MacRumors

iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 orders are now shipping to customers around the world, with the first deliveries set to arrive at doorsteps tomorrow, Friday, September 21.

iphone xs max shipped 2
There were concerns earlier today after some customers noticed their iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max order had been updated with a "Shipment on Hold" status, indicating that "there is an issue with your delivery." MacRumors has been informed this was in error. Apple has since corrected order statuses.

These customers who saw a "Shipment on Hold" status are now seeing a "shipped" status indicating "your item is on the way," with initial shipments scheduled to arrive starting this Friday as expected.

shipment on hold
As of writing, it's around 3:00 a.m. in New Zealand, where lucky customers will be among the first to receive their orders in just hours from now. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 will also be available to purchase at Apple Stores and select resellers around the world beginning Friday.

Those planning to line up for the chance to buy one of the new devices at an Apple Store tomorrow should arrive early, as queues can get quite long, and supplies are limited. Most locations are set to open two hours early, at 8:00 a.m. local time, so be sure to check Apple's store list for details.

As a reminder, customers can click "Track shipment" to track their specific order via Apple.com, or by entering a tracking number on the UPS website in countries where that courier is handling deliveries.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPhone

The Apple Watch Series 4 has multiple new watch faces for users to choose from, including Fire, Water, Liquid Metal, and Vapor faces that were custom-designed for Series 4 to interact with the edges of its larger display. Apple briefly showed off these faces during its September 12 keynote in Cupertino, but more information about the making of the watch faces has been shared today in a new behind-the-scenes video by Cool Hunting.

apple watch s4 lab

Left image via Cool Hunting

Alan Dye, vice president of user interface design at Apple, revealed that the visuals seen in each Fire, Water, Liquid Metal, and Vapor Apple Watch face were not rendered through a computer, but were shot using high resolution video capturing real fire, water, liquid metal, and vapor elements. The watch faces were captured in one of Apple's design labs, which can be seen in the video below.


Dye said that while the design team could have gone digital for the faces, they opted for the live effects recorded in a studio:

Talking to Alan Dye, Vice President of User Interface Design at Apple, about this particular project he shared that “it’s more of a story about the design team. We could have done this digitally, but we shot this all in a studio. It’s so indicative of how the design team works—bringing our best and varied talents together to create these faces.”

...When asked about how these face concepts were chosen Dye shared that “in terms of design in general, for every thing we do there’s probably 100 things we don’t do and that’s just part of the design process.”

The visual faces aren't the only new watch faces on Series 4. You'll also be able to choose from the Infograph face, which supports up to eight complications, as well as a redesigned Modular watch face. watchOS 5 also has a few new watch faces, including one for the mindfulness app Breathe.

Apple Watch Series 4 launches tomorrow, September 21, and ahead of its debut reviews for the smartwatch have already emerged. Most reviewers say that this generation is definitely worth an upgrade if you're on an older model Apple Watch, thanks to the new screen, haptic digital crown, improved health tracking, speed, and more.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

A few days after unboxing videos for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max were shared online, some of the same YouTubers have now provided a glimpse into the unboxing experience of the Apple Watch Series 4. Unlike this year's new iPhones, the Apple Watch Series 4's packaging is noticeably different from previous generations.

apple watch series 4 unboxing ijustine

Image via iJustine

To start off, iJustine unboxed the Apple Watch Series 4 40mm Gold Stainless Steel Case with a Milanese Loop, as well as the Hibiscus Sport Loop and Lavender Sport Band. Apple changed up the packaging for the Series 4, and instead of a square box for stainless steel cases, this year the higher-end Apple Watch models also come in a rectangular box.


The outer packaging opens up to reveal Apple Watch artwork, and inside there are two separate boxes: one holding the Apple Watch, charging cord, power brick, and paperwork, and the second holding the Apple Watch band.

The Apple Watch case itself is also protected by a small fabric sleeve. Previous stainless steel Apple Watches were protected in a large, square plastic case that also held the Apple Watch band.

apple watch box

Image via Emkwan Reviews

YouTuber Emkwan Reviews unboxed the same Apple Watch as iJustine, but in 44mm instead of 40mm.


Spanish YouTuber Victor Abarca unboxed the Apple Watch Series 4 with the 40mm Space Gray Aluminum Case, showing off packaging that mimics the stainless steel Series 4's packaging. Aluminum owners will see the same pull tabs on the back of the packaging that opens up to two separate boxes inside, one holding the Apple Watch and another holding their band of choice.

Additionally, it appears that if you get the Space Gray Apple Watch, the small fabric sleeve protecting the case will also be Space Gray.


Apple's decision to package each version of the Apple Watch the same in 2018 is a big difference from previous Apple Watch generations. For the Apple Watch Series 3 and prior versions, the aluminum Apple Watch models came in slimmer, rectangular boxes, while the premium stainless steel models were encased in larger, square boxes that included the plastic case.

