Apple’s iOS 7 contains many exciting new features beyond a new visual design, including massively upgraded support for smartwatches and other such advanced Bluetooth devices.
The news that iOS 7 (as well as OS X Mavericks) will play particularly nicely with wearable devices was confirmed on the official Bluetooth blog in an entry by Bluetooth SIG CEO Suke Jawanda.
He confirmed that Bluetooth Smart (a relatively new, energy-efficient form of Bluetooth) is a major part of the new AirDrop features in iOS 7, which will allow users to quickly exchange information with other iOS users in their immediate vicinity.
But more importantly, Bluetooth devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers will now be able to access the Notification Center, which means that they will be able to push updates and notifications to your iPhone or iPad directly, without any settings tweaking or prolonged set-up process.
Apple is also granting Bluetooth devices access to its Preservation and Restoration facility. This will enable easy syncing with smartwatches and other Bluetooth devices – there’ll be no need to fire up an app or physically hold a button on the device.
Essentially, with iOS 7’s new Bluetooth Smart support, smartwatches and other Bluetooth devices should work seamlessly with iPhones and iPads for the very first time.
Of course, this could also relate to recent rumours of an Apple Watch device potentially in development. As well as making life easier for third-party manufacturers, could this be paving the way for a major new wearable product announcement from Apple over the coming year or so?
Read: Smartwatches – Fad or the future
Via: The Verge
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.