iOS 12
iOS 12 is the twelfth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc. for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Announced on June 4, 2018, at the Worldwide Developers Conference, it became available as a free software update on September 17, 2018, for devices including the iPhone 5s and later models.[1][2] Unlike iOS 11, which featured a significant interface overhaul, iOS 12 prioritized performance enhancements over aesthetic changes, delivering up to twice the speed in app launches, smoother scrolling, and improved responsiveness on older hardware such as the iPhone 6 and earlier.[1] Notable additions included Screen Time, a suite of tools for tracking device and app usage with customizable limits and downtime scheduling to encourage mindful technology interaction; Memoji, customizable Animoji avatars; expanded FaceTime supporting up to 32 participants; and Siri Shortcuts, enabling users to create automated workflows across apps.[3][4] These updates maintained compatibility with the same device lineup as iOS 11 while introducing augmented reality toolkits and privacy-focused features like intelligent photo search, contributing to its reputation for stability and broad accessibility.[1]Introduction
Overview and Design Philosophy
iOS 12, the twelfth major release of Apple's iOS mobile operating system for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, was publicly announced on June 4, 2018, during the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and made available for download on September 17, 2018.[1][2] Unlike predecessors that emphasized hardware-dependent innovations, iOS 12 maintained compatibility with devices released as early as 2013, including the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and first-generation iPad Air, thereby supporting a wide range of aging hardware without introducing requirements for newer processors or increased RAM.[4] The core design philosophy centered on enhancing system performance, stability, and responsiveness to address user-reported slowdowns in iOS 11, prioritizing foundational optimizations over expansive new features. Apple engineers targeted inefficiencies in resource allocation, resulting in measurable gains such as app launches up to 40% faster on older devices, camera activation up to 70% quicker, and keyboard responsiveness improved by 50%, even under multitasking loads where prior versions faltered.[5][6] This approach reflected a deliberate shift toward software efficiency, enabling smoother animations, reduced frame drops, and better battery management across the supported device spectrum, as demonstrated in benchmarks showing twice the launch speed for apps during high CPU demand.[7] By focusing on undemanding yet impactful refinements—like smarter notification handling and augmented reality integrations that leveraged existing capabilities—iOS 12 aimed to foster long-term user satisfaction and device longevity, countering perceptions of planned obsolescence in mobile ecosystems.[8] These principles underscored Apple's strategy of iterative improvement, where empirical testing validated gains in everyday tasks, ensuring the update felt revitalizing rather than burdensome on legacy hardware.[9]Development
Announcement at WWDC 2018
Apple previewed iOS 12 during the keynote address at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 4, 2018, held at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California.[1][10] The presentation, led by Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi, emphasized performance optimizations as the primary focus, rather than introducing a broad array of new hardware-dependent features, enabling compatibility with all devices supported by iOS 11, including the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and sixth-generation iPod touch.[1][11] Federighi highlighted backend improvements that resulted in up to twice the app launch speed and enhanced responsiveness for older hardware, such as the iPhone 6, with demonstrations showing reduced lag in tasks like keyboard invocation and camera activation.[1][11] These enhancements stemmed from optimizations in memory management, graphics rendering, and system resource allocation, prioritizing stability and speed over radical interface redesigns.[1] The announcement also introduced select user-facing features, including Screen Time for tracking device usage and parental controls, Siri Shortcuts for custom automation workflows, grouped notifications to reduce clutter, and expanded FaceTime supporting up to 32 participants with Animoji integration.[1][12] Additionally, ARKit 2 was unveiled for developers, enabling multi-user augmented reality experiences and persistent scene understanding via new file formats like USDZ.[1] Apple stated that developer betas would be available immediately post-keynote, with a public beta in June and full release in the fall.[1]Beta Testing and Previews
