iOS 12

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on iOS 12:

Apple patches dangerous security hole in iOS 12

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Mac malware is real. Watch out.
Hackers are aware of an iPhone security hole, but iOS 12.5.6 takes care of the problem for older Apple devices.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Older iPhone and iPad models that can’t be updated to iOS 15 got a patch on Wednesday to fix a security hole that might have been used by hackers. Devices dating back to 2013’s iPhone 5S can install iOS 12.5.6 to fix the problem.

Newer models can install the recently released iOS 15.6.1 or iPadOS 15.6.1 to accomplish the same.

iOS 12.5.5 update blocks Pegasus spyware from older iPhones

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iOS update blocks Pegasus spyware from iPhones
Install iOS 12.5.5 on your older iPhone to protect it from the Pegasus spyware.
Photo: Андрей Сидоренко/Pixabay/Cult of Mac

iPhone models that can’t install iOS 14 or iOS 15 can still get protection from the infamous Pegasus spyware thanks to iOS 12.5.5. Apple released this update Thursday for devices as old as the iPhone 5s to close a security hole in active use by hackers.

The same update can also be installed on older iPad and iPod touch models.

iOS 13 has now been installed on 70% of all devices

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iOS 13 on an iPhone X
Have you upgraded yet?
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Apple’s big iOS 13 update has now made its way to an impressive 70% of all iPhones and 57% of all iPads, Cupertino’s latest data reveals.

Just 23% of Apple smartphones are running iOS 12, while a mere 7% are running an earlier version of its software. A whopping 77% of all devices introduced in the last four years have been upgraded.

How to set up your new iPad the right way

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2018 iPad Pro unboxing
Have you got yours yet?
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Oh man! You just got your amazing new iPad Pro, tore it out of the box, and wondered how you tricked somebody into  dropping $130 on that tiny white Apple Pencil. Now it’s time to get things set up. Thankfully, this is an easy process, especially if you already use an iPhone or iPad with iCloud.

So easy, in fact, that there are just a few things you need to do to move from your old iPad to a new one, or to migrate from an iPhone. And setting up a new iPad Pro from scratch isn’t much harder — gone are the days of manually copying passwords just to get to the home screen.

Still, following these iPad Pro setup and customization tips will make sure you get the most out of your new machine. Let’s get started.

Apple patches security bug on Macs, plus older iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches

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iPhone 6s colors
If you’re still rocking an iPhone 6S, Apple has an iOS update for you.
Photo: Apple

Apple introduced iOS 12.4.2 to fix a security bug that was found by Google Project Zero. After Tuesday’s launch of iOS 13.1, now seems an odd time to be updating last year’s version, but this patch is for iPhones and iPads made in 2014 and before that can’t upgrade to the new version.

In addition, the company released watchOS 5.3.2 for early Apple Watch models. Plus there’s a fresh security update for macOS Mojave 10.14.6. All take care of the same bug.

iOS 13 won’t nerf your older iPhone

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Buggy iOS 13 made Apple rethink how it develops software
iOS 13 is often quicker than its predecessor, and won‘t drain your iPhone battery.
Screenshot: Apple

Head-to-head tests show that models as old as the iPhone 6S run iOS 13 at least as fast as iOS 12, and some devices see a performance boost.

The same is true for battery life: testing indicates Apple’s latest operating system puts no additional strain on the battery of older models.

iOS 13 flaw exposes all your contacts data

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Find My Friends
Keep your iPhone close by.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A newly-discovered flaw in iOS 13 lets anyone access your contacts without your passcode.

It takes just a few simple steps to bypass your iPhone’s lockscreen and see every phone number, email address, and physical address you have saved. But a fix is already on the way.

iOS 12.4.1 locks out iPhone jailbreakers

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iOS 12 jailbreak
iOS 12.4 really can be jailbroken, but Apple apparently just removed the necessary security hole.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple just introduced an update to iOS 12.4 that likely fixes a security flaw that allowed a jailbreak to be created for this version — the first in years.

There don’t appear to be any other changes in iOS 12.4.1.

88% of iOS devices are running iOS 12

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iOS 12
This is probably the last time Apple will release iOS 12 adoption figures.
Photo: Apple

Weeks before the official public debut of iOS 13, Apple says that 88% of users are currently running iOS 12.

Those figures are impressive in their own right. They get even more impressive when considering only devices released in the past four years — of which 90% are upgraded to iOS 12.

PSA: Resist the urge to install iOS 13, iPadOS betas for now

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iPadOS gets a new home screen design.
They’re just not ready for everyone.
Photo: Apple

Apple just dropped its first public beta builds of iOS 13 and iPadOS, making it easy for anyone to try them out months ahead of their official launch. But you should really resist the urge to install them right now.

Don’t assume these betas are ready for everyone just because they’re available to the public now. If you upgrade your primary iPhone and iPad early, you’re almost certainly going to run into frustrating problems.

I’ve suffered all kinds of issues since upgrading — and I’m not the only one.

Skype brings new screen sharing feature to Android and iOS

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Skype screen sharing
Screen sharing can be useful for all kinds of things.
Photo: Microsoft

Skype’s new screen sharing feature is now officially available on Android and iOS.

The update makes it possible to share a view of your device’s screen over a Skype video call — and to see someone else’s. It’s great for collaborating with colleagues or helping friends troubleshoot a problem.

