Apple releases iOS 12.2 with Apple News+ and AirPods 2 support

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Apple has released the public version of iOS 12.2 after testing it for a fair bit of time. The company had released a beta version of the update on January 24, followed by a public beta on January 28. This could possibly be the last major update before iOS 13. The new update brings with it Apple’s new subscription service called Apple News+ and four new Animoji.

Apple had released six beta versions of iOS 12.2. The fresh update includes bug fixes and security improvements along with a bunch of features. Users with the recently launched AirPods second generation would need to update to the latest firmware.

Other features include:

Apple News+

Apple unveiled its new premium Apple News+ subscription service during the event on March 25. The News+ subscription provides access to over 300 magazines and newspapers for which users would have to pay $9.99 per month. Magazines like The New Yorker, Vogue, National Geographic, Esquire, Men’s Health, The Atlantic, Vogue, etc. would be a part of the premium service. In addition to this, digital-first publications like TechCrunch, Vox would also contribute to the service. The new update would allow offline downloads and family sharing.

Animoji

The new update brings in four new Animoji. Users can now chat with their friends using the new giraffe, shark, owl and boar Animoji. This feature is specific to devices with FaceID support.

Apple Music 

Apple has tweaked the Browse tab in the Music app. After the update, finding new music, playlists would become easier thanks to more editorial highlights on a single page.

AirPlay

Users can now access other apps or even play audio/video files on their device without interrupting AirPlay. There are dedicated quick-access TV controls on the lock screen and Control Centre. 

Apple Pay

Apple released the Apple Card in collaboration with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard. Apple’s Wallet app will now display credit and debit transactions below the card.

Safari

Websites that do not use HTTPS would be marked as ‘Not Secure’. A warning sign will appear when unencrypted webpages are loaded. Safari now supports automatic web login. A blue arrow next to search suggestions can modify Smart Search Field queries.

Screen Time and Warranty 

The downtime feature can now be customised for each day. Apple has added a toggle button to enable turning app limits to on and off.  In the Settings app, users can now check the warranty period of their iPhone or iPad. 

Siri

Apple’s voice assistant gets smarter with the new update. 'Hey Siri' can now play any video or movie and even switch channels on Apple TV.

Other Updates

Air Quality Index added in Apple Maps for India, US and UK. Quality of voice notes in Messages app has been improved. A bug that did not show missed calls in Notification Centre has been fixed. The new update also includes other bug fixes and improvements.