Apple previewed iOS 12 at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 4, 2018, highlighting performance improvements, new features like Screen Time and Siri Shortcuts, and support for older devices dating back to the iPhone 5S.[1] The preview emphasized a focus on app launch speed, stability, and foundational enhancements rather than major visual overhauls, with demonstrations of augmented reality advancements via ARKit 2 and grouped notifications.[1] The first iOS 12 developer beta was released to registered Apple Developer Program members on June 4, 2018, immediately after the keynote, allowing early testing on compatible devices.[13] Apple issued subsequent developer betas roughly weekly through August, culminating in beta 11 on August 27, 2018, to enable developers to adapt apps, report bugs via Feedback Assistant, and verify compatibility ahead of the general release.[14][15] These betas prioritized performance tuning, with iterative fixes for issues like battery drain and UI responsiveness observed in initial builds.[16] The iOS 12 public beta program, open to non-developers via enrollment at beta.apple.com, began with public beta 1 on June 25, 2018, corresponding to developer beta 3 for broader stability testing.[17] Public betas followed a similar cadence but lagged developer versions by one or two builds, such as public beta 3 aligning with developer beta 4 on July 18, 2018, and continuing through public beta 8 in late August.[18][19] Testers provided feedback on usability and defects, contributing to refinements that ensured the operating system's compatibility across devices supporting iOS 11.[20] This dual-track process—developer-focused for technical validation and public for real-world usage—helped mitigate risks in the final version released on September 17, 2018.[16]Performance Enhancements
Speed Improvements on Legacy Devices
iOS 12 prioritized performance optimizations over major new features, targeting legacy devices such as the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPad mini 2, which dated from 2013 and 2014.[21] Apple engineers focused on reducing frame drops, improving CPU ramp-up times, and streamlining app launches to counteract cumulative slowdowns observed in prior updates like iOS 11.[22] These efforts stemmed from code refactoring and deferred deallocation techniques, enabling better resource efficiency on hardware with limited RAM (1 GB on iPhone 5s and 6) and older A7/A8 processors.[23] At WWDC 2018 on June 4, Apple demonstrated up to 2x faster app launches on the iPhone 6 Plus compared to iOS 11, with general app launches 40% faster across older models and keyboard responsiveness 1.5x quicker.[23] The camera app activation from the lock screen improved by 70% on the iPhone 6 Plus, while animations and scrolling saw reduced dropped frames, particularly under multitasking loads.[23] Independent benchmarks corroborated these gains: on the iPhone 5s, iOS 12 reduced Safari launch time by 20.6%, Camera by 16.2%, and Settings by 26.1% versus iOS 11.4.1; similar patterns held for the iPhone 6 Plus with 17-22% faster launches in core apps.[24] Tests on the iPad mini 2 revealed more pronounced benefits, with app launches like Angry Birds 2 dropping from 31 seconds on iOS 11 to 19 seconds on iOS 12, and the TV app from 11 to 6 seconds, alongside smoother scrolling and fewer stutters.[25] For the iPhone 6, improvements were modest but consistent in responsiveness, with Geekbench multi-core scores rising slightly to 2722 from 2686, and apps like YouTube and Google Drive launching 1-2 seconds faster.[25] Cold boot times shortened by 8.7% on iPhone 5s and 13% on iPhone 6 Plus, restoring near-iOS 10 levels of snappiness without hardware upgrades.[24] These enhancements proved verifiable in real-world use, extending usability for devices over four years old at iOS 12's September 17, 2018 release, though gains diminished under heavy loads like gaming on the iPhone 5s.[24] Unlike iOS 11, which exacerbated slowdowns on A7/A8 chips due to increased feature demands, iOS 12's conservative approach—limiting visual effects and optimizing memory—yielded measurable stability without planned obsolescence tactics, as confirmed by benchmark analyses.[24][25]Underlying Technical Optimizations
iOS 12 incorporated system-level optimizations to boost responsiveness and efficiency, with Apple emphasizing refinements across the software stack to prioritize foreground tasks and reduce resource contention on devices dating back to the iPhone 5s. Internal testing by Apple demonstrated up to 40% faster app launches, 50% quicker keyboard invocation, and 70% reduced latency for sliding to open the camera under heavy system load compared to iOS 11.[26][27] These enhancements particularly benefited older hardware, where app switching speeds doubled on the iPhone 6 during multitasking scenarios, achieved through improved process scheduling and deferred background computations.[6] Key framework updates included optimizations to UIKit's Auto Layout system, which scaled more linearly to minimize computational overhead during dynamic UI recalculations, thereby reducing frame drops and jank in scrolling interfaces—a persistent issue since earlier iOS versions.