Apple Officially Releases iOS 12.3 with New TV App, Channels and More
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Apple on Monday officially released iOS 12.3 to the general public, marking what is likely the last iOS 12 update before its successor is teased in early June.
What’s New in iOS 12.3?
Among the most notable features in iOS 12.3 is the overhauled TV app. Ahead of the launch of a slew of TV-focused services, the app has been redesigned from the ground up to make finding and streaming content a lot easier.
The TV app, as a whole, has been streamlined with easier-to-navigate menu tabs for a user’s TV, movie and iTunes content.
It still features Watch Now and Up Next sections, but will also include new human- and machine-curated recommendations that will help users figure out what to watch next.
It also includes Apple’s new Channels feature, which was debuted at the company’s services-based event. Channels is an a la carte service that lets users sign up for and access premium TV content without ever needing to leave the app itself.
Currently, Apple TV Channels supports several premium content providers, such as HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax and Epix, among others. HBO, at the time of launch, is unique because it’s the only content provider to support offline content. More TV providers will be added as time goes on.
Today’s update also includes AirPlay 2 support for third-party smart TVs from the likes of Samsung, Vizio, LG and more. Samsung, for its part, also announced that it was rolling out the new TV app on some of its TV models — marking the first time that the app is available on a third-party platform.
As with all iOS updates, iOS 12.3 also includes a number of bug fixes and under-the-hood changes. That includes performance and stability improvements to Apple News+, Apple Music, Apple TV Remote, AirPlay 2 and CarPlay.
There’s a good chance that iOS 12.3 will turn out to be the last major update to the iOS 12 platform. Apple is expected to debut iOS 13 at WWDC ’19 in just a few weeks. (Although, of course, minor point releases could still be rolled out between iOS 13’s announcement and its launch later this year.)
How Do I Get It?
iOS 12.3 should now be available for all eligible devices. You can download and install the update over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
