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Intel has reached one Meltdown/Spectre milestone and is moving on to the next one. The company plans to add “partitioning” to processors later this year to protect against two of the Spectre processor vulnerabilities, it said Thursday.

Intel said last week that it had begun sending patches for its Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge chips to its PC hardware partners, leaving just a few niche chips to be patched. That process has now been completed, Intel said Thursday, covering all of its processors released in the last five years.

Of the three side-channel attacks making up Spectre and Meltdown, the first Spectre vulnerability variant has essentially been patched via software. That code was originally authored by Intel, then routed to customers via hardware makers and Microsoft. Microsoft supplied OS patches as well as Intel’s microcode via Windows Update. But software patches alone won’t be enough to patch the second Spectre variant, as well as Meltdown. Both will demand hardware revisions, which will roll out later this year.

To accomplish that, Intel said it had designed “partitions” to protect against Spectre variant 2 and Meltdown. Those partitions will first appear within the next-generation Xeon, code-named Cascade Lake, as well as an unnamed 8th-generation Core chip expected to ship during the second half of 2018.

Put very broadly, Intel said these partitions would reinforce the protective walls between applications and privileged user levels that both Spectre and Meltdown breached by exploiting a weakness in speculative execution techniques. Though other processor vendors like ARM and AMD were also potentially affected, Intel’s chips were considered to be most vulnerable.

Leaked Intel roadmaps have already suggested that Intel’s desktop roadmap will be relatively spartan throughout 2018, with Coffee Lake chips dominating mainstream consumer PCs, and Skylake-X chips shipping for the enthusiast space. According to photos of its roadmap shared by KKJ.cn and others, Intel plans to update Skylake-X with a Cascade Lake-X chip beginning in the fourth quarter, along with Cascade Lake Xeon chips.

Intel said last May that the Cascade Lake Xeon chips will natively support what Intel calls “persistent memory,” essentially an Optane or 3D XPoint storage solution inside a DRAM form factor. It’s not clear whether Cascade Lake chips for the desktop will include the same persistent memory support.

What this means for you: The best way to protect your Intel-based PC from Spectre and Meltdown is to keep it patched and up-to-date—both from your OS vendor as well as from your motherboard vendor. (Microsoft has stepped in to provide microcode updates, assisting smaller vendors who wouldn’t or couldn’t provide timely patches.) What we don’t know is how serious Meltdown and Spectre will be, long-term—whether an exploit will ever arise that would force PC users to upgrade from vulnerable older chips.

So your computer’s a few years old, and it’s not running as well as it used to. Unfortunately, this happens over time but if you’re not ready to give up on your old computer just yet, these tricks can help you get it running better.

Perform regular maintenance

One of the first things to do is a maintenance check, to make sure nothing’s causing your PC to slow down. You’ve probably got a built-in virus scanner, but if not you can get a good one online for free. If it’s just getting old, then this won’t make things start running super-fast, but it will make sure everything is working at its best. When it comes to an older machine, every little helps.

Use lighter programs

Some programs, like iTunes, are very big and use a lot of an older machine’s power to run. Older machines can struggle under the demands of these programs, so it’s worth checking if there’s an alternative. If you’ve got an iPhone, you’ll need iTunes to sync your devices, but when it comes to playing music, using a program like Spotify can really speed things up.

Use older programs

When there isn’t a ‘lightweight’ version of the program you want to use, there might be an older version. These are usually smaller programs than their newer versions, because they have fewer features. For example, if you don’t have the minimum system requirements to run Photoshop CS5, you can find a copy of CS4 and use that instead. Usually, the older version will be cheaper too, which is always nice.

Install a lighter operating system

One of the easiest ways to improve performance is to install a new operating system altogether. If it’s not something you’re familiar with, we suggest looking up a tutorial, or doing some research first, because it can completely change the way you work. The upside is a major speed boost. Linux is a popular choice, but you’ll want to find something that suits your needs.

Upgrading your hardware

If you’ve got a bit of money to spend on improving your computer, but don’t want to buy a new one, then upgrading the hardware is a good option. It’s not always possible on certain laptops and desktops, but you should still be able to upgrade the RAM and the hard drive as a minimum. RAM can give you a boost in some areas, but you’ll see the most benefit from upgrading the hard drive to an SSD (solid state drive).

Repurposing old kit

There’s a few things you can do to keep your old computer in use. The smaller it is, the more options you’ve got. An old laptop could be repurposed into a kitchen helper, being used for videos or recipes while you’re cooking.

