See Handoff on OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 in Action - MacRumors
Skip to Content

See Handoff on OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 in Action

by

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.

Related Forums: iOS 8, OS X Yosemite

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium

New Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Features Revealed

Sunday August 30, 2026 7:54 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today further outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 set to be unveiled on September 9. While it was initially rumored that Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to have any major design changes compared to the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models. ...
Read Full Article • 152 comments
Mac mini vs Studio Feature Sans Text 1

Apple Caught Off Guard by AI Demand for Mac Mini and Mac Studio

Sunday August 30, 2026 8:52 am PDT by
Apple's unusually timed announcement of new Mac mini and Mac Studio models this week was driven by unexpectedly strong enterprise appetite for AI hardware, according to The Information. Apple normally releases new Mac models in the autumn, closer to October or November, making this week's announcement unusually early, falling just before the anticipated arrival of new iPhone models. The...
Read Full Article • 251 comments
Apple Surprise Shine

Apple Event: Six New Products to Expect on September 9

Thursday August 27, 2026 8:00 am PDT by
Apple has announced that it will be holding an event on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the company widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, its first-ever foldable iPhone, and more. Other products expected to be announced at the event include an Apple Watch Series 12 with a ceramic case option, an Apple Watch Ultra 4, AirPods 5 with and without...
Read Full Article • 55 comments

Top Rated Comments

B
borneo76
160 months ago
can't wait for public release :cool:
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Trius Avatar
Trius
160 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.

----------

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.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
AngerDanger
160 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
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Drunken Master Avatar
Drunken Master
160 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.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
seble
160 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.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arn Avatar
arn
160 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
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments