6 things your iPhone can do with the new iOS 12 public beta

Apple has had a contentious relationship with its most loyal fans of late. ThrottleGate, the battery replacement rebate, and the highly anticipated 11.3 update that was supposed to make things better for battery life have all occurred in the last six months.

Apple has tried to be a lot more transparent since then. That’s why with the next iOS iteration, they’ve release a public beta. To get it, all you have to do is head on over to Apple’s Public Beta Software Program. Once you sign in, you’ll be privy to other software pre-releases that can be installed from the Software Update button on your device.

Here’s what to know about Apple’s iOS 12 beta release

Don’t worry, Apple’s beta releases are pretty stable. There may be a few bugs and glitches, but then again, that’s exactly the point with a beta release. Included in the beta is a built-in Feedback Assistant app. The fact that the company is making its improvements so visible is another indication that it may have learned from the mistakes of late 2017 and is trying to foster true collaboration with its users.

To that end, iOS 12 is improving a lot of features (such as augmented reality) and introducing a few more with the promise to make our experience “even faster, more responsive and more delightful.” Here are a handful of upgrades that you might enjoy:

The 6 coolest features in Apple’s new iOS 12 update

Speed & more speed

When it comes to smartphones, when we open an application, we want it and we want it now. The new update promises swipes of up to 70% faster to camera mode, up to 50% faster to keyboard display and up to 2% faster app launch under heavy workload. While those may seem like small increments, they make a big difference when you’re on the go.

FaceTime with up to 32 people

You can now talk to up to 32 people on FaceTime with the new update. Now, why would you need to converse with nearly three dozen people all at once? Hey, maybe you’re planning a family reunion, or participating in a company meeting. Either way, the functionality makes it easy to kickstart Group FaceTime right from Messages. The person talking will have a larger inset than the others on your device. 

Create your own Animoji

First of all what’s an Animoji, you ask? It’s a customizable Emoji, of course! Now, with the Animoji exclusive to iPhone X, Apple lets you create a Memoji “to match your personality and mood.” Also new are four more Animoji — koala, tiger, ghost or T. Rex. Just want you needed, right? Well, the kids are gonna love it.

Smart search

If you’ve ever scrolled through a gazillion pictures looking for one, then the new Smart Photos feature will make your life easier. “Even before you start typing, you’ll see suggestions for recent events, people and places. And as you type, the results are smarter and more powerful, and you can refine them by adding multiple keywords,” Apple says on its website.

ScreenTime

With experts decrying the effects of extended screen time on young people, Apple is showing itself to be responsive to both parents and the scientific community. The new ScreenTime feature shows you how much time you’ve been devoting to the device, including after bedtime usage. The idea behind it is to help us use this technology responsibly and to have regard for our health.

More privacy controls

Many tech companies have recommitted to privacy, but Apple is going one better: Now the Safari browser will prevent Share buttons and comment widgets on web pages from tracking you without your permission. Safari will also stop advertisers from collecting your device’s data. This is so “they can’t identify your device or retarget ads to you across the web,” Apple says.

Here are some more smartphone-related articles you might enjoy from Clark.com:

• Apple faces lawsuits over its throttling of older iPhones
• How to stop Apple iOS 11 from draining your iPhone’s battery
• How I lowered my cell phone bill to $12 per month