By Scott Solomon, AirWatch by VMware
In a keynote at today’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple previewed iOS 8, which the company is calling its “Biggest Release since the Launch of the App Store.” Apple announced the mobile operating system (OS) update along with previews of the latest version of Mac OS X, called Yosemite. Developers can get beta versions today, and both new OSes will be available to users this fall.
New features for third-party apps, like the ability to define widgets in the Notification Center, drew plenty of cheers from the crowd. Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, answered a call from Dr. Dre on his desktop to show off the two operating systems’ enhanced continuity, or ability to let users transition seamlessly between devices. Now, iOS and OS X users can make calls from their laptops or desktops, “Handoff” documents to keep working from one device to the next and edit documents from any of their Apple devices with an iCloud enhancement called iCloud Drive.
Two features in particular stress the convergence of the two platforms. iCloud Drive gives users the ability to work on a single document across devices, and Instant Hotspot detects a user’s phone and generates a hotspot automatically without them having to type in a password. Apple’s new Handoff feature makes your devices aware of each other, giving users a way to quickly transition working on a document on their phones to working on the same document from their desktops, without having to save or send anything.
In the official press release, Federighi stressed iOS 8’s ability to offer “simpler, faster and more intuitive ways to use your device.” Two other major announcements, HealthKit and HomeKit, which aggregate data and functions from users’ connected devices, clearly align with that vision.
Even with all of today’s major software releases and updates, Federighi made time to touch on iOS 8 in the enterprise. After iOS 7 revolutionized enterprise use of Apple mobile devices, “Now in iOS 8 we continue our focus on security, privacy and management,” Federighi said, enabling MDM providers like AirWatch to provide enterprises with enhanced manageability.
Here’s a rundown of new enterprise features users can expect in iOS 8:
- The Device Enrollment Program, which AirWatch has supported since its release in February (read the Q&A about using the technologies together), “is emblematic of our involvement in the enterprise,” Federighi said.
- Per-message S/MIME functionality – S/MIME users can choose to sign and encrypt individual messages for enhanced security.
- VIP threads — Allow users to tag a thread “VIP” in order to receive notifications whenever an email is received in that thread.
- iCloud enhancements – For the first time Apple will be allowing third-party enterprise file sync and share vendors to integrate with iCloud.
As the consumerization of IT has shown, functionality designed for consumers will inevitably find its way into the enterprise. Many other features highlighted during the keynote will have an immediate or future impact on your work life.
Apple took its latest biometric tool to another level by opening the Touch ID API to all app developers. Security companies will now be able to leverage fingerprint recognition software to access secure documents, such as email or documents.
In healthcare, the possibilities and uses for HealthKit have the potential to greatly alter the way medical care is delivered. HealthKit is essentially a hub for a user’s connected devices that monitor things like steps taken, heart rate or glucose levels. In a statement displayed during the keynote, Mayo Clinic CEO Dr. John H. Noseworthy said, “We believe Apple’s HealthKit will revolutionize how the health industry interacts with people. We are proud to be at the forefront of this innovative technology with the Mayo Clinic app.”
HomeKit is another central application where users can tie together the controls for the third-party smart objects in their homes. Things like smart locks, lights, fridges, televisions and garage doors can potentially all be controlled through a single application. The smart home is something many of us have dreamed about for years, but it invariably raises some security concerns. If a device is lost or stolen, could someone use it as a key to the owner’s home? Apple teased a security measure called secure pairing, which will ensures only your device can access your HomeKit, though details about how this would work have yet to be revealed.
As part of the iOS Developer Program, AirWatch has received the beta version of iOS 8 and will offer same-day support when the operating system is released to the public. Check back on the release date for specific information about AirWatch’s same-day support.