[28] Core Graphics received hardening against invalid inputs to prevent crashes and early exits, streamlining rendering pipelines, while networking stacks like URLSession gained HTTP/2 connection reuse capabilities under specific conditions, lowering latency for repeated requests.[13] In machine learning, Core ML introduced support for 8-bit quantized models, flexible input shapes, and batch predictions, yielding up to 30% faster on-device inference speeds and model sizes reduced by 75%, which conserved memory and CPU cycles without sacrificing accuracy.[8][13] Overall, these changes restored near-iOS 10-level performance on aging devices like the iPhone 5s, with cold boot times dropping by approximately 10% (from 27.7 seconds to 25.3 seconds) and app launch reductions of up to 26% on low-RAM iPads.[8]System Features
Screen Time and Usage Tracking
Screen Time, introduced in iOS 12 on June 4, 2018, provides users with detailed reports on device usage, including total time spent on the iPhone or iPad, breakdowns by app categories such as social networking or entertainment, and specific app durations.[3] It also tracks website visits via Safari and metrics like device pickups and notifications received, offering weekly summaries to highlight patterns in screen engagement.[3][29] The feature enables setting Downtime periods, during which only phone calls, allowed apps, and essential functions like Maps remain accessible, typically scheduled for bedtime or focus times to limit distractions.[3] App Limits allow users to cap daily usage for chosen app categories or individual applications, prompting a passcode-protected extension request upon expiration to discourage overuse.[30] Always Allowed apps bypass these restrictions, ensuring access to critical tools like Phone or Messages.[31] For parental oversight, Screen Time integrates with Family Sharing, permitting guardians to configure restrictions on a child's device remotely, including approval for app downloads, in-app purchases, and content filters via Content & Privacy Restrictions, which succeeded iOS's prior Restrictions framework.[3][32] Parents can enforce Downtime and App Limits, monitor usage reports, and receive alerts for attempts to bypass limits, fostering accountable device habits without full device locking.[33] Usage data is aggregated from active foreground app interactions and system events, though it excludes background processes and may vary based on device settings like Low Power Mode.[34] Activation occurs via Settings > Screen Time, with options to share data across Family Sharing members for collective management.[34] This tool aims to promote self-regulation by visualizing habits, such as excessive social media time, without mandating reductions.[3]Siri Shortcuts and Workflow Automation
Siri Shortcuts, introduced in iOS 12, enabled users to create custom automations that execute sequences of app actions through voice commands to Siri, widget taps, or manual invocation via the dedicated Shortcuts app.[1] This feature built on Apple's acquisition of the third-party Workflow app in March 2017, which provided similar chaining of tasks across apps, by integrating its core functionality directly into the operating system and renaming it Shortcuts upon iOS 12's release on September 17, 2018.[35] [36] The system allowed developers to expose app-specific actions as "donations" to Siri, permitting users to build multi-step workflows without coding, such as retrieving calendar events, sending messages, or controlling HomeKit devices in a single phrase like "Good morning" to trigger a routine including weather updates, playlist playback, and coffee maker activation.[37] Shortcuts supported over 300 built-in actions at launch, covering native apps like Maps, Calendar, and Reminders, with third-party integration requiring app updates to declare compatible intents via the Intents framework.[38] Users could import and run existing Workflow files seamlessly, maintaining backward compatibility while gaining Siri Suggestions for proactive invocation based on usage patterns, such as offering a shortcut to order coffee after repeated similar requests.[39] Automation extended to personal triggers, including location-based (e.g., starting a commute playlist upon approaching work) and time-based executions, though full automation without user confirmation was limited in iOS 12 compared to later versions.[40] The feature addressed prior Siri limitations by shifting from isolated commands to programmable macros, fostering ecosystem-wide interoperability, with early adopters noting reduced friction in repetitive tasks like logging expenses or sharing media across apps.[41] Apple emphasized privacy by processing shortcuts on-device where possible, aligning with iOS's sandboxed app model to prevent unauthorized data access during chained operations.[1]Notification Grouping and Do Not Disturb Enhancements
