The latest Apple iOS 12.1 for the iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch will be released today under the free software update. The update will add multiple new features to the current devices like new emojis, real-time Depth Control for portrait mode, Group FaceTime and dual SIM support. Additionally, the update might fix the ‘beauty-gate’ issue that has affected iPhone XS & iPhone XS Max’s front selfie camera.
Dual SIM iPhone
The Dual SIM support is new to the latest Apple iPhones which include the iPhone XS, iPhone XS MAX, and iPhone XR. The new iPhones have one physical sim card slot and an additional in-built eSIM which is programmable for the second number. This iOS update will bring support for the second SIM to other phones as well. The update also displays the currently active SIM and the network indicator in the Control Centre.
However, the Chinese variant of iPhones doesn’t support eSIM card. Hence, the Chinese variant has a slightly different hardware to accommodate the two physical SIM cards.
All New Emojis
The initial release of iOS 12 added the customizable memojis and four new Animoji characters. The latest iOS 12.1 will add human-like emojis including bald people, redheads and several other characters.
Group Facetime
With iOS 12, Apple completely redesigned the video and audio calling app, FaceTime. The redesign adds memoji, animoji support and effects like stickers. The latest iOS 12.1 will support group video calling between up to 32 individuals. The latest FaceTime software is built with Apple’s iMessage and it allows users to leave or join the ongoing call without reconnecting.
It is noteworthy that some devices running on the iOS 12.1 will not support group video chat due to hardware limitations. The unsupported devices include iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPad Air and phones released prior to the iPhone 7. However, they do support audio group chat.
Real-Time Depth Control Support
The Portrait mode on the new iPhones creates a dept effect by adding a background blur to the subjects in the photo. The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max already allow editing the amount of background blur from the photos app.
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