Alternatively, you could turn it into a networked FreeNAS (Free network attached storage) box. This is basically a storage box that’s attached to your network, and any computer on that network can see the files on the NAS. It’s a great option for bigger households, or just when you don’t want to store a bunch of external drives.

There are many important stats to keep track of if you’re interested in the working health of your PC, but few are as important as the temperature of major components like your central processor. If you’re not sure how to do so though, don’t worry about breaking out the mercury thermometers, there are a number of quick and easy ways to keep an eye on how toasty your CPU is.

In this guide we’ll walk you through exactly how to check your CPU temperature, from your motherboard’s own reporting tools, to great third-party apps for occasional checks, to software and hardware solutions that keep you in the loop whenever you’re system’s booted.

Windows apps

You don’t need to get into the nitty-gritty of UEFI/BIOS to measure your CPU’s temperature. Monitoring applications use the same physical temperature sensors in your system as your UEFI/BIOS, but make it accessible right through Windows. That means you can check it without a restart and you can also force your CPU to do something difficult so you can see how warm it gets when it’s working hard.

There are a number of first and third-party apps out there that you can use to get quick and easy access to your CPU’s temperature and a lot more information besides. Some of them can be a little overwhelming, but if you’re just looking to find out how to check your CPU temperature, our favorites listed below will see you right.

INTEL XTU

If you have an Intel Core processor, then Intel’s Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU) is arguably the best way to check how hot your processor is running. Although designed primarily as an overclocking tool, Intel XTU comes with a number of built-in monitoring functions as well.

Step 1: To find out how hot your CPU is when running it, download the program from Intel’s download center and install it like you would any application.

Step 2: Booting it up, you’ll be presented with a lot of information, but in the lower panel of the main screen, you’ll see a few pieces of key information about your CPU. Most important for this particular guide however, is the “package temperature,” and associated graph. That’s your CPU temperature.

Step 3: You can also see how hard your CPU is working by its “CPU Utilization” percentage. The higher that is, the more your CPU is having to do. If you want to see how it does under stress, you can use the XTU’s built-in CPU benchmark under the relevant left-hand tab.

AMD RYZEN MASTER

Step 1: If you’re running one of AMD’s new Ryzen processors you can make use of AMD’s own Ryzen Master tool. It works in much the same way as Intel’s XTU, but for Ryzen chips instead. Head on over to its download center to install the program.

Step 2: Alongside its core clock tweaking abilities, it also has a CPU temperature monitor you can view on the left-hand side. Like the XTU, there’s also a graph that can plot your CPU’s temperature over time, even breaking it down by the core, so you can see if individual cores are getting warmer than others.

Step 3: The Ryzen Master tool can also give you average and peak readings, so you can see how hot your CPU gets over a long period of time — great for those concerned about time of day or outside forces affecting CPU temperature.

AN ALTERNATE SOFTWARE OPTION: HWMONITOR

A classic PC monitoring solution, HWMonitor can tell you everything about the various components in your system, from the voltages they require — to the temperatures they run at. It doesn’t feature any sort of overclocking tools and its interface is barebones, but it’s clean, lightweight and easy to parse at a quick glance.

Hardware monitors

If none of the above methods are quite what you’re looking for when it comes to checking your CPU temperature, you could always opt for a hardware monitor. These typically come as part of fan controllers which slot into one of the optical drive ports on desktop systems. They sometimes use your onboard temperature sensors, but many come with their own wired thermometers to give you additional information about how hot your CPU is getting.

Note: These hardware monitors do require installation to some degree, so be prepared to open up your system to fit them, or pay to have it done by a professional.

Some simple steps to prevent your laptop from overheating, and a guide to getting it running again if it does

If your laptop switches off for no reason, the likely cause is overheating. You should be able to tell if this is the case by touching the bottom of the machine. If it feels very hot, here are the steps to follow to get it running again. It should take you about thirty minutes. You’ll need a Philips head screwdriver, a flat-head screwdriver and a soft brush.

The first step to avoid overheating in the future is to ensure that the vents underneath the laptop are not blocked. You should keep it on a hard, flat surface or worktop. In spite of its name, it’s never a good idea to use your laptop on your lap, or on the bed or sofa. If you want to use it like this, you can buy a laptop support or stand that provides a flat surface for it to rest on and allows air to circulate underneath it and keep it ventilated.