The Apple Watch Series 4 will launch tomorrow, September 21, so the first pre-order customers can expect to receive their Series 4 devices throughout the day on Friday. After reviews for the Apple Watch Series 4 praised the smartwatch's display and health benefits, Apple highlighted some review snippets on its website.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Apple says it is working with Health Canada to bring the Apple Watch Series 4's all-new ECG functionality to the Canadian market, according to MobileSyrup's Patrick O'Rourke. No timeframe was specified.

apple watch ecg canada
This likely means that Apple has submitted an application with Health Canada for clearance to sell the Apple Watch Series 4 with the ECG functionality enabled. Health Canada has similar requirements as the FDA in the United States for medical devices to be sold in the country.

In the meantime, Apple says the ECG functionality will be limited to the United States, where it has received clearance from the FDA. However, the ECG app for watchOS 5 won't be available until later this year.

Apple Watch Series 4 models include a new electrical sensor on the rear that's designed to take an electrocardiogram using Apple's ECG app, the built-in sensor, and the electrode built into the Digital Crown. This allows the Watch to display a single-channel ECG, similar to a Lead I ECG, according to the FDA.

To take an ECG reading from the Apple Watch, users will need to place a finger on the Digital Crown while wearing the watch. The reading is completed in 30 seconds, allowing users to determine whether their hearts are beating in a regular pattern or if there are signs of atrial fibrillation.

As a potentially life-saving feature, Apple surely wants the ECG functionality to be available in as many countries as possible, so it's likely the company is working with public health agencies in other countries too.

Via: iPhone in Canada

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Tags: Canada, ECG
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Dutch repair site FixjeiPhone today shared a teardown of the iPhone XS, providing us with our first look inside the 5.8-inch model.

A side-by-side comparison shot with the iPhone X reveals that the internal layout of the iPhone XS has not changed significantly, with the most obvious difference being a new single-cell L-shaped battery with a capacity of 2,658 mAh.

iphone x vs iphone xs teardown
The battery was also L-shaped in the iPhone X, but it was a two-cell configuration, instead of a single lithium-ion battery pack.

While the iPhone XS's battery has around 2.2 percent less capacity than the 2,716 mAh battery in the iPhone X, Apple says the iPhone XS gets up to 30 minutes longer battery life than the iPhone X per charge cycle, presumably due to efficiency gains from the A12 Bionic chip and other components.

FixjeiPhone shared a photo of the iPhone XS almost completely disassembled, but it has not labeled any components or manufacturers.

iPhone XS teardown all
Their video teardown, which can be watched with English subtitles on YouTube, indicates that the display is a bit harder to remove due to stronger seals that help the iPhone XS achieve its improved IP68-rated water resistance.


Repair site iFixit should have more detailed iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max teardowns soon after the devices launch in stores tomorrow.

Related Forum: iPhone

In iOS 12, Apple's digital health push includes a couple of special new features for iPhone and iPad users who want to cut down on their app usage: App Limits and Downtime. In this article, we'll show you how to use them.

App Limits allows you to set specific time limits on a particular app category (games, for example). When you've spent the designated time using the app category, iOS sends you an alert notifying you of the fact. Of course, you're free to ignore these alerts, but the idea behind them is that they'll help you manage your time better.

how to set app limits in ios 12
The second feature, Downtime, enables you to set a daily schedule for when you'd rather not use your iOS device at all. Once activated, the feature restricts device usage to phone calls and any apps you've specifically exempted from Downtime. Like App Limits, you can override these restrictions – they're more like good guidance than anything else, and can still help if you honestly want to self-regulate your mobile usage.

➜ Click here to read more...

Related Forum: iOS 12

Jon M. Chu, best known for directing hit movie "Crazy Rich Asians," was provided with one of Apple's new iPhone XS Max models by WIRED, which he used to shoot a short film in 4K to test out the device's capabilities.


Chu's video was shot handheld using available light using only the native camera app and stabilizer, without any additional equipment or lighting. The video was edited on a computer, but no color correction or post-production tricks were used.

Chu told WIRED he was impressed with how well the iPhone handled moving shots, and to challenge himself, he shot in a garage under fluorescent lights.

"I'm moving around a lot, and the focus was adjusting as I was moving, but it was finding the subject really well," he says. "There's a shot at the end where I'm rushing toward the garage--that's using the built-in stabilizers. It's pretty smooth."

Chu also said the device's color accuracy was notable, as it accurately depicted the real-world colors of the garage where he was filming. "You can see the colors, they really pop," he said."

After the testing, Chu says he's going to upgrade to the iPhone XS Max from the iPhone X, "no question." iPhone XS Max, he says, is lighter than the 8 Plus and "doesn't feel like a plus phone." "The weight, the density -- it doesn't feel like an inconvenience to hold it," he said.

Chu's full two minute video can be watched on YouTube. Called "Somewhere," it focuses on dancer Luigi Rosado's rehearsal space.

Related Forum: iPhone

In iOS 12, Apple has given users the tools to cut down on disturbances to get more time away from their devices if desired, and one of these new tools is an expanded set of Do Not Disturb options.

Thanks to these changes, there are more convenient options for using Do Not Disturb in iOS 12, and it's also a lot smarter.

