At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled the next major software update for its mobile devices. iOS8 won’t be altering the appearance, like iOS7 did, but will be adding many new and useful features. Here are just a few of the many upgrades that iPhone, iPad and iPhone users can except when iOS release this fall.

Easier Messaging
Apple will be upgrading its group messing, allowing users to now add people to the conversation, leave the group or mute it temporarily. New audio and video controls are being added to make it very quick to record and send a multimedia file. The keyboards are also getting an upgrade with QuickType, which will predict words and eventually learn your language habits. In regards to reading messages, Apple is adding an Interactive Notification feature. This will allow users to respond to text messages, Facebook posts, Tweets, etc. without having to leave the app they’re currently using.

New Technology
Apple is incorporating some big technology trends into this upgrade with apps like Health and HomeKit. Health is an app that combines all of the user’s various fitness apps into one place. This information will create a complete profile of the user and will let them send health information to doctors at selected locations. For HomeKit, Apple has partnered with many third-party home-automation device companies. Like Health, HomeKit pulls other apps’ abilities together, and lets users control their locks, lights, cameras and thermostats from their phone.

Multiple Devices
Apple has made an improvement to the experience of users with multiple Apple devices, as well as a family of users. Apple has worked on continuity, to make using multiple devices as seamless as possible. AirDrop now works across both Mac and mobile devices and Mac users can use their iPhone to create a mobile hotspot. There’s also a new feature called Hand Off, which allows users to open a document on an iPad that is being worked on through a Mac. For families, there’s now Family Sharing. It allows for up to six family members to be linked on a single account and parents must grant access for every purchase a child attempts through apps.

And More…
Other new features include advancements with Touch ID, which will now be opened up to third-party developers. This means that users will be able to use their fingerprint instead of passwords for banking transactions and other apps. There will also be improvements to photo editing, Siri and iCloud.

The official iOS8 release date is in the fall, but for those that can’t wait Beta 1 is available to download. View instructions on how to download it here.