iOS 12 introduced grouped notifications, which automatically organize multiple alerts from the same app into expandable stacks on the Lock Screen and in Notification Center, reducing visual clutter and enabling quicker triage of related messages.[3] Users could expand a group to reveal individual notifications or swipe left on the stack for contextual actions, including delivering future alerts quietly to Notification Center without Lock Screen previews, temporarily silencing the app, or accessing its full notification settings.[3] This grouping applied system-wide but respected per-app preferences, allowing selective opt-out via Settings > Notifications, where users could toggle "Group Notifications" off for specific apps.[42] Do Not Disturb enhancements in iOS 12 expanded customization for temporary silencing, including quick scheduling from Control Center via long-press on the crescent moon icon, with options to end automatically after one hour, until leaving or entering a geofenced location, or at a user-defined time.[3] A new Bedtime mode integrated with scheduled Do Not Disturb periods, dimming the Lock Screen to a dark interface and suppressing all notification badges, previews, sounds, and vibrations during sleep hours to minimize disruptions and blue light exposure.[3] To activate Bedtime mode, users enabled it in Settings > Do Not Disturb after setting a recurring schedule, which overrode standard Do Not Disturb by hiding alerts entirely from the Lock Screen until manually dismissed or the schedule ended, though notifications accumulated in Notification Center for later review.[3] These updates built on prior Do Not Disturb capabilities, such as allowing repeated calls from the same contact within three minutes to bypass silencing, while prioritizing user-defined exceptions for favorite contacts and apps.[3]ARKit 2 and Developer Tools
ARKit 2, released alongside iOS 12 on September 17, 2018, expanded augmented reality development by introducing capabilities for persistent and shared experiences.[43] Developers could now create AR content that anchors to specific real-world locations and persists across sessions, using theARWorldMap API to save and reload spatial maps of environments.[44] This enabled applications to maintain virtual object placements over time without recalibrating tracking each launch.[45]
Additional features included 2D image tracking, allowing apps to detect and anchor content to predefined images like posters or product packaging, with support for up to 1,000 reference images per session.[44] 3D object detection extended this to volumetric shapes, where developers scan real objects using the ARKit Object Scanner app to generate .arobject reference files, enabling runtime recognition and interaction.[46] Multiuser AR facilitated collaborative sessions via network broadcasting of AR frames, permitting up to six participants to share synchronized views in real time.[43] Enhanced motion tracking and environment texturing improved realism by applying detected surface textures to virtual objects, while upgraded face tracking supported more accurate overlay on facial movements.[44][47]
For developers, ARKit 2 integrated with the Universal Scene Description (USDZ) format, a lightweight AR asset standard co-developed with Pixar and Autodesk, viewable natively in Quick Look previews across apps like Safari and Messages.[48] New configuration classes such as ARImageTrackingConfiguration and ARObjectScanningConfiguration provided APIs for image and object handling, with runtime detection via ARSession delegates reporting anchors for matched entities.[46] On devices with the A12 Bionic chip, real-time machine learning acceleration via the Neural Engine enhanced object recognition speed and accuracy through Core ML integration.[49] These tools required iOS devices with A9 processors or later, broadening access while leveraging hardware advancements for complex AR computations.[50]
iPad Productivity Improvements
iOS 12 enhanced iPad multitasking through refined gestures that streamlined access to Split View, Slide Over, and the app switcher, enabling quicker transitions between apps without relying on the Home button as frequently.[51] These changes allowed users to swipe up from the bottom of the screen with one finger to reveal the Dock, then drag an app icon to initiate side-by-side or floating window modes, facilitating more fluid workflows for tasks like referencing documents while editing in another app.[52] On iPads without a Home button, such as the 2018 iPad Pro models, full gesture navigation mirrored iPhone X controls, including a four-finger swipe up for the app overview, which displayed all open apps in a card-based interface for easy switching or closure.[53] The gesture updates complemented existing iOS 11 features like drag-and-drop, extending support across more apps and making it easier to transfer text, images, or files between Split View windows without interrupting productivity flows.[54] For instance, users could select content in Safari, drag it directly into Notes or Mail in an adjacent pane, reducing steps compared to copy-paste methods.[51] This integration proved particularly useful for knowledge workers, as it approximated desktop-like efficiency on larger iPad screens, though it remained limited to predefined app pairs and lacked resizable windows.[55] Additionally, iOS 12's optimizations ensured these multitasking features performed smoothly on older iPad models dating back to 2010, with reduced launch times and fewer stutters during app switching, thereby sustaining productivity on legacy hardware without necessitating upgrades.[4] While not introducing groundbreaking changes like external display support or advanced window management—features deferred to later iPadOS releases—these refinements marked incremental progress toward positioning the iPad as a viable laptop alternative for routine tasks.[55]Miscellaneous Interface Changes