How to Get to the New Do Not Disturb Options

Your Do Not Disturb options in the Settings app are largely the same, with the new Do Not Disturb features housed in Control Center.

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  1. Open Control Center, through a right-side swipe downwards on the screen of an iPhone X or iPad or by swiping upwards from the Home button on other devices.
  2. 3D Touch or long press on the Control Center icon that looks like a moon, which is the icon for Do Not Disturb.
  3. A 3D Touch or a long press brings up all of the Do Not Disturb options, which can be selected with a tap.

Do Not Disturb is a default widget within the Control Center and it's always available, so it's not an option that needs to be enabled through the Control Center customization options.

All of the Ways You Can Use Do Not Disturb in iOS 12

There are multiple new limited-time settings for Do Not Disturb in the Control Center, which automatically turn off after the specified time elapses.

  • For one hour
  • Until this evening (or afternoon/morning depending on the time - it's generally a few hours)
  • Until I leave this location
  • Until this event ends (if you have a timed event set in your calendar)
  • A single tap on the icon without selecting an option turns on Do Not Disturb until you tap it again.

Not all of these options will be visible at all times. If you're not in a set location or you don't have any events scheduled, these two options won't appear. The first two, allowing you to set Do Not Disturb for an hour or until the evening/afternoon/morning are always available.

Underneath these options, there's a "Schedule" button (see screenshot at top) that will open up the Settings app so you can set a specific time period for when you want Do Not Disturb to turn on. This is also where you can turn on Do Not Disturb at Bedtime, a feature that prevents notifications from displaying on the iPhone's display at night.

Check out our Do Not Disturb at Bedtime how to for more details on this feature.

Managing Do Not Disturb Settings

Your general Do Not Disturb settings are available in the Settings app, which can be accessed by going to Settings > Do Not Disturb or through the above mentioned "Schedule" section of the No Not Disturb Control Center widget.

Most of these settings aren't new, but we thought it would be useful to offer a quick primer on Do Not Disturb's other settings alongside what's new in iOS 12.

donotdisturb2
In the Settings app, you can enable or disable Do Not Disturb, set a specific time for Do Not Disturb to turn on and off, or enable Bedtime Mode.

You can also choose whether Do Not Disturb should mute calls and notifications only while the iPhone is locked or at all times, and there are options to select whether calls from certain people should bypass your Do Not Disturb settings. This section is also where you'll find your Do Not Disturb While Driving options.

Related Forum: iOS 12

applemusicandroidappFollowing the release of iOS 12, which brought a few new Apple Music features, Apple has updated its Apple Music app for Android to introduce feature parity.

Today's update brings support for searching by lyrics, an iOS 12 feature that's designed to let you locate songs and artists using song lyrics rather than a song name.

To use the feature, all you need to do is type in a sentence from the lyrics of a particular song and Apple Music will try to find it. This doesn't work with all songs, but it does work with those that offer lyrics in the Apple Music app.

Apple Music for Android is also gaining the new Artist Pages that were introduced in iOS 12, allowing an artist's music to be played with a single tap, and there's support for the Friends Mix.

Friends Mix is a playlist of songs gathered from the people that you're following on Apple Music. Android users can also discover new music through the inclusion of a new Top 100 list that offers up the daily top 100 songs from countries around the world.

After installing the 2.6.0 update, Android users will also be able to use Apple Music with Android Auto for the first time thanks to new Android Auto support.

Android users can download the Apple Music app from the Google Play store.

Apple's watchOS 5 update includes a new Siri feature that eliminates the need to say "Hey ‌Siri‌" or push the Digital Crown to activate the personal assistant.

Instead, you can raise your wrist and speak right to ‌Siri‌, with the Apple Watch able to detect your movements and your desire to relay a ‌Siri‌ command. It's simple to enable, and it works well once you know a few tricks.

Enabling Raise to Speak

siriraisetospeak

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Choose "General."
  3. Scroll down to "‌Siri‌" and Tap it.
  4. Make sure "Raise to Speak" is toggled on.

You can leave "Hey ‌Siri‌" enabled right alongside "Raise to Speak," and use whichever ‌Siri‌ activation method is most convenient.

Using Raise to Speak

Using Raise to Speak is as simple as raising up your wrist and speaking into your Apple Watch.

Lift your wrist as you would to view the time or do any other Apple Watch activity, and then speak a command. Most people will find that they need to bring the watch a little closer to their face than they would just to view it, so if you can't get Raise to Speak to work, hold your wrist closer to your mouth.

Raise to Speak is a slightly different gesture than just raising your arm to look at the time, and the Apple Watch can tell the difference in intent.

Raise to Speak Tips

  • Raise to Speak needs to be fairly close to your face to interpret a ‌Siri‌ voice command, which prevents it from automatically activating for the most part. If it's not working, bring your wrist closer to the speaker of the Apple Watch before trying a command.
  • Raise to Speak works both at the watch face and when an app is open. It does need to be activated with the wrist raising gesture, though.
  • You need to speak at a normal speaking volume for the watch to detect a Raise to Speak command. Whispering will not work.
  • Because Raise to Speak seems to rely on proximity to the Apple Watch's speaker, ‌Siri‌ is not going to trigger when other people are speaking.

