Your iPhone's camera just got an upgrade thanks to iOS 12 — here are all the ways it changed

iPhone X

Your iPhone's camera just got some exciting new upgrades.

The latest version of Apple's iPhone and iPad operating system, iOS 12, arrived on Monday, which means devices as old as the iPhone 5S can get a free upgrade. The new OS includes notable additions like a standalone Measure app that's like a virtual tape measure, tools to combat smartphone addiction, grouped notifications, and more.

But some of the most exciting changes are to the camera and Photos app. Apple made some upgrades designed to not only make using the Photos app easier and more intuitive, but improve your phone's camera.

Here's a look at all the new photo features in iOS 12:

Let's start with the camera itself. One of the improvements in iOS 12 is portrait lighting, a camera feature for the iPhone 8 Plus and later models.

Apple debuted portrait lighting last year on the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus. The feature allows users to add effects to portrait-mode images that mimic various lighting scenarios inside a portrait studio.

Critics weren't exactly impressed by portrait lighting, and it's hard to imagine it's a feature used often.

Still, any update is welcome, and Apple says the camera can now generate a mask when it detects a person in the frame, better separating the person from the rest of the image.

Apple improved Animoji for iPhone X users and added a few new characters.

With iOS 12, Animoji can now wink and stick out their tongues.

Apple also added four new Animoji characters: a ghost, a koala, a tiger, and a T-rex.

Apple introduced Memoji, customizable avatars that look like you.

Apple added Memoji, customizable avatars that work similarly to Animoji, in iOS 12. Memoji can work by themselves in iMessage or be used during group FaceTime chats.

Memoji are available only for the iPhone X and above.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider