Apple released the second developer beta of iOS 12 on Tuesday. Announced during Apple’s annual World Wide Developer Conference for a fall release, iOS 12 DB2 continues the hard work of hammering out how new features will work and knocking out bugs.
iOS 12
Apple’s focus on iOS 12 is performance and stability, but there are new features, too. Siri will improved Suggestions and Shortcuts, the ability to train Siri with your own trigger words. Apple will also beef up Animoji with new characters, as well as Memoji, the ability to create your own Animoji avatar of yourself. New FaceTime filters and Group FaceTime video chats round out the communication features in iOS 12.
[iOS 12 Shortcuts is the evolution of Apple’s Workflow app acquisition]
iOS 12 will also include ARKit 2, a faster and more capable version of the augmented reality API. It’s biggest new feature is Shared Experiences, or the ability for more than one person to see and interact with the same AR scene. Apple will also rebrand iBooks into Apple Books, with new discovery features.
[Here are the iOS Devices Supported by iOS 12]
iOS 12 also includes major new tools for helping users be more aware of their own screen time, and to control their children’s screen time. The Photos app is also getting a big makeover.
Apple Developer Connection
Developers can register their devices for the beta at the Apple Developer Connection. If you’re already participating in the developer beta program you’ll see the update by going to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone or iPad.