A Screenshot of “what’s new in iOS 12”
In 9to5Mac’s article “Carriers indicate iOS 12.1 will be released on Tuesday with eSIM launch”, the writer, Benjamin Mayo talks about the rollout of eSIM along with iOS 12.1 later on this week on October 30. eSIM, to put in brief explanation, is an electronic SIM that acts like a SIM card with allows the phone to have a dual-SIM functionality. According to Mayo’s sources from different carrier sources, this eSIM is only available for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. The eSIM is one of the iOS 12.1 updates that is included.
Some other things that will be included in the updates, according to the 9to5Mac article, are 70 new emojis and live Depth Control for iPhone XS/XR so you can adjust bokeh blur of Portrait mode on the fly in the Camera viewfinder. Apple Music is also getting an upgrade. According to another 9to5Mac article by Guilherme Rambo called “Apple publishes full iOS 12.1 iPhone user guide, confirming Group FaceTime, dual-SIM & more”, Apple Music is to be said getting features such as “updated artist pages, daily top 100 songs around the world, and search by lyrics.” Even though I will still probably use Google to find songs using lyrics, I think it is right that Apple does this because it allows the users to find songs they do not know the names to and potentially buy and/or save the songs to their Apple Music account.
But one major update that will excite some iPhone users and not excite others is the new Group FaceTime feature. This new feature will allow up to 32 people to FaceTime each other at the same time meaning you can see 32 faces at once. The reason it will not excite some users is because it is not available for iPhone 6’s or below. Other devices, according to Gordon Kelly of Forbes, that are also missing out in this feature are Pad Air, iPad Mini 2, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4 and 6th generation iPod Touch. Apple does not mention why it is not in those devices but Kelly think it is because of the performance that each device can do.
Because of the amount of processor work that is needed to work a Group FaceTime, any device with an A8 chip or their predecessors are not compatible. This is why an iPad Air 2, with an A8X chip, and an iPhone SE, with an A9 chip, are included in the compatible devices for Group FaceTime. Although this feature is not available in those Apple devices, Apple has said that those devices mentioned will have “audio-only Group FaceTime calls.”
What do you guys think about some of these new updates on iOS 12.1. If you are an iPhone 6 or earlier user, what do you think about not being able to have a visual Group FaceTime feature?
Resources:
Carriers indicate iOS 12.1 will be released on Tuesday with eSIM launch
Apple publishes full iOS 12.1 iPhone user guide, confirming Group FaceTime, dual-SIM & more
