Apple’s iOS 12.2 update is out of beta and the milestone upgrade is now available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users around the world.
iOS 12.2 is much bigger than the previous version of iOS 12 (iOS 12.1.4) and comes with a long list of changes including bug fixes, patches, enhancements, and new features.
If you’re moving from iOS 12.1.4 to iOS 12.2, you get the shortest list of changes. If you’re moving from iOS 12.1.3 or an older version of iOS 12, you get a much longer list thanks to the updates you skipped.
In this guide we’ll take you through iOS 12.2’s known changes, iOS 12.2 problems, the iOS 12 downgrade status, and what we know about Apple’s next iOS 12 release.
iOS 12.2 Reviews
iOS 12.2 requires a fairly sizable chunk of space on your internal storage.
If you’re moving your device from iOS 12.1.4, your download should be right around 800MB. iOS 12.2 is a 824.3MB download for iPhone X owners.
If you’re running an older version of iOS 12, you’re likely see a much larger download size because, again, the features and fixes from any updates you skipped are baked into your version of the update.
If you’re currently running iOS 12.1.4, installing the iOS 12.2 update should take most 10 minutes or less. It took about eight minutes to install on the iPhone X.
We’ve been using the iOS 12.2 update on several iPhone models for an extended period of time and here’s what we’ve learned thus far:
Connectivity
- Battery life remains stable across our devices.
- Wi-Fi is stable and fast.
- Bluetooth is working normally.
- GPS and cellular data are also working properly.
Apps
- Third-party apps including Netflix, Dark Sky, Twitter, Slack, Asana, Gmail, Chrome, and Spotify are stable.
- First party apps like Safari, Podcasts, and Calendar are also stable.
Speed
- iOS 12.2 still feels as fast as iOS 12.1.4.
If you’re dealing with bugs or performance issues on iOS 12.1.4 or an older version of iOS, you should think about installing the iOS 12.2 update.
iOS 12.2 Problems
iOS 12.2 users are running into bugs and performance issues.
We’re hearing about iOS 12.2 download and installation issues, weird battery drain, connectivity issues, data issues, Touch ID problems, Face ID problems, issues with Exchange, problems with apps, reboots, crashes, and lag.
If you run into an issue while running iOS 12.2 you’ll want to take a peek at our list of fixes for the most common iOS 12 problems.
If you can’t stand the iOS 12.2 update’s performance on your device, you’re on your own.
Apple stopped signing on iOS 12.1.4 which means you can no longer use a loophole to downgrade to the previous version of iOS 12.
Apple’s next batch of bug fixes will probably arrive next month.
iOS 12.2 Update: What’s New
iOS 12.2 is a milestone upgrade which means it brings a nice mix of features, bug fixes, under-the-hood improvements, and security patches for potential exploits.
One key feature on board the iOS 12.2 update is Apple News for Canada. Apple News in Canada supports both English and French and readers gain access to a bilingual experience if they follow a channel in a second language.
Apple’s improved the quality of the audio messages sent in the Messages app in iOS 12.2. The company’s switched to a new Opus codec at 24000 Hz. With iOS 12.2 on board, .CAF files will sound a lot better.
The iOS 12.2 update also brings a new Motion & Orientation Access toggle that’s turned on by default. This toggle has to be switched on in order for websites to display features that rely on the motion data from the gyroscope and accelerometer.
With the release of iOS 12.2, app developers can now offer discounted subscriptions to past subscribers as a way to get those customers back. The company recently confirmed the plans on its App Store Connect site. Here’s how it works:
- Free
Customers access your subscription for free for a specific duration — for example, a 30-day trial for a subscription with a standard renewal price of $4.99 per month. - Pay As You Go
Customers pay a promotional price for each billing period for a selected duration — for example, $1.99 per month for three months for a subscription with a standard renewal price of $9.99 per month. - Pay Up Front
Customers pay a one-time promotional price for a specific duration — for example, $9.99 for the first six months of a subscription with a standard renewal price of $39.99 per year.
It also includes a fix for lingering Group FaceTime issues and additional security patches. You can read about those patches right here.
Apple’s iOS 12.2 update is out of beta and the milestone upgrade is now available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users around the world.
iOS 12.2 is much bigger than the previous version of iOS 12 (iOS 12.1.4) and comes with a long list of changes including bug fixes, patches, enhancements, and new features.
If you’re moving from iOS 12.1.4 to iOS 12.2, you get the shortest list of changes. If you’re moving from iOS 12.1.3 or an older version of iOS 12, you get a much longer list thanks to the updates you skipped.
iOS 12.2 Reviews
iOS 12.2 requires a fairly sizable chunk of space on your internal storage.
If you’re moving your device from iOS 12.1.4, your download should be right around 800MB. iOS 12.2 is a 824.3MB download for iPhone X owners.
If you’re running an older version of iOS 12, you’re likely see a much larger download size because, again, the features and fixes from any updates you skipped are baked into your version of the update.
