Apple has released iOS 12.2 for iPhone and iPad bringing new Siri features, support for AirPods (2nd Gen), the ability to change Downtime for a different schedule each day of the week, dedicated TV controls in Control Centre and more.
iOS 12.2 introduces Apple New+, the company’s new subscription service for magazines, and brings the News app to Canada.
iOS 12.2 adds the ability to ask Siri to play any video, programme, film, sports game or channel on Apple TV from any iOS device. The new feature will further enhance the usability of the Apple TV app and Apple TV+ service.
iOS 12.2 brings dedicated TV controls to iOS in the Control Centre. These will be available on the lock screen to give users quick access. Multitasking has also been added to Airplay, allowing users to browse other apps, as well as play other short form videos and audio files locally on their devices, without interruption in Airplay.
AirPlay brings new controls to your device’s lock screen when you’re watching something on your Apple TV, letting you use your iPhone or iPad as a remote. iOS 12.2 also introduces AirPlay multitasking, which lets you browse through other apps and play other short-form audio and video files without interrupting AirPlay. Finally, AirPlay destinations are now grouped by content to make it easier to find a device to which you can AirPlay.
Apple Pay Cash customers can now transfer money to their bank accounts using their Visa debit cards. The Wallet app will now display Apple pay Credit and Debit transactions below the card.
After updating to iOS 12.2, users can configure Downtime with a different schedule for each day of the month. There’s a new toggle which will enable turning app limits on and off temporarily.
Website sign-in on the Safari browser will now happen automatically once credentials are filled with Password AutoFill. Safari will also warn users when they open unencrypted web pages. Apple has also added Intelligent Tracking Prevention to Safari to prevent cross-site tracking. Smart Search queries can now be modified by tapping on the arrow icon next to search suggestions.
The browse tab on Apple music will now show more editorially picked highlights on a single page. Apple says this will help users discover new music and playlists more easily.
With iOS 12.2, Apple has added support for AirPods (2nd Gen). The new AirPods were unveiled just a few days ago and will be available this spring.
Apple has added four new Animoji including – Owl, Boar, Giraffe and Shark. These will be available on iPhone X and later devices, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd Gen) and iPad Pro 11-inch.
Alongside all these additions, the iOS 12.2 update also adds support for Air Quality Index in Apple Maps in India, US and UK.
Finally, the update further improves quality of audio recordings in Messages, improves performance of Apple TV remote, fixes issues with notifications Centre, and addresses other bugs.
