Apple is preparing for the iOS 12 release date for your iPhone and iPad later this year, but the exciting new features it had planned might be saved for 2019.
It's all in the name of reliability and performance fixes, according to a report by Axios, citing a quality control directive by Apple software lead Craig Federighi.
A renewed focus on security and performance troubleshooting makes a lot of sense. One look at our long iOS 11 problems page should give you an idea of the breadth of issues.
This means that Apple is likely to push many of the front-facing iOS 12 features and app redesigns to iOS 13 – more than a year-and-a-half away.
Here's your preview of... iOS 13?
It's too early to talk about this year's iOS 12 update, nevermind iOS 13 plans, but today's report forces us to look at the features we're missing out on.
Your iPhone and iPad could get a redesigned home screen and core apps with a new look, including Mail, Camera and Photos, suggests the report.
There's good reason to be disappointed with a delayed redesign of these apps. Right now, Mail lacks advanced productivity features and even some simple needs like the ability to hyperlink text (forcing you to spell out URLs in full).
The current iOS 11 Camera app pales in comparison to the options delivered by the Samsung Note 8 and LG V30, and you still can't change resolutions from the app, without diving into the main Settings menu.
iOS 12 release date and features
You won't be without change when iOS 12 debuts, even though Apple's new take on its mobile home screen and apps appear to have been delayed.
Augmented Reality (AR) features, the Health app and parental controls have all been tipped to give Apple something fun to talk besides stability and security.
So when is that all-important iOS 12 release date? The good news is that you can expect a WWDC 2018 announcement in June followed shortly by an iOS 12 beta.
The actual release date for everyone else who, essentially, isn't helping beta test iOS 12 doesn't seem to have deviated from the September launch window.
- Also iterative: iPhone XI release date and rumors