Take advantage of limited-time sales on gadgets, software and eLearning

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AirBase Charging Dock
Charge your iPhone, Watch, and AirPods in this compact wireless dock.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The savings haven’t stop yet this long Memorial Day weekend! In addition to some well-deserved time off, why not shop without breaking the bank? We’ve got limited-time deals on a three-in-one wireless charging dock and more. Check these deals out:

You can no longer downgrade from iOS 12.2

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Don’t install iOS 12.2 unless you plan to stick with it. The only way through is forward.
Don’t install iOS 12.2 unless you plan to stick with it. The only way through is forward.
Photo: Pexels

Anyone who upgrades an iPhone or iPad to iOS 12.2 can’t change their mind. Apple ceased digitally signing the previous version so it can’t be installed anymore.

This is normal. Apple always stops allowing people to downgrade a few weeks after a newer iOS version is released.

iOS updates might drain your battery faster

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iOS 10 wins in a battery life comparison with iOS 11 and iOS 12.
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.

Apple simplifies Face ID, iOS 12 and recycling in new ads

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Face ID ad
Did you know Face ID doesn't store photos of your face?
Photo: Apple

Apple goes back to the basics in a new set of ads today uploaded to YouTube.

Doing away with fancy effects, catchy music, and even its own hardware, it highlights some of the key features of Face ID and iOS 12. It also promotes its smartphone recycling program that’s open to all handsets — even if they’re not iPhones.

iOS 12.2 beta 5 is out now for developers

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iOS 12 and Siri make finding photos a breeze.
This could be Apple's last big update for iOS 12.2.
Photo: Apple

iOS 12.2 inched closer to a public launch today with the release of the fifth beta of the software update to developers this morning.

Coming just one week after iOS 12.2 beta 4 was released, the new beta build packs a ton of bug fixes and performance improvements for iPad and iPhone to go with some UI changes and new features Apple added in previous builds.

iOS 12 adoption rate hits 80% on all iOS devices

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iOS 12.2 public beta 1 is more than just a collection of bug fixes.
iOS 12.2 adds even more goodies for iPhone and iPad.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iOS 12 is proving to be Apple’s most widely adopted software updates for iPhone and iPad in years.

Apple published its latest adoption percentages for iOS 12 today revealing that 80% of all iOS devices in the world are now running iOS 12, far outpacing iOS 11’s adoption last year.

Celebrate Presidents Day with new gear, lessons and apps [Deals]

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Observe President's Day by saving big on some awesome gear, apps and lessons.
Observe Presidents Day by saving big on some awesome gear, apps and lessons.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Happy Presidents Day! If it’s not an occasion that brings you joy, well, we can’t blame you. But that can change in round two of our roundup of deals on gear, apps and lessons. From a head-up display for your car to a powerful video processor and a massive course in iOS 12, we’re leading the free world in deals.

We’ve updated our Presidents Day sale with even more deals!

Memoji steal the show in bouncy new music video

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Memoji music video
Baby with an Animoji twist.
Screenshot: Scorpio Music/YouTube

Our amazement for great photos and even feature films shot on the iPhone is starting to seem less amazing.

But a French DJ and producer recently took a music video to the next level by animating some of the singing actors with Memoji.

First iOS 12.2 public beta boosts Downtime, Apple News

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iOS 12.2 public beta 1 is more than just a collection of bug fixes.
iOS 12.2 public beta 1 is more than just a collection of bug fixes.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The first fairly significant update to iOS in months is available now for the general public to update. iOS 12.2 will have a scattering of new features, not just the bug fixes and tweaks in recent updates.

The end of beta testing for this version could bring new iPad and iPod models. And AirPods 2 as well.

Apple seeds third ‘bug fix’ betas of next iOS and macOS versions to everyone

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There are new iOS 12 beta versions for developers and the public, as the same is true for macOS Mojave.
New betas are out for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Watch.
Photo: Apple

Apple just released the third beta versions of iOS 12.1.3 and macOS Mojave 10.14.3 to developers and the public. The same is true for a new tvOS 12.1.2 beta. Only developers got access to the new watchOS 5.1.3 beta introduced today, though.

But don’t get your hopes up for exciting new features.

7 reasons people are keeping old iPhones much longer

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Old iPhones
The iPhone 5 might have been Apple’s coolest iPhone design.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple is set to make 5 billion dollars less this quarter than it previously expected. That’s a pretty big deal, and it’s down to two major things. One was an “economic weakness in some emerging markets.” The other was that Apple said it sold “fewer iPhone upgrades than we had anticipated.”

That second one is very interesting. Why aren’t people upgrading? There are two possibilities. One is that they’re switching to Android. The other is that people are holding onto their old iPhones for much longer. Why’s that?

A complete education in iOS 12 coding for just $11 [Deals]

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Dive into a comprehensive course in building iOS apps, for a deep discount.
Dive into a comprehensive course in building iOS apps, for a deep discount.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Learning to build apps for iOS is a great way to expand your skills. That’s true whether you’re looking to get a new gig, or just want to work on personal projects. But coding is complicated, and iOS 12 is full of advanced features, so it helps to have a guide.

See the new iOS animation that could save Apple’s bacon in China

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With an iPhone in China, apps close by shrinking, not by sliding off the screen.
With an iPhone in China, apps close by shrinking, not by sliding off the screen.
Screenshot: Joe Rossignol/YouTube

There’s now proof that Apple rushed iOS 12.1.2 out primarily to make changes to iPhones in China.  We also have confirmation of exactly what the modifications are.

These were designed to convince a Chinese court that iPhones don’t infringe on two Qualcomm patents.  The hope is that court will then reverse an iPhone sales ban that went into effect in that country last week.