New Features Coming with iOS 12 Apple Didn’t Talk About On Stage

Apple’s WWDC keynote is usually a well-rehearsed affair, with presenters sticking to their given time and the event following a strict schedule.

Given time constraints, it’s reasonable the company can’t explain every new feature on-stage at the keynote. So to help detail more about iOS 12, Apple has shared more features on its website about what we can expect, when the mobile operating system launches this fall.

What s new ios 12

Apple’s one-pager shares 13 headings on new iOS 12 features to expect. Here are some brief highlights not covered at the keynote and some worth mentioning again.

Performance 

  • iOS has been overhauled for improved performance on devices as far back as iPhone 5s and iPad Air.
  • When you’re pushing your iOS device to the limit, multitasking between lots of apps, they launch up to 2x faster
  • Up to 70% faster swipe to Camera from the Lock screen
  • Animations are smoother across the system such as when you bring up Control Center
  • Up to 50% faster keyboard display and more responsive typing
  • Share sheet appears faster than ever, especially if you have a lot of sharing extensions installed, up to 2x

FaceTime

  • Group FaceTime supports up to 32 participants
  • Join or add people to a Group FaceTime anytime
  • Ringless notification: Group FaceTime has a one-tap join instead of a ring feature
  • Use FaceTime with Animoji or Memoji
  • Photos or videos can add text effects and filters
  • iMessage sticker packs can be used and Shapes
  • Group FaceTime can be answered with audio-only on Apple Watch or HomePod
  • Focus View brings person you want to highlight to the centre
  • Group FaceTime can be initiated from a group Messages conversation

Messages

  • Animoji can now be recorded up to 30 seconds long
  • Photos iMessages app will provide photos suggestions based on who you’re chatting with, subject and where images were taken
  • Redesigned App Strip—takes up less space when you type

Screen Time

  • Downtime can restrict notifications during a specific time like during bedtime
  • Parents can set app and device limits
  • Weekly activity reports of your iOS device and app usage

Notifications

  • Instant Tuning: delivery notifications silently to Notification Center
  • New opt-in alert for important information, such as reports from healthcare providers

Augmented Reality

  • USDZ file format
  • New Measure app can measure flat surfaces with iPhone or iPad camera
  • AR Quick Look: view AR experiences in other apps such as Files, Mail, Messages, Safari

Photos 

  • Improved import
  • Redesigned Albums tab
  • Places search by location or general category
  • Smart suggestions before you finish typing
  • Sharing suggestions with others and vice versa

Camera

  • Improved Portrait Lighting—Camera now generates a mask when person detected to separate scene
  • Improved QR code reader
  • Portrait Segmentation API—allows developers to separate layers of photo

Siri

  • Motorsports: live standings, schedules, rosters and stats
  • Translation for over 40 language pairs
  • Celebrity facts
  • Food knowledge from USDA database
  • Password search
  • Photo Memories search

Privacy and Security

  • Password reuse auditing; reused passwords will be flagged
  • Easy password sharing with other iOS devices to a Mac or Apple TV
  • Automatic strong passwords
  • Security code AutoFill: SMS one-time passcodes to appear automatically
  • Password Manager API: access passwords stored in third-party password managers

App Updates

  • New Apple Books apps (formerly iBooks)
  • Redesigned News, Stocks and Voice Memos app (now with iCloud)

More

  • CarPlay support for third-party navigation apps
  • Contactless student ID cards
  • More battery info: battery usage chart now shows usage for the last 24 hours or 10 days
  • iPad gestures: swipe on Dock to get to Home screen; get to Control Center from top-right corner
  • Three new dictionaries: Arabic and English bilingual; Hindi and English bilingual; Hebrew
  • English Thesaurus

As developers already have their hands on iOS 12 beta and others as well, expect more features to be revealed in the coming days.

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