Every year Apple releases a new version of its mobile operating system for iPhones and iPads. For the last six years, Jonathan Mosen has published a series of books entitled iOS Without the Eye that highlights the new features and changes to the iOS operating system. With this year's release of iOS 12, Mosen once again delivers by releasing a new title to coincide with the latest operating system from Apple.
Unlike previous releases of iOS, Apple did not introduce a ton of new features with iOS12, but rather focused on stability improvements and evolutionary changes to the user experience. I took a look at iOS 12 Without the Eye to see what I could learn about this year's OS release.
Getting Up and Running with iOS 12
At the beginning of this year, I purchased an iPhone 8 Plus, a phone which I really enjoy. This means that my phone still has a physical Home button and I do not need to use Face ID to unlock the device. For me, updating to iOS 12 was a breeze. The over the air (OTA) update was flawless. In fact, it happened while I was sleeping. I woke up, had some coffee, and went through the few steps needed to finish setting up the operating system. Had I purchased a new phone such as the iPhone XS that does not have a Home button and does use Face ID, Mosen's latest book would have given me all the information I needed to get VoiceOver talking and my handsome face recognized by my phone.
If you don't want to perform a major operating system upgrade over the air, iTunes is still an option. This can be a good choice if you want feedback throughout the entire backup, setup, and restore process, since OTA updates render the phone silent for some time. Mosen gives clear, step-by-step instructions for using iTunes on a Windows PC or the Mac.
Once everything is up and talking, the book walks you through the various settings that will need your immediate attention, and those you can put off tweaking until later.
Accessibility Changes in iOS 12
Any person who is blind who is presented with a new version of iOS is going to want to know how VoiceOver, Apple's built-in screen reading software, has changed. This year the changes are minor, but still worth mentioning. Are you tired of being told that an action such as deleting a mail message has occurred? You can change that. Would you like some new Siri voices that can be used with VoiceOver? Mosen shows you how to locate and install them. Perhaps you are frustrated with the way the Misspelled Words option works with your current version of VoiceOver. Mosen goes through all the tweaks and enhancements to VoiceOver, giving clear instructions for performing tasks along the way.
Changes to Notifications in iOS 12
The Notifications area of iOS has been reworked, and Mosen devotes a chapter to the subject. I personally like the fact that notifications can be grouped together, and Mosen helped me understand this process better.
Changes to Do Not Disturb in iOS 12
I find myself using Do Not Disturb on a regular basis, and I was not aware of any changes to this part of the operating system before I began reading Mosen's book. There is now more configurability for Do Not Disturb. Your calendar can now suggest turning on this feature depending on what is on your schedule, and Bedtime mode can be found in Do Not Disturb settings as well as the Clock app.
A Few Changes to Control Center in iOS 12
There aren't a lot of changes to Control Center. One area of particular interest is the ability to scan QR codes. If you add this feature to Control Center, you might find QR codes that will let you call a phone number or add someone's contact info to your phone.
Screen Time in iOS 12
One new feature of iOS 12 is Screen Time. People are becoming increasingly concerned about how much time they are spending on their mobile devices each day. Now you can monitor your daily usage and find out what apps are taking up the majority of your time. Also, you can set limits to when and how long you use your mobile device. If you are a parent, you can control your children's use as well. Mosen devotes a chapter to this new feature of iOS 12.
Siri and Shortcuts in iOS 12
Mosen gives a concise history of Apple's development of Siri, and how it continues to evolve in light of stiff competition from Amazon and Google. You can now use Siri shortcuts to perform tasks more quickly. In conjunction with the new Shortcuts app, you can create some very complex workflow scenarios that can greatly increase productivity. Did I say workflow? That is the name of an award-winning app that Apple acquired and turned into its own Shortcuts app.
Mosen demonstrates creating a shortcut, as well as gives practical applications for creating your own.
Privacy and Security in iOS 12
Apple takes the privacy of its users very seriously, and Safari continues to become increasingly intelligent when it comes to managing passwords and cookies, just to name two examples. You can continue to use a third-party password manager with iOS 12, or take advantage of the operating system's expanded capabilities, including the ability to have Siri retrieve a password stored in Keychain and show it to you.
Voice Memos and Books in iOS 12
The Voice Memos app has been completely rewritten in iOS 12, and Mosen takes you through the app in detail. Similarly, Apple's iBook app has been reworked, and is now simply called Books. Mosen walks you through this app as well. I often use Kindle, Audible, and Bookshare for my reading, but it is nice to be able to purchase and begin reading content from Books all from within a single app.
Messages and FaceTime in iOS 12
At the time of the book's writing, it was not yet possible to FaceTime up to 32 people in a single group chat, but it may very well be possible by the time you read this article. You can also take photos from inside a message, and Mosen does a great job of describing things like animation that can be added to messages.
The Bottom Line
Mosen covers everything you might want to know about iOS 12 including changes to the Podcast and Stocks apps, battery management, and the ability to switch between cellular providers, especially beneficial if you travel the world as he does.
As always, Mosen has done his research and presents the information in an engaging style sprinkled throughout with humor.
I set out to learn more about iOS 12, and this book provided me the information I was looking for.
Product Information
iOS 12 Without the Eye is available from Mosen Consulting for $19.95 in EPUB and PDF formats. You can download one or both versions, and you can re-download the book later as long as you have your PayPal transaction number handy. I strongly advise you to hang onto the email you receive immediately after your purchase has been completed.
Mosen recently announced that he has accepted a job with Aira, so the writing of future books may be limited. He hopes to continue the iOS Without the Eye series into the future, however.
We wish Mosen the best with his new job, and congratulate him on a job well done with the latest in his series.
Here is a link to the first of two articles by AccessWorld author Janet Ingber discussing the Aira service. Here is a link to the second article.
This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.
Related articles:
- Book Review: Writing Your Way: Composing and Editing on an iPhone or iPad, by Judy Dixon, by Deborah Kendrick
- A Review of "Stress Less, Browse Happy: Your Guide to More Easily and Effectively Navigating the Internet with a Screen Reader," an audio tutorial from Mystic Access, by Jamie Pauls
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