iOS 12 Release Date, Features: Software Update Highlights Include AR-Powered Measure App, Comprehensive Battery Usage Overview

iOS 12 is just a few months away from going live. And as its release date draws near, more and more features are being confirmed. Some of the most promising additions include the Measure app powered by augmented reality and a standalone Battery app that provides a comprehensive look on the device’s battery usage.

As the Measure app’s name suggests, it is going to make an iOS 12-powered device serve as a digital measuring tool. But what makes it so advanced is that it can calculate actual dimensions of real-life objects, thanks to AR technology.

However, in a recent presentation of iOS 12 features (via Business Insider), Apple admitted that it is still too early to declare how accurate the Measure app is going to be. The company even advised iOS 12 users not to “toss your tape measure just yet.”

Apple faced massive flak for reportedly throttling iOS speeds to compensate for aging batteries. The company then promised to issue a dedicated app or menu option where users can observe their battery’s performance. So in iOS 12, users can expect the Settings app to include a standalone Battery menu.

iOS 12’s Battery menu will show app usage — both frequently used and idly running in the background — by the hour. The Battery menu will keep track of usage for the past 24 hours up to several days. It will also show users the average times their screens are turned on and off.

Meanwhile, Notifications are also getting a revamp in iOS 12, just as expected. Apple will be introducing Group Notifications, where alerts will be categorized based on their apps. For example, all alerts for unread texts are grouped together in a single Messages notification tab. This way, users can open or swipe to ignore them all at once.

iPhone X “and possibly some unannounced phones coming this September” are also exclusively getting the new Memoji app once iOS 12 goes live. It is practically an upgrade to the Animoji function, allowing users to design their own images that they can turn into animation through AR tech.

As usual, there is no exact release date given for iOS 12. But, in the past years, software updates typically go live on the same day that new iPhones are released in stores.