Ondrej Holzman The key word Craig Federighi used when introducing OS X Yosemite was certainly "continuity". Apple has shown that its vision is not to merge two operating systems into one, but to connect OS X with iOS in such a way that it is as natural and convenient as possible for users. OS X Yosemite is proof of that…
In the past, it happened that during a certain period OS X had the upper hand, at other times iOS. However, at this year's WWDC, both operating systems stood side by side and on the same stage. This is clear evidence that Apple put the same effort into the development of both platforms and worked on every detail so that the resulting products fit together as much as possible, although they still retain their distinctive features.
With OS X Yosemite and iOS 8, the iPhone becomes a great accessory for the Mac and vice versa. Both devices are great on their own, but when you connect them together, you get an even smarter solution. Now it is enough to just have both devices with you, because they will alert each other and start acting.
Making phone calls
An example of when a Mac becomes a great accessory for an iPhone can be found when making phone calls. OS X Yosemite automatically recognizes that an iOS device is nearby, and when it sees an incoming call, it will show you a notification right on your Mac. There you can answer the call just like on the phone and use the computer as a large microphone and earpiece in one. You can also reject calls, respond to them by sending an iMessage, or even make calls directly in OS X. All this without having to pick up the nearby iPhone in any way. Correction - it doesn't actually even have to be nearby. If it is lying in the charger in the next room, it is enough that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and you can make calls on the Mac in the same way.
Nothing needs to be set up; everything is automatic, natural. One device after another works as if there is nothing strange about it. And before the launch of OS X Yosemite, hardly anyone imagined that they could make classic phone calls from their computer.
News
Messaging on the Mac isn't exactly new, iMessage has been able to be sent from MacBooks and iMacs for quite some time. But it was just iMessage that could be browsed on computers. Classic SMS and possibly MMS remained only in the iPhone. In OS X Yosemite, Apple ensures that all messages are transferred to the Mac, including those you receive over the regular cellular network from people who do not use Apple products. You will then be able to reply to these messages or send new ones with the same ease on your Mac – in combination with iPhone and iOS 8. A nice feature, especially when you're sitting at the computer and don't want to be distracted by searching and manipulating your iPhone.
Handoff
While traveling by train, you work on a document in Pages on the iPad, and when you get home, you sit down at the Mac and decide on the easiest way to continue the work you started on it. Until now, such a matter was partly solved by synchronization via iCloud, but now Apple has simplified the whole process much more. The solution is called Handoff.
Devices with OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 automatically recognize that they are near each other. When you have, for example, a document in progress in Pages on your iPad, an open page in Safari, or an open e-mail, you can transfer the entire activity to the other device with a single click. And of course everything also works the other way around, from Mac to iPad or iPhone. In addition, Handoff is very easy to implement in third-party applications, so we can expect that we will not have to limit ourselves to only basic applications.
Instant hotspot
Having two devices next to each other and connecting them without having to interfere with either of them is obviously Apple's goal. Another new feature called Instant Hotspot proves it. Until now, when you were out of Wi-Fi range and wanted to use your iPhone to connect your Mac to the Internet, you had to reach into your pocket for it. The combination of OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 skips this part. The Mac automatically detects the iPhone again and you can create a mobile hotspot again with a single click in the top bar. For completeness, the Mac will display the iPhone's signal strength and battery status, and once the connection is no longer needed, the hotspot will turn off to save the phone's battery.
Notification Center
News in the OS X 10.10 Notification Center demonstrates that what works in one operating system, Apple is trying to bring to the other. That's why we can now find a panel on Mac as well Today with a complete overview of the current program. In addition to the time, date, weather forecast, calendar and reminders, it will be possible to add third-party widgets to this panel. In this way, we will be able to easily monitor events across different applications from the Notification Center. Of course, notifications haven't disappeared either, they can be found under the second tab.
Spotlight
Spotlight, Apple's tool for searching for files and other information across the entire system, has undergone a much more significant transformation than the Notification Center. Apple developers were obviously inspired by successful third-party projects when coming up with the new Spotlight, so the search tool in OS X Yosemite bears a striking resemblance to the popular application Alfred.
Spotlight does not open on the right edge, but like Alfred in the middle of the screen. From its predecessor, it also takes over the ability to open websites, applications, files and documents directly from the search window. In addition, you have a quick preview immediately available in it, so you often don't even have to leave Spotlight anywhere. For example, the unit converter is also handy. Alfred is the only lucky one so far, because it seems that the new Spotlight won't support as many fancy workflows.
"And before the launch of OS X Yosemite, hardly anyone imagined that they could make classic phone calls from their computer."
I have always heard how Apple has its HW excellently connected and how well it cooperates. When I bought an iPhone 2 years ago, I didn't understand why even such basic things as writing an SMS on a MacBook and sending it via mobile phone were not possible, as well as making calls. So I say "was about time" for myself.
