13 new features for your iPad if you get iOS12.2 update

Apple announced latest iPad iOS 12.2 update in April 2019 and many of you might have already got it on your iPad. This latest version of iOS operating system comes with various new features. Before you come to know of these outstanding new features for those who haven’t yet got this new software version installed may simply go to settings on your iPad and tap on general and software update to have this latest update downloaded on your device.

Remember if you have set your update settings to Automatic then iPad will remind you of the latest update by popping up the message on your tab screen. Generally Apple iPad takes the iPad at night because of the smooth WIFI or internet connection but you can download it any time of the day if you want. My update took hardly few seconds with good WIFI speed.

Coming back to the new features here are the 13 new ones for your iPad & iPhone iOS 12.2 version.

1. Apple News+ Subscriptions

Apple News plus feature is that you pay Apple to consolidate your many magazine subscriptions into a single digital package. When the service does launch Down Under, it should come with a one-month trial so you can try before you buy. You’ll be able to share your subscription with up to six family members via Apple’s Family Sharing feature.

2. Get funny Animoji

Animoji already supports iPad and if you like turning your head into animals and sending quirky little virtual videos to your friends, then with latest update you now get a giraffe, a shark, a warthog, and an owl. To get Animoji  Open Messages and tap  to start a new message. Or go to an existing conversation. Then Tap Animoji icon.  Choose an Animoji. Tap   to see your Animoji in full screen. Look into your iPhone or iPad and place your face inside the frame. To preview your Animoji, tap the icon  in the top-left corner. To choose a different Animoji using the same recording, tap another Animoji. To delete the Animoji, tap delete.

3. Control Siri and Apple TV

Update your Apple TV to tvOS 12.2, and your iOS device(s) to iOS 12.2, and you’ll be able to control what’s on your Apple TV with a lot more granularity. Apple says that tvOS 12.2, when paired with iOS 12.2, is designed to allow users to ask Siri to play specific media on an Apple TV from an iOS device. You can, for example, ask Siri to play Modern Family on the TV in the living room, or Pitch Perfect on the TV in the bedroom. This feature is available for music, TV shows, and movies.

4. Higher-quality audio Messages

Apple has boosted the quality of the audio messages you leave in Messages by adopting a different codec (Opus) at 24000 Hz instead of the previous AMR Narrowband codec at 8000 Hz. In iOS devices running iOS 12.2 or macOS 10.14.4, .CAF files sound much crisper, clearer, and louder, marking a significant improvement over the previous audio quality. 

Right now, to hear the improved audio quality, audio messages need to be sent from a device running iOS 12.2 to a device running iOS 12.2. An audio message sent to a device running iOS 12.1.4 uses the original .AMR file format and not the improved .CAF file format. All iOS users can expect to see significant improvements in audio message quality in the Messages app upon updating to iOS 12.2

5. Screen “Downtime” Mode

You can now customise which days and times you want to schedule “Downtime” via iOS’ Screen Time feature. As a reminder, if your phone or iPad is in “Downtime” mode, you’ll only be able to use certain apps and your device’s Phone app.

Prior to iOS 12.2, you couldn’t adjust your Downtime schedule depending on which day of the week it was. iOS 12.2 brings more granular control allowing you to customize Screen Time’s Downtime for each day separately, which is super useful. You can customize your daily Downtime schedule in Settings → Screen Time → Downtime. From there, iOS 12.2 makes it easy to choose to have the same schedule (tap Every Day) or customize the feature on a day-to-day basis (tap Customize Days).

6. Group Facetime

Remember that Group Facetime bug but now the feature is back for all to use. Enjoy your Brady Bunch-like conversations. To start a group call from the FaceTime app, open the app, tap the + button in the top right corner, and add the contacts you want to call by tapping the ⊕ icon and adding their names to the list. When you’re done, tap the Audio or Video buttons to make the call. You can also start a Group FaceTime call from inside the Messages app. You’ll need to be in a group conversation, or create a new group conversation, to use this option.

Then just tap the contact icons at the top of the screen. In the options that appear, tap FaceTime. The group call should start. If your iPhone or iPad is locked, or you’re using another app, you can join the call from the notification you receive. Just tap the notification, then tap the FaceTime icon to join the call.

Inside the Messages app, you’ll see a new kind of message bubble, inviting you to the FaceTime conversation. Just tap Join to get in on the Group FaceTime action.

7. Promotions for subscription apps

Apple is now allowing app developers to offer promotional pricing for subscriptions, so you’ll want to be a bit more judicious about when you sign up for that which you want to pay a recurring fee to access. As Apple’s iOS 12.2 release notes describe:

“…apps with auto-renewable subscriptions can provide a discounted price for a specific duration for existing and previously subscribed customers. You can use subscription offers to help win back subscribers who have canceled their subscriptions or promote an upgrade to another subscription at a special price. Customers can accept the offer even if they’ve already completed an introductory offer.”

8. Air Quality in Apple Maps

If you live in a location that’s prone to problems with air quality, you’ll now be able to view the air quality index right within Apple Maps. Though you can’t superimpose some colourful filter over your map to see what the air is like for specific locations, but you’ll get a little indicator in the lower-right corner for whatever location you’re viewing (when zoomed in enough).

The scale goes from 0 to 500, with zero being the cleanest air and 500 being the most hazardous to your health. Also the color of the AQI label on the map corresponds with the value, green being the safest and maroon being the most dangerous.

You can also toggle this, or the weather conditions, on and off via the Settings app.

9. Get Support for Apple products

If you have a fancier AirPlay 2-friendly television you’ll now be able to add it to HomeKit. Similarly, iOS 12.2 offers full support for Apple’s newest AirPods, as well as the Logitech Crayon (for your iPad Pro).

10. Airplay Mutlitask

You’ll now be able to do other things while you’re using AirPlay to cast content from an iOS device to, say, your Apple TV. As Apple’s description notes, “AirPlay multitasking for video allows you to browse other apps, as well as play other short form audio and video files locally on your device without interrupting AirPlay.”

11. Map your latest Apple Pay transaction

Apple updated the Wallet UI a bit to make your latest Apple Pay transaction a lot more nice to look at. You’ll see the business, the location, and the amount you spent, and tapping on the listing will take you right to a more detailed information screen—including a map that shows you the retailer’s location.

12. Marking podcasts as played

As you know Apple previously removed the ability to mark a podcast as “played” within its Podcasts app—after pressing-and-holding or deep-pressing a podcast episode. Well, that feature is back in iOS 12.2. More options are available by pressing the ••• icon on a details page for an episode, or in the Now Playing card interface. Mark as Played is a new button available at the bottom of this pop-up list.

You can also use 3D Touch to press firmly on a podcast episode featured in the Listen Now tab, to pop open this same menu.

13. Autofill Safari searches

While searching on Safari browser now on iOS 12.2, Apple has tweaked the autofill aspect of the address bar slightly. Start typing something. When you see the recommended search phrases appear on your screen, you can tap on the phrase itself to immediately go to the search results for that phrase. You can also tap on a new blue arrow icon to just place that text in the address bar, in case you want to modify your search query even more.

Now try these updates and tune in for more latest features on your iPad.