Everything New in iOS 12.2: HomeKit TV Support, Redesigned Remote, Safari Updates and More

[charlieasmith96]

Nice, but I can't believe they reworked the Apple TV remote layout, but still didn't put in volume controls. If I want to change the volume on my TV, I can use the physical remote, but not the one on my phone? Not cool.

I'm pretty sure this is because the physical Apple TV Siri Remote has an infrared emitter to directly talk to the TV to change the volume, whereas your iPhone does not have such an emitter, therefore it cannot change the volume. All the other functions of the physical remote use Bluetooth to interact with the TV, and thus the phone can replicate those functions.

Try covering the infrared emitter on the physical remote and see if it changes the volume. It won’t be able to.

I could be wrong though.

 

[davek000]

I’m hoping/wondering that they have allowed iMessage to work with both numbers when using dual sim. My XS Max is used for personal and work and I want to use iMessage for both numbers!

 

[xpxp2002]

Only one thing in iOS matters. Change the stupid camera button on the lock screen to my Apple TV remote!!!! I can slide over to get to the camera from the lock screen, why do I need the freaking button as well. The most un-useful thing about iOS is that stupid camera button. LOL

I accidentally swipe into the camera when trying to dismiss notifications all the time. I’d rather they keep the button and get rid of the swipe left for camera.

 

[rols]

Nice, but I can't believe they reworked the Apple TV remote layout, but still didn't put in volume controls. If I want to change the volume on my TV, I can use the physical remote, but not the one on my phone? Not cool.

The physical remote has an IR emitter in it so it can control standard TV/audio devices by sending out an IR code, like the majority of remote controls do. The phone has no such IR capability. So there is no way for Apple to add the capability you want to the phone, it doesn't have the hardware. If it was possible, obviously they'd have done it ages ago.
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Your phone doesn’t have an IR blaster like the physical remote. Still, it would have been cool for the Apple TV base to shoot out the signal.

Except the Apple TV base doesn't have an IR emitter either. In many cases it wouldn't help if it did as I think it's likely many people stuff it in a cupboard or behind the TV or somewhere else which isn't line-of-sight to the TV IR receiver.

 

[zakarhino]

Waiting for the devs to explore the build's code. I have a feeling they might uncover some iOS 13 hints...

 

[mistafro]

Nice, but I can't believe they reworked the Apple TV remote layout, but still didn't put in volume controls. If I want to change the volume on my TV, I can use the physical remote, but not the one on my phone? Not cool.

This works for me on some of my tv/sound at setups using the iPhone volume controls when in the remote app. Some sound are don’t work though, guessing my older ones don’t support a high enough HDMI version.

 

[Xenomorph]

Redesigned TV Remote - The TV Remote feature in Control Center has been redesigned with a more streamlined look that takes advantage of the entire display and does away with the large Home button.

Am I blind? On the new interface the Home button is now the LARGEST button (since they are all the same size).

With the old interface, Menu/Back was the largest button, with the Home button way smaller, underneath it.

 

[Liam555]

The physical remote has an IR emitter in it so it can control standard TV/audio devices by sending out an IR code, like the majority of remote controls do. The phone has no such IR capability. So there is no way for Apple to add the capability you want to the phone, it doesn't have the hardware. If it was possible, obviously they'd have done it ages ago.
[doublepost=1548366682][/doublepost]
Except the Apple TV base doesn't have an IR emitter either. In many cases it wouldn't help if it did as I think it's likely many people stuff it in a cupboard or behind the TV or somewhere else which isn't line-of-sight to the TV IR receiver.

Not entirely true. There are many apps on the app store which can control your tv's volume. I've downloaded one which works on my Panasonic tv from 2010. Doesn't need an IR emitter as it controles the volume over wifi.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Incoming calls still paralyze your entire iPhone experience. Should be a pop-up or banner notification that can be dismissed, and even let the call continue to ring in the background until it times out, instead of forcing it directly to voicemail.

This is really needed. I've done my part submitting it to Apple Feedback, but so far no dice.

 

[B-Mc-C]

The Siri remote does not use IR to control the TV volume on modern TVs. It uses Bluetooth to the Apple TV and HDMI-CEC to pass the volume commands to the TV. Try covering up your IR port on the remote, TV volume still changes. My TVs are pretty old (2015 Samsung) and even they have this support. The IR port on the remote is only used if you program it, such as to work with an A/V receiver. So yes, volume controls could and should be placed into the iOS app, or at least have an option to show them.

I am more worried about the rewind and fast forward buttons being removed, but perhaps they’ve been replaced with gestures.

 

[Tech198]

Control Center's getting crowded... why not take advantage of all that screen relate huh?

 

[konqerror]

Try covering the infrared emitter on the physical remote and see if it changes the volume. It won’t be able to.

I could be wrong though.

