See Handoff on OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 in Action

Friday June 13, 2014 4:25 pm PDT by Juli Clover
With iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, Apple is focusing heavily on increased integration between desktop and mobile through several new "Continuity" features, including Handoff, which allows users to start a task on one device and swap to another nearby device.

While Handoff doesn't appear to work reliably at this point in time and is listed as one of the features currently unavailable in the beta software, some users have been able to get it working, giving us a quick glimpse at how the feature works.

A video from French site Mac4Ever displays how the feature works with Maps, Safari, and Mail. A map opened on the iPhone is automatically picked up by the Mac, displayed in the lower left corner of the screen, with the process repeated for a site in Safari and an email message in Mail.


Handoff is also demonstrated in a second video from Cult of Mac, which explains how Handoff works and shows the feature being used with Safari and Mail. The video also demonstrates a second Continuity feature, which allows Macs and iPads to make and answer phone calls relayed through an iPhone.


Handoff, Mac/iPad phone calls, and the other Continuity features will continue to be refined during the iOS 8/OS X Yosemite beta testing period. Both iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite are currently available to developers and are expected to be released to the public in the fall.

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borneo76
73 months ago
can't wait for public release :cool:
Rating: 15 Votes
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Trius
73 months ago

Its called Google/chrome to phone. Nice :0


We're talking about Apple software. Google is a different company completely.. Welcome to the thread.

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Mhmmmm, can't wait for my battery to drain even quicker having to need bluetooth on all the time if I want this to work smoothly.

"We've had a breakthrough in our battery technology (so you can use our features for just a little longer)" - Future Apple Speech.


You people and your battery lol... I have had every feature possible enabled on all of my iPhones.. I have never found the need to disable things to extend the battery. This worried obsession over battery life on these forums really confuses me.
Rating: 9 Votes
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AngerDanger
73 months ago

Indeed, this is truly going to change the human race forever in ways so profound that we're unable to grasp the implications.


Exactly! Out of curiosity, how tall is the monument you're constructing in commemoration of this feature? I'm currently at 7ft with no end in sight. :p
Rating: 6 Votes
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Drunken Master
73 months ago

I've said it before, but it was around the time that Craig flung an email from an iPad to a Mac when I realized we're on the precipice of something which is going to be indispensable to future generations.


Indeed, this is truly going to change the human race forever in ways so profound that we're unable to grasp the implications.
Rating: 6 Votes
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seble
73 months ago

If you look at 0:43 in the first video, the Bluetooth icon is in the status bar of the iPhone but not lit up - it's not connected to the Mac via Bluetooth.


Maybe Apple knows that you might use Bluetooth for multiple things and saves lighting it up for when the device is paired to a car or headphones say.
Rating: 5 Votes
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arn
73 months ago

I don't understand why Apple chooses a solution with that much traffic overhead. Or are these notifications sent over Bluetooth / wifi?

Because otherwise they will have a lot of extra traffic, as they have with cloud tabs in safari.


Over Bluetooth apparently
Rating: 5 Votes
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576316
73 months ago
Really looking forward to these features. I can see Handoff being infinitely useful. Bring on the public beta!
Rating: 5 Votes
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laudern
73 months ago

The phone call feature is cool BUT they should have allowed that to be started and SWITCHED between the mac and the phone. I would like to start a call on my mac because my phone isn't close and then be able to head out the door and continue the conversation.


This makes no sense. If your phone isn't near you when you answer a phone call. You'd have to get up mid call, walk away from your pc, find your phone then start talking again.

I think you are just nit picking a little.
Rating: 4 Votes
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Vinamra
73 months ago

Just wondering if anyone knows if handoff works in reverse? Could I start an email on my Mac, and handoff to the ipad to go finish on the couch?


Yup. As djtech42 mentioned (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=19233735#post19233735), the app shows up as a small icon on the bottom left corner of the lock screen (like the current camera icon on the bottom right corner of the lock screen) and you can swipe it up to continue.
Rating: 3 Votes
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firedept
73 months ago
I can see myself using this. Quite often I am in the middle of something and have to leave. Being able to go between my iMac and iPhone will certainly be helpful.
Rating: 3 Votes

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