image stabilisation, it is "the best camera of its class on the market".

Battery life - This is now at the point where it lasts the day.

iPhone 6 Plus - 5 stars

Display - It's big but not too awkward and the reachability mode, which brings everything to the bottom half is deemed to be "genius". Landscape mode is a welcome addition.

Camera - "Apple is able to get decent pictures out of hardware that should really be better." And although optical image stabilization makes a difference, it's not a reason to choose the 6 Plus over the 6.

Battery life - The 6 Plus's battery lasted two days, but the reviewer pointed out that many who purchase the phone will use it more intensively, so should expect a shorter life span.

Apple looks set to take the wraps off a host of products at its launch event in Cupertino later today, with the iPhone 6, iWatch and the next generation iPad Air all expected to put in an appearance.

The event is likely to be presided over by Apple CEO Tim Cook and Phil Schiller, the consumer electronics giant's vice president of worldwide market, if previous launches are anything to go by, and will kick-off at 6pm, UK time.

The IT Pro team will be covering all the news from the event as it happens, with comprehensive breakdowns and comparisons planned for all the kit Apple decides to debut during the keynote, so make sure you check the site often for updates.

Industry sources are suggesting tonight's event could be one of the most ambitious in Apple's history, with two new iPhones tipped to make their debut, along with news of the vendor's first foray into wearable tech in the form of the iWatch, as well as the next-generation iPad Air.

We're also likely to see a comprehensive walkthrough tonight of the various new features packed into Apple's soon-to-be-launched iOS 8 mobile operating system, and possibly how its HomeKit and HealthKit offerings will tie-up with the devices it unveils at the launch.

Below, we take a quick run through the devices that are hotly-tipped to be unveiled tonight, with links to articles we've written about them already, and place our bets on how likely they are to make an appearance.

iPhone 6

September has traditionally seen Apple announce details about a new iPhone it's bringing to market, and this year - as was the case in 2013 - the rumour mill seems to be suggesting that two models could be in the offing.

Last year, this resulted in the highly-praised iPhone 5s, which marked the introduction of the firm's TouchID biometric finger scanner, and the lower cost iPhone 5c.

Whereas cost and specs were the key differentiators between last year's two devices, in 2014 it seems it's all about size for Apple.

According to various reports, the firm is planning to bring a 4.7in smartphone and a 5.5in phablet-style device to market.

You can find out more about both devices, and what's rumoured to be bundled in with them here.

Likelihood of launch: 99.99999 per cent Apple always debuts new iPhones in September, and last year's crop are already falling behind the competition on the specs front, so a refresh is well overdue.

iWatch

With Asus, Sony, Samsung, LG already touting smartwatches of some description, Apple has been accused of being late to the wearable tech party.

However, given Apple's track record for popularising the use of, and improving on, technology that already exists, market watchers have been quick to bat away suggestions the firm's decision to bide its time will cause it harm.

Industry sources claim the device is likely to sport a 2.5in touch screen, which arcs around the wrist, and will have wireless charging capabilities. Furthermore, it's thought the device will also act as a fitness tracker by monitoring health metrics, such as heart rate, calories burnt and the number of steps taken.

Here's a link to our latest news about the iWatch.

Likelihood of launch: The momentum surrounding Apple's iWatch has markedly ramped up in recent months, with the announcement Apple had recruited a former Tag Heuer sales director to help with its development.

Early reports hinted at an October release date for the iWatch, so we'd say there's a75 per cent chance of a shiny wristwatch.

iPad Air 2 AKA New iPad Air

Apple officially did away with the numeric naming convention for its tablet family last October with the launch of the 9.7in iPad Air, which it declared the "lightest, full-size tablet in the world."

The device is due a refresh, with reputable KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggesting last weekthat tonight will be the night Apple announces the iPad Air's successor.

Little is know about the prospective, new device at the moment, although reports suggest it could feature 2GB of RAM and come equipped with Touch ID.

Here's a link to an article featuring further details on the iPad Air 2.

Likelihood of launch: 30 per cent.The iPad Air 2 was a late, prospective addition to the keynote line-up, and - given Apple usually debuts new additions to its tablet family in October, ahead of the holiday rush - we're a little dubious about claims it'll be launched tonight. We could be wrong, but Apple rarely tampers with its release cycles.

Be sure to check back here once the keynote ends to see if any of our predictions were true.