If your laptop has already overheated, you’ll need to clean the fans inside.

Note: Opening your laptop voids the manufacturer’s guarantee. Please do so at your own risk. If you have insurance or your laptop is still under warranty, please contact the manufacturer or return it to the shop you bought it from for further help.

The inside of your laptop can get very dusty, so it will need a clean from time to time. To clean your laptop, follow these steps:

Unfasten the screws and open the back of the laptop.
Be careful to avoid touching anything in the laptop other than the fans.
Using a cotton swab or small soft brush, gently wipe away any dust caught in the fans.
Once you’re finished, place the cover back on and fasten the screws again.
Watching DVDs or having lots of programs open at once can consume more processing power –which can lead to overheating. If this is the case, you should change your laptop’s power settings so it’s not running on full performance. This can be done in Control Panel > Power Options.

Viruses and Spyware running in the background can also take up a hefty amount of power. To ensure your laptop is clean and not overheating for this reason, run a full anti-virus scan.

Leaving the problem can damage your laptop, which can include corrupting your hard drive. If your laptop is overheating, make sure you take the correct steps in fixing it or if you’re unsure of what to do, contact the manufacturer for help.

Samsung is just a few weeks away from releasing the long-awaited Galaxy S9, the latest in its long line of Android-based Apple iPhone competitors.

Companies like Samsung are notoriously tight-lipped about what their upcoming smartphones might look like, or what features they might include. So far we know for sure when Samsung’s Galaxy S9 will be officially unveiled, and that Samsung is pitching the S9’s camera as a main selling point.

But there’s an entire cottage industry built up around smartphone rumors and leaks that we can use to glean some more information about the Samsung Galaxy S9’s potential features, specs, price and more.

Here’s what we know about the Samsung Galaxy S9 so far.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Release Date and Price

Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S9 (and likely a larger Galaxy S9 Plus version) on Sunday, Feb. 25 during Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain. Samsung typically begins shipping new smartphones within a few weeks of announcing them. So it’s a safe bet you’ll start seeing the Galaxy S9 on store shelves and available online by mid-March or so.

The Galaxy S9 price isn’t clear yet. But it’s likely to be comparable to Apple’s most expensive phones — that is, in the $699-$999 range.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Specs

The U.S. version of the Samsung Galaxy S9 could use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor, which will help it take better pictures and video, enable new artificial intelligence improvements, and result in overall better and more efficient performance. The Snapdragon could help improve the battery life on Samsung’s Galaxy S9 without physically larger batteries, too.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 that will be sold in other parts of the world might use Samsung’s own Exynos processor instead of the Snapdragon, CNBC reports.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Camera

The camera will be a chief selling point for the Galaxy S9, if Samsung’s promotional teaser is any indication. The aforementioned Snapdragon 845 processor would certainly help in that regard. The Galaxy S9 could get some improvements in the camera system itself, too, with a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera featuring an f/1.5 lens, Forbes reports. A lens with that wide an aperture would certainly help with low-light photography.

It’s unclear whether Samsung will give both the standard issue Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 plus a dual rear-facing camera system, or only put such a setup on the Plus model. Details about the front-facing camera system are also shaky at this point.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Features

Samsung’s Galaxy S9 is rumored to have some bonus features that might excite some Android fans out there. Samsung is reportedly working on big improvements to its eye-scanning tech, for example, making it more secure and function better than it does on previous Galaxy models. There’s also a chance the Galaxy S9 could have some kind of face-scanning unlocking feature similar to Apple’s Face ID system.

There have been rumors that the Samsung Galaxy S9 would include a fingerprint scanner built directly into the touchscreen, but recent reports say that might not be the case after all.

Also worth noting: The Galaxy S9 could feature an FM radio option, Tom’s Guide reports, allowing users to tune in to local radio broadcasts. That may seem a little retro on such a high-tech device, but it’s an option that some people have long wanted.

Samsung is just a few weeks away from releasing the long-awaited Galaxy S9, the latest in its long line of Android-based Apple iPhone competitors.

Companies like Samsung are notoriously tight-lipped about what their upcoming smartphones might look like, or what features they might include. So far we know for sure when Samsung’s Galaxy S9 will be officially unveiled, and that Samsung is pitching the S9’s camera as a main selling point.

But there’s an entire cottage industry built up around smartphone rumors and leaks that we can use to glean some more information about the Samsung Galaxy S9’s potential features, specs, price and more.

