At the iPhone event on September 12th, Apple said that iOS 12 will be released on September 17th. iOS 12 is primarily focused on performance improvements and the fine-tuning of existing features. But there are a few brand new features in iOS 12 that you should know about. Here are some of the best iOS 12 features:
1.) Performance Improvements
iOS 12 will improve the performance of your iPhone or iPad, which will be especially noticeable as you perform regular tasks such as typing on the keyboard and launching the Camera app. Apple said that these enhancements improve the performance on all supported devices going back to the iPhone 5s and iPad Air.
In terms of speed, iOS 12 is expected to bring up to 70% faster swipe to Camera, up to 50% faster keyboard display and the app launch will be two times faster under a heavy workload. The animations are smoother so bringing up the Control Center and swiping while multitasking will feel more responsive. Plus the Share sheet will appear up to two times faster than before.
2.) Group FaceTime
Group FaceTime allows users to make FaceTime calls with up to 32 people at the same time. You will be able to answer incoming Group FaceTime calls with video or audio through iPhone, iPad and Mac. And the audio Group FaceTime feature works on the Apple Watch and HomePod.
During Group FaceTime calls, the speaker will be shown on the center tile and you can double tap on the person that you would like to see closer. A Group FaceTime session can be started from a group text on the Messages app and you can see and join active calls from the conversation list or in the conversation itself.
To make your Group FaceTime calls more interesting, you can use Animoji, Memoji and filters in real-time. And as you send photos and videos to your group chat, you can quickly add text effects, shapes, and stickers from the App Store for iMessage. From a security standpoint, FaceTime is encrypted end-to-end for one-to-one and group calls.
3.) Messages App Improvements
Apple has added photo suggestions within the Messages app so that it makes suggestions based on who you are messaging with, what you are talking about and where you took photos together. The App Strip in Messages has been redesigned so that it takes up less space as you type.
The Messages app also has a Memoji Maker feature that allows you to customize your own Animoji. I will likely use this feature to create an avatar that resembles my appearance.
Apple is also adding four new Animoji: T. rex, ghost, koala and tiger. There is a tongue and wink detection for Animoji and Memoji. And now Animoji clips can be recorded for up to 30 seconds.
4.) Screen Time
Sometimes you can lose track of time while using apps on your device. The new Screen Time app provides a better understanding of how much time you and your kids are using apps, browsing the Internet and performing other tasks on a device.
The Screen Time app shows you a Today View, a weekly report, app usage, notifications and device pickups. With your Apple ID, you can set up Screen Time for your kids to see how much time they spend on apps and websites. And kids can request more time for approval when their allowed usage time expires. Plus app limits can be set for you and your kids for specific apps and websites.
With the Downtime feature in Screen Time, you can set a specific time when you want apps and notifications to be blocked. And you can choose which apps are on and off limits. Exceptions can be created for your kids so they can have access to certain apps even during Downtime such as the Messages app and education apps.
5.) Improved Notification Controls
A number of improvements have been made for controlling notifications. Notifications can be grouped together so that it is easier to see what is important at a glance. And you can control the notification settings the moment that you receive an alert without leaving what you are doing — which is a feature known as Instant Tuning:
Instant Tuning allows you to choose to have notifications delivered silently to Notification Center by default so that you are not interrupted by alerts. And Siri will suggestion notifications based on how often you interact with them. And there is an opt-in alert for important notifications like healthcare provider reports so that it will still be received when Do Not Disturb is activated.
Tapback has also been added to messages on the Notification Center. This allows you to quickly reply to messages with a heart or a thumbs up by pushing down the notifications.
6.) Additional Do Not Disturb Options
Apple has made some updates to Do Not Disturb to help you sleep better at night and stay focused on the tasks at hand. For example, the Do Not Disturb During Bedtime feature dims the display and silences overnight notifications until you unlock your device in the morning. And you can set Do Not Disturb to end automatically in an hour, at the end of the day, when you leave a certain place or when a meeting on your calendar ends.
7.) High-Tech Augmented Reality Experiences With ARKit 2
With iOS 12, Apple is introducing ARKit 2 for developers. ARKit 2 includes improved face tracking, 3D object detection and realistic rendering. Augmented reality experiences can also be shared across time and become fixed to real-world locations. This means that you can create AR art, which can be viewed by someone else at the same place later on.
The 3D object recognition feature in ARKit 2 is able to recognize objects and how your device is oriented to them. From there, you can use that information to incorporate objects into augmented reality experiences. And the face tracking support in ARKit 2 can track where you are looking and whether you are sticking out your tongue or winking.
There is a new USDZ file format that helps 3D creators easily share files with each other and create animations optimized for mobile devices. And with AR Quick Look, you can view augmented reality experiences in Mail, Files, Messages and Safari.
8.) Measure App
Apple also created an app called Measure using its augmented reality technology. With this app, you can draw straight lines for measuring objects and surfaces vertically and horizontally using the Camera app on an iPhone or iPad camera. The camera will be able to automatically detect the dimensions of rectangular objects with this app.
9.) Photos App Improvements
Apple has made a number of improvements to the Photos app. There is a new For You tab, sharing suggestions, event search, intelligent search suggestions, Places search, multiple keyword searches and RAW editing support.
The For You tab is a place that shows your Memories, Shared Album activity and some of the best moments in your library. It also has Featured Photos and Effect Suggestions, which proposes effects to make some of your best photos look even better.
With sharing suggestions, the Photos app will be able to understand when something meaningful has happened such as attending an event or going on a vacation. Then it will suggest you to share the photos with the people who are in those photos. And if you receive photos from someone else, then your iOS device will look for related photos in your library for the same event and suggest sharing photos back.