Apple is planning to send out security alerts to iPhone and iPad users whenever an attempt is made to change their account passwords, in the wake of this week's iCloud controversy.

The consumer electronic giant's CEO Tim Cook revealed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that plans are afoot to make it harder for hackers to access users' accounts.

Apple users will soon receive email and push notifications whenever an attempt to change their password occurs, or if a request is made to restore iCloud data to a new device.

Alerts will also be sent out whenever someone tries to login with their Apple ID from a previously unknown Apple device.

Cook also told the publication that Apple will be taking steps to encourage more users to activate two-factor authentication on their devices when iOS 8 drops in the next few weeks.

Furthermore, he said more needs to be done to raise awareness within the Apple user base about how to lockdown their devices, in light of this week's scandal about leaked celebrity photographs online.

As reported by IT Pro earlier this week, hundreds of private pictures belonging to female celebrities, including Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence, were published online without their permission.

Industry watchers were quick to point the finger at Apple's online storage service iCloud for the leak, claiming the pictures ended up in the public domain because hackers managed to breach the system.

Apple went on to staunchly deny this claim, and said the leak was the result of a "targeted attack" on its usernames, passwords and security questions, not an iCloud breach.

In apparent reference to this, Cook said: "When I step back from this terrible scenario that happened and say what more could we have done, I think about the awareness piece.

"I think we have a responsibility to ratchet that up. That's not really an engineering thing."

The changes are to be introduced within the next two weeks, Apple added.

Apple has banned developers who are building apps using the HealthKit feature in iOS 8 from sharing the data with ad networks.

The rules were stated in an update to the developer program license agreement, saying developers: "must not sell an end-user's health information collected through the HealthKit API to advertising platforms, data brokers or information resellers."

The policy continued: "Your application must not access the HealthKit APIs unless it is primarily designed to provide health and/or fitness services, and this usage is clearly evident in your marketing text and user interface. You and your application may not use the HealthKit APIs, or any information obtained through the HealthKit APIs, for any purpose other than providing health and/or fitness services in connection with your application (e.g., not for serving advertising)."

However, the information can be shared with third parties for medical research, providing the developers have the consent from the user to do so.

Apple's HealthKit API will allow developers to build a range of apps designed to monitor an individual's vital signs including blood pressure, heart rate, sleep patterns, calories burnt, blood sugar and cholesterol using connected wearables.

This data can then be shared with doctors and other health professionals or maybe even insurance companies to alert them to any changes in the individual's health status.

The issue of private health information possibly becoming public has also hit the upcoming release of Apple's iWatch. Research done by Cass Business School's Professor Andre Spicer looked at the ethical issues that could arise.

"The public is becoming more concerned about who owns and controls the stream of personal data about things like health produced by wearable technology," he said. "It seems strange we force prisoners to wear tracking technology, but trendy smart watch users pay for the privilege.

"One big ethical issue users did not consider is how these devices will be used to track and collect intimate data about their everyday lives," Spicer continues. "Most smart watches have life-logging technologies which collect data about bodily rhythms. These could be used as a potential surveillance device.

"It could also see technology companies selling our most private health information to a whole range of parties such as insurance agencies."

A number of health-related organisations in the US have said they will be developing apps to work with the API, including health centres and the US Food and Drug Administration, although it remains to be seen how companies in the UK will use such apps.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 and iWatch with built-in health sensors next week. The iPhone 6 is rumoured to feature a 4.7in screen and will run on iOS 8.

Many Apple users have been clamouring for widgets on the iPhone or iPad for years, and their wish will finally be granted with their introduction on iOS 8.

As reported by BGR, who have the first glimpse (pictured above)what these widgets will look like on the iPhone, the new features will look something like the Dataman Next and Dataman Pro widgets, both created by developer Johnny Ixe.

The apps provide real-time data usage information, helping iPhone users to keep within their data limits. The widget is colour coded to signify how far along their usage they are and a single swipe provides access to more information.

As previously outlined, the widget appears within the Notification Centre's today panel, so you can keep an eye on it without opening a specific app.

Long a part of Android operating systems, widgets allow for easier access to information and alerts from the homescreen, but the hesitation from Apple reportedly stems from how much battery power they use. To avoid this problem, iOS 8 widgets will live in the Notification Centre rather than the home screen.

Third-party widgets will also be supported, finally bringing Apple in line with both Android and Windows Phone's live tiles in terms of instantly visible information available at a glance.

