According to a report by TechRadar, the new operating system will be available for download on September 17, just two days before the release of the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. The iOS 8 is set to bring exciting new features that Apple fans and iOS device owners would be looking forward to.

The following are some of its most highly-anticipated features: 

TouchID Availability for All Apps 

Touch ID functionality was available in iOS 7 and on the iPhone 5s, but its function was limited only to unlocking the iPhone 5s and authorizing iTunes Store purchases. iOS 8 expands TouchID availability to all applications, allowing third-party apps to use the TouchID fingerprint sensor as an additional security measure. The Wall Street Journal notes that while this is not a big change, it is an exciting upgrade because this is Apple's way of keeping up with their main competitor, Samsung, and their fingerprint scanning feature on Android, which is already available for third-party apps. 

Time-Lapse Mode in iOS 8 Cameras 

TechRadar said this feature gives iOS 8 users the capability to capture extended moments on video and speed them up, which normally requires thousands of dollars' worth of equipment to do professionally. The release comes at the heels of Instagram's release of their Hyperlapse app, which also captures professional-looking time-lapse videos and makes it easy to share on social media. 

The site also said that it also notes that this release is the opposite of the slow motion feature that Apple released on the iOS 7. The site expects the camera, which is the most used camear in the world, to be much better with this new feature in place. 

Better Messaging Features 

BGR  said the iOS 8's improved messaging features include: group message improvements - the ability to leave group messages, add and remove people from threads; multimedia improvements -  both video and voice messages will now be similar to Snapchat's self-destructing inline multimedia messages; and location sharing on iMessages. 

Swappable and Interactive Keyboards 

Apple's keyboard made it to majority of the media outlets because of two things. First, the keyboard features quicktype and Swype features makes typing messages easier. Second, Apple is finally allowing developer extensions. According to Tom's Guide, iOS 8 is finally allowing users to download third-party keyboards that suit their needs. 

Continuity and Handoff Features 

The following features reportedly integrates iOS devices seamlessly with other iOS devices and Mac OS X devices as well. The Continuity feature actively connects two Apple devices, so that a notification that appears on the iPhone will also appear on the connected device. On the other hand, the Handoff feature lets users pick up where they left off with their phones, making data sharing easier between an iOS and a Mac device. 

The iOS 8 brings with it upgrades that will surely improve the user experience of iOS users. It is currently available on beta for developers, and as mentioned earlier, will be released on September 17.