iOS 12.3: 5 Things to Expect and 4 Unexpected

Apple’s upcoming iOS 12.3 update is a landmark upgrade that means it’s much more exciting than your standard iOS version. We get a lot of questions about software and today we want to help you set the right expectations as we head into April.

Apple first approved the iOS 12.3 update in late March, when it left the upgrade to beta programs for testing.

iOS 12.3 beta is still in progress, and developers and the general public continue to poke and buzz the software for bugs and performance issues ahead of its much-anticipated release.

It looks like iOS 12.3 will be smaller than the iOS 12.2 update. The changelog is not official yet, but thanks to the beta, we know a little about iOS 12.3’s features, issues, fixes, and performance.

With the release on the horizon, we want to bring you everything you can expect from Apple and iOS 12.3.

Don’t Wait for an iOS 12.2.1 Update

iOS 12.2 fixed some annoying bugs, but it also brought some issues of its own. The list of iOS 12.2 issues continues to grow as we move further away from the release date.

We talked to many users who are struggling with call dropouts, poor battery life, UI lag, and various other issues, and most of them are hoping for a quick iOS 12.2.

Everything is possible, but we do not expect a surprise iOS 12.2.1 update at this point.

These days, Apple tends to put updates in beta before releasing them to the public. There are exceptions, iOS 12.1.4 is a great example, but most upgrades, even minor bug fixes, usually set a limit during the beta process.

There are iOS 12.2 issues, but we haven’t heard about any common issues affecting millions of phones, and that’s what often puts a strain on Apple’s hand. In most cases, the company takes time.

iOS 12.3 will likely be the next version of iOS 12.

Expect More iOS 12.3 Betas

Earlier this week, Apple pushed the second iOS 12.3 beta to developers and those in the free Beta Program. The iOS 12.3 beta came two weeks after the first iOS 12.3 beta.

The release surprised the developers first to get it, then a day later by those in the Beta Program. This is important to note.

Going early, we usually see a new beta every two weeks. As we make progress, Apple usually releases a new beta each week. When that happens, we often see developer and public betas arrive on the same day. We are currently in the old stage, which means you can expect more beta releases.

At this point, we expect Apple to release three to four more betas of iOS 12.3 before shipping the final version to millions of users worldwide.

Expect iOS 12.3 Release in May

iOS 12.3 is a landmark upgrade; That’s why iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users want to know when the update will be available for their device. Apple hasn’t confirmed the iOS 12.3 release date, but we read the update’s release window pretty well.

At its March 26 launch event, Apple said it will release a software update in May that includes upgrades for the Apple TV app. He did not give a specific date.

These upgrades are currently in iOS 12.3 beta, which means they’ll likely arrive next month.

Don’t Wait for iOS 12.3 Release Date Announcement

Apple hasn’t confirmed a specific iOS 12.3 release date, and we probably won’t be getting one beforehand.

The only time we get iOS release dates in advance is when Apple confirms them at press events. Apple’s next big media event will likely be its WWDC 2019 keynote in early June, which means we’ll likely be in the dark as we head into May.

Don’t Expect to See It at 10:00 Pacific

By now you probably know that Apple releases the iOS update at and around 10:00 PM Pacific. You can expect the same thing from iOS 12.3, but don’t panic if you don’t see it sharply at 10:00 or 10:00.

In the past, the update was distributed to everyone at the same time. This was causing a lot of problems as Apple’s servers were clogged with requests.

These days the release is a bit more surprising and we often see updates appearing 10 to 15 minutes after 10:00 PM Pacific.

Expect a Huge iOS 12.3 Download

Given its reputation, we expect the iOS 12.3 update to require a fairly heavy download for all compatible iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models.

We won’t know the exact size until the company releases the final version, but the Gold Master/final iOS 12.3 beta will give you an idea.

However, you can expect the download to be larger than your standard iOS version. It’s important to keep this in mind as you approach the release date.

This means you may encounter long download times on release day as tons of users are crashing Apple’s servers with requests. It also means that some of you may need to temporarily delete files to make room for iOS 12.3. If your device is nearing its storage threshold, consider doing some cleaning beforehand.

The exact size of your iOS 12.3 update will depend on your device and the version of iOS you are currently running. If you’re already using iOS 12.2, you’ll see the smallest download size.

If you’re on an older version of iOS 12 or are still using iOS 11, you’re likely to encounter a larger download because of the updates you skipped.

Expect Bugs and Performance Issues

Apple did its best to regain customer trust after the disastrous iOS 11 release. The iOS 12 update performed admirably on most of our devices and the company fixed most bugs in a timely manner.

That said, iOS 12 still has its share of issues, and we expect issues to plague the iOS 12.3 update as well.

iOS 12.3 beta has already caught a number of potential issues, but the issues hidden in latest beta. Some of these will likely be ported to the final version.

The list of iOS 12.3 issues will also include common issues including severe battery drain, lag, crashes, connection issues, and issues with first and third party apps.

There’s no way to predict the performance of iOS 12.3 on your device, so this might be a great time to familiarize yourself with the most common iOS issues and fixes.

Expect New Versions of macOS, watchOS, and tvOS

See Apple rolling out new versions of macOS, watchOS, and tvOS at the same time as iOS 12.3.

Apple and its army of beta testers are currently testing macOS Mojave 10.14.5, watchOS 5.2.1, and tvOS 12.3. These updates will bring improvements to Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

The company has not confirmed release dates for any of these software upgrades, but they will ship with iOS 12.3.

iOS 12.3 Don’t Wait for Jailbreak

It’s been pretty quiet on the jailbreak front, and an iOS 12.1.3-iOS 12.2 jailbreak is still MIA as we dig deeper into the year.

Interest in jailbreaks has waned over the years, but many people still love to jailbreak their devices and many are hoping for a new iOS 12 jailbreak in 2019.

Anything can happen, but at this point we don’t expect an iOS 12.3 jailbreak anytime soon. If we’re lucky, jailbreak developers will release something for older versions of iOS 12, but even those odds are slim at this point.