Other Siri Options

In the ‌Siri‌ section of the Settings app, accessible by following the steps above, you can also choose your Voice Feedback settings for whenever ‌Siri‌ is activated if you have an Apple Watch Series 3.

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This isn't a new setting, but it's worth revisiting alongside Raise to Speak. You can choose to set Voice Feedback (aka vocal replies) to "Always On," "Control With Silent Mode," which will silence ‌Siri‌ if Silent Mode is turned on, or Headphones Only, which will cause ‌Siri‌ to provide vocal replies if you're wearing AirPods or other Bluetooth enabled headphones.

You can also set ‌Siri‌'s voice volume in the same section of the Settings app by tapping the volume icons or using the Digital Crown. This sets ‌Siri‌'s overall response volume when the personal assistant responds to queries aloud.

Raise to Speak is a useful feature on Apple Watch for everyone, but especially for HomePod owners. If you want to activate ‌Siri‌ on your watch, you can now do so without accidentally triggering a ‌HomePod‌ that might be in the room with the "Hey ‌Siri‌" command.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Reviews for the new Apple Watch Series 4 models went live this morning ahead of Friday's launch, and in a new press release, Apple has highlighted reviews from several members of the media who were able to spend some hands on time with the new Apple Watches.

Apple shared key review passages from a variety websites focused on tech, health, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle, including The New York Times, Women's Health, USA Today, Hodinkee, Men's Journal, TechCrunch, Vogue, Refinery29, The Independent, Wareable, MobileSyrup, Best Health, The Straits Times, and Vogue Australia.

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Women's Health, for example, said features in the Series 4 make it a powerful device for overall well being that could save your life one day.

"The new Apple Watch health and fitness features make it a powerful device for your overall well-being. That's because game-changing bells and whistles have elevated the Apple Watch Series 4 from an investment-worthy health accessory to a sleek and beautiful device that actually might save your life."

The New York Times said the new model, which can take an ECG reading, is "one of the most significant developments in wearable gadgets in years," while The Independent said the speed improvements and new health features are noticeable "at every level."

"The design is just gorgeous and the bright, vivid display with its narrow, curved bezels, looks sensational. The uptick in performance power is noticeable at every level and the increased health qualities and fitness monitoring are hugely welcome. If you've held back from getting an Apple Watch because you thought it wasn't quite there yet, well, it is now."

Apple, of course, only focused on pulling out positive commentary on the Apple Watch Series 4 models, but reviews for the device were largely positive. Some reviewers didn't think it offered enough to entice Series 3 owners to upgrade, but said that it's more than worthwhile for anyone upgrading from an earlier Apple Watch model.

Anyone who has been considering holding out on purchasing an Apple Watch due to a lack of features or slow performance should also consider checking out the Apple Watch Series 4, according to reviewers, because it is faster, more efficient, and more feature rich than previous models.

Apple's full list of review selections can be seen in the article shared via Apple Newsroom, and more reviews can be found in our review roundup, shared this morning.

The Apple Watch Series 4 will be available starting this Friday, September 21. Customers who pre-ordered a device last week will begin receiving their orders on that day, and those who were not able to secure a pre-order may be able to purchase an Apple Watch from a retail store on launch day.

At this point in time, new Apple Watch Series 4 orders will not begin shipping out until October.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

One of the new features in iOS 12 is an augmented reality app called Measure, which Apple has designed to make it easier for you to measure various real-world objects using 3D spatial detection techniques.

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  1. Open up the Measure app.
  2. Follow the on-screen instructions and move your iPhone around the room so that it can get the dimensions of various objects. measureappsetup
  3. Once it's calibrated, denoted by a white dot in a circle, you're ready to start measuring.
  4. To take a measurement, line the white dot up with the corner of an object and then press the "+ button to create an anchor point.
  5. From the anchor point, pan the iPhone over to the other edge of the object. measureappmanual
  6. Press the "+" button again to get the final measurement of the line.

You can continue using this method to get the full dimensions of different objects in your room, with the ability to set multiple anchor points if desired.

Haptic feedback is included in the Measure app, so you'll feel little haptic taps whenever you set an anchor point, for physical feedback. Haptic taps are also included whenever the app detects an obvious stopping point for a measurement, such as the end of a wall.

To clear your anchor points and start over at any time, tap the "Clear" button.

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Once all of your measurements are in place, tap the white camera button to take a photo that displays all of the measurements overlaid on the object you're measuring.

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You can also tap on the arrow of one of the measurements to get a pop up with the current readings that you can copy and paste into another app like Messages or Notes.

Measurement Automatic Detection

For certain square-shaped objects that the Measure app detects, the detection of the dimensions will be automatic. To get an automatic measurement, choose a square or rectangular object and hold the iPhone in front of it.

measureappautomaticdetection
If it's going to take an automatic measurement, you'll see a yellow square appear, which you can then tap to get dimensions. If it's not going to do automatic detection, you're going to need to use the tap method to draw individual lines.

