iOS 10 wins in a battery life comparison with iOS 11 and iOS 12. Photo: iAppleBytes
A side-by-side test of four iPhones running current and older iOS versions found that the more recent ones drain batteries more quickly.
This result is likely to feed the concerns of people who refuse to upgrade their iPhone’s operating system for fear that doing so will render the device useless.
Some iOS 11 users are having trouble accessing the App Store and Apple Music, according to online reports.
The services have been unusable for over a day for a number of users who are yet to upgrade to the latest software — despite being shown as online on Apple’s System Status page. There is a weird workaround that has proven useful for some, however.
No backsies. Once you go iOS 12 you'll never go back. Photo: Wendelin Jacober/Pexels
Be warned: anyone who upgrades their iPhone or iPad to iOS 12 no longer has the option to downgrade. It’s not possible to go back to any version of iOS 11. Not that there’s much reason to want to.
This isn’t an unusual move. With today’s release of iOS 12.0.1, going to iOS 11 would be two jumps back, and it’s very rare for Apple to allow that.
Are you enjoying iOS 12 yet? Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Almost half of all iPhone and iPad users have already upgraded to iOS 12, according to new data.
It’s an impressive adoption rate for a major upgrade that’s only been officially available for just over two weeks. Its speedy uptake can likely be attributed to its new features and significant performance improvements — especially for older devices.
Virtually every iPhone and iPad runs iOS 11. And they'll soon be able to make the jump to iOS 12. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple has no problem getting operating system upgrades out to its customers. The vast majority of iPhone and iPad users are running the latest iOS version. And all of these people will be able to make the jump to iOS 12 later this month for free.
Contrast that with Apple’s chief rival. Just a small percentage of Android users have a recent version.
Portrait mode never looked so good on iPhone. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
iOS 12 packs a whole host of significant improvements that Apple didn’t get a chance to showcase during its WWDC preview. One of those, according to one developer, is a greatly-enhanced Portrait mode for compatible iPhone models.
The image below highlights the impressive difference between a Portrait photo taken with iOS 11 and another taken with iOS 12.
This car hasn't been disturbed while driving for quite some time. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Apple’s Do Not Disturb While Driving feature has the potential to make you less of a menace on the road. Introduced in iOS 11, Do Not Disturb While Driving automatically switches your iPhone into Do Not Disturb mode when you hop in your car and drive off. While in this mode, iOS suppresses all notifications so you can pay attention to keeping that ton of metal, glass and cupholders from permanently ruining — or ending — the life of a pedestrian or cyclist.
But don’t worry! If you do receive one of those text messages that you previously thought were more important than the lives of your fellow commuters, the sender will get a reply telling them that you’re driving, and that you are now a better person.
All of this is customizable, of course, so let’s see how to set up Do Not Disturb While Driving.
Look at this blank home screen. Just look at it. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
What’s on your main iPad home screen? Is it organized so that you can find your most-used apps quickly? Or have you decided to arrange the icons by color? Or divided up the grid by adding a row of blank spaces? Those are pretty neat ideas, but today I’m going to suggest you do something even more radical. How about keeping your home screen entirely blank? No icons, no folders, nothing. Just the Dock, Spotlight search, and an easier-to-use iPad.
Apple has this week registered new iPads and Macs with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC).
The filings hint that a big refresh could be just around the corner. Recent reports have promised that Apple is preparing a slew of new devices for a late 2018 launch alongside the next-generation iPhone lineup.
There are fresh beta versions of iOS and macOS. But they probably aren't the ones you're waiting for. Photo: Apple
The wait is nearing the end for the next iPhone and Mac operating systems. However, these aren’t the big upgrades announced last month. Instead, iOS 11.4.1 and macOS 10.13.6 will fix bugs in the current versions.
Apple just released the fifth beta version of each of these. The full release can’t be far behind.