One day after releasing iOS 11.2.5 to the masses, Apple has previewed its next big iOS update.
iOS 11.3 will be released this spring with several new features. One of the most notable is the ability to show battery health, which is a result of the recent news that Apple slows down older iPhones as their batteries degrade. iOS 11.3 will add new features to show battery health and recommend if a replacement battery is needed, and users will be able to see if their device's performance is being slowed and disable that throttling.
Also coming with iOS 11.3 are new Animoji. Apple will add a lion, bear, dragon, and skull to the Animoji roster, giving iPhone X owners even more characters to play as in Messages.
Speaking of Messages, Apple will release Business Chat for Messages in beta with iOS 11.3. Business Chat will let you talk to businesses inside of the Messages app to do things like schedule appointments and order products. The first businesses to use the feature will include Discover, Hilton. Lowe's, and Wells Fargo. Business Chat does not share your personal info with a business.
A new Health Records feature in iOS 11.3 will bring together a user's health data from multiple providers into one place. This includes participating hospitals, clinics, and the existing Health app. Health Records can also send a user notifications about lab results, medications, and more. Health Records data is encrypted and requires a passcode to access.
Other new features coming with iOS 11.3 include ARKit 1.5 for improved augmented reality experiences, music videos in Apple Music, HomeKit software authentication, a new Video group in For You and improved Top Stories for Apple News, and Advanced Mobile Location to automatically send a user's current location when calling emergency services.
iOS 11.3 is available in beta to developers today and a public preview will be available to Apple Beta Software Program testers soon. The update will be released to the public this spring.