iOS 12 will be released as a free update later this year, but will your iPhone or iPad be able to run it? Apple noted during its WWDC 2022 keynote that the company is focused on optimizing performance for its upcoming mobile operating system, and this means that iOS 12 will be supported on all devices that currently support iOS 11.
So if you're using iOS 11 right now, you'll be able to upgrade to iOS 12 later this year. However, for those unsure about device compatibility, here is a complete list of all iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices that meet the iOS 12 system requirements.
What devices does iOS 12 work on?
iPhone
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 5s
iPad
- iPad (2018)
- iPad Pro 12.9″ first and second generation
- iPad Pro 10.5″
- iPad Pro 9.7″
- iPad Air 2
- iPad Air 1
- Fifth generation iPad
- iPad (2017)
- iPad mini 4
- iPad mini 3
- iPad mini 2
iPod touch
- iPod touch sixth generation
Performance
- iOS began to work even faster, with a high degree of responsiveness throughout the entire operating system;
- Performance optimized across all supported devices, starting with iPhone 5s and iPad Air;
- The camera can now open 70% faster, and the keyboard can appear 50% faster, while the response speed when typing on it has also increased;
- When your device is under high load, programs launch almost twice as fast.
Installing the update
The iOS 12 distribution weighs 1.8 GB, downloading and installing over the air, without the need to use a PC. Of course, you can install the update through iTunes, but as a rule this is not necessary.
Uploading files takes about 10 minutes. The installation itself lasts another 15-20 minutes, during which the iPhone heats up to some wild temperatures.
Then a reboot, a prompt to enter an unlock password - and we are presented with a twitching and slowing interface of the new version of the operating system.
These brakes should not be misleading. You need to reboot the device several times in a row - during reboots, iOS restores order in the file system, removes garbage and carries out some other self-service operations.
You must reboot after installing updates!
Photo
- The new “For You” tab will help you discover wonderful photos from your library in the sections “Photo Selection”, “Effect Suggestions” and many others;
- The Share Suggestions feature actively encourages you to share photos taken at an event with those who appear in them;
- With an improved search feature, it's now easier to find your photos using smart suggestions and a few keywords. Find photos you took in a specific place, establishment or event;
- Improved camera import feature with improved performance and new zoom preview mode;
- Support for editing RAW files.
Group calls on FaceTime
Less than 10 years have passed since Apple introduced group video calls in FaceTime. Up to 32 people can communicate simultaneously. If someone speaks, he is automatically placed in the foreground.
But, if suddenly you are interested in some other character in the group, then you can tap on him and follow him specifically.
You can join this call at any time. The new person has the option to respond with both audio and video.
You can start a group FaceTime call directly from your iMessage chat.
You can also use Animoji and Memoji in FaceTime, which are discussed below. Users can also use stickers, arrows, effects... All this is added using third-party applications that can be found in the iMessage store.
Similar functionality has been added to FaceTime on macOS Mojave.
Note: According to the latest data, this functionality will not be available in the first final version of iOS 12. Will be added later.
Messages
- Memoji Characters—new, highly customizable Animoji—make your Messages more expressive with personalized, diverse and fun characters. Animoji now include T. rex, ghost, koala and tiger;
- Your Memoji and Animoji will be able to wink and stick out their tongues;
- New camera effects let you use Animoji, filters, text effects, iMessage sticker packs, and shapes in photos and videos you take in Messages;
- You can now record videos with Animoji characters up to 30 seconds long.
The long-awaited grouping of notifications
The most eye-catching update is notifications, which Apple has been struggling with for several years now and still can't win. The good news is that the company has finally fixed one of the most glaring problems with iOS 11 by unifying notifications into groups. This seemingly small innovation allows you to cope with the flow of messages, which have become much easier to view. Also, each notification offers the ability to edit its settings immediately. Now you can mute notifications or turn them off altogether without having to navigate Apple's labyrinthine menus. In this regard, iOS is still far from Android, but the company is taking steps in the right direction.
