everyone wins this time
Every year, a new version of iOS lands (alongside macOS — but more on Mojave in next issue’s magazine), and every year iPhones and iPads get a little bit better to use, with a richer, more intuitive experience. And now, here, we have iOS 12 — the latest, and possibly (in my opinion anyway) the best iteration that we’ve ever witnessed.
But what makes this version deserving of your attention? If you watched this year’s Apple Special Event, you’ll have noticed — aside from a raft of new iPhones and the Apple Watch Series 4 (the full reveal is on p8) — during the presentation that Apple was keen to stress its focus on making the company more sustainable — one, by using 100% renewable energy to power its business; two, by using more eco-friendly materials in the makeup of its iPhones; three, by improving its recycling program, to ensure that devices suitable for resale can be used again by others (at a hefty discount); and four, by increasing the longevity of existing devices. It’ll achieve the latter by ensuring that iOS 12 not only works on older handsets (including age-old models like the iPhone 5s and iPad Air 1), but they actually get a performance boost from the new software, unlike with previous versions of iOS.
This, to me, is really important news, because it means that everyone benefits from upgrading to iOS 12, not just those lucky enough to own the latest and greatest hardware as soon as its released. Not only that, but iOS 12 is a great upgrade in its own right, with loads of features that make it worth installing immediately, such as improved navigational gestures, a Notification Centre that’s now more refined and easier to customize, increased security, and — my personal favorite — Screen Time, which allows those of us with the inability to exercise self control to curtail excessive device usage.
Still wondering if iOS 12 is worth your time? We’ve highlighted all the new features, as well as how to use them, in our hands–on superguide to iOS 12 on page 16. It’s a great read, so enjoy!