Apple's iOS 11.3: Battery health to privacy, here are the key features

The iOS 11.3 update, which Apple rolled out last week, has some significant upgrades for users. A look at the five features I liked.

Battery health: This lets one find out if one’s phone has been throttled, the default being a phone running at full speed. On my iPhone 6s, I found the battery performing at 97 per cent of its capacity; and because of possibly better RAM management, I also had a more responsive OS, besides a zippier phone. 

App Store interface: One look at the “Updates” tab and you know the size of the tab and the version. And if you spend as much time as I do on the App Store, you’ll appreciate the fact that reviews are better organised.

Better augmented reality: With ARKit 1.5, the update adds the ability to place “objects” on vertical planes. Till now, one could place objects only on the horizontal planes, like on a table or on the floor; now, one can mount stuff on walls as well. And one gets four new Animojis on the iPhone X.  

Music videos: Apple Music now supports music video playlists and I had a lot of fun watching the restored version of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” on loop. And best of all, one can watch the videos ad-free. 

Data, privacy and passwords: If you’re worried about what you’re sharing with Apple, there’s a simple icon now that tells you whenever Apple is asking for your details. Also, since I’m logged into a host of services on my phone, I often have to switch back and forth between my password manager and the web interface of an app, especially after some apps are upgraded. Not anymore; if my passwords are saved in Safari, they automatically get populated on the app.