Here’s what we know about the Samsung Galaxy S9 so far.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Release Date and Price

Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S9 (and likely a larger Galaxy S9 Plus version) on Sunday, Feb. 25 during Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain. Samsung typically begins shipping new smartphones within a few weeks of announcing them. So it’s a safe bet you’ll start seeing the Galaxy S9 on store shelves and available online by mid-March or so.

The Galaxy S9 price isn’t clear yet. But it’s likely to be comparable to Apple’s most expensive phones — that is, in the $699-$999 range.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Specs

The U.S. version of the Samsung Galaxy S9 could use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor, which will help it take better pictures and video, enable new artificial intelligence improvements, and result in overall better and more efficient performance. The Snapdragon could help improve the battery life on Samsung’s Galaxy S9 without physically larger batteries, too.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 that will be sold in other parts of the world might use Samsung’s own Exynos processor instead of the Snapdragon, CNBC reports.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Camera

The camera will be a chief selling point for the Galaxy S9, if Samsung’s promotional teaser is any indication. The aforementioned Snapdragon 845 processor would certainly help in that regard. The Galaxy S9 could get some improvements in the camera system itself, too, with a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera featuring an f/1.5 lens, Forbes reports. A lens with that wide an aperture would certainly help with low-light photography.

It’s unclear whether Samsung will give both the standard issue Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 plus a dual rear-facing camera system, or only put such a setup on the Plus model. Details about the front-facing camera system are also shaky at this point.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Features

Samsung’s Galaxy S9 is rumored to have some bonus features that might excite some Android fans out there. Samsung is reportedly working on big improvements to its eye-scanning tech, for example, making it more secure and function better than it does on previous Galaxy models. There’s also a chance the Galaxy S9 could have some kind of face-scanning unlocking feature similar to Apple’s Face ID system.

There have been rumors that the Samsung Galaxy S9 would include a fingerprint scanner built directly into the touchscreen, but recent reports say that might not be the case after all.

Also worth noting: The Galaxy S9 could feature an FM radio option, Tom’s Guide reports, allowing users to tune in to local radio broadcasts. That may seem a little retro on such a high-tech device, but it’s an option that some people have long wanted.

Beware the signs of a potentially malware-infested PC: slower-than-usual performance, the recent occurrence of lots of pop-ups, and other weird issues. It’s possible your system has been infected by a virus, spyware, or other nefarious entity—even if you have an antivirus program installed. Yes, out-of-the-ordinary behavior is sometimes the result of hardware issues, but it’s best to first rule out malware if your PC is acting up. Here’s a step-by-step guide for taking action.

Step 1: Enter Safe Mode

Before you do anything, you need to disconnect your PC from the internet, and don’t use it until you’re ready to clean your PC. This can help prevent the malware from spreading and/or leaking your private data.

If you think your PC may have a malware infection, boot your PC into Microsoft’s Safe Mode. In this mode, only the minimum required programs and services are loaded. If any malware is set to load automatically when Windows starts, entering in this mode may prevent it from doing so. This is important because it can make removing the nefarious files easier since they’re not actually running or active.

You may find that your PC runs noticeably faster in Safe Mode. This could be a sign that your system has a malware infection, or it could mean that you have a lot of legitimate programs that normally start up alongside Windows. If your PC is outfitted with a solid-state drive it’s probably fast either way.

Step 2: Delete temporary files

Now that you’re in Safe Mode, you’ll want to run a virus scan. But before you do that, delete your temporary files. Doing this may speed up the virus scanning, free up disk space, and even get rid of some malware. To use the Disk Cleanup utility included with Windows 10 just type Disk Cleanup in the search bar or after pressing the Start button and select the tool that appears named Disk Cleanup.

Step 3: Download malware scanners

Now you’re ready to have a malware scanner do its work—and fortunately, running a scanner is enough to remove most standard infections. If you already had an antivirus program active on your computer, you should use a different scanner for this malware check, since your current antivirus software may not have detected the malware. Remember, no antivirus program can detect 100 percent of the millions of malware types and variants.

There are two types of antivirus programs. You’re probably more familiar with real-time antivirus programs, which run in the background and constantly watch for malware. (Another option is an on-demand scanner, which searches for malware infections when you open the program manually and run a scan. You should have only one real-time antivirus program installed at a time, but you can have many on-demand scanners installed to run scans with multiple programs, thereby ensuring that if one program misses something a different one might find it.

