What about iOS 8?

A pair of screenshots reportedly sourced from Apple's unannounced iOS 8 were posted to a Weibo account today. One of the images reveals several new apps, including the previously-rumored Healthbook and mobile versions of Preview and TextEdit — two apps that have been staples of OS X for years.

Earlier today (before the leaked screenshots appeared), 9to5Mac claimed that these apps aren't full-blown mobile versions of their Mac counterparts; instead, they're intended to help users view Preview and TextEdit files stored in iCloud. The new apps are "being considered for release later in the year," according to the report. The icons appear far from finished, since they're literally the Mac icons for Preview and TextEdit thrown onto solid white and black backgrounds. As a result, they look wildly out of place next to other icons that adhere to Apple's iOS 7 design language. But if the screenshots are genuine, Apple likely won't be pleased. The company is still months away from unveiling iOS 8 in any official capacity and has rarely (if ever) faced leaks this early in the development cycle.

Throughout the week, the typically well-sourced 9to5Mac has been revealing tidbits about Apple's forthcoming mobile operating system. The most interesting of those disclosures came on Tuesday, when the site reported that Apple will once again include public transit directions in Maps when iOS 8 launches later this year. The company has steadily improved the accuracy of its own Maps app ever since its notoriously rocky launch, but support for mass transit remains a glaring omission. Apple has acquired a number of companies that specialize in public transit over the last few years, and it appears users will finally see the payoff with iOS 8.

As for today's screenshots, 9to5Mac claims to have independently confirmed their legitimacy with its own sources. But we're not completely sold, since any registered iOS developer could theoretically whip something like this up without much effort. We're also still several months out from hearing anything official on iOS 8 — or the new iPhones that will showcase the OS — so plenty could change before then. Hopefully those Preview and TextEdit icons are on the list.


/Yahoo/