Paul Morris on October 27, 2018, 7:51 pm

iOS 12.1 User Guide Download Released, Confirms Group FaceTime, Dual-SIM Support, More

Today, Apple has updated a downloadable document which will appease those iPhone and iPad users who still place value in a readable user guide. Tim Cook’s company has updated the iPhone User Guide to offering support and guidance on iOS 12.1, confirming a number of features in the process.

Some smartphone manufacturers still provide a relatively small and concise document in the box when a new unit is purchased. This gives a brief overview of the phone including some of its main features and functionality.

Apple doesn’t do that, instead opting to ship its devices with no documentation but also offering a downloadable book through its Apple Books Store that basically tells the user everything they need to know about the firmware running on their device and how to get the most out of it. This latest update ensures that the user guide is updated for the impending release of iOS 12.1.

In addition to simplistically explaining the features contained within in a manner that is easy-to-understand is which is perfectly acceptable for even the most hardened of Luddites, Apple’s latest update also confirms that some features will actually make it into the production version of iOS 12.1 when it’s launched next week.

The user guide references the existence of Group FaceTime, referencing that the feature will allow users to “chat with up to 32 participants simultaneously.” It also confirms that this feature will not be offered in all regions. The guide also references the new depth-adjusting functionality within the iOS 12.1 Camera app which allows the depth-of-field on a capture to be amended prior to the photograph being taken.

Additionally, the document also references the existence of dual-SIM support via Apple’s eSIM technology allowing a device owner to essentially run two telephone numbers of the iPhone. Memories within the Photos app, Memoji within Messages, and the updates to Screen Time also get a mention in the iOS 12.1 User Guide document.

Some of the features highlighted in the document have been present since the release of iOS 12.0 – such as Screen Time – but it’s extremely interesting and refreshing to see that Apple has now confirmed that the highly anticipated Group FaceTime will come to fruition next week.

(Download: iPhone User Guide for iOS 12.1 for iOS and Mac from Apple Books)