Accuracy

The accuracy of the Measure app depends heavily on the precision of where the end points are placed, so there's room for error.

It's great for quick measurements to get an idea of size, but where precise measurements are required, it's probably best to double check with a physical measuring method.

Level Feature

In iOS 12, the Measure app is also home to the Level feature that lets you use the iPhone to detect whether a surface is level. Prior to iOS 12, the Level feature was in the Compass app, so it's not new, just relocated.

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To use it, tap over to the level portion of the app, which is located at the bottom. Hold the iPhone in either portrait or landscape orientation with no case and balance it on an object such as a picture frame to get a reading.

If you tap the screen when using the level app, you can set a 0 degree reference angle to make measurements from, and laying the iPhone flat allows it to be used as a bubble level.

Related Forum: iOS 12

In iOS 12, Apple has introduced some new features to the Photos app that aim to make it easier for you to search, share, and enjoy your photo collection. Here's how to make the most of them.

The most prominent addition in the Photos app is a new For You tab, which replaces the old Memories and Shared tabs and brings together their features – along with any iCloud Shared Albums you may have – in a single scrolling panel.

For You Tab: Sharing Suggestions

Top of the For You tab is where your latest Sharing Suggestions appear. If the app recognizes someone in the photos it will ask if you want to share the collection with them, otherwise an option to "Share with friends?" is shown.

The great thing about sharing photos this way in iOS 12 is that if your friends have any pictures that are from the same event, time, or location, they will also be prompted to send those back to you, allowing you to fill any holes in your collection.

ios 12 photos features9
Tap the Sharing Suggestions card and you'll be taken to a screen where you can choose the pictures you want to share. Tap Select and then tap any photos you don't want to include, or choose Deselect All and then tap the ones you want to share.

Choose Next to select people in your contacts that you want to share the pictures with. Tap Share in Messages when you're done – just note that anyone with access to the shared photo link will be able to view the photos.

For You Tab: Memories

Immediately below Sharing Suggestions you'll find Memories, which curates various photos and videos you've taken in the past into specific memory collections. Without any steps required on your part, Memories gives you an automatic homemade movie from these past family gatherings or vacations.

Tap a memory and you'll see a list of all the photos and videos contained in the memory (tap Show More to see more than a summary), the geographic location the pictures were taken, nearby photos, and related memories you might be interested in.

ios 12 photos features5
If you press the play button to begin viewing a memory, you can also use a number of customization options to edit it. For more on editing memories in Photos, see our dedicated tutorial.

Note that tapping Select on this page and deleting a photo doesn't just remove it from the memory, but also deletes it from your iPhone and iCloud Library. The last two options at the very bottom of the screen let you favorite the memory or delete it permanently.

If your device supports 3D Touch, you can also hard press on any memory in the For You tab to get a preview of its contents, and then swipe up for options to add it to your favorite memories, delete the memory, or block it.

For You Tab: Shared Album Activity

At the bottom of the For You tab is any Shared Album Activity related to your iCloud account.

ios 12 photos app new features 1
This lists iCloud albums shared by you as well as albums shared with you by other users. From here you can view photos and videos, "like" them with a thumbs up, and read comments or add your own.

How to Use Enhanced Search

In iOS 12, the Photos search function in the Search tab is more intelligent than before, so it's easier to find the most relevant photos to you from events, people, or places.

ios 12 photos app new features
You can also combine multiple search terms to narrow down your results. Simply start typing a person's name, a date, a place, or a word like "cat", "beach", "waistcoat", or "selfie", and the Photos app will offer up similar or identical indexed search terms that you can tap to add to the search field.

Related Forum: iOS 12

Apple's newest operating system, iOS 12, is installed on just over 10 percent of devices 48 hours after it launched according to data collected by analytics company Mixpanel. The data suggests customers are adopting iOS 12 at a slower rate than iOS 11 and iOS 10.

Last year, iOS 11 was installed on 10 percent of devices just 24 hours after launching, and in 2016, iOS 10 was installed on 14.45 percent of devices within 24 hours.

ios12mixpanel
Customers may be reluctant to adopt a new operating system after all of the bugs and issues that were seen with iOS 11 software updates, but Apple made an effort to focus on the underlying code of iOS 12 and thus far, the update has been stable.

As should be no surprise, MacRumors readers are early iOS 12 adopters. Over 80 percent of readers queried so far have installed iOS 12 just two days after it launched. Follow us on Twitter and vote to let us know if you've upgraded to iOS 12.


iOS 12 is an update that brings significant speed and performance improvements to older devices, so most customers installing the software should see notable speed improvements over iOS 11 after updating.

On the iPhone 6 Plus, for example, apps launch up to 40 percent faster, while the keyboard can appear up to 50 percent faster. Opening the camera on the Lock screen to take a photo can be done 70 percent faster.