Screen time
- Screen Time provides detailed information and tools to help you and your family find the right balance of time spent on apps and websites;
- View reports on time spent in applications, summaries of application usage by category, number of notifications received and device sessions;
- Application limits help determine how much time you or your child can spend in applications and websites;
- Screen Time for Kids allows parents to control how their child uses iPhone and iPad directly from their iOS devices.
Other minor changes in one line
The Promotions app has changed its design and appeared on the iPad. It contains financial news in Russian.
CarPlay in iOS 12 supports not only Apple maps, but also Google Maps and Waze. In theory, access is open to all developers. We expect that Yandex will add its maps to CarPlay.
The News application, which is not available in Russia, has changed its design slightly.
Settings->Battery. It became a little more informative. Two graphs appeared: Charge level and Usage time. You can track what time you used your iPhone. For example, I was shocked that on one day my iPhone was unlocked for 7 hours. Many, very many :((
The font in the tooltips above the keyboard has become noticeably bolder.
The status bar on the iPad has changed. The time is now on the left and the current date has been added.
Improved anti-hacking protection for iPhone and iPad: the Lightning port is blocked an hour after it was last unlocked. Previously this period was 7 days.
Automatic update installation is a new option that is disabled by default. Settings->General ->Software Update. If you enable it, updates will arrive and install themselves. I don't recommend turning it on!
Apple didn't bother with wallpaper. One already recognizable picture has been added to iOS 12:
iPhone X has a new feature: Settings->Face ID & Passcode->Customize an alternative appearance. It means that each user of the tenth iPhone can add two faces. Designed to change your image, but can also be used to add a second family member to the database.
Face ID has been accelerated by reducing animation display time.
On iPhone X, to close applications, you do not have to hold your finger on the application for a long time until a cross appears. Immediately after the list of open applications is shown, you can close them by swiping up. Actually, this works on all other devices - why they initially made a more complex method on the iPhone X is a mystery.
iPhone X has larger top line font.
New 3D Touch actions. Scanning a QR code when you click on the camera icon and Scanning documents when you click on the Notes icon. Let me remind you that 3D Touch is available on iPhone 6S and newer.
Apple Music now has a search for songs by words. The search is carried out through a huge database of millions of songs. Apple Music artist pages have been redesigned.
Students can add their ID to the Wallet program and pay for purchases on campus and open doors using their iPhone. We are, naturally, talking about some advanced American universities.
iOS 12 adds or changes the welcome screens for many apps. It will be easier for a newcomer to iOS to navigate standard applications.
Also in iOS 12, dictionaries have been added that are unlikely to be of interest to readers, because they are related to Hindi and Arabic.
When will iOS 12 be released?
Currently only a beta version is available, and the final version will be released in September 2018!
Siri
- Siri Shortcuts are the fastest way to complete everyday tasks, giving any app the ability to work with Siri;
- Add shortcuts using the Add to Siri button in all supported apps, or go to Settings > Siri & Search;
- Siri offers shortcuts on the lock screen and while searching;
- Get motorsports results, schedules, stats and standings for Formula 1, Nascar, Indy 500 and MotoGP. Search by time, place, people in a photo, topic, or recent travel to find the photos and memories you want in Photos;
- The ability to translate phrases into several languages with support for more than 40 language pairs;
- Find out interesting facts about celebrities, like when they were born. Ask questions about food, including calories and nutrient content;
- Turn the flashlight on and off;
- More natural and expressive voices are now available for Irish English, South African English, Danish, Norwegian, Cantonese, and Mandarin in Taiwan.
Augmented Reality
- With multi-user augmented reality environments, developers can create innovative AR experiences in ARKit 2 that can be shared with friends;
- Continuous mode allows developers to save and reload augmented reality objects at the point where you left off;
- Object detection and image tracking technology is a new tool in the hands of developers to recognize real-world objects and track images as they move through space;
- AR Quick View is now coming to iOS, allowing you to quickly view AR items in built-in apps like News, Safari, and Files so you can share them with friends via iMessage and Mail.
