Apple released free updates to both the Mac OS and iOS this week. iOS 8.3 adds a lot of Emoji faces with better organization, skin tone modifiers, and a bunch of flag, phone, computer, and watch Emoji. The evolution of the smiley face emoticon continues… 🙂
Other changes in iOS 8.3 include dozens of bug fixes and some new features. Wireless CarPlay is one of these and enables the connection of your iPhone to a CarPlay enabled system without attaching a Lightning cable. Siri has gained some new languages plus the ability to make phone calls using the speakerphone.
In Messages, there is now an option that will allow you to separate messages from friends from iMessages from strangers. This update also adds support for Google two-step verification, which is a great step for those heavy Google App users. For Apple Pay users, Passbook now separates Apple Pay credit cards from other Passes. And one of my favorite new features removes the annoying requirement to enter your Apple ID password when you are downloading free apps!
Mac OS 10.10.3 also adds over 300 (!!!) new Emoji characters and a bunch of bug fixes. The most significant update, however, is that 10.10.3 includes the new Photos app. This new app was first shown at the 2014 WWDC (Apple Worldwide Developers Conference) in June of 2014 and is designed to be a replacement for iPhoto and Aperture. I promise a more comprehensive review of the new Photos app once I have had a bit more time to play with it. It does enable iCloud Photo Library, which will allow you to store your entire photo library in your iCloud account but that may also mean you will quickly fill up your free 5GB of storage. The next two options for iCloud storage are $0.99 a month for 20GB or $3.99 for 200GB of storage. I find the organizing and editing tools to be a big improvement over iPhoto and having my library on my iCloud account means I can find that one picture I want to show from any of my devices.
Both updates are free. The iOS update is accessed through the Software Update screen in the General settings and the Mac OS update is available from the App Store. As always, make sure to back up your computer and/or iOS devices prior to installing any updates.