iOS 12.4: 4 Things to Expect & 4 Things Not To

Apple’s confirmed a iOS 12.4 update and today we want to take you through some things you should, and shouldn’t, expect from the release.

Shortly after the release of iOS 12.3, Apple pushed its next milestone upgrade into beta testing. Developers and those in the public Beta Software Program can now try the iOS 12.4 update ahead of its official release later this year.

Milestone upgrades are far more exciting than your standard iOS release because they typically bring a mix of new features, enhancements, bug fixes, and patches. iOS 12.4 won’t be any different.

iOS 12.4 looks like it’ll be a much smaller release than iOS 12.2 and iOS 12.3. The iOS 12.4 beta doesn’t have much on board right now.

That said, the update is widely expected to bring support for Apple’s new Apple Card credit card and Apple employees are reportedly using the software to test the product ahead of launch.

With the beta making progress, a lot of iPhone and iPad users are curious about iOS 12.4. With that in mind we want to help you set proper expectations ahead of the update’s release.

Don’t Expect an iOS 12.3.3 Update

Apple’s iOS 12.3.2 and iOS 12.3.1 updates fixed some bugs, but they also brought some problems of their own.

iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users are complaining about a variety of issues and some might be hoping for a iOS 12.3.3 update ahead of iOS 12.4. Don’t hold your breath.

Apple typically puts new iOS updates into beta testing before it releases them to the public. There are exceptions, iOS 12.3.1 and iOS 12.3.2 (which is exclusive to the iPhone 8 Plus) for example, but most upgrades do a stint in testing.

While there are certainly problems with iOS 12.3.2 and iOS 12.3.1, we haven’t heard about any widespread issues that might push Apple to release another quick upgrade.

iOS 12.4 will probably be the next version of iOS 12.

Don’t Expect an iOS 12.4 Beta 7

Earlier this week Apple pushed the sixth iOS 12.4 beta to developers and those enrolled in the Beta Software Program.

Apple typically pushes five or six betas before it releases the official version of a milestone update so we’re getting extremely close to the official release date.

At this point, we’re confident that the next release will be the final version of iOS 12.4.

Expect the iOS 12.4 Release Date in July

Apple hasn’t set a release date for iOS 12.4 so it could roll out anytime. However, given its connection with the Apple Card, it looks like it’ll arrive sometime this summer.

Apple plans to launch its new credit card sometime in the summer. Summer in the United States started on June 21st and ends on September 23rd so we’ll see the update and the card arrive in that window.

The timing means iOS 12.4 will probably be one of the last, if not the last, versions of iOS 12. The iOS 13 update is in beta for the iPhone right now and we expect the company to focus on getting the new operating system ready for launch.

The final version of iOS 13 will likely roll out alongside new iPhones in September and we expect iOS 12.4 to roll out long before that.

Look for it to arrive sometime this month.

Don’t Expect to See It Right at 10AM

If you’ve owned an Apple device for a while you probably know the company usually releases iOS updates in and around 10 AM Pacific. You can expect the same from the iOS 12.4 update, but don’t worry if you hear about the release, but don’t see it popup for your device at 10:00 AM or 10:01 AM sharp.

These days, new iOS updates sometimes emerge 5-10 minutes after the clock strikes 10 AM Pacific. So if you’re looking to download iOS 12.4 right away, wait a few minutes and then check for a software update.

Expect a Big iOS 12.4 Download

The iOS 12.4 update is a milestone upgrade and milestone updates typically require a nice chunk of space on your internal storage.

iOS 12.4 might be smaller than iOS 12.2 and iOS 12.3, but you can still expect a fairly sizable download. This is something to keep in mind as we approach the release date.

If you’re running out of space on your phone, iOS will temporarily remove some downloadable parts of the apps installed on your device to make room for the update. If it can’t make enough room, you’ll need to manually delete files.

If you’re running out of space and you want to download iOS 12.4 right when it comes out, think about cleaning up your storage ahead of time.

The exact size of the iOS 12.4 update will depend on your device and the version of iOS you’re running on your device.

If you’re running iOS 12.3.1 you’ll see the smallest download size. If you’re running older version of iOS 12, you’re going to see a larger download due to the updates you skipped. They’ll be baked into your version of iOS 12.4.

If you don’t plan to upgrade to iOS 12.3.1 or iOS 12.3.2, you can expect a lengthy installation process.

Expect Bugs & Performance Issues

The iOS 12.4 update is going through beta testing, but problems will slip into the final release.

We can’t predict the exact list of issues ahead of time, but problems that always seem to popup after a new iOS release include severe battery drain, lag, crashes, connectivity issues, Exchange issues, and problems with first and third -party apps. We expect these very same issues to plague iOS 12.4.

This is why it’s important to get familiar with fixes for the most common iOS 12 problems right now. That way you’re ready for whatever iOS 12.4 throws your way.

Expect New Versions of macOS, watchOS and tvOS

Apple will almost certainly roll out new versions of macOS, watchOS, and tvOS alongside the iOS 12.4 update.

The company is currently testing watchOS 5.3 for Apple Watch, tvOS 12.4 for Apple TV, and macOS Mojave 10.1.4 for its Mac lineup.

Like iOS 12.4, these updates should bring a solid mix of features, enhancements, and patches when they arrive.

Don’t Expect a Fast iOS 12.4 Jailbreak

Jailbreak developers released iOS 12 jailbreak tools earlier this year, but they’re limited to older versions of iOS 12.

If you want to jailbreak a device running iOS 12 it has to run iOS 12.0, iOS 12.0.1, iOS 12.1, iOS 12.1.1, or iOS 12.1.2. The jailbreak tools don’t work with iOS 12.1.3, iOS 12.1.4, iOS 12.2, iOS 12.3, iOS 12.3.1, iOS 12.3.2, or iOS 12.4 beta.

Jailbreak releases are extremely unpredictable, but we’d be surprised if developers push a quick jailbreak for iOS 12.4 and the remaining versions of iOS 12.

If a new jailbreak comes, it’ll probably arrive later in the year.

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