Notes
In Notes on iOS 12, drawing has received two important changes.
Firstly, you can choose the thickness of the pencil, felt-tip pen and pen, and also adjust the transparency of the lines. You need to first select a tool, and then tap on it again.
Secondly, there are tons of colors to choose from. There are only 5 main ones in iOS 11.
Security and privacy
- Safari's improved Tracking Prevention technology prevents button clicks in embedded content and social media from being tracked without your knowledge;
- Limiting the ability of advertisers to determine the individual settings of your iOS device in order to show you targeted advertising;
- Strong and unique passwords are automatically suggested when you create an account and change your password in most programs and Safari;
- Duplicate passwords are marked in the list located in the “Passwords and Accounts” section of Settings;
- The Security Code AutoFill feature displays one-time security codes received via SMS as sentences on a QuickType line;
- Sharing passwords with contacts has become even easier using the AirDrop feature in the Passwords & Accounts section of Settings. Siri supports quick access to the password on an authenticated device.
Apple Books
- With a completely redesigned program design, it has become even easier and more convenient to discover books and audiobooks;
- With the “Reading Now” function, it has become even easier to return to your favorite book that you are currently reading, or find useful recommendations about new books;
- Add books to the new “Want to Read” collection to remember which book you want to read next;
- The Book Store makes it easier to find great books with a selection of new and best books, recommendations from our Apple Books editors, and recommendations curated just for you;
- In the new Audiobook Store you can easily find immersive works and educational popular science texts narrated by your favorite authors, actors and pop and film stars.
Face ID
Now you can add another face to the iPhone X memory for unlocking. Just don’t tell your wife about this function, otherwise your beloved will immediately demand that her face be added to the smartphone database. Why would you do such stupid things?
In addition, you can scan yourself upside down so that in the future you can unlock your smartphone upside down. In life, situations are different, and the iPhone X, let me remind you, can only distinguish the owner’s face strictly vertically.
Other features and improvements
- Camera effects in FaceTime transform your image in real time;
- CarPlay now supports third-party navigation programs;
- On supported campuses, you can use contactless student ID cards in Wallet to access buildings and pay with Apple Pay;
- Website icons can appear in tabs on iPad if you enable them in Settings > Safari;
- Weather now provides an air quality index for supported regions;
- Quickly swipe up from the bottom to go to the iPad Home screen;
- Swipe down from the top right of the screen to go to iPad Control Center;
- The Markup feature includes a palette of additional colors and options for changing line width and opacity for each of the tools;
- The battery usage graph in Settings shows your activity over the last 24 hours or 10 days. You can tap a chart bar to view program usage over a specified time period;
- On devices without 3D Touch, tap and hold the spacebar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad;
- Maps now supports indoor locations for airports and shopping malls, with indoor positioning only available in China. New dictionaries are available: an explanatory dictionary of Hebrew, thesauri of Arabic and English, as well as Hindi and English;
- New English Thesaurus;
- The automatic software update feature now allows you to install iOS updates overnight.
Data backup
Apple recommends that you always back up your data and files before installing beta versions of iOS. Before installing the iOS public beta, it is recommended that you create a backup through iTunes and archive it.
How to Backup via iTunes:
- Make sure you are using the latest version of iTunes.
- Connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer and open iTunes.
- Select your iOS device from the list of devices.
- Go to the Review tab.
- Click "Create a copy now."
- Wait until the backup completes.
- In the program, open “Settings” → “Devices”.
On a Mac: Control-click the backup you created, then choose Archive.
On Windows: Find your backup (Users → username → AppData → Roaming → Apple Computer → MobileSync → Backup), copy and save it somewhere else. - You can now install the beta version of iOS.