And can another axis do this?
I don't know, maybe yes, maybe not. In any case, this is not an argument for anything, otherwise development would come to a complete halt if everyone was waiting for the other.
From today's point of view, old Sony Ericsson phones and others were able to send SMS, display call notifications and receive/reject them via PC some 7 years ago. With proprietary SW, but artificially. Also, their manufacturer did not have a desktop or a mobile phone under their thumb in a closed ecosystem. I don't see anything so revolutionary in this "new" function, it's something that could have been standard for years. But better late than never. :-)
old mobile phones could do that, but you had to connect them with a data cable or via the IR port or Bluetooth, but the point here is that you can have the phone in another room in your jacket pocket and the system will connect to it by itself, you just don't need to have the phone with you and connect it together
So they only differ in the "implementation detail" of the connection method (wifi vs Bluetooth), it doesn't change anything about the attack and the function itself.
This is bullshit…. He can't even use diacritics.
Usability is more important than the feature itself, so it's not just about "implementation details" like the iPad wasn't the revolutionary first tablet, but about how it works.
I would like to remind you that in the past it was possible to send or call via mobile phone directly to AdressBook. But it had to be connected via Bluetooth... As far as I know, nobody used it much..
Yes, but there was no possibility to receive and cancel calls. In addition, the feature will now be much better integrated and most importantly promoted. In addition, it was too early for such a feature before leopard, and it was no longer in leopard…
but this function can only be used by people who have a Mac :-) they are unlucky on some windows and if it is actually possible to receive classic calls and sms then it will be a blast and I am looking forward to it but as long as it is only Facetime video/audio or iMessage then it will be very weak, the best would be both, then it has potential for me :-)
it will work with normal GSM calls and SMS
Forget about Windows, I'll just do things there via the web, this kind of service integration will always be 'Mac only'.
that's just good :-)
Yes, this is a classic call or sms sent to you from, for example, a Nokia 3310, the only condition is a Mac and an iPhone on the same WiFi network (so maybe there are other options, or there will be.)
FaceTime and iMessage have been doing this for a long time. :)
you see, I somehow forgot about that, thanks for the clarification, thank God I have an iMac and there you can make audio/video calls via facetime and write iMessage too :-) I was expecting classic calls and sms messages, I just couldn't imagine how they would do it if the Mac doesn't have a SIM card, they will probably do it somehow by connecting the iPhone, that is, by connecting both systems into a stack, and the IP will serve as an external SIM for the Mac, so it will be possible to make calls and text messages from the Mac, of course the phone and the iMac must be connected via WiFi :-) correct me if I'm writing nonsense, but as long as it's like this, it's a blast and I'm looking forward to it :-)
The Mac doesn't have a GSM module, so rather than the iPhone serving the Mac as an external SIM, I would more accurately put it as the Mac serving the iPhone as a wireless headset.
The function of sending and receiving SMS works great already in the beta version - send a classic SMS, receive it, add it to conversations - everything is just like iMessage, only with a green bubble :)))
Calling doesn't work yet. It's not surprising, we will see the next versions - in the first one OS X 10.10 (14A238x) - but nothing.
As for Spotlight - it can't search the web - When I type in "Yosemite" it gives me history in Safari, Mail, Messages - but the ability to search the web is missing for now. However, it is in iOS 8, so we'll see. (It's still a Google search engine)
Handoff doesn't currently support continuing to type a message as such, Mail apparently does, Safari does - but messages don't, too bad.
We'll see what the next beta version has to offer. :)
Unfortunately, SMS doesn't work for me either. I have an iPhone 5S and an iPad mini with retina, after installation the calls also worked, or the iPad also rang when someone called me (I didn't try to pick it up), and SMS went to both devices, unfortunately it stopped working after a few hours :/
But as you write, we'll see what the next beta...
I'm not sure if the iPad will be able to receive calls and texts like a Mac - I don't think so. For example, I would look for the error in simply restarting the device, checking the same WiFi, or simply restarting the message app. Sometimes it didn't work for me either, I sent an SMS from the Macbook, and it was already working.
I tried everything, finally this procedure helped:
– sign out of iCloud -> HardReset -> sign in to iCloud
This on both devices (iPhone and iPad), and SMS works :)
I don't think that the function when mac and iphone recognize each other will be limited to the same wifi network, there must be something else. Because I don't know how the instant hotspot function would work. At that moment, you have no Internet connection on your Mac, yet your iPhone appears in the Wi-Fi network menu. So it won't work via wifi. But it probably won't work even via bluetooth, because you always have to connect these devices there. Could someone who has the beta version enlighten me?
If the devices connect only what can be seen on bluetooth, or is it limited to wifi. And is it possible to send sms when I'm not on the same Wi-Fi and still have devices connected via bluetooth?