BETTER AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCES
Apple has been working with Pixar on a new file format specifically designed for augmented reality applications. It’s called USDZ, and Federighi likened it to “something like AR Quick Look.” A number of companies including Adobe, Autodesk, and Sketchfab have already announced that they’ll be integrating and building apps around USDZ.

MEASURE APP
iOS 12’s more powerful augmented reality is being put to use right away in a new Apple app called Measure. As the name suggests, the software allows you to accurately measure objects or walls around you. You put the object in the camera frame, tap and drag out a line, and it measures it. Several third-party apps already offer this functionality using ARKit, but now Apple is creating its own and taking advantage of the new, more precise AR capabilities in the upcoming version of iOS. Safe to say it’ll have a leg up on the competition.

ARKIT 2
Apple is trying to own the conversation around augmented reality and establish iOS as the platform that’s leading breakthroughs for the unique, mixed world experiences that AR makes possible. The company is updating its ARKit framework and giving developers the ability to create shared experiences; two users on different iPhones can see the same thing when running the same app.

PHOTOS
The Photos app in iOS 12 will automatically offer up search suggestions. And a new “For You” tab will suggest filters and effects you might want to apply to images you’ve taken. Photos will also now make sharing suggestions. Friends who receive photos are prompted to share back their own pics and video from the same event. A lot of these new features are a clear attempt by Apple to catch up to Google Photos.

SIRI OPENS TO MORE APPS
Apple claims Siri is the most popular digital assistant in the world, and to help bolster that lead, it’s allowing developers more integration with iOS 12. Third-party apps can build shortcuts to allow Siri to carry out popular quick actions. Apple demonstrated a simple “Hey Siri, I lost my keys” as an example of a shortcut built for the Tile tracking device.

SHORTCUTS APP
In what might be a dream for power users, Apple is introducing a new Shortcuts app that lets users string together multiple actions that can be triggered by a single, custom Siri request. This, again, is something similar to what Google and Amazon are already doing with their respective digital assistants. But a dedicated Shortcuts application will help get users trying out this new functionality as soon as iOS 12 ships.

CARPLAY IS GETTING GOOGLE MAPS AND WAZE
Apple announced that its in-car platform CarPlay will add support for two of the most popular turn-by-turn navigation apps — Google Maps and Waze — after the launch of iOS 12.

APPLE NEWS
The Apple News app is getting minor improvements such as a new Browse tab.

A COMPLETELY REBUILT STOCKS APP
For the first time in years, Apple is putting real work into the iPhone’s built-in Stocks app. It’s coming to iPad, will support after-hours stock prices, and will now include content from Apple News that might be relevant to your current investments or influencing the market.

VOICE MEMOS IS COMING TO THE IPAD AND ADDING ICLOUD SYNCING
Apple announced that the Voice Memos app has similarly been redesigned and will come to the iPad with the release of iOS 12. And helpfully, your recordings will now be available across devices thanks to iCloud syncing.

IBOOKS BECOMES APPLE BOOKS
Apple is rebranding its ebook app from iBooks to Apple Books. Along with the name change comes a refreshed design that focuses on discoverability. A new Book Store tab “makes it easy to explore new titles and browse the top charts, curated collections, and special offers,” according to Apple.

 /  Source: theverge