Apple has made animations smoother and more responsive across the operating system, so accessing Control Center, scrolling in apps, or swiping up when multitasking feels more fluid.

iOS 12 also includes optimizations for when the operating system is under load. Apps launch up to twice as fast under a heavy load, as does the Share Sheet.

With iOS 12 installed on 10 percent of devices, iOS 11 adoption has dipped to 82 percent and will continue to fall as more people adopt iOS 12. Installation could jump this weekend as some people wait until they have a free block of time to complete a major software update.

iOS 12 is a free download that's available for the iPhone 5s and later, iPad mini 2 and later, and the 6th-generation iPod touch. In addition to noticeable and useful speed and performance improvements, the update introduces Screen Time for monitoring device usage, Memoji and new Animoji, ARKit 2.0, and a new Shortcuts app for creating customized automations. For more on what's new in iOS 12, make sure to check out our roundup.

Related Forum: iOS 12

Apple's watchOS 5 update, out now for all Apple Watch models with the exception of the original Apple Watch, introduces a fun new feature that mimics old school walkie talkies. With Walkie-Talkie, you can connect to your friends and family and have push-to-talk conversations right on your wrist.

The video below demonstrates Walkie-Talkie in action, while the post explains the steps to set it up and use it.

Turning on Walkie-Talkie and Adding Friends

Walkie-Talkie is an app on the Apple Watch with an icon that looks like a little walkie talkie on a field of yellow. Whenever you want to use Walkie-Talkie to communicate with someone, you'll need to open up the Walkie-Talkie app. The first step, though, is adding a friend to chat with.

walkietalkieicon 1

  1. Open the Walkie-Talkie app.
  2. Turn the Digital Crown to scroll through your contacts.
  3. Choose a friend who has an Apple Watch and watchOS 5.
  4. Tap on the person's name in the contacts list. walkietalkieconnection
  5. When a yellow card with their name appears on your Apple Watch in the Walkie-Talkie app, tap on the card.
  6. Press on the "Talk" button to initiate a connection.
  7. You'll need to wait for your friend to receive your message and approve the Walkie-Talkie connection. It will say "Connecting to [Your Friend's Name].
  8. When a connection is established, it will go back to the Talk button and you will be able to have a Walkie-Talkie conversation with your friend.

If a connection cannot be established, you'll see a popup that says "[Your Friend] is not available." If this happens, it means the person on the other end did not answer the incoming Walkie-Talkie notification.

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If the Walkie-Talkie connection screen hangs indefinitely on the connecting screen, it means the person does not have an Apple Watch or does not have watchOS 5 installed.

When a friend adds you to Walkie-Talkie, you'll see an incoming notification that your friend wants to establish a connection with you. To chat, you will need to tap on "Always Allow."

walkietalkieallow

Talking With a Friend Using Walkie Talkie

Once a connection has been approved between you and your friend, you do not need to get approval for each and every message. You can just push to talk and whatever you say will be beamed to your friend's Apple Watch.

  1. Open up the Walkie-Talkie app.
  2. Tap on the card for the friend you want to talk to.
  3. Hold down the "Talk" button for the entire time that you're speaking. You will see little concentric circles flashing, which means your message is being relayed to your friend. walkietalkieinuse
  4. When you're done speaking, stop pressing on the Talk button. This will allow your friend to press the Talk button on their end to send a response to you.

You can have multiple Walkie-Talkie connections with your friends, but you can only communicate with one friend at a time because Walkie-Talkie is a one-on-one feature. Group chats between multiple people are not supported.

Accessing Walkie-Talkie Quickly

Once you have a Walkie-Talkie connection established with at least one person, a little Walkie-Talkie icon will be displayed at the top of the Apple Watch's main screen. If you tap it, it will take you right into the Walkie-Talkie app.

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This icon also serves as an indicator that you're available for Walkie-Talkie conversations and that any friends you've established a connection with can message you at any time.

Adjusting Walkie-Talkie Volume

  1. Open the Walkie-Talkie app.
  2. Choose a Walkie-Talkie contact card.
  3. At the talk interface, turn the Digital Crown.
  4. A downward turn lowers the Walkie-Talkie volume, while an upward turn makes it louder. Turning it all the way down effectively mutes the conversation.

Using Walkie-Talkie With AirPods or Bluetooth Headphones

If you have AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones connected to your Apple Watch, you will hear incoming Walkie-Talkie messages through the accessory rather than directly through the Apple Watch. You will also be able to speak into the microphone of the AirPods, keeping your conversations more private.

Turning Off Walkie-Talkie and Removing Contacts

If you want to shut off Walkie-Talkie conversations and refuse incoming messages, you can do so by setting yourself to unavailable.

  1. Open up the Walkie-Talkie app.
  2. Scroll all the way to the top to see the "Available" toggle. walkiewalkieavailable
  3. Toggle "Available" to off.

When your Walkie-Talkie availability is disabled in the Walkie-Talkie app, people who attempt to connect to you will see the message "[Your Name] is Not Available" and you will get a notification that someone attempted to reach you but you were unavailable with an option to go to the Walkie-Talkie app to resume the conversation.

