Last month, Apple released their iOS 12 mobile operating system which, as a result, brought new updates to compatible devices. As the successor of iOS 11, many features were unfound from previous operating systems. This update gives older iPhones and iPads from 2013 the opportunity to have the same performance as recently-released iPhone Xs and Xs Max. From the new object-measuring application to the Memoji, iOS 12 holds so much more than one can expect.

One of the most-talked-about updates from this new release would have to be the ‘Measure’ app. This app allows users to measure objects by placing them in front of the camera, detecting the dimensions nearly instantaneously. Junior Katrina Lee doesn’t use it often, but “it is convenient when a situation calls for it.”

Portrait mode on compatible iPhones with dual-lens cameras have been upgraded to accurately distinguish between the foreground and background, providing a crisper image. In addition, the Photos application on iOS 12 automatically recognizes pictures and organizes them into folders based on dates, locations, and people. A search option is available within the app to easily filter through photos to find the one you are looking for.

Some of the more amusing updates that come along with iOS 12 would have to be the Animoji changes and the unveiling of Memoji! The Animoji was released in 2017, but this year’s changes would include the addition of new animal masks, wink detection, and tongue detection. Memoji was just released with iOS 12, and the facial recognition feature within the iPhone X and Xs help create a Memoji for the user. Similar to Animoji, Memoji’s can also be sent to contacts in the Messages app. The only difference between the two would be the fact that a Memoji is customizable to look like you. Junior Ruby Lam finds Memoji hilarious because she “can watch an animated unicorn sneeze and laugh with a friend’s voice coming from it.”

Practical additions that have stemmed from iOS 12 would include a screen time tracker and grouped notifications system. The screen time tracker gives weekly updates of a user’s activities on their iPhone, ranging from app usage to the number of notifications each app sends. This app gives users the chance to set app limits and parents are also able to establish allowance limits on their children’s phones. In previous iOS systems, notifications were sent one by one, regardless of if they were within the same app. iOS 12 has a grouped notifications system where notifications from the same apps are grouped together, making the appearance of the notification center appear clearer. Junior Genevieve Ngo enjoys the fact that her “iPhone looks a lot more organized and has less spam content.”

Overall, the new iOS 12 operating system from Apple for iPhones has brought many new changes to the table. These new features, that were unheard of in previous iOS versions, have positively impacted the functions of the iPhone. Apple plans to add even more updates over the course of the next couple of months through new iOS 12 versions. If you have not installed the iOS 12 update yet, be sure to do so soon to access these new features!