iOS 12 incorporated subtle refinements to system animations, enabling smoother transitions and responsiveness even during ongoing effects, such as allowing users to interact with the interface while apps were launching or closing.[53] This optimization contributed to a more fluid user experience without altering the core aesthetic inherited from iOS 11. Control elements like sliders across apps and settings received thicker designs to improve touch precision and accessibility, reducing errors in fine adjustments.[53] The QuickType keyboard interface was updated to display up to three suggested words or emojis, enhancing predictive input efficiency on both iPhone and iPad devices.[53] Additionally, the default wallpaper library saw minor reorganization, with the top two rows swapped and a new abstract wallpaper added to the selection.[53] The status bar on iPad was redesigned to include a date display, aligning more closely with iPhone layouts and providing quick temporal reference without navigating to the home screen.[53] These changes, unveiled at WWDC 2018 and implemented in the September 17, 2018 public release, prioritized usability refinements over major redesigns.[2]App-Specific Updates
FaceTime Group Calls and Memoji
iOS 12 introduced enhancements to FaceTime and the Messages app, including support for group video and audio calls as well as customizable Memoji avatars. These features aimed to expand real-time communication capabilities beyond one-on-one interactions, leveraging on-device processing for effects and participant management.[1][56] Group FaceTime, delayed from the initial iOS 12 release due to a security vulnerability discovered in beta software that allowed audio activation before call connection, became available in iOS 12.1 on October 30, 2018.[57][56] The feature supports up to 32 participants in a single call, with options for video or audio-only participation, and includes automatic highlighting of active speakers using on-device machine learning to prioritize displayed tiles.[56] Calls can be initiated from the FaceTime app or Messages threads, with participants joining dynamically, though compatibility requires iOS 12.1 or later on iPhone 6s and newer models, excluding group video on devices without sufficient processing power like iPhone 6.[4][58] Memoji, a personalized extension of Animoji, debuted in the initial iOS 12 release on September 17, 2018, allowing users to create animated avatars mimicking their facial features, skin tone, hairstyles, accessories, and expressions.[1] Accessible via the Messages app or during FaceTime calls, Memoji rely on the TrueDepth camera system for real-time tracking of facial movements, including winks, tongue protrusions, and eye rolls, but require iPhone X or later models.[59] Users can generate static sticker versions for messaging or full animated overlays in video calls, with integration enabling effects like filters and text alongside group interactions in subsequent updates.[1] These additions built on prior Animoji by emphasizing customization, though their utility depends on hardware capable of depth-sensing, limiting adoption on older iOS 12-compatible devices.[59]Photos Organization and Search
iOS 12 introduced a redesigned Photos app interface with four primary tabs—Library, For You, Search, and Albums—to streamline navigation and improve content organization.[60][61] The Library tab presents all photos and videos in a chronological grid, subdivided into nested views for Days, Months, and Years, enabling users to browse and manage media hierarchically by time without manual sorting.[60][4] The Search tab, newly prominent as a dedicated section, leverages on-device machine learning for enhanced querying, supporting natural language inputs and multiple keywords simultaneously, such as "dog snow" to retrieve contextually relevant results from large libraries.[62][4] It provides real-time suggestions for people, places, objects, and scenes, including precise location-based searches like photos taken at specific venues (e.g., "One Line Coffee"), drawing from metadata and visual analysis without requiring cloud processing for core functionality.[61] Organization extends to the Albums tab, where users can create custom folders to group media, alongside auto-generated smart groupings for recognized faces (via People albums) and locations, facilitating manual curation alongside automated categorization.[61] These features collectively reduce reliance on manual tagging, prioritizing temporal and semantic structuring for efficient retrieval, though advanced filtering like by filename remains limited to date or custom order within albums.[4]Safari Security and Web Features
