The latest version of Apples iPhone and iPad operating system, iOS 12, is out.
It features dozens of new features and improvements; theres something for everybody.
To update, open prefs and go to General -> Software Update.
It will check for updates for your equipment and, after authenticating, begin the update process.
Lets start with two pretty small changes that shouldnt go unnoticed.
Also, and of no less interest to me, dictation is now available in 3rd-party keyboards.
I loveGboardfrom Google, but I hate using Googles dictation on iOS.
Now, the little microphone icon shows up at the bottom no matter what keyboard youre using.
New and updated apps
A bunch of Apples apps got significant updates.
iBooksgot a makeover, reminiscent of the App Store remake that Apple unveiled recently.
Actually, even the name got an update: its now Apple Books.
The UI is redesigned and reorganized, with a focus on discovery and organization.
The reading experience is optimized in different ways depending on the gadget youre using.
Similarly,the News appis updated with a better discovery experience and an optimized iPad reading experience.
It can also do 3D measurements, aided by new 3D object recognition in ARKit.
Safariis seeing a lot of attention.
Apple Musiccan now search for songs using lyrics.
Thats a subtle but pretty cool update right there.
Theres also a change on the Radio tab that replaces Recent Stations with Featured Radio Stations.
TheDictionarynow includes a thesaurus, as well as a new Hebrew dictionary and bilingual dictionaries for Arabic and Hindi.
Theres also an option to use the skip buttons on an inline remote with the aforementioned controls.
Messageshas a myriad of improvements.
And you now get 30 seconds to do it when recording Animoji.
Messages also has its own app additions and improvements.
Photosboasts a solid lineup of improvements.
The Shared Activity and Memories tabs have been merged into a For You tab.
Theres also a welcome update to the import tool for those using DSLR cameras to add photos.
Digital Health
iOS 12 brings a new section of tools that Apple calls Digital Health.
To enable this, go toSettings -> Do Not Disturband switch onBedtime.
Notifications are now grouped, which goes a long way to clean up the notifications screen.
The newest piece of the Digital Health setup is Screen Time.
Screen Time integrates family sharing to allow parents to add restrictions for their kids iOS devices.
One cool new feature I hadnt expected is a security code autofill.
Dont worry that shell read your password out loud, youll need to authenticate to actually see it.
iPhone X users will find a couple of Face ID improvements, starting with alternate appearance.
If Face ID does fail, you’ve got the option to now swipe up to rescan.
Ill admit thats something my brain has always thought should happen, so Ive been doing it anyway.
Now it actually works.
Siri and Shortcuts
Siri graduates to the next level with iOS 12.
The suggestions provided in Spotlight, notifications, and around various apps are the most astute yet.
Shortcutsis its own app in iOS 12.
If youre a fan of Workflow, you probably know that Apple purchased the iOS automation app last year.
Shortcuts is one of the results of that acquisition.
Any previous workflows that you had will be automatically imported into Shortcuts.
As of iOS 12, iOS can finally automatically update itself.
Just go toSettings -> General -> Software Updateand turn onAutomatic Updates.
For iPhone X users, a welcome interface update brings back swipe up to force quit apps.
