Apple showcased its latest software for the iPhone and iPad, iOS 12, Monday at its Worldwide Developer Conference in San Jose, California.
Top software executive Craig Federighi said Apple is "doubling down on performance" in the latest update to make devices faster and more responsive.
The software update also comes with some serious photo updates. Users will soon see photos suggestions based on key places or categories. You can also search for catch-all criteria like "sporting events."
The updates include a new photo sharing feature that suggests who you might want to share an album with based on who appears in the photos.
"When your friend receives them, something really magical happens," Federighi said. "Their phone searches their libraries for other photos they took at that event and suggests that they share them back to you so you both can end up will a full set."
The annual conference is an opportunity for Apple to introduce its latest products and features that developers can include in apps for the iPhone and other devices. Apple typically teases iOS updates at the conference and rolls out major changes later in the year.
The new software will be available on all the same devices as iOS 11, Federighi said.
"This is the largest base ever supported by an Apple release, and we're focusing our efforts especially on the oldest devices," he said.
Here's some of the changes, which Federighi called "big, big improvements:"
- The overall bandwidth and battery power are improved. Keyboards and cameras will respond faster, and devices will work more reliably under greater demand.
- Augmented reality will be integrated into utility apps for the first time, like in a new Measure app for digitally measuring real-world dimensions.
- A Siri update called Shortcuts will let you create your own custom commands for your device.
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