Search in photos has been improved significantly. With intelligent search suggestions, the app will be able to provide smart suggestions to help you find photos before you finish typing by suggesting events, people, places and dates. You can search for photos based on places and businesses based on where you were when you took them such as “Mexican restaurant on July 2nd” or a specific place like “The Statue of Liberty.” And you can search for events like “Coachella” and multiple keyword searches like “hiking” and “vacation.”
RAW editing support allows you to edit RAW images in Photos on iPhone and iPad with an A9 chip or later. Plus the Albums tab has been redesigned so that you can find existing and shared albums quicker.
10.) Camera Improvements
There are a few new improvements added in the Camera app. The Camera app for iOS 12 has new effects, filters, text effects, and shapes.
Portrait mode photos have been improved as there is a new mask that is generated when a person is detected and separates the person from the scene. This works very well when you want to take bokeh-style photos.
The Camera app now highlights QR codes in the frame, making it easier to scan. And there is a new API for third-party developers that allows the separation of layers in a photo, which could lead to the creation of sophisticated camera features in third-party apps.
11.) Siri Shortcuts And Enhancements
The Siri digital assistant is being enhanced in iOS 12 as well. The enhancements include Siri suggestions, a new Shortcuts app, the ability to Add to Siri, a Shortcuts API, translations, celebrity facts, food knowledge, Photo Memories, password search, motorsports scores, flashlight control and Find My iPhone.
Siri suggestions are getting improved where it can detect your daily routines and automatically suggest third-party apps on a schedule. This will be built into the Lock screen or in the main Spotlight search.
And Apple is launching a new Shortcuts app where you can customize your own shortcuts for running multiple steps at once. For example, you can have your iPhone automatically pull up a coffee order from your local Starbucks location as you walk out of your apartment.
The “Add to Siri" feature allows you to add shortcuts to Siri in order to run them with your voice using your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or HomePod.
Siri can translate phrases into many more languages. In fact, Siri will have support for over 50 language pairs.
You will be able to ask Siri about celebrity facts. For example, you can ask Siri “Where was Tom Cruise born?”
There are food facts built into Siri for iOS 12. The calorie, vitamin and nutritional information are pulled from the USDA database. So you can ask Siri questions like “how healthy is salmon?”
Siri can be used for finding your photos through the Photo Memories feature in the Photos app. This means you can ask Siri to quickly pull up photos and memories based on people, places, events and keywords.
In terms of Motorsports, Siri can provide the live standings, schedules and stats for racing series events. For example, you can ask Siri “when is the next NASCAR race?”
Plus you can ask Siri to help you search for any password. The flashlight on your devices can be turned on and off by asking Siri. And you can ask Siri to find your iPhone, iPad or AirPods -- which connects to the "Find My iPhone" app.
12.) Privacy And Security Updates
Apple has added enhanced tracking prevention, password reuse auditing, automatic strong passwords, security code AutoFill, password sharing and a new Password Manager API.
Safari for iOS 12 is gaining a major security update. Share buttons and comment widgets on websites will no longer be able to track you without your permission. And Safari for iOS 12 will also prevent ad companies from collecting the unique settings of your device so they cannot retarget ads to you across the web and apps.
Apple will be able to automatically create and store strong passwords in Safari and iOS apps. These passwords will be stored in iCloud Keychain and it will be automatically filled on all your Apple devices. And you can ask Siri to access your passwords if you forget. This can help prevent hackers from being able to guess what your passwords are.
Passwords that have been reused will be flagged in your passwords lists. This enables you to quickly navigate to the app and change the password with an automatically generated strong password.
iOS 12 will have a security code AutoFill feature so you can SMS one-time passcodes to appear automatically as AutoFill suggestions. This way you do not have to worry about memorizing your passwords. iOS 12 will be able to share passwords with other iOS devices, Macs and Apple TVs. And through a password manager API, you can access passwords stored on third-party password manager apps from the QuickType bar in apps and Safari.
13.) Updates To Apple’s Apps
Apple is updating some of its own apps for iOS 12. This includes Books, Stocks, News and Voice Memos.
Apple Books has been revamped so that you can discover new books and start new ones in the Reading Now tab. And there is a new Book Store for you to browse, buy and organize your library through curated collections.
The Stocks app is being redesigned so you can view prices at a glance through a customizable watch list. When you tap a stock ticker, you will see interactive charts and review business stories from Apple News. The Stocks app is also going to be added to iPad as well.
News for iOS 12 will be updated so that it will be easier to navigate. For example, you can swipe down to go to your favorite topics and channels on the iPhone. Or you can tap on the sidebar on iPad.
Voice Memos for iOS 12 is going to have a new design and it will also launch on the iPad. Plus voice memos can be synced with iCloud and edited with iPhones, iPads and Macs.
14.) Additional Features
A number of other subtle features are being added to iOS 12. This includes third-party navigation apps for CarPlay.
Contactless student ID cards can be added to Wallet so you college students can access their dorms and libraries along with paying for snacks and laundry on campus.
Additional battery usage charts are being added to Settings so you can see your usage over the last 24 hours or 10 days. iOS 12 for iPad will have updated gestures and the QuickType keyboard can be turned into a trackpad on devices with 3D Touch by simply holding down the spacebar.
An Arabic and English bilingual dictionary, a Hindi and English bilingual dictionary and a Hebrew dictionary have been added to iOS 12. And an English Thesaurus is also coming to iOS 12.
While drawing in Notes, a number of new colors, line weights and opacities are being added to the markup tools. And you can see favicons on tabs in Safari so you can better identify which tabs you have open.
