Apple Pay and Everything Else to Expect From the iOS 8.1 Update

Apple's iOS update includes fixes, handy features for iPhone and iPads.

By
ALYSSA NEWCOMB
October 20, 2014, 12:03 PM ET
4 min read

— -- The first major update to Apple's iOS 8 is set to make its debut today. It's packed with features that will enable Apple Pay for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users, while allowing others to enjoy increased continuity between their devices.

Apple hasn't released a time when the update will become available today, however if history is any indicator, it's likely the update will be offered to users beginning around 1 p.m. ET.

The iOS 8.1 update is also expected to address a number of lingering bug fixes from previous iterations of the operating system, which was released last month.

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Here's what you can expect from iOS 8.1.

Apple Pay

Apple's mobile payment product, which works on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus for online as well as brick and mortar store purchases, is perhaps the most anticipated update to come from iOS 8.1.

Checkout counters in more than 220,000 stores, including Whole Foods, McDonald's and Chevron, are equipped with contactless readers where Apple Pay users can begin using Touch ID to start paying for their purchases.

Continuity Features

It's now even easier for your Apple devices to be "friends" with each other.

The new iOS 8.1 comes with more continuity features that allow users to seamlessly transition between OS X Yosemite and iOS, including the ability to send and receive text messages from iPads and Macs. The feature even works for contacts who don't have an iPhone, making it even easier to stay in touch on any device.

Forget about paying for Wi-Fi, too. An iOS 8.1 update allows Mac users who have certain carriers to connect to the Internet on their computers -- using their iPhone as a Wi-Fi hot spot.

Other features, like call answering, became available with the release of OS X Yosemite last week. (Remember when Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software, called Stephen Colbert?)

Photos

Good news -- the camera roll that was stripped from iOS 8 is back. Also expect to see an iCloud photo library that lets you store photos and videos to your iCloud and makes them even easier to find.

The library will come with the ability to search by date, location or album name.