Apple Announces iOS 11.3 Coming This Spring

[Maura]

Apple has today announced the arrival of iOS 11.3 this spring with a new Animoji featuring a cheery lion!

Some of the main new features included in the forthcoming update are “new ways to experience augmented reality,” new Animoji for iPhone X, and being able to view your health records in the Health app.

Kicking off with the new AR experiences, Apple says that ARKit 1.5 will give developers the chance to create “even more immersive AR experiences that better integrate with the world.”

An advertisers’ dream, it will enable developers to turn posters, signs, and artwork into interactive AR experiences.

Instead of just working on horizontal surfaces, ARKit will now be able to place virtual objects on vertical surfaces such as walls and doors, and will be more accurate at mapping irregularly shaped surfaces.

The 16 new Animoji available to iPhone X users include a dragon, bear, skull, and the aforementioned lion.

Business Chat is another new feature included in the update, whereby users will be able to communicate directly with business from within Messages, with the likes of Discover, Hilton, Lowe’s and Wells Fargo already supporting the new feature.

New battery features will show your battery health and inform you when your battery needs servicing.

And finally, a new Health Records feature will bring together hospitals, clinics and the current Health app to make it easier for you to see your available medical data from multiple providers. It will be encrypted and protected by a password.

Sources: iOS 11.3 Coming This Spring With New Animoji, Vertical ARKit, Health Records, Battery Info, and More

Apple previews iOS 11.3