When iOS 8 is released to the public this fall, users will be able to take advantage of several new operating system features, including app extensions. App extensions are designed to allow third-party apps to share services with other apps, letting apps work together and interface in ways that they never have before.
We've shared a brief look at app extensions in the iOS 8 version of 1Password, but as the launch date of the new operating system approaches, developers are hard at work integrating Apple's APIs into their apps and have been sharing more information on some of the ways app extensions will work.
Microsoft will be updating OneNote for iPhone and iPad to take advantage of Apple's iOS 8 share extension, adding useful new capabilities to the note taking app through built-in share sheets.
As demoed in the video above, a OneNote button in Safari (accessed via the share sheet) will let users quickly clip articles and information from the web, automatically inserting content into the OneNote app. The OneNote Share Extension will also allow users to export files to OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage service, and it's also possible to save photos from the device's camera roll to the app.
The sharing functions built into the OneNote app will undoubtedly become common features in many iOS apps in the future, making it easier than ever to share content between apps and services. In addition to offering inter-app sharing features, Apple's Extensibility APIs let apps access system-wide third party keyboards, add widgets to the Notification Center, share photo editing extensions, and more.
Microsoft plans to release its OneNote update on the same day that iOS 8 becomes available to the public, which should be shortly before the iPhone 6 begins shipping to customers.
Microsoft OneNote can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link: iPad/iPhone]
