Apple's iPhone X nears perfection with iOS 12

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited September 2019
When the iPhone X launched, it was such a drastic redesign it was great, but still similar to a first-generation product with a host of little frustrations that needed to be worked out over time. With iOS 12, Apple has done just that, finally making the iPhone X what it was meant to be.






Face ID made its debut with the iPhone X. It seemed the inevitable successor to Touch ID but there was still a ways to go. Now with iOS 12, many concerns have been alleviated. There is a considerable speed improvement while unlocking the iPhone X with Face ID, and if it fails, a swipe up now will re-scan your face. It's much more convenient in both regards.




Family members can also now register multiple faces to unlock a single device. Touch ID could handle several different fingerprints, but Face ID was limited to just a single one. This is opened up with iOS 12 where an "alternate ID" can be configured.

The app switcher also was a point of contention. It required users to swipe up from the bottom to access, then hold on an app card until an X appeared in the top left corner before they could be closed. Speed, a common thread here in iOS 12, has increased when accessing the app switcher in the update, and apps can be force quit just with a simple swipe up, no longer requiring the hold.

Another issue was inadvertently taking screenshots when waking the device from sleep. This wasn't just with the iPhone X, but all of Apple's handsets with the volume buttons directly opposing the side button.

Starting with iOS 12, accidental Screenshots can be more easily avoided. If the volume and side buttons are hit simultaneously while the iPhone's screen is off, no screenshot will be taken. If the phone is on, a screenshot will be taken. This should hopefully keep the camera roll free of pics of your lock screen.




Lastly, Animojis are getting quite the feature boost. They are now capable of detecting blinks and stuck out tongues. Recording time is also boosted to 30 seconds -- up from 15 -- which should make creating your own Animoji karaoke easier. There are four new characters -- ghost, tiger, T-Rex, and koala -- as well as the fully customizable known as Memoji.

Check out all of our other iOS 12 related coverage


Everything new with Photos in iOS 12
Everything new with the Siri in iOS 12
Everything new with the Camera in iOS 12
Everything new with Notifications in iOS 12
Everything new with Messages in iOS 12
How to share photos in Messages in iOS 12
Use Siri Suggestions with Do Not Disturb mode in iOS 12
Create your own Siri Shortcuts in iOS 12
How to use Continuity Camera with macOS Mojave and iOS 12
All the new HomeKit features in iOS 12
All the iPad-specific features in iOS 12
How to use iOS 12's new AR Measure app
How to use Screen Time in iOS 12
Create your own MeMoji in iOS 12

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,280member

    The app switcher also was a point of contention. It required users to swipe up from the bottom to access, then hold on an app card until an X appeared in the top left corner before they could be closed. Speed, a common thread here in iOS 12, has increased when accessing the app switcher in the update, and apps can be force quit just with a simple swipe up, no longer requiring the hold.

    Starting with iOS 12, accidental Screenshots can be more easily avoided. If the volume and side buttons are hit simultaneously while the iPhone's screen is off, no screenshot will be taken. If the phone is on, a screenshot will be taken. This should hopefully keep the camera roll free of pics of your lock screen.

    Hooray for both of the above!


    manfred zornwatto_cobraredgeminipa[Deleted User]
  • Reply 2 of 10
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,404member
    AppleInsider said:
    There is a considerable speed improvement while unlocking the iPhone X with Face ID, and if it fails, a swipe up now will re-scan your face. It's much more convenient in both regards.
    For me, these are huge. Speed of FaceID is particularly a problem in unlocking apps that use it: I hope there's a significant speed improvement there.

    Speed of iPhone unlocking has been less of an issue for me, although the lack of rescan when swiping-up has been an irritant: glad to see that will be now fixed.
    manfred zornwatto_cobraredgeminipa[Deleted User]
  • Reply 3 of 10
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,328member
    anantksundaram said:
    AppleInsider said:
    There is a considerable speed improvement while unlocking the iPhone X with Face ID, and if it fails, a swipe up now will re-scan your face. It's much more convenient in both regards.
    For me, these are huge. Speed of FaceID is particularly a problem in unlocking apps that use it: I hope there's a significant speed improvement there.

    Speed of iPhone unlocking has been less of an issue for me, although the lack of rescan when swiping-up has been an irritant: glad to see that will be now fixed.
    I'm curious whether Apple has a second generation FaceID components for the new models.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 10
    panopticianpanoptician Posts: 65member
    I hope it fixes the bug where a single click of the side button brings up Apple Pay. It's been there since launch and it's super annoying when it happens.
  • Reply 5 of 10
    techprod1gytechprod1gy Posts: 838member
    iPhone X was super solid day 1. In true Apple form they are continuing to improve many areas to make it even better. This is one of the many reasons why I am a loyal Apple user.
    watto_cobraredgeminipa
  • Reply 6 of 10
    gutengelgutengel Posts: 363member
    iOS11 is SO buggy! I really cant recall any other OS version that is as bad as this one, specially on iMessage and Music. The only feature I would love to see on iOS12 is being able to access control center from the bottom of the scree rather than the top right corner (it's clumsy and unintuitive).
    anantksundaram
  • Reply 7 of 10
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,875member
    gutengel said:
    iOS11 is SO buggy! I really cant recall any other OS version that is as bad as this one, specially on iMessage and Music. The only feature I would love to see on iOS12 is being able to access control center from the bottom of the scree rather than the top right corner (it's clumsy and unintuitive).
    I'm struggling to even think of any bugs I encounter in iOS 11. 
    JFC_PAwatto_cobradoozydozenredgeminipa2old4fun
  • Reply 8 of 10
    LukeCageLukeCage Posts: 166member
    StrangeDays said:
    gutengel said:
    iOS11 is SO buggy! I really cant recall any other OS version that is as bad as this one, specially on iMessage and Music. The only feature I would love to see on iOS12 is being able to access control center from the bottom of the scree rather than the top right corner (it's clumsy and unintuitive).
    I'm struggling to even think of any bugs I encounter in iOS 11. 
    Same here iOS 11 is amazingly stable I’ve run into very few minor annoyances even. It would be interesting to see what iPhones people are experiencing the most bugs on iOS 11. 
    JFC_PAwatto_cobradoozydozenredgeminipa2old4fun
  • Reply 9 of 10
    JFC_PAJFC_PA Posts: 932member
    panoptician said:
    I hope it fixes the bug where a single click of the side button brings up Apple Pay. It's been there since launch and it's super annoying when it happens.
    So turn it off in settings. 
    watto_cobraredgeminipa
  • Reply 10 of 10
    redgeminiparedgeminipa Posts: 555member
    If FaceID fails the first time, I tilt it back (like laying it on a flat surface), then raise it again. It usually always works with that trick. No need to swipe up or enter the passcode. The only time I usually have issues is if it's very sunny. Part of that issue could be the screen protector.
    2old4fun
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