iOS 8
Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the IOS 8 operating system during his keynote address at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, California June 2, 2014. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith Reuters

Beta number two of iOS 8.1 went live this week and the likelihood is the official build will be ready for download on October 20, further inching closer the jailbreak community to an iOS 8 jailbreak release date later in the year.

But while waiting for either the Evad3rs or Pangu to finish their respective works and provide the next iPhone and iPad unlocker, the iOS 8.1 update offers at least four killer features as pointed out by Ars Technica.

Apple Pay

Perhaps the most anticipated component of iOS 8.1 is Apple Pay, which makes full use of the Touch ID fingerprint scanner introduced last year with the iPhone 5S and near-field communication or NFC that was unpacked with the iPhone 6 in September this year.

As the core feature of iOS 8.1, Apple Pay will allow users to convert their iPhones into a digital wallet that empower them to make cash-less payment on online purchases or by tapping on POS terminals, thanks to the on-board NFC chip of the iPhone 6.

Bugs fixes and enhanced performance

As expected, iOS 8.1 is also stuffed with the fixes that the 8.0.1 patch had overlooked. According to Business Insider, the iOS bump will mostly benefit legacy iPhone users, specifically those still toting the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.

These models should notice considerable jump on performance speed plus the disappearance of numerous software and application glitches.

iCloud Drive

Another headline feature packed with iOS 8.1 is the activation of iCloud Drive. However, the service is designed for full and seamless computing experience when paired with a Mac so users are advised to get the Yosemite counterpart of 8.1 as well prior to actual use of the feature.

SMS Handoff

Messages processing with continuity is said to become fully operational once iOS 8.1 is made available to the public as well as the latest Yosemite version is released. With this 'Continuity' feature in place, inbound and outbound communications (calls and messages) are handled seamlessly between an iPhone/iPad and Mac and vice versa.

Yet as tempting as the iOS 8.1 features above are, Evad3r @MuscleNerd recently issued a reminder to jailbreak fans, especially the newbies.

"To 2014's new jailbreakers: if you update to today's iOS 8.0, you'll lose your JB and won't be able to go back to 7.x," Redmond Pie quoted one of the Evasi0n7 creators as saying in a recent tweet.

It goes without saying that the warning applies too on iOS 8.1 so it might be prudent for hardcore jailbreak fans to sit out on the latest update and wait instead for iOS 8 jailbreak, the release date of which is likely to happen on December 2014.