iOS 12 public beta: The best features
Here's what you should try first if you choose to check out Apple's iOS 12 preview.

iOS 12 Public Beta
ARKit 2 and Measure
ARKit 2 enables all sorts of amazing things, but not without third-party apps (which won't get here until the fall). Meanwhile, there's just Apple's new Measure app.
ARKit 2 and Measure
Measure is an AR tape measure app. It's a lot like other apps that exist, but this one works pretty decently and is free.
ARKit 2 and Measure
Just keep in mind, AR measurements are often not precise.
Siri Shortcuts
Instead, you can play with shortcuts that might appear via Apple's first-party apps in Settings. These can be customized with new voice prompts, but that's about it for now.
Screen Time
The new feature tracks usage across apps, and measures overall screen time.
Screen Time
Its settings can be used to try to control personal phone use, or limit kid screen time in an iCloud Family Sharing-linked account.
Screen Time
Downtime is a feature that aims to limit phone use during set periods, shutting down access to apps (it can be customized).
Screen Time
Launch an app, and you'll get this block. But you can override it by snoozing the alert, or turning it off. I'm not sure my willpower will be deterred.
Screen Time
Grayed-out apps during Downtime look like this.
Notifications
Notification management is a lot better now. Similar app notifications can stack, and it's easy to tap to silence notifications from pings, but have them still appear on the lock screen.
Memoji and Animoji
New Memoji can be made pretty quickly and added to the roster. Mine looks pretty familiar.
Memoji and Animoji
Or, go crazy (I have no idea what this is).
Memoji and Animoji
Four new Animoji are also on iOS 12. There's a dinosaur.
Memoji and Animoji
There's a ghost.
Memoji and Animoji
There's a koala.
Memoji and Animoji
There's a tiger.
Memoji and Animoji
You can do weirder photo and video effects, and put Animoji and Memoji on your head, but it's buried inside the Camera feature in Messages.
Memoji and Animoji
Pick from your Animoji/Memoji, and they'll automatically glom onto your head. (Why isn't this part of the basic Camera app?)
Memoji and Animoji
Here are a lot of photos of me putting Memoji and Animoji on my head.
Memoji and Animoji
My wife asked me what the point of this was, and I couldn't answer. But my kids were amused.
Memoji and Animoji
Group FaceTime, supporting up to 32 people, also works with Memoji-on-heads and Animoji-on-heads, which will clearly be the killer app. I haven't gotten to try that yet.
Memoji and Animoji
Pig-me.
Memoji and Animoji
Dragon-me.
Memoji and Animoji
Yes, Animoji will open their mouths (and stick out their tongues).