Safari in iOS 12 introduced enhancements to Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP 2.0), which uses machine learning to identify and block cross-site trackers more effectively than prior versions by immediately partitioning third-party cookies and limiting their storage duration to seven days unless renewed through user interaction.[63] This update aimed to reduce profiling by data-collection companies, with ITP classifying trackers as "known" (blocked outright) or "potential" (monitored and restricted), thereby addressing weaknesses in earlier implementations that allowed some persistent tracking.[1] Password security features were bolstered, enabling Safari to automatically generate, autofill, and store strong, unique passwords during online account creation, while flagging reused or weak passwords across sites to prompt changes.[1][2] These measures integrated with iCloud Keychain for seamless syncing and required biometric or device passcode authentication for autofill, reducing risks from credential stuffing attacks. Web rendering and privacy saw defenses against browser fingerprinting, where sites attempt to uniquely identify devices via aggregated attributes like fonts or hardware details; iOS 12's Safari randomized certain canvas data and limited access to sensor information to thwart such techniques.[64] Starting in iOS 12.2, Safari displayed warnings for unencrypted HTTP webpages, urging upgrades to HTTPS to prevent man-in-the-middle interception of data in transit.[4] User interface updates included optional display of website favicons (small icons) in tabs and on the Favorites page, enabled via Settings > Safari > Show Icons in Tabs, improving visual site identification without compromising performance.[65] These changes, powered by WebKit engine updates, prioritized privacy by default while maintaining compatibility with modern web standards, though some sites reliant on third-party trackers experienced reduced functionality until adapted.[1]Utility Apps (Measure, Books, Voice Memos)
iOS 12 introduced the Measure app as a dedicated augmented reality tool for estimating real-world dimensions, while updating the Books and Voice Memos apps with redesigned interfaces and enhanced editing capabilities to improve everyday utility on iPhone and iPad.[66][53] These changes, announced at WWDC 2018 on June 4 and released publicly on September 17, 2018, emphasized practical integration of ARKit and iCloud without requiring third-party apps.[67][68] The Measure app utilizes the iPhone or iPad's camera and ARKit framework to function as a virtual tape measure, allowing users to detect and calculate lengths, widths, and heights by scanning objects.[66] It automatically identifies rectangular shapes for quick dimension capture and permits saving measurements alongside a photo for reference.[69] Compatible with devices supporting ARKit, such as iPhone 6s and later models, the app also incorporates a digital level feature to verify surface alignment, relocating functionality previously limited to the Compass app.[67] Accuracy depends on steady device movement and lighting conditions, with Apple recommending slow scans for optimal results.[68] Apple Books, rebranded from iBooks in iOS 12, received a visual overhaul to streamline library organization and content discovery, adopting a design consistent with Apple Music and other media apps.[70] The update introduced dedicated sections like Reading Now for active titles, Want to Read for queued books, and Complete the Series for sequel suggestions, alongside improved audiobook playback controls and bookstore navigation.[71] Library management enhancements allowed easier sorting and searching of owned e-books and PDFs, with iCloud syncing ensuring collections remained accessible across devices.[72] These changes aimed to boost reading engagement without altering core EPUB and PDF support.[73] Voice Memos underwent a redesign in iOS 12, presenting a list of prior recordings immediately upon opening and enabling compact in-app recording with waveform previews.[53] Editing tools expanded to include trimming audio segments, replacing specific sections, and applying fade-in or fade-out effects, facilitating basic composition directly on device.[74] The app debuted on iPad, supporting iCloud synchronization to share memos across iPhone, iPad, and Mac without manual transfers.[75] A settings option for clearing deleted recordings after 30 days was added for storage management, though users could disable auto-deletion.[76] These updates prioritized simplicity for notes, ideas, or meetings, recording in standard mono format on supported hardware from iPhone 5s onward.[77]Device Compatibility
