14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has released the third beta of iOS 8.2 along with a new beta of Xcode for developers. The new firmware reintroduces glucose tracking and adds explanatory notes for data points like Active Calories, Body Mass Index, and Blood Alcohol Content.
The new Xcode arrives with fixes for some previously reported bugs, but continues to carry some known issues that require attention. The toolset includes support for developing watch apps with WatchKit.
What’s new in iOS 8.2 Beta 3
Available as a free download to all registered developers, the new iOS beta focuses on improving the Health app. It brings back glucose (blood sugar) tracking and includes brief descriptions of data points.
For example, Apple tells users that “a calorie, (also known as kcal) is a unit of energy—the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1kg of water by 1 degree Celsius. Your body uses (‘burns’) calories constantly—even while you are resting [...] The more physical activity you do, the more additional calories you burn [...] Burning more calories than you take in through food will cause weight loss over time.”
As far as glucose is concerned, Apple explains that it is also called blood sugar and is the main source of energy for our bodies. The release notes for iOS 8.2 beta 3 are available on the iOS Dev Center and include information on various fixes and known bugs. Registered developers can download the beta immediately, for free. Supported hardware includes iPhone 4S and later, iPad 3 and later, and iPod touch fifth generation.
Third beta of Xcode 6.2
Xcode 6.2 includes the iOS 8.2 SDK, which offers the WatchKit framework for coding Apple Watch apps. The WatchKit tools allow developers to create interfaces, glances, and notifications, all of which can be tested in iOS Simulator.
Some issues are resolved in this release. For example, the @IBAction attribute is now supported for WKInterfaceSwitch or WKInterfaceSlider objects in Swift, the Devices window now installs and removes apps and can access app container data, and the first .apns payload file is selected by default when doing notification simulation for a WatchKit app.
This version of Xcode requires OS X Mavericks and includes SDKs for developing not just iOS apps, but also Mac apps. The Mac SDK is for OS X 10.10 (Yosemite), the latest version of Apple’s desktop operating system.
The last stable version of Xcode can be found in the Mac App Store as a free download for everyone, including non-developers.