The Notification Centre in iOS 8 will also let you make use of interactive alerts, which could make replying to an email or message much easier.

Apple is close to releasing a golden master version of iOS 8, it has been reported, which is likely the reason for the sixth beta version's no-show alongside the OS X Yosemite beta 6 release earlier this week.

This GM build will be considered for public release, and AppleInsider is reporting that the sixth beta for iOS 8 was close enough to this to be sent to carrier partners for testing. It must be accepted 5 September, ahead of Apple's event on 9 September.

The beta, however, has reportedly already been rejected by the carrier partners after discovering an issue with the YouTube app and Safari browser. It does, however, fix other problems previously found, such as issues with Maps and the operating system's new Continuity functions.

It is widely thought that this event will see the announcement of this iOS 8 golden master and the iPhone 6, which will go on sale on 19 September. Apple has previously made its next mobile operating system available to users two days before the new iPhone.

Apple has taken the wrapss off iOS 8 beta 5 for the iPhone, bringing with it new, innovative mapping features.

One new feature, discovered by AppleInsider, is contact data transfer from the Maps app to Spotlight search results and the Recents list.

The latest beta release automatically includes location information from the Maps app, such as a name, address and Yelp data, into the phone's list of recently-dialled numbers and Spotlight search feature.

The feature has been touted as most useful for iPhone users who use Maps to discover nearby locations such as restaurants and entertainment venues, as well as tourists and business travellers getting to know a particular area while away from home.

Before, these people would have to search for the desired location all over again when it was time to go, but now details of where they need to go, as well as contact numbers and more, are available right there in their Recents list.

The feature seems to only work with Maps, however, and not with Siri and Safari.

Other features introduced in previous iOS beta releases include Safari AutoFill for faster logins, a new tips app, and an Ask to Buy' option for more secure in-app purchases on shared devices.

iOS 8 will go on general release alongside the 4.7in and 5.5in iPhone 6, expected in autumn 2014.

Apple will debut its larger-screen iPhones at an event on 9 September, as the firm gears up for its yearly refresh.

Cupertino is expected to launch two devices at the event - a 4.7in device and 5.5in model, according to Recode.

Previous reports mooted 19 September as the possible launch date for the latest range of iPhones. However, this could still be the date the devices start shipping.

Apple is said to have put in an initial order of 70 - 80 million units, the largest it has commissioned for a new mobile product. This is because it expects demand for the larger screen devices to be high.

Until now Apple has offered the iPhone in 3.5in and 4in sizes, whilst competitors - including Samsung, LG and Sony - have had success with 5in+ models.

Little is known about the exact specifications of the device or the name. However, this hasn't stopped the rumour mill from speculating.

Industry watchers believe Apple will be debuting a sapphire crystal display in place of glass, that it will offer users up to 128GB of storage and could even include NFC payment capabilities in conjunction with Visa.

Apple could move away from the number strategy as it has done with the latest generation iPad. Despite everyone calling the forthcoming smartphones the iPhone 6, the handsets could depart from this naming convention to help differentiate them and break up the monotony.

Despite smartphone sales slowing down, Apple managed to shift 35.2 million iPhones - up 12 per cent year-on-year.

Security app 1Password has launched an iOS 8 extension and Touch ID support, allowing people to use its features in third party apps automatically.

AgileBits, the developers responsible for the popular password security app, have unveiled the extension along with a video demonstration of how it will work, making it easier than ever for individuals to use login data stored in 1Password when logging into third party apps.

In a blog post announcing the update, AgileBits wrote: "Thanks to Apple's incredible new developer features in iOS 8, third-party apps can let 1Password fill Logins without the user ever leaving the app.

"We want to share our holy grail with all apps: the convenience of one-tap Logins and the security of strong, unique passwords with 1Password."

It also has Touch ID support, increasing security even further, and will reportedly remember new logins as well as storing ones already saved to the app.

The extension works with browsers and third party apps alike, introducing a 1Password button that allows users to access their login details without exiting the app they are using.

Though this is already possible on the Mac, iOS 7 has previously made it impossible to access 1Password through external apps, requiring users to switch between the two and copy information across. This extension thus makes it much easier and quicker to log in securely.

Apple plans to release its two new operating systems, iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, separately this autumn, despite the promise of improved integration between the two.

The staggered release plan will reportedly see iOS 8 land in September with the highly-anticipated iPhone 6, before a month wait for OS X Yosemite in October.

