It’s going to be a big week for Apple. Two little devices called the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will be hitting shelves later this week, but right now, everyone else can get a virtually brand-new iPhone for free.
It’s going to be a big week for Apple. Two little devices called the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will be hitting shelves later this week, but right now, everyone else can get a virtually brand-new iPhone for free. That’s because iOS 12, an update that promises to bring significant performance improvements to older iPhones, is available to download right this second.
Apple has taken a rare break from rolling out new features to focus on performance in iOS 12. The bulk of the changes are things you won’t really notice, like faster app opening and more stable performance. There are still a handful of new features, however, like an overhauled Photos app, the awesome new Measure feature, and a Screen Time digital nanny to help you control your electronics obsession.
Installing iOS 12 on your compatible device really couldn’t be easier. The first step is obviously to back up your device using either iTunes or iCloud. Once that’s done, you’ve got two options for the installation. The more tedious method is to connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer and install the update using iTunes. You’ll download the iOS 12 file more quickly this way, but it’s still annoying. The easier method is to simply go to Settings > General > Software Update on your iOS device and then follow the instructions to download and install iOS 12 over the air (OTA).
The best news about iOS 12 is that it’s available for every single device that can run iOS 11, which means iPhones all the way back to the iPhone 5S. Not sure if that includes you? The full list is below:
The full patch notes are below:
