iOS 12.1 Dev Beta 2 Released with Real-Time Depth Control, Group FaceTime and More
Credit: Business Insider
Apple on Tuesday seeded the second beta version of iOS 12.1 to registered developers, just about two weeks after releasing the first beta.
iOS 12.1 is the first update to Apple's new iOS 12 mobile operating system. It adds several promised features to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max handsets, and it brings back one notable feature that was cut from the final release of iOS 12. Continue reading to learn all about iOS 12.1 Developer Beta 2!
5 eSim Support
Notably, iOS 12.1 includes support for the embedded eSIM in the new handsets, which will allow new iPhone owners to take advantage of Apple’s dual SIM, dual standby capabilities. When it launches, users will be able to have two separate cellular plans and phone numbers on their devices. Though, of course, carriers need to switch this feature on, which is likely to happen after iOS 12.1 drops to the public.
4 Real-Time Depth Control
The new update also adds real-time Depth Control for Portrait Mode photos to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Currently, Depth Control in iOS 12 allows for editing the depth-of-field after a photo is captured. iOS 12.1 will let users control that bokeh effect while a photo is being taken.
3 Group FaceTime
iOS 12.1 also reintroduces Group FaceTime to the iPhone lineup, which was removed from the final release of iOS 12 due to the fact that Apple needed additional time to test it out. Group FaceTime will allow up to 32 participants to video and audio chat with each other. The feature also includes several new camera effects.
2 New Emoji Coming Soon
Apple also announced on Tuesday that more than 70 new emoji characters will be arriving with the final release of iOS 12.1. That includes new emoji with red hair, gray hair and curly hair, bald emoji, and additional expression, food, sport and animal characters.
Presumably, iOS 12.1 will also include a number of under-the-hood features, bug fixes, and security improvements that will address recent issues on Apple's new and old handsets. Notably, the update fixes a charging issue which had been affecting some devices.
1 How to Get iOS 12.1 Developer Beta 2
Registered Apple developers can now download iOS 12.1 beta 2 from the developer portal, or as an over-the-air update if the proper configuration profile is installed on a device. Based on the usual timeline of Apple's beta releases, we expect a public version of iOS 12.1 beta 2 to be released sometime this week.