iOS 12 Wish List:
Everything We Want To See
What iOS improvements is Apple preparing for us behind closed doors? This is the question on our minds in the months leading up to the Worldwide Developers Conference, where each June Apple demoes the most exciting new software features coming to our iPhones and iPads in the fall. Last year with iOS 11, Apple delivered productivity enhancements for the iPad, translation skills for Siri, and the ability to turn Live photos into GIFs. This year, according to the latest rumors, we'll be getting—drum roll—devices that work better. Are you excited yet? Don't worry, along with the muchneeded yet uninspiring performance improvements Apple is rumored to be focusing on, we're confident the tech giant will also have some showstopping features waiting for us in the wings.
Fewer Bugs Please!
While we've come to expect some instability with fledgling software updates, iOS 11 has been particularly notorious for its bugs. Upon release, the Messages app wouldn't stop crashing and included an autocorrect glitch that swapped out the letter “I” with the letter “A” followed by a box. With iOS 12, Apple is expected to focus on delivering rock-solid performance.
iCloud Photo Sharing That Works
During a company trip to Mexico last year, I used Facebook's Moments app to instantaneously share travel photos with coworkers after experiencing lag time and delays with iCloud Photo Library. With iOS 12, I hope Apple can reproduce the experience that Facebook has created with the Moments app to make photo sharing painless and finding friends intuitive.
Support for Multiple User Accounts
When Apple's new MacBook Pro line came out with support for multiple user accounts and Touch ID login capabilities, we were certain the iPad and maybe even the iPhone would be next. We were wrong and are still mad about it! If Apple wants to promote the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement, the ability to log in as different users is a must.
Improved Lighting Effects
At iPhone Life, our managing editor Rheanne Taylor has been enjoying using the native Camera app's Lighting Effects while in Portrait mode. But as she's pointed out, they can look harsh. With the next update, we'd like it if Apple could improve the effects so the results look more natural.
Location-Based Do Not Disturb Settings
Do Not Disturb can be a lifesaver when you're in a meeting and don't want to bother others with your personal notifications. And while you can put Do Not Disturb on a schedule based on time of day, we'd like to see Apple expand its customization settings to include locations. That way, when you're at places like work, your child's school, or church, you won't be interrupted by embarrassing text notifications or calls where they're unwanted.
Dynamic Keyboard for iPad
Typing on the iPad's on-screen keyboard requires so much effort that I simply don't use my tablet for writing unless it's connected to a third-party keyboard. There's evidence that Apple may be coming out with a solution that would track the placement of your fingers so you don't have to look down as you type. After acquiring keyboard app maker Typesoft Technologies in 2014, Apple has since filed a patent on “finger hover detection for improved typing” in 2016. If Apple could pull off incorporating this feature successfully into iOS for iPads, our touchscreen typing experience could be forever changed.
Make Low Power Mode Work with Hey Siri
Whenever our feature web writer Conner Carey's battery is low, she stretches its lifespan by flipping on Low Power Mode. The only problem is, she also likes to use her virtual assistant hands free and Hey Siri is one of the features Apple disables with Low Power Mode in order to conserve energy. With iOS 12, we hope Apple makes Hey Siri more energy efficient so we can use Apple's AI while enjoying the benefits of Low Power Mode.
Add Crowdsourcing to Apple Maps
Apple Maps gets better every year, but it has still sent me down a few dead-end roads only to announce that I've reached my destination. I'd feel a lot more understanding if Apple made it easier to send feedback when it gets locations or streets wrong in order to improve its mapping for next time.
Customizable Photo Management
With Apple's photo management system, when you take photos on your phone, they instantly appear on all your other devices logged into your iCloud account. However, when you go to delete photos from your iPhone to free up space, your only option is to delete the pictures from iCloud as well. With iOS 12, I hope Apple gives us the option to manage photos on a device-by-device basis, so we can store all our photos to iCloud, but only keep a selection of our choosing on each iOS device.
Clear All Apps in the App Switcher
When you enter the App Switcher and see all your recently used apps on standby, you can close out each app individually or even a few at a time when you swipe up. However, there's no way to close them all out at once. For those times when your phone is acting up, we hope Apple adds one button that lets you close out all your apps so you can start fresh.
Share & Lock Entire Folders in Notes
In recent years, Apple has added the ability to share individual notes with contacts and has also added the ability to lock notes so you can keep sensitive information private. It's easy to forget these features exist, because they feel half-baked. If Apple added the ability to lock and share entire folders instead of just individual notes, I'd be a lot more likely to take advantage of the app's sharing and locking capabilities.
Ability to Identify Robocalls
Unwanted marketing calls have become so common in recent years that I pretty much avoid all calls from unknown numbers. I've missed some important calls this way though! It would be nice if Apple could alert us to robocalls so we'd know not to pick up when one of them dials your number.
What features are you hoping for? Email tips@iphonelife.com to let us know.