Apple Announced 4 New Features at its Brooklyn Event today with iOS 12.1 available for download today for iPhones and iPads

The iOS 12.1 update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air via the Settings app. Access the free update by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Having your iPhone or iPad plugged into a power source is recommended.

Group FaceTime

With iOS 12.1, Apple offers Group FaceTime for up to 32 people simultaneously. You can easily add another person, use camera effects, join an existing FaceTime call and use Animoji and Memoji features. FaceTime now actually sizes a person’s image in relationship to how active the person is during the call, bringing prominent speakers to the forefront. You can also bring a person to the forefront with just a tap. Joining calls is not disruptive, and announced just by a simple ringless notification.

Group FaceTime integrates into the Messages apps so that you can start a chat right from iMessages. All FaceTime conversations remain private, whether one-to-one or with multiple individuals.

Apple embraced emojis early on, creating beautiful and simple images that have become widespread in use, replacing words and expressing emotions and moods in fun, creative ways. Back in November 2017, we featured Shigetaka Kurita in our Facebook series “100 Things We Love About Design” and “People You May or May Not Know.”

Back in 1995, while working at Docomo, a pager company in Japan, Kurita came up with the concept of 'emojis' that became instantly popular. Kurita also worked on 'i-mode' - the world's first mobile Internet platform that was quickly adopted in Japan and gave the country a 10-year headstart in technology over the rest of the world no less! 

An economics major himself, Kurita was not a designer but nonetheless put together a complete set of 176 12 pixel by 12 pixel characters to cover the entire range of human emotion!

As you can see, some of the emojis Kurita designed back in 1995 are still in use today!

Depth Control in Camera Preview

iOS 12.1 brings Depth Control in Camera Preview to iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. In earlier versions of iOS 12, Depth Control was only available for post-capture editing. Now you can use Depth Control to adjust the depth of field of your Portrait Mode photos before you capture them. To use this new feature when you create an image composition, tap on the ‘F’ icon at the top of the screen. Drag the slider to adjust the amount of background blur in the image. 

Dual SIM Support

iOS 12.1 also brings Dual SIM Support Comes to iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. This is an exciting feature for anyone who travels. You can now activate a cellular plan from a carrier without using a physical SIM card. This new feature is available through the existing physical SIM slot and the eSIM. This is available in all countries, except in China where new iPhones have two SIM card slots.