If you’re currently running iOS 12.1.4, installing the iOS 12.2 update should take most 10 minutes or less. It took about eight minutes to install on the iPhone X.
We’ve been using the iOS 12.2 update on several iPhone models for an extended period of time and here’s what we’ve learned thus far:
Connectivity
- Battery life remains stable across our devices.
- Wi-Fi is stable and fast.
- Bluetooth is working normally.
- GPS and cellular data are also working properly.
Apps
- Third-party apps including Netflix, Dark Sky, Twitter, Slack, Asana, Gmail, Chrome, and Spotify are stable.
- First party apps like Safari, Podcasts, and Calendar are also stable.
Speed
- iOS 12.2 still feels as fast as iOS 12.1.4.
If you’re dealing with bugs or performance issues on iOS 12.1.4 or an older version of iOS, you should think about installing the iOS 12.2 update.
If you’re having a great experience on iOS 12.1.4 or an older version of iOS, make sure you dig into additional feedback before making the move to iOS 12.2.
It also includes a fix for lingering Group FaceTime issues and additional security patches. You can read about those patches right here.
Here’s the full iOS 12.2 change log:
Apple News+
- Apple News+ is a new subscription service that extends the Apple News experience with hundreds of magazines and top newspapers
- Our editors handpick top articles and magazine issues, and you also get personalized recommendations on the topics most interesting to you
- Automatic downloads make it easy to read magazine issues offline
- Apple News is now available in Canada, with a free experience that includes handpicked Top Stories, a personalized Today feed, and support for both English and French
- Apple News+ is available in the U.S. and in Canada, with dozens of additional Canadian magazines
Siri
- Ask Siri on your iPhone or iPad to play any video, show, movie, sports game, or channel on Apple TV. For example, “Hey Siri, play Free Solo on my TV”
Animoji
- Four new Animoji—owl, boar, giraffe and shark—are included for iPhone X and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) and iPad Pro 11-inch
AirPlay
- Dedicated TV controls in Control Center and on the Lock Screen give you quick access to TV controls
- 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
- AirPlay destinations are now grouped by content type making it faster for you to find what device you want to play to
Apple Pay
- Apple Pay Cash customers can now transfer money to their bank accounts instantly using their Visa debit cards
- Wallet app now conveniently displays Apple Pay credit and debit transactions right below the card
HomePod
- iOS 12.2 includes support for joining most enterprise or university campus 802.1x networks that do not require unique credentials to join.
Screen Time
- Downtime can be configured with a different schedule for each day of the week
- A new toggle enables easily turning app limits on or off temporarily
Safari
- Website sign-in now occurs automatically after filling credentials with Password AutoFill
- Warnings now appear when loading unencrypted webpages
- Removes support for the expired Do Not Track standard to prevent potential use as a fingerprinting variable; Intelligent Tracking Prevention now protects against cross-site tracking by default
- Smart Search Field queries can now be modified by tapping the arrow icon next to search suggestions
Apple Music
- The Browse tab shows more editorial highlights on a single page making it easier to discover new music, playlists, and more
AirPods
- Support for new AirPods (2nd generation)
The iOS 12.2 update also includes other improvements and bug fixes including:
- Supports Air Quality Index in Maps for US, UK, and India
- Includes information in Settings on how much time remains on your device’s warranty period
- Supports real-time text (RTT) for phone calls made through a nearby iPhone on iPad and iPod Touch
- Displays a “5G E” icon for iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) or iPad Pro 11-inch indicating that users are in an area where AT&T’s 5G Evolution network is available
- Improves quality of audio recordings in Messages
- Improves stability and performance of Apple TV Remote on iOS
- Fixes an issue that prevented some missed calls from appearing in Notification Center
- Addresses an issue where a badge notification could appear on Settings even though no action is needed
- Addresses an issue in Settings > General > iPhone Storage where the storage size of some large apps, the System category, and the Other category in the storage bar graph could be incorrect
- Fixes an issue that could cause Voice Memos to automatically play back recordings after connecting to a car Bluetooth device
- Resolves an issue that could cause Voice Memos to temporarily prevent renaming a recording
iOS 12.2 Jailbreak
Jailbreak developers still haven’t released an iOS 12 jailbreak and it’s unclear if we’ll get one in 2019.
The only way you can jailbreak a device right now is if it’s running an older version of iOS 11. Unfortunately, there’s no way to downgrade to iOS 11.
Jailbreak developers typically haven’t confirmed anything for iOS 12.2 so iPhone and iPad users should avoid the update until we have more clarity.
What’s Next
The next version of iOS 12 could be another big upgrade.
Apple’s confirmed a iOS 12.3 update and the software is in beta testing ahead of a release later this year. We expect the software to touch down sometime in May.
The iOS 12.3 update is a milestone release which means it will carry more than just bug fixes and patches. You can expect some new features as well.
If you’re struggling on iOS 12.2 or simply want to give iOS 12.3 and its changes a try before the official release, you can do so via the iOS 12.3 beta.
The iOS 12.3 beta is available for all iOS 12-powered devices.
