During the annual WWDC keynote on Monday, June 4, Apple unveiled some of the exciting new features of the upcoming iOS 12 update.
The company claims that the new update will not only make iPhones and iPads faster but also make the devices more responsive.
Apart from performance upgrades, users will see Memoji, Screen Time and Group FaceTime in their iPhone and iPads when they perform an iOS 12 update. The latest version of iOS is expected to roll out in September along with the new iPhones. Here are some of the best features and improvements of the iOS 12 update.
Performance
"For iOS 12, we are doubling down on performance," software VP Craig Federighi said at the event. Federighi added that Apple is working to make the operating system faster than ever, especially on older iPhone and iPad models.
He said that when he and his team conducted tests on an iPhone 6 Plus, they found that apps launched 40 percent faster, the keyboard opened up 50 percent faster and opening the camera from the lock screen was faster by up to 70 percent.
The company also announced that their main focus was to optimize performance, particularly when devices are under heavy load, without affecting the battery life.
Screen Time
This is a new feature that allows users to determine how much time they spend on their device. It provides a detailed daily and weekly summary of the user's activity, which helps them track which app they use the most, which apps send the most notifications, and their usage across apps categories such as games and social media.
Users can then use this information to set limits for themselves or their children, with a "Time's Up" notification popping up once the limit is reached.
Group FaceTime
Group FaceTime allows users to go beyond the one-on-one audio and video calls and use the FaceTime app with as many as 32 participants simultaneously. Participants can enter or leave the conversation at any time. When someone speaks, that person's window gets bigger. Users can start using group FaceTime right from a group thread in Messages or join an active conversation any time.
Group Notifications
Apple has finally taken measures to resolve its messy notifications situation by introducing group notifications. This allows users to view notifications and manage multiple notifications at once.
Do Not Disturb During Bedtime
This feature helps users get a good night's sleep by dimming the screen and hiding notifications on the lock screen until the designated wake-up time or when prompted by the user in the morning.
Animoji And Memoji
Apple introduced animated emojis or "Animojis" for its Messages app last year, but with iOS 12, users will be able to create characters based on their appearance. Users can customize their avatar by choosing skin color, hairstyle, eye color, as accessories like earrings and sunglasses.
Apple has also expanded its Animoji collection with Ghost Koala, Tiger, and T-Rex, and the characters are more expressive with the tongue detection feature.
