Apple —

Apple releases iOS 12.1.1, macOS Mojave 10.14.2, and tvOS 12.1.1

Quality-of-life improvements for FaceTime headline a small set of updates.

A tablet with a keyboard sits on a wooden table.
Enlarge / The 2018, 12.9-inch iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard Folio.
Samuel Axon

Apple simultaneously released minor software updates for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TV boxes today with iOS 12.1.1, macOS Mojave 10.14.2, and tvOS 12.1.1.

The focus is on bug fixes and security, so none of them introduce major new features. But iOS comes closest by expanding the haptic touch feature on iPhone XR to notification previews, making it possible to hide the sidebar in the iPad's news app while in landscape orientation, and by bringing a couple of improvements to FaceTime—namely, the ability to capture Live Photos (those brief animated pictures) from a two-person FaceTime call and a one-tap way to flip between the rear and front cameras during a call.

Just note that to take a Live Photo during a FaceTime call, the person on the other end has to have the feature enabled. The toggle is located in the FaceTime panel in the Settings app.

iOS 12.1.1 also adds eSIM support for new carriers, though Apple doesn't specify which ones. MacRumors confirmed that they include "Swisscom in Switzerland, Orange in Spain, and Three in Sweden and Denmark," and that Verizon plans to add support in the US on December7. AT&T is also among the carriers supporting it in the US, according to a discovery by 9to5Mac.

Here are Apple's update notes on iOS 12.1.1:

iOS 12.1.1 adds features and fixes bugs for your iPhone and iPad including:

  • Notification preview using haptic touch on iPhone XR
  • Dual SIM with eSIM for additional carriers on iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max
  • One tap to flip between the rear and front-facing camera during a FaceTime call
  • Live Photo capture during one-to-one FaceTime calls
  • The option to hide the sidebar in News on iPad in landscape orientation

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

The update notes provided by Apple for the macOS update are as follows:

The macOS Mojave 10.14.2 update improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, and is recommended for all users.

This update:

  • Adds RTT (real-time text) support for Wi-FI calling
  • Adds a menu item to News for opening a story in Safari
  • Resolves an issue that may prevent iTunes from playing media to third-party AirPlay speakers.

For more detailed information about this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT209149
For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

There's not much more to say about the macOS update. There were no new features in the tvOS update; it's just minor bug fixes.

As always, Apple released details about the security aspects of the iOS 12.1.1, macOS Mojave 10.14.2, and tvOS 12.1.1 updates on its website.

Update: News broke that broke AT&T and Verizon currently or will soon support eSIM on the new iPhones as well.

Channel Ars Technica