Everything iOS 12 from Apple's WWDC 2018 keynote
WWDC 2018: All about software
Rumors suggested that Apple would fine-tune iOS 12 with quality and performance improvements -- rather than any major new features. Here's what Apple officially announced.
Hint: "Today it's all about software," Apple said. So, don't expect any hardware news.
iOS 12: It's official
Apple officially announced that iOS 12 is the next release.
It will, of course, be a free software update.
iOS 12: Doubling down on performance
Apple said it's "doubling down on performance" with iOS 12.
Apps will launch 40 percent faster, for instance. The keyboard, too, comes up 50 percent faster. And the camera will even come up 70 percent faster on older devices.
iOS 12: Improving performance on older devices
Speaking of older devices, everything that supports iOS 11 will support iOS 12. Apple said it's focusing on improving performance on older devices.
iOS 12: Introducing USDZ
Apple said it worked with Pixar to make a new file format for AR: USDZ. It works in multiple apps, and a bunch of companies will support it, including Adobe, Autodesk, and Sketchfab.
USDZ also works on the web.
iOS 12: USDZ partners include...
Apple said native USDZ support is coming to Adobe Creative Cloud.
There will be new apps for Creative Cloud, as well as a new iOS app that lets you do AR. It will let you take images and text and put it in AR, Apple explained.
iOS 12: Measure app
Apple announced a new AR measurement tool: Measure.
It measures and detects some objects like rectangles. You can use it to measuring real-world objects, essentially. The app has a camera view, which you use to tap, drag a line, and measure. You can measure in 3D, too. From what we can tell, the app has two tabs: Measure and level.
iOS 12: ARKit 2
Apple also unveiled a major update to ARKit. The improvements range from face tracking, to realistic rendering, to 3D object detection, to persistent experiences, and to shared experiences, according to Apple. That last bit lets you have a single AR experience on multiple iPhones.
iOS 12: Lego is here with shared AR
Expanding on the shared AR experience aspect, Martin Sanders, director of innovation for Lego, came onstage to show a Lego kit on a table and a new app he called Assembly Square.
It can identify a Lego model and turn it into a moving Lego world. You and others can then manipulate the world, by zooming in on buildings, etc. Apple and Lego said more Lego experiences will be available in the App Store later this year.
iOS 12: Siri Shortcuts
Apple mentioned SiriKi by introducing Shortcuts, a new tool and app.
With this tool, Apple said, any app will be able to have an "Add to Siri" button with your own search phrase, so you can say, "Siri I lost my keys," which could then launch Tile. As for the app, there you'll see hundreds of Shortcuts you can download to create a multistep routine. So, on your way to the store after work, you'll be able to automatically send a reminder to your family.
iOS 12: Time to talk Photos
Apple updated the Photos app with a new "For You" menu that suggests new editing tools to try. It also has an "On this day" section featuring memories, Live Photos, Portrait photos, and more.
Search is about to be improved, too, apparently. You can do multiple search terms and get suggestions for multiple search terms. It also indexes events by time and place and categories.
iOS 12: Screentime and digital well-being
This new Screentime feature reminds us of the new digital well-being dashboard in Android P.
Apple is basically adding screen time controls. It shows you how much you use your phone. You can get a weekly activity summary report, and you can set time limits for each app. When time is up, the app will show "time's up" alert. If you have kids, Apple said you can set allowances.
iOS 12: CarPlay third-party integrations
CarPlay is getting third-party navigation support, and that includes Google Maps, Waze, or whatever mapping app you prefer.
iOS 12: Voice Memos coming to iPad and Mac
Voice Memos has been rebuilt and is coming to the iPad and Mac. iCloud support will also be available so you can sync recordings across all your devices.
iOS 12: Stocks has News and is coming to iPad, Mac
The Stocks app has been rebuilt, and Apple News has been added to it, so you can read news while checking your investments. Stocks is coming to iPad and Mac, too.
iOS 12: Apple News gets a new 'Browse' tab
Apple News is getting a new "Browse" tab as well as a sidebar on the iPad. Apple News is also now built into Stocks, so that's cool.
iOS 12: Grouped notifications
It's happening! Grouped notifications are coming. You will be able to group notifications from same app into one notification and customise notifications from the lock screen. You can also swipe and group all the notifications as one, grouping them by app.
You can even press in and skip your lock screen to look at notifications. Apple said it wants to "give you more control" over notifications, and to do so, it'll also introduce a new "Do not disturb during bedtime," which will hide your notifications from the lock screen at night.
You can also hard-press this function so you can easily set a time limit for it. There will be instant adjustments, too. You "press in" to a notification and see different options, including the ability to send to the notification center.
iOS 12: Grouped FaceTime calls
You can now do group FaceTime calls with up to 32 people!
iOS 12: Animoji and Memoji
Messages is getting an update, too.
The app's Animoji feature will soon support "Tongue Detection," more Animoji characters, and something called Memoji. It reminds us of Snapchat's Bitmoji and Samsung's AR emoji features.
Anyway, with the new Memoji builder, you can create an Animoji of yourself. And then you just pull up the camera in the iMessage app, and there's a star button you can tap to access effects.