To remove a contact from Walkie-Talkie, at the main contact card interface, swipe to the left on a name in the list to bring up a red "X" button. Press on the X to remove the contact.

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Walkie-Talkie Warnings

Walkie-Talkie takes precedence over other settings on your Apple Watch. You will hear your friend speaking even if your Apple Watch is set to silent, but it does not ignore Do Not Disturb settings.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

After installing the 12.1 beta, the iOS Simulator in Xcode appears to offer support for virtualized 4K external displays, according to developer Steven Troughton-Smith.

That's not a feature that's possible with existing iOS devices using a Lightning to HDMI adapter, which suggests it could be a new option targeted at upcoming iPad Pro models that are rumored to be getting USB-C ports instead of Lightning ports.

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According to well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is well-connected to the Apple supply chain, Apple is planning to replace the Lightning port on the upcoming iPad Pro models with a new USB-C interface.

Apple has been transitioning to USB-C in its Mac lineup since 2016, but despite a rumor here and there, has not adopted USB-C ports for any devices in its mobile lineup. An iPad Pro with USB-C would bridge the gap between the Mac and the iPad, making Apple's pro-level tablet even more viable as a computer replacement.

Kuo believes the USB-C iPad Pro models will ship with an 18W power adapter with a USB-C port, which would enable faster charging.

We may not have to wait long for Apple to unveil new iPad Pro models. There are new iPad Pros and Macs in the works for fall, and in years when Apple has a lot of fall devices to unveil, it's held two events, one in September and one in October.

For that reason, we could soon hear news of an October event where new iPad Pro models and new Macs will be introduced.

Along with a USB-C port, new iPad Pro models are expected to have edge-to-edge LCD displays with a TrueDepth camera system for Face ID and no Home button.

Additional details on the upcoming iPad Pro models can be found in our iPad Pro roundup.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)

Apple's HomePod was updated this week to version 12, which debuted alongside iOS 12 for iPhones and iPads. The HomePod update brings about a handful of new abilities for Apple's smart speaker, including support for multiple timers, lyric search, find my iPhone, making and receiving phone calls, and more.

Because of all the useful and handy new additions arriving on HomePod this week, we've written this guide to provide quick steps that can help you figure out each new feature, and added in some tips as well.

Multiple Timers

On previous HomePod software you could only make one timer and not name it, but with the new software Apple is letting you create and name as many as over 20 timers at once (our testing reached about 23). This should greatly help out HomePod owners, especially those who have placed the speaker in their kitchen.

Note: Because HomePod relies entirely on voice controls for timers (and other features in this guide), there may be other sentence patterns that result in the same responses as the ones we've discovered. With that being said, below you'll find a few examples of Siri commands for multiple timers on HomePod. To create multiple timers, simply begin listing one timer after the other to Siri:

Setting Timers

  • "Hey Siri, set a 15 minute timer for food."
  • "Hey Siri, set a burger timer for 20 minutes."
  • "Hey Siri, set a 25 minute french fries timer."
  • "Hey Siri, set a 45 minute timer for the laundry."
  • "Hey Siri, set a 3 hour timer for the sprinklers."

Checking Individual Timers

  • "Hey Siri, what's left on the food timer?"
  • "Hey Siri, how's the french fries timer?"
  • "Hey Siri, what's the sprinklers timer at?"
  • "Hey Siri, how long until the laundry is done?"
  • "Hey Siri, is the burger timer almost done?"

Checking All Timers

  • "Hey Siri, where are the timers at?"
  • "Hey Siri, how much time is left?"
  • "Hey Siri, list the timers."

The limit of any timer is a maximum of 23 hours (as it was previously). If you create a timer but don't give it a name, Siri will name the timer by its original length, saying something like "There is 1 minute left on the 10 minute timer."

When you have multiple timers running and one ends, the usual timer ending chime will sound, but it will now be interspersed with Siri stating which timer is completed. As usual, you can tap the top of HomePod to silence the timer, or ask Siri to shut it off. If you have numerous timers running simultaneously and want to end them all, you can say "Hey Siri, stop/cancel all of the timers."

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Related Roundup: HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral)

In iOS 11, Apple introduced animated emoji characters called Animoji, which are designed to mimic your facial expressions. As of iOS 12, Animoji have grown to encompass Memoji, which are customizable humanoid Animoji characters that you can design to look just like you.

Memoji can do all of the same things that Animoji can, mimicking your facial expressions to allow for cute videos, photos, and interactions with friends and family. In iOS 12 and iOS 13, you can also use Memoji and Animoji in photos through the Messages camera and in live FaceTime chats. And in iOS 14, Apple added new Memoji customization options, including the ability to select new hair styles, headwear, or masks, and more age options.

Making a Memoji

Animoji live in the Messages app, so creating a Memoji is also done in Messages.

  1. Open up the Messages app.
  2. Choose a conversation.
  3. Tap on Animoji Messages app from the Messages app bar, which looks like a little monkey.
  4. Swipe right until you see the "+" button and tap it. creatinganewmemoji

Customizing Your Memoji

Memoji start out as a blank face, and it's up to you to customize it to look like you. The Memoji interface will open up to a display that lets you choose skin tone to begin with. Tapping buttons and sliders will let you customize features and choose options like freckles or no freckles.

