Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Apple debuts Handoff for iOS and OS X devices in call to Dr. Dre

By
apple handoff news
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Promotional logo for WWDC 2023.
This story is part of our complete Apple WWDC coverage

Apple showed off its new version of OS X for Mac at WWDC 2014 on Monday. OS X Yosemite takes a lot of design cues from iOS, but it also incorporates much of the mobile OS’s functionality. Apple says that it’s all about creating continuity between the company’s devices. Mac users will now have access to Airdrop and a new feature, called Handoff.

Handoff allows all of your iOS and OS X devices to link up to one another whenever they are in close proximity. That way, if you get an email alert on your iPhone, but you don’t want to answer it on that small screen, you can bring it up on your Mac. If the Mail app is open on your iPhone, it will show up right on your Mac. If you started typing your email on your iPhone, that information will automatically transfer over to your Mac. 

This feature also works with phone calls. So, if you’re working on your Mac with your iPhone on the other side of the room, and you suddenly get a call from your mom, you can answer her straight from your Mac using speakerphone. If you can’t take her call right then, you can also decline the call on your Mac. Then, just to be a good child, you can send your mom a message using the Messages app on your Mac. Even if your mom doesn’t have an iPhone or use iMessage, you can still shoot her a text, saying “Call you later,” because Apple has added non-iMessages to the app on Mac.

Recommended Videos

Apple showed off how well Handoff works between an iPhone and a Mac, with a phone call to one of Apple’s “new employees.” Of course, when Dr. Dre’s number popped up on the screen, everyone got very excited. It may have been a veiled reference to the Beats purchase, but it was still a nod to Apple’s latest acquisition and what’s to come from Beats.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Malarie Gokey
Malarie Gokey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
How to add a different home screen wallpaper on iOS 17
An iPhone with iOS 16, showing the new Lock Screen.

If you haven't used an iPhone in a while, or if you haven't tried to update your lock screen, they you might be happy to learn about some of the new customization features that are available in iOS 17. Although iOS has made some controversial changes to its UI, such as moving the notifications to the bottom of the lock screen, they are also more welcome changes to the customization options for the lock screen.

Introduced in iOS 16 was a slew of lock screen customization features to let you tweak your phone's lock screen to your liking, and these same features are available in iOS 17 as well. While the lock screen used to be just a static image, you can now make it more dynamic with options like cycling through collections of your photos, so you can show off your favorite photos of your pets, your family, or beautiful locations that you've visited.

Read more
When will Apple release iOS 18? Here’s what we know
An iPhone 14 laying face-down on a wood table.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will start on Monday, June 10. During the conference keynote, the company is expected to unveil new software updates for its major products, including iOS 18 for iPhones.

iOS 18 is expected to be a major iPhone update, likely ushering in a new design and AI features. If you are wondering when you can get your hands on the latest software version, here's everything you need to know about iOS 18's release date.
When will the iOS 18 beta be released?

Read more
The 7 biggest features we expect to see in iOS 18
The home screen on the Apple iPhone 15 Plus.

Apple revealed that its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will take place on June 10. This is when we expect to see the next iteration of software across all of Apple’s products, including iOS 18.

From the sounds of it, we’re in for a big update with iOS 18, rumored to be one of the “biggest updates” yet. Here’s what we expect from Apple's next major iPhone update with iOS 18.
A more customizable home screen

Read more