The arrival of the iPhone 6 has been teased as Apple's biggest launch to date.

Continuity was a huge part of Apple's presentation at the WWDC back in June, with talk of integrated features such as the ability to make and take phone calls from the Mac and finish writing an email on the Mac that was started on an iPhone (through Hand-Off'), which makes this announcement a little surprising.

A beta version of Yosemite is expected to reach users in late July or early August, which will give us our first real look at the new OS.

Other new features set to appear are a revamped notifications centre, improved search functionality, iCloud Drive and MailDrop.

iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks also launched a month apart from each other in September and October 2013, respectively.

A new iOS 8 beta 4 has become available to developers, offering a more stable user experience, some updated features and a new tips app to help testers get more out of the operating system.

The app includes six initial tips, with the promise of more arriving every week.

The app is intended for new users who may be unaware of certain iOS 8 features. It is a built-in app and will presumably be kept around for the final release.

The tips currently include Quickly Respond to Notifications,' Notify When There is a Reply,' Hey, Siri,' Send a Spoken Message,' Quickly Manage Your Email' and Be in the Shot.'

iOS 8 beta 4 arrived on 21 July, with many improvements and new additions to previous versions of the OS included.

In addition to the tips app, the control centre has also had a makeover.

iOS 8, announced at Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference in June, is expected to be released to the public in the autumn, with several beta versions having been rolled out to developers in the meantime.

Though intended for use by test audiences before the official release, anyone can try the beta for a small fee.

New figures collected over a seven-day period ending 13 Julyhave revealed that 90 per cent of Apple devices are running iOS 7, with the number continuing to rise ten months after the operating system's initial release.

The statistic was posted on the App Store developer support page, also revealed that 9 per cent of devices are running iOS 6 and 2 per cent an even earlier version.

Figures also indicate that the adoption rate for iOS 7 is still growing, increasing by 3 per cent from 87 per cent recorded in April 2014. Figures for iOS 6 and earlier have dropped.

Details of the upcoming iOS 8 launchwere revealed at Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference in June, which will feature new updates including split-screen functionality and HealthBook. At the conference, a 97 per cent satisfaction rate for iOS 7 was also highlighted.

Despite the high adoption rate for the previous iOS, however, it is expected that iOS 8 will take over quickly, with iOS 7 having landed on 74 per cent of devices within a few months of release. This has been attributed to the ease of installation for Apple's over-the-air updates.

Apple's third iOS 8 beta has been released for developers, following the first on June 2nd and the second two weeks later.

The beta brings with it various much-needed bug fixes as well as some new content.

This includes a new beta version of Find My iPhone, an iOS 8 version of Find My Friends, a new Apple TV beta and Swift updates as demonstrated at WWDC.

Users can also enjoy new options for iCloud Drive, Handoff and QuickType and tweaks to the appearance of the weather app.

Developers with an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch device will be able to get the beta immediately, installed as an over the air update, and downloads are now available from the Apple Developer Portal.

The update will provide a solution to various bugs from other iOS 8 beta updates, though it will undoubtedly be marred by problems until the final version is released to the wider public.

Eager Apple enthusiasts can also get the beta update, though it is only free to developers.

iOS 8 is expected to reach the public in Autumn 2014, after several beta iterations, and will most likely be launched along with the iPhone 6 in September.

Apple is preparing to bring to market its largest ever iPhones, with both 4.7in and 5.5in devices reportedly in the works.

Sources told business news site Bloomberg the 4.7in iPhone is likely to be released around September, which is when Apple usually unveils new versions of its flagship smartphone.

The 5.5in iPhone may also be launched around the same time, the sources claimed.

Both devices are tipped to enter production next month.

The move to larger devices is thought to be in response to growing consumer demand for smartphones with larger displays.

The Bloomberg article also claims the next version of the iPhone will be rounder and thinner than previous models.

Apple has declined to comment on the story.

Last September saw Apple debut two devices: the iPhone 5s and 5c. The former was pitched as a premium smartphone, while the latter was billed as Apple's attempt at a budget device.

However, the high pricing of the 5c is thought to have put many consumers off, prompting Apple to curtail product of the device in the months that followed.

According to data released by market watcher Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, the 5c was at one time being outsold by the 4in 5s by a margin of two-to-one.

The high-end model featured a faster processor and Apple's renowned Touch ID fingerprint scanner, while the 5C featured similar tech specs to the iPhone 5 and came in a range of colours.