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To move on from skin tone to other features, tap the labels at the top, cycling through Hairstyle, Head Shape, Eyes, Brows, Nose & Lips, Ears, Facial Hair, Eyewear, and Headwear.

During this entire process, your Memoji is active so you can see what all of the features look like when animated. Sometimes it will pause when changing a feature, but you can resume the animation by tapping on the Memoji.

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There are dozens of facial feature options and accessories to choose from when creating a Memoji, allowing for many different looks.

When your Memoji is all finished, just tap "Done" in the upper right hand corner.

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You can save as many Memoji as you want, so you can make Memoji for yourself, your friends, family, celebrities, characters, and more.

Apple iOS 12 Memoji

Editing and Deleting Memoji

You can edit an already-created Memoji or delete a Memoji at any time.

  1. Open up the Messages app.
  2. Choose a conversation.
  3. Tap on the little monkey icon in the Messages app drawer to open up the Animoji Messages app.
  4. With a Memoji in frame, tap on the three little dots in the left hand corner.
  5. Choose "Edit" to make changes to your Memoji, choose "Delete" to remove it, or choose "Duplicate" to use it as a base for a new Memoji. memojiedit

New Animoji Features in iOS 12 and later

In iOS 12 and later, facial recognition capabilities let your Animoji and Memoji mimic both your tongue sticking out and winks. All Animoji and Memoji have tongues, with some special touches like a glitter tongue for the unicorn, a green tongue for the alien, and an articulated tongue for the robot.

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Recording a Memoji or Animoji Video in the Messages App

Recording a message, song, or facial expression in a video that can be sent to family and friends is done in the same way that it was done in iOS 11.

With the Animoji app open in Messages and an Animoji or Memoji selected, tap on the red record button to start recording a message. When finished, tap the red stop button, and then tap the blue up arrow to send.

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Tapping on the arrow sends the Animoji or Memoji recording automatically to the person you're conversing with.

Using a Memoji or Animoji as a Sticker

Your Memoji and Animoji can also be used as stickers if you just want to send a quick photo reaction but not a full video. To do this, make the desired face and then tap on the Animoji itself rather than the record button to create a quick little screenshot that can be sent using the blue up arrow.

If you want to use the Animoji or Memoji as a sticker to react to another message or to decorate a photo, press a finger on the Animoji and then drag it upwards into the iMessage conversation.

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While the sticker is attached to your finger, you can use gestures to rotate it and resize it to get the perfect position.

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Animoji in the Messages Camera and in FaceTime

iOS 12 and later include a new Effects camera in both Messages and ‌FaceTime‌, which includes support for Animoji and Memoji. You can use Animoji and Memoji to create photos in Messages and to entertain friends and family while in ‌FaceTime‌ conversations.

Animoji in the Messages Camera

  1. Open the Messages app.
  2. Choose a conversation.
  3. Tap on the Camera icon that's next to the iMessage chat bar.
  4. Tap on the star-shaped icon in the bottom left corner. animojiinmessages
  5. Select the Animoji icon, which looks like a little monkey.
  6. Choose an Animoji or Memoji and it will pop up over your face. animojimemojimessagescamera
  7. After applying an Animoji, tap the small "X" in above the Animoji menu to exit out of the Animoji interface. Your Animoji will still be displayed, but you will also be able to add other camera effects.
  8. When all of your desired effects are applied, tap the photo button to snap a photo that can then be edited, marked up further, or shared. animojimessagesfilters

With the Messages camera, you can add Animoji, filters, text, shapes, and stickers to your images.

Animoji in FaceTime

  1. Initiate a ‌FaceTime‌ call.
  2. After the call has started, tap on the star-shaped Effects icon.
  3. Choose an Animoji or Memoji, tap it, and it will be displayed over your face. memojifacetime
  4. As in the Messages Effects camera, tap on the "X" above the Animoji menu and you can also apply other effects while in the ‌FaceTime‌ call.

The person on the other end of the ‌FaceTime‌ call will see the Animoji and any other effects that you have applied, such as filters. You can complement your Animoji ‌FaceTime‌ calls with the aforementioned filters, stickers, text, and all of the other Effects camera options.

Animoji and Memoji only work with the front-facing camera in both Messages and ‌FaceTime‌, because the TrueDepth camera system is required.

Memoji and Animoji Compatibility

You need a device with a TrueDepth camera system to create Memoji and Animoji, which includes the iPhone X, ‌iPhone‌ XS, ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, and ‌iPhone‌ 11 series. The ‌iPhone‌ XR and 2018 and later iPad Pro models also TrueDepth camera systems.

While it's just devices with a TrueDepth camera that can be used to create and display Animoji, others can still see them in ‌FaceTime‌ calls (including Group ‌FaceTime‌ calls) and in photos created with the Messages camera.

Related Forum: iOS 14