8 Killer ‘Hidden’ Features of Apple iOS 8

Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2014 has introduced a wide range of products and services thus far. And the same trend is expected to continue for the following week as well. Even though, the new features and enhancements showcased by Apple have already shattered expectations; there are several features that are hidden under the hood.

Here is a list of such hidden but very interesting features.

Ditching Google and Embracing Bing

Apple has made a huge decision to ditch Google for Bing in its new version of Spotlight, says PCMag. In addition, the company has added 'DuckDuckGo' to Safari, making its stand very clear.

For those unfamiliar with DuckDuckGo, it is a popular Internet search engine that protects the privacy of users by not profiling them. That means every user gets the same search results.

Text Message Enhancements

In addition to bringing the much-required 'auto-delete' message feature, iOS 8 will also support 'Store Messages' feature. Users will be given the choice to store messages for 30 days, one year or forever, says Apple Insider.

Wi-Fi Calling Feature

Several mobile network carriers allow users to make cellular phone calls over Wi-Fi. This particular feature is very handy especially when the user is outside the network coverage area. However, iPhones did not support this feature thus far. If reports were true, the upcoming iPhone 6 will support Wi-Fi phone calling feature.

Accessibility for Users with Special Needs

Apple is known to be a pioneer for introducing many useful features and functionality in its devices. This time, the company has added accessibility for blind and hearing-impaired users.

The new features include Braille keyboard support, improved zoom functionality for easy readability, and Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing aids.

Camera Enhancements

The iOS 8 camera has gone through some interesting changes with the introduction of independent exposure and focus control, and self-timer support in its camera app. In addition, iOS 8 supports time-lapse videos and panoramic photos on iPad.

Battery Usage Breakdown by Individual Apps

Apple's battery woes are never-ending and iPhone users across the globe would vouch for this. But Apple has taken the feedback seriously and introduced battery usage breakdown per app feature in iOS 8. Users can now navigate to the settings and can ascertain which particular app is draining the battery.

'Hey Siri' a la 'Ok Google'

Apple has lifted a famous feature from Google's 'OK Google' voice assistant and customized it to 'Hey Siri' voice recognition mechanism with its iOS 8.

Assortment of Features

Apple iOS 8 will also support rich-text editing in Notes, and RSS feeds in Shared Links. In addition to all these incredible features, a new dictionary for definitions is also bundled in Apple's iOS 8.

What do you think of the hidden features? What other feature would you like to see in iOS 8? Feel free to leave a comment.