Perhaps this time around, the company is planning to release two devices of varying size at markedly different price points to help users distinguish between them.

Whatever size the devices end up being, it's almost certain that Apple's next-generation mobile operating system, iOS 8, will make its debut on them.

The vendor outlined the changes it's ushering in with the next version of iOS 8 earlier this month at its WWDC event.

Apple is continuing to separate itself from outside companies by ceasing to use Yahoo's weather service app, switching instead to The Weather Channel.

The weather app for iOS 8 will use services from The Weather Channel instead of Yahoo. Yahoo has been using data from The Weather Channel to provide information to the app regardless, with the move merely serving to eliminate the "middle man".

David Kenney, ex-Yahoo board member and Weather Channel CEO, has reportedly been developing the app for some time. With the iOS weather app, information such as extended forecasts and location-aware weather data will now be available to users.

Reports are also stating that the iOS 8 weather app includes text descriptions of the day's conditions, including time of sunrise and sunset, chance of rain, wind speed and direction, humidity percentage and "feels like" temperature.

The decision to drop the service from the iOS 8 app marks the end of a seven year partnership between Apple and Yahoo. The move away from using certain other companies for apps reflects Apple's previous move of opting to use Bing as its default search provider over Google.

Logging into apps will be made much easier with iOS 8, as apps will now be able to access username and password details from Safari AutoFill.

Apps will be allowed to retrieve login credentials from Safari's AutoFill & Passwords feature, removing the need for users to manually enter usernames and passwords every time they wish to access their accounts.

When attempting to login to native apps, users will be able to select the relevant details from Safari's store, resulting in a much faster processing times.

Developers will need to associate their apps with their websites for the feature to work, but even without this in place users can save or update details directly from the app.

Safari AutoFill is also synced to iCloud Keychain, allowing the feature to be used across Apple devices.

Announcements for iOS have focused heavily on continuity between iOS and OS X 10.10 Yosemite, and this feature complements the desire for all Apple devices to be more closely linked than ever before. Allowing users to access usernames and passwords from Safari on their iPhone, iPad or Mac will allow for even more seamless transitions across platforms.

Since iOS 7 introduced automatic app updates, the frequency of finding yourself logged out of apps has increased.

This has created a demand for iOS 8 to address the problem, which this as yet unannounced feature does.

Apple has baked in app-resizing capabilities into iOS 8, giving users hope that multitasking will appear in some form on devices such as the iPad.

Developer Steven Troughton-Smith found code hidden in the iOS 8 iPad Simulator and recorded the split-screen function at work.

The feature is similar to the multitasking found in Windows 8.x devices such as the Microsoft Surface. It is unknown whether Apple will allow end-users to manually resize apps or whether they will just be able to run apps side-by-side at a pre-determined size.

The video also shows that apps may be able to be resized to fill a quarter or three quarters of the screen as well as half.

Apple announced iOS 8 at WWDC and the split-screen functionality was tipped to be unveiled at the event. However, the firm made no mention of it, leading to industry watchers conclude it was still being tested.

iOS 8 is due in autumn 2014, so the split-screen functionality for the iPad could still be included or it may be saved for released in future iOS updates.

SwiftKey has revealed that its popular Android keyboard will now be available free to download from the Google Play store, days after Apple revealed its own predictive keyboard for iOS 8.

The app previously cost 2.99 but will be free going forward. Fresh features will include free and premium themes in the SwiftKey store, hundreds of Emoji to choose from (and predictive Emoji), new languages (bringing the total to 66) and an optional number row.

Features such as next-word prediction, accurate autocorrect and SwiftKey Flow have made the app incredibly popular with users.

In a statement, SwiftKey's CEO John Reynolds said: "We're focused not only on reaching more users with our powerful technology, but on building great content and features to engage them."

Launched in 2010, the app is one of the best selling Android apps of all time, being number one on Google Play more than any other paid app, but it has never been available to iPhone users.

As revealed at last week's WWDC keynote, third-party keyboards will soon become available on Apple devices with the upcoming iOS 8, but Apple have also developed their own keyboard with similar predictive features QuickType.

Upon iOS 8's release, QuickType and SwiftKey will be in competition, and making the latter free to download will even the playing field at least in terms of pricing.

SwiftKey has previously been free to use for the first month, but will now remain that way even after the trial period is up. Those who have already paid will be compensated with a bonus Premier Pack of 10 free themes.