The latest Worldwide Developer Conference was mostly about software and those expecting Apple to unveil new lineup of MacBooks were disheartened! It was where the Cupertino based tech behemoth took the veils off its newest operating system for Smartphone and tablets- namely the iOS 12. We all wants to know about the latest iOS 12 features and its capabilities. The final and stable version will be unveiled in September but the ninth public beta shown at the event was as close as one can get to the final product.
Amazing and useful new iOS 12 features:
As expected, Apple has made an already feature rich mobile OS, even more polished and feature laden. Some of these features are seriously useful while there are few that are more like cosmetic gloss. The major new features of upcoming iOS 12 are:
Group FaceTime
You no longer have to cope with the limitation of FaceTime chats, one to one! Group FaceTime feature enables you to chat with 32 users simultaneously. It is a part of iMessage. While on the call, users can add fun effects. It will work on iPhone, iPad as well as Mac OS. The nice thing is you may see just specific persons in the chat window.
Memoji
Memoji is like an upgrade to the popular Animoji. It lets users make funny lifelike avatars of them on iPhone X. They can also make funny looking animal avatars. More Animojis are also brought by the update, such as koala, tiger, ghost and the T-Rex. The memojis may be in response to rival Samsung’s AR Emoji. The final version will bring more options to customize the Memojis. It is also one of the popular iOS 12 features.
Screen Time
Screen Time is Apple’s reply to Google’s well being which will be introduced in upcoming Android P. Screen Time is a feature which will give users update on time spent on their iOS devices and make them understand apps that are taking up maximum time. Users may set limits for each app and they will get alerts when they exceed the range.
Siri Shortcuts
Apple is trying its level best to make its voice driven digital assistant Siri outshine rival digital assistants offered by Microsoft and Google. Siri Shortcuts enables Siri to perform many more tasks through quick actions. Siri will also display suggestions for apps on the lock screen, based on locations and events. Users will also be able to tweak the shortcuts for Siri to suit their needs.
Photos
The Photos app also gets a revamp or iOS 12. It now gets Search Suggestions, a useful feature. Users also get a new tab named ‘For You’. This tab offers individual suggestions for specific actions you may take with the pictures stored in your device album. The user also gets image Sharing Suggestions. Apple is offering some features which resemble those in Google Photos.
Maps
The Maps app has received a revamp by Apple for iOS 12. It has got bug fixes and some minor updates. Now, the app comes with a new Maps engine which renders well detailed maps with public landmarks and greenery. The feature will gradually be made available across the USA in the near future-as per Apple sources.
Location data sharing with 911
This is a vital update that iOS device user will find useful. The new iOS 12 features will make it easier to trace iOS device users in an emergency. It uses Apple’s new HELO technology, Wi-Fi Access Points and GPS to pinpoint exact location of the user.
Enhanced QR code reader
Apple introduced QR code reader feature in iOS 11 but the new OS update brings an enhanced version. Now, iOS 12 will highlight detection and it is no longer necessary to point the camera at the device code. The feature can also be embedded in the control center.
Battery management info
The battery health information was introduced in iOS 11 but in this version it gets some enhancements. It lets users check battery health and usage by specific apps. So, you can find out if one particular app is draining the battery more. The details are displayed in graphical patterns.
Enhanced password management
In iOS 12, users get access to a number of new password management features. The OS will show passwords stored in third-party password management apps. The good thing is that users can now share passwords between Mac and iOS devices. Apple has also focused on password creation security. There will be autofill support for the third-party password managing apps.
Better face ID
Apple’s popular FaceID feature is set to receive an overhaul in iOS 12. You can add two separate Face ID profiles for unlocking your iOS device and accomplish secure tasks. Rescanning your face is faster now.
Enhanced speed and ease of use
Apple has put in efforts to make iOS 12 faster and much more streamlined than its successor. The OS should run faster on all iOS devices, according to the company sources. The OS is expected to run smoother even when there is heavy load on it. The transition animations have also been improved.
New USB access
Apple has added a small but useful safety measure in iOS 12. Now, users can block USB access when the phone is not locked for a specific duration. The feature can be disabled too. Go to Settings> Face ID & Passcode. Then you need to navigate to the bottom of the page and toggle the option for USB accessories.
Automatic software update
Apple has always been vocal about the frequency at which it updates its devices and software. Now, iOS devices get automatic updates toggle. Apple has not said much about this feature, but experts think it will lead to updates getting installed minus user intervention.
Compatible Devices
While you now aware about new iOS 12 features, its time to know the iOS 12 compatible devices. First of all lease make sure your device is able to run on latest iOS 12 beta because iOS 12 is only works with 64 bit devices.
Below are the supported devices from iPhone, iPad and iPod
iPhones: iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone SE, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6 and iPhone 5S
iPads: iPad Pro 10.5, iPad Pro 12.9, iPad Pro 9.7, iPad Mini 4, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 2, iPad Air 2, iPad Air
iPods: iPoad Touch 6th Generation
Summing it all up
It is quite clear that Apple has packed in a huge number of new features in iOS 12 and polished some of the existing features too. The majority of the new iOS 12 features are pretty useful and there are a handful of updates that may not find much traction with the users.
