iOS 8.3 beta introduces wireless support for Apple's CarPlay, improves emoji keyboard

The forthcoming release of iOS 8.3 will enable wireless CarPlay support, removing the requirement for iPhones to be connected to head units through a Lightning cable. It also includes a revised emoji keyboard that allows users to scroll and browse more easily.

The first pre-release beta of iOS 8.3 was released to developers on Monday. Perhaps the biggest change is a new CarPlay menu that can be found in the General category of the Settings application.

From there, Apple shows a diagram with instructions for using wireless CarPlay. Users can configure it by holding the voice control button on their steering wheel to start CarPlay setup.

The iOS 8.3 update gives no indication as to what current CarPlay head units will offer wireless support.

Also in the first beta of iOS 8.3 is a newly redesigned emoji keyboard. Upon accessing the keyboard, developers can see a new, semi-transparent background and a changed look and feel.

Apple has also made it possible to scroll through the emojis more easily, automatically switching to the next parent menu without the need to tap the buttons at the bottom of the screen.

The parent menus themselves have also been updated with new logos and categories. They appear to include people, nature, food, festive emoji, motion, buildings/vehicles, and symbols.

Finally, iOS 8.3 also includes support for Google's two-step verification when adding a Google account to an iOS device. Users simply enter the verification code generated by their mobile application to securely verify.