Gadgetory

with iOS 8 Apple has opened up its mobile software installing big friendly gates in its famous walled garden for why would Apple do this now adventures in tech investigates Apple's master plan since its creation in 2007 iOS hasn't really changed much sure it evolved visually and got new apps but the way you interact with the software getting things done by opening one app at a time has remained the same that all changes now however because with iOS 8 Apple is tearing up the very fabric of its operating system until now apps for iOS have been unable to talk to each other and you tall for developers called extensions however will let apps pop up inside other apps so you can share to more places mess around with documents or use non apple editing tools from inside the Photos app more striking is the power to install third-party keyboards letting iOS customers use something Apple didn't even make as the primary way of interacting with their gadgets with iOS becoming more open and interconnected it feels like Apple is suddenly much more relaxed which is weird this iphone is terrible it doesn't make all the battery stop charging I don't know how up to this point though apples strict closed approach has made it obscenely rich so I want to go all chilled out now the truth is iOS 8 lays the groundwork for Apple to take even more control Apple has spent the last decade making mountains of cash from mobile gadgets but lately smartphones and tablets are starting to feel a bit stale across the board Apple needs to think beyond hardware so as we see the smartphone market maturing and set fatigue resetting we start to see software overtake hardware as the reason to buy a device so if iOS 8 really delivers a great core experience the extension of that and really make apples products that must have ones moving forward extending iOS is exactly what Apple has planned and in revealing iOS 8 it left a few clues as to where it's headed next for instance checkout home kit Apple's new home automation platform that connects the bevy of high-tech household gadgets already in existence making it theoretically possible to control your lights doors and home appliances using Siri meanwhile Apple's health kits channels data from different health accessories into one Apple made appt if you use an iPhone then Apple already controls the way you do email or messages the new more open and interlinking software that iOS 8 introduces will spread that control to whole new areas ultimately giving up all more power having that power over the consumer to be that hub in their life over all the aspects of your home turning on the lights being able to have a health tracking system where you and your family can track one another's progress being that gatekeepers all that information only deeper ties you into the apple ecosystem it's apples digital world that gives it real strength Apple knows that if it can stretch its ecosystem to things like cars home and health it also expands the reasons to buy its hardware then of course there's a delicious information that Hardware generates all the amount of data that they can gather from that consumer is invaluable so being a technology called gatekeeper to the key things in one's home allows them to build up a picture of a person to better serve new products to better serve advertisers and that data is the the wider its ecosystem the more money Apple can make and the more valuable data it collects though we do hope it doesn't use this irresponsibly in the future Oh quest away your home tells us you spend the weekend in your underwear eating cereal straight from the box it's time for you to invest in a bowl and trousers get out of Barry's trouser warehouse 5,000 square feet of trousers trousers trap at first blush iOS 8 may look like a new open Apple but in fact the new systems it puts in place are a play for even more control and this time over much more than just your smartphone what do you think apples master plan is and are you looking forward to iOS 8 let me know and check back next time for another adventure in tech