The 15 most useful features coming to your iPhone later this year
Dave SmithAug 23, 2018, 20:28 IST
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Apple announced the newest version of its mobile operating system at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, but September is typically the month when Apple launches its major iOS updates - usually a few days before it begins shipping out its new iPhones.
But what can you expect from iOS 12?
Here are the 15 most useful features to look forward to in iOS 12:
1. Apple is making sure iOS 12 works great on older devices. Apps will launch up to 40% faster on the iPhone 6S running the new software, for instance.
2. iOS 12 offers some nice performance boosts, too. This means you can snap photos up to 70% faster, for instance, but the system is generally smarter about when to use power, which should also help you preserve battery life.
3. iOS 12 features ARKit 2, which offers improved face tracking, more realistic rendering, and support for 3D object detection and persistence for more immersive augmented-reality experiences. The coolest part: You can play AR games with multiple people, who can see a common virtual environment.
4. iOS 12 makes it easy to share your augmented-reality experiences. Apple worked with Pixar to create a new file format that's optimized for sharing, but has great 3D graphics and animations.
5. A new iOS 12 app called "Measure" lets you, yes, measure distance and length using augmented reality. Just point your phone's camera at what you want to measure, and tap and drag out a line with your finger to create a measurement. The Measure app can automatically detect the size of photos and other rectangular images.
6. Apple's Photos app is getting a nice boost in iOS 12. A new "For You" tab lets you see photos you've taken that same day in past years, or see some Apple-made effects that could be applied to your photos. There's also new search suggestions for people, places, and even categories of photos like watersports, and iOS 12 can even detect which friends are in your photos and offer to send those photos to them.
7. Apple made Siri more powerful in iOS 12 with a new feature called "Siri Shortcuts." Basically, you can create your own If-This-Then-That commands, so if you create a phrase like "I lost my keys," saying that to Siri could automatically trigger your Tile app to play an alarm so you can find your device. Siri Shortcuts are also proactive: If Siri recognizes you usually buy coffee in the morning, it can surface the ability to buy coffee right from your lock screen.
8. Apple's Stocks app is getting a pretty big overhaul. Currently, you'll just see various stocks you're following. In iOS 12, you'll also get news headlines about those stocks thanks to an integration with Apple News.
9. If you have a car that supports Apple CarPlay, iOS 12 provides support for third-party navigation apps for the first time, including Google Maps and Waze.
10. Notifications got a big overhaul in iOS 12. Now, notifications will be grouped by app, topic, or thread, and you'll be able to tweak each app's notification settings right from the lock screen.
11. In iOS 12, you'll get a new app called Screentime, which gives you data and insights about how you spend time in your apps. You can see how often you're picking up your phone, and which apps are drawing you in. You can also see which apps are sending the most notifications.
12. iOS 12 will introduce a feature called App Limits, which can help you manage your time with certain apps. If you only want to spend an hour in Instagram per day, for instance, you can do that. Parents can also set App Limits on their kids by category or individual app, in case you always want them to have access to educational apps.
13. Apple is taking its Animoji feature to the next level in iOS 12. Now, you'll be able to create your own personalized Animoji, called Memoji, where you can choose skin tones, freckles, hairstyles, head shapes, eye colors, eyebrows, and more, to create the Animoji of your dreams (or nightmares).
14. Apple basically made its own version of Snapchat within its Messages app. Your camera can now add filters, text, and stickers to your photos and videos, as well as Animoji or Memoji.
15. FaceTime is getting a huge upgrade in iOS 12 with the introduction of Group FaceTime, which can support up to 32 simultaneous participants. You can also add stickers, filters, and Animoji to your FaceTimes or Group FaceTimes. Unfortunately, the feature won't be ready when iOS 12 launches. Expect an update later in the year with the new feature.
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