Skip to main content

Here are some of our favorite new iPhone features in iOS 11.3

sell your smartphone iphone reset
Genevieve Poblano/Digital Trends

Apple isn’t waiting until iOS 12 to bring some major changes to your iPhone or iPad. Apple just released iOS 11.3, a mid-year update that brings nearly a dozen new features. It’s now available via an over-the-air update. If you don’t see the update just yet, it should appear soon. While you wait, feel free to check out our favorite new iOS 11.3 features.

Performance and battery controls

Image used with permission by copyright holder

After Apple was accused of throttling older iPhones in December, the company promised to provide a software update to address the issue. With the iOS 11.3 update, you can access battery health information in the Settings app. You can disable the power management feature that tends to slow down iPhone — be warned, however, as disabling the power management feature on an iPhone with an older battery may cause your device to shut down unexpectedly. It’s why Apple implemented the power management feature in the first place. Read our performance throttling guide to learn how to use this tool.

Purchase options for iPhone X

iphone face id
Image used with permission by copyright holder

While Face ID on the iPhone X makes authentication incredibly simple, it has a few drawbacks. One of which is the need to use a password whenever you want to authenticate family purchases. The iOS 11.3 update finally addresses this oversight and lets you use Face ID to authorize any family purchases.

Medical records

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’ve ever requested medical records from your doctor’s office, you’ll appreciate Apple’s decision to integrate the data from these records into the Health app. The iOS 11.3 update allows certain medical providers to port medical records directly to your iPhone, meaning you get access to your records immediately. You can quickly check for any updates or lab results from your provider. While the number of providers is pretty limited right now, expect to see many more hospital systems join in the not too distant future.

Improved Augmented Reality

https://twitter.com/LondonRom/status/957674566427594752

Apple added some pretty significant augmented reality (AR) updates in iOS 11.3. For starters, the update lets you to interact with certain objects and images. If you snap a picture of a book, for example, you’ll see a rating and shopping information from Amazon. It’s an impressive update that reminds us a lot of Google Lens on Android smartphones.

New Animoji for iPhone X users

If you’re hankering for new Animojis, iOS 11.3 has you covered. With Apple’s latest update you’ll find four new Animojis: A bear, skull, dragon, and a lion are now part of the Animoji family. While you still won’t find the controversial human-esque AR Emojis that are on the Samsung Galaxy S9, Apple’s quirky alternatives tend to respond to facial movements much better.

Editors' Recommendations

Steven Winkelman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven writes about technology, social practice, and books. At Digital Trends, he focuses primarily on mobile and wearables…
The iPhone’s futuristic satellite tech isn’t coming to Android any time soon
The Google Pixel 8's screen.

It could take a while before Android phones allow satellite connectivity to assist users in emergency scenarios, thanks in no part to Qualcomm canceling its ambitious Snapdragon Satellite plans. Apple introduced satellite SOS support last year with the iPhone 14 series, with the intention of helping people when they are out of cellular or broadband coverage range.

The feature allows you to text emergency responders, share locations, and request roadside assistance. But not long after, hope emerged for Android phones. Earlier this year, Qualcomm announced Snapdragon Satellite, with the goal of aping Apple’s initiative for Android phones.

Read more
iPhone update fixes troublesome bug that broke NFC features for some users
A person holding the Apple iPhone 15 Plus and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple’s latest iPhone update has addressed an irksome bug that caused Apple Pay and other NFC features on iPhone 15 handsets to stop working after charging the device using BMW’s in-car wireless chargers.

Yes, it’s a somewhat peculiar problem, and troublesome, too, especially considering that it could also affect the proper operation of the BMW’s digital car key. But the good news is that Apple’s release of iOS 17.1.1 on Tuesday finally resolves it.

Read more
Will my phone change for daylight saving time automatically?
The iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island showing the timer and music playing.

It’s that time of the year again. On Sunday, November 5, at 2:00 a.m., the majority of people in the U.S. will revert to standard time by setting their clocks behind by an hour. This also means that you get an extra hour of sleep. However, it raises an important question: will your phone automatically change to standard time, or do you need to do it manually?

It's a question that applies regardless of which phone you have. Whether you're rocking an iPhone 15 Pro, a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, or any other smartphone, it's important to know whether or not you need to change it for the new time.

Read more