It depends on your setup. If your TV/soundbar/receiver can be controlled via HDMI CEC, then the IR is not used and the commands are sent via Bluetooth to the Apple TV. Only if your setup doesn't do HDMI CEC does it use the IR transmitter.

On Face ID devices, Apple recommends double clicking the side button, choosing the desired card, and then authenticating via Face ID before holding the iPhone near the reader.

Excuse my ignorance but how else do you use ApplePay? That’s my normal workflow lol

You rest your thumb on Touch ID or look at the phone while putting it on the reader. It then automatically pulls up Apple Pay and transmits the info in one go.

 

[Joniz]

Wish they would add one-button touch to connect AirPods.

You know, make them kind of more special.

 

[gonewestcoast]

Wait...

Apple says that iOS 12.2 users may be unable to purchase prepaid data plans using cellular data, and that a Wi-Fi connection should be used instead.​

I... thought that was how it worked? The last two international trips wouldn't let me buy a prepaid plan without having the device on WiFi for the purchase. Please tell me I'm wrong...

 

[Polaroid]

Wish they would add one-button touch to connect AirPods.

You know, make them kind of more special.

What do you mean? On first set up you just open case and press connect... I have NEVER had to do anything to connect them to phone except put them in my ears and they auto work... Why do you need to change that? It's simple enough.

 

[iMerik]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the blue Safari search arrows were in the original iOS and for several versions. I seem to remember that this existed until Apple switched default search to Bing, and then even after switching back to Google, they never brought back the blue arrows until now. I always missed them, so I welcome their return. However, I wish they worked with DuckDuckGo too.

 

[trip1ex]

hard to sleep at night without that screen mirroring icon change.

 

[Neepman]

All these little tweaks all over the place, and yet, the iPhone’s original “killer app,” the Phone app, has yet to get features and fixes it needs:

• The swiping and selection in the scroll list is still limited to one entry at a time, where every other app that can swipe to erase or perform an action on multiple entries.
• CallKit API needs to have RegEx support instead of a discombobulated JSON table of every phone number combination.
• Blocked Callers list is still rudimentary at best, can’t export or import
• Whitelisting / Allowed Callers list is a much-more-needed feature to just allow your contacts to reach you
• Incoming calls still paralyze your entire iPhone experience. Should be a pop-up or banner notification that can be dismissed, and even let the call continue to ring in the background until it times out, instead of forcing it directly to voicemail.
• Google Pixel 3’s new call screening feature is so desperately needed on the iPhone. Your phone number should be able to be made as private as a social media account.

THIS!!!!! Times billion. The simple obvious stuff seldom gets addressed. Where is a way to limit or predict random screen taps to stop butt dialing for example.

 

[jeterstheman]

Lots of good little changes. My favorite is the new Control Center Remote, which looks like it now requires the home button/indicator to dismiss. I use that a lot while watching TV because I can never find my Apple TV remote, and often I would accidentally close it by tapping on the outside. If only it could be used to change the volume on my sound bar as well, but I think that requires an IR blaster.

Hey macduke - When using the remote app in control center, try using the phone volume buttons to change volume on your soundbar. If your soundbar supports HDMI ARC, and the feature is turned on, then it should work. It works on my system to control my receiver volume.

 

[wbeasley]

"unsecure"? huh???

insecure. unsecurred.

 

[T-Will]

Not a fan of the Remote redesign - hopefully they don't do away with the skip forward/back buttons as I use them a lot.

The skip forward/back buttons are content aware (at least in the 12.1 version of the remote widget), so hopefully it's the same in 12.2, hoping the screenshot was taken when content wasn't playing.

 

[Kaibelf]

nothing worth it, just let us remove the dam homebar

Worth what? The $0 you pay for the update?

 

[tw1ll]

A redesigned icon. Really? Whoever covers this dross or gets excited by it needs to get out more or maybe leave home and live in the grown up world.

 

[Joniz]

What do you mean? On first set up you just open case and press connect... I have NEVER had to do anything to connect them to phone except put them in my ears and they auto work... Why do you need to change that? It's simple enough.

Which works for that first time only. And you connect them to nothing else.

But when I switch them to the Apple TV (which has nice quick connect through the long press of the Play button) and then want to switch them back, I have to go to Control Panel, hit the little target on Airplay (which more often then not takes me back out of Control Panel), and then select AirPods from the list when they show up.

Why couldn’t they just leave the Connect button on the otherwise annoying battery pop up? Or better yet, someone else's suggestion, have a button on the Control Panel which is simply Connect AirPods.

You know, the whole Apple experience.

 

[Ortiz83]

Only one thing in iOS matters. Change the stupid camera button on the lock screen to my Apple TV remote!!!! I can slide over to get to the camera from the lock screen, why do I need the freaking button as well. The most un-useful thing about iOS is that stupid camera button. LOL

Hmmm, you have a point.