iPhone Models
iOS 12 provided full compatibility with the iPhone 5s and all subsequent iPhone models released through 2018.[78] This encompassed 14 distinct models, spanning hardware from the 2013 iPhone 5s with its A7 processor and 1 GB RAM to the 2018 iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR featuring A12 Bionic chips and advanced features like Face ID.[79] Unlike some prior iOS versions, iOS 12 did not drop support for any iPhone models compatible with iOS 11, enabling broad adoption across aging devices.[4] The supported iPhone models included:- iPhone 5s
- iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
iPad and iPod Touch Models
iOS 12 introduced compatibility with a broad range of iPad models, extending support to devices as old as the first-generation iPad Air and second-generation iPad mini while dropping older models like the iPad (4th generation) and iPad mini (1st generation). Supported iPad models included all iPad Pro variants (9.7-inch, 10.5-inch, and both 12.9-inch generations available at the time), iPad Air (1st and 2nd generations), iPad (5th and 6th generations), and iPad mini (2nd through 5th generations).[78] This allowed older hardware to benefit from performance optimizations, with reports indicating up to 2x faster app launches on A8X and earlier chips compared to iOS 11.[4]| Model | Release Year | Chipset |
|---|---|---|
| iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 1st gen) | 2015 | A9X |
| iPad Pro (9.7-inch) | 2016 | A9X |
| iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 2nd gen) | 2017 | A10X |
| iPad Pro (10.5-inch) | 2017 | A10X |
| iPad Air (1st gen) | 2013 | A7 |
| iPad Air (2nd gen) | 2014 | A8X |
| iPad (5th gen) | 2017 | A9 |
| iPad (6th gen) | 2018 | A10 |
| iPad mini (2nd gen) | 2013 | A7 |
| iPad mini (3rd gen) | 2014 | A7 |
| iPad mini (4th gen) | 2015 | A8 |
| iPad mini (5th gen) | 2018 | A12 |
Release History
Initial Public Release
iOS 12 was released to the public on September 17, 2018, as a free software update compatible with iPhone 5s and later models, all iPad Air and iPad Pro variants, iPad (5th generation and later, and iPod touch (6th generation.[2] The rollout followed a developer beta program initiated after its preview at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 4, 2018, and a subsequent public beta phase starting in June, with the final golden master version distributed to developers days before the public launch.[1] [84] Users could install the update over-the-air (OTA) directly on devices or via wired connection through iTunes on Windows or Finder on macOS, with Apple emphasizing backward compatibility to support hardware as old as five years prior, prioritizing system-wide performance optimizations such as up to twice the speed in launching apps and keyboard responsiveness on older iPhones.[2] [1] The initial version, build 16A366, included core features like Screen Time for usage tracking, enhanced Siri intelligence, and ARKit 2.0, but omitted Group FaceTime, which was deferred to a later update due to development delays.[84] Early reports highlighted a smoother deployment than iOS 11, with minimal widespread installation issues attributed to Apple's focus on stability testing during betas.[13]Point Releases and Security Updates
iOS 12.1, released on October 30, 2018, introduced Group FaceTime supporting up to 32 participants, added over 70 new emoji characters, and enabled Dual SIM with eSIM for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR models.[4] This update also included performance optimizations and initial support for the seventh-generation iPod touch.[85] Follow-up releases addressed bugs and expanded capabilities: iOS 12.1.1 on December 5, 2018, fixed issues with FaceTime Live Photos and added eSIM support for iPhone XS and XR in China; iOS 12.1.2 on December 17, 2018, resolved cellular connectivity problems on certain iPad models and included stability improvements; iOS 12.1.3 on January 22, 2019, disabled the Walkie-Talkie app due to a potential audio vulnerability; and iOS 12.1.4 on February 7, 2019, patched that same audio issue. These minor updates prioritized reliability over new features. iOS 12.2, launched March 25, 2019, brought Apple News+ subscription support, four new Animoji (shark, fox, turtle, koala), AirPlay 2 video streaming to compatible smart TVs, and initial compatibility for iPad Air (3rd generation) and iPad mini (5th generation).[86] Later point releases, such as iOS 12.3 in May 2019 and iOS 12.4 in July 2019, added Apple TV app enhancements, TV provider sign-in for apps, and preliminary Apple Card integration, alongside ongoing refinements to Screen Time and notifications.| Version | Release Date | Key Changes |
|---|---|---|
| iOS 12.3 | May 14, 2019 | TV app overhaul, dictator alerts in Screen Time, and bug fixes. |
| iOS 12.4 | July 22, 2019 | Apple Card beta, security for legacy devices, and podcast app updates. |
| iOS 12.5.x series | 2020–2023 | Backported features like COVID-19 exposure notifications and security patches for unsupported hardware.[4] |