Step 4: Fix your web browser

Malware infections can damage Windows system files and other settings. One common malware trait is to modify your web browser’s homepage to reinfect the PC, display advertisements, prevent browsing, and generally annoy you.

Before launching your web browser, check your homepage and connection settings. For Internet Explorer right-click the Windows 10 Start button and select Control Panel, then Internet Options. Find the Home Page settings in the General tab, and verify that it’s not some site you know nothing about. For Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, simply go to the setttings window of your browser to check your homepage setting.

If you’ve noticed any unexpected reboots or PC instability as a result of the recent Spectre patches, there’s a solution: Microsoft has issued an emergency Windows patch that rolls back the recent Spectre mitigations.

Confused? It’s a bit complicated. After the intial Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilites were disclosed, both Intel and Microsoft hustled out patches to mitigate the problem. Unfortunately, Intel’s latest microcode updates—and the BIOS updates from PC makers based upon them—were themselves buggy, causing instability, reboots, and data loss in some PCs.

Microsoft’s latest patch (KB4078130) allows people with affected systems to download the patch via the Microsoft Update Catalog, which disables the mitigations for the “Spectre variant 2.”

Note that the patch notes specifically state that you should run this patch “if you are running an impacted device” (emphasis ours). In other words, if your system is working normally, don’t bother downloading this patch. This is what Microsoft calls an “out of band” patch, and it doesn’t appear that it will be made available via Windows Update, either.

Why should you consider it? Intel has warned previously that the faulty patch can sometimes cause data loss and corruption, and Microsoft is saying the same: “Our own experience is that system instability can in some circumstances cause data loss or corruption,” the patch notes state.

There’s another wrinkle, though. As part of the patch, Microsoft is allowing users to edit the Windows registry to toggle the mitigations on or off. (Instructions are here.) It’s possible to toggle Microsoft’s patch off, and then, when Intel solves its own patching problem, re-enable it. That scenario is actually what Microsoft recommends—again, only if you’ve noticed system instability and want to take action against it.

Toggling the mitigations on and off is also a feature of the latest InSpectre utility.

What should you do? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. But we can tell you what we’re doing: if a PC is working as expected, we’re leaving it patched and in place. If you’re backing up your data (to the cloud or an external drive) chances are your most crucial data will be saved in case your system goes down unexpectedly. Obviously, install Microsoft’s emergency Windows patch if you’re running into system issues. There’s no perfect solution—if you’re more paranoid than we are, feel free to deploy the patch even if your PC hasn’t hiccuped.

Good luck, and be sure to check out PCWorld’s guide on how to protect your PC against Meltdown and Spectre. Operating system updates are just one part of it.

As Bleeping Computer noted, system makers such as Dell and HP also advise rolling back their own BIOS patches to an earlier version, which they’re redeployed. It’s all horrendously confusing for consumers and IT organizations alike. Fortunately, at least, there haven’t been any public cases of these vulnerabilities being exploited, Microsoft says.

You’ve heard of a watch, right? And you’re likely fully aware of smartwatches, and how the two differ. But you may have also read about hybrid smartwatches. Confused as to what a hybrid watch does? We’re here to explain everything, from what a hybrid smartwatch is and what they can do, to a few examples of the best out there.

What is a hybrid smartwatch?

A hybrid smartwatch is a fusion between a regular mechanical watch and a smartwatch, in that it combines some connected features with traditional watch mechanics. It doesn’t have a touchscreen, doesn’t usually require charging up every day, and doesn’t look like a piece of technology. It looks like a normal watch. If the Apple Watch, Samsung Gear Sport, or touchscreen Android Wear watches like the Emporio Armani Connected, don’t appeal because they don’t really look like watches, then the hybrid is your gateway to the smartwatch world.

Show, don’t tell

The best way to understand what a hybrid smartwatch does is to see and play around with one. The above photo shows off the Fossil Q Crewmaster. We chose it as our example because the design is based closely on an existing Fossil watch, which the company chose to augment with smart connected features. You can see it has an analog dial, traditional watch styling, and it’s slim and stylish.

It’s smart because it has Bluetooth connectivity built-in, and it pairs with your smartphone through an app. The app is available for iOS and Android, which means there’s a high chance whatever phone you have works with the watch. It’s not like the Apple Watch, which only works with the iPhone.

What does a hybrid smartwatch do?

The vast majority of hybrid smartwatches share similar functionality. A hybrid watch will track your steps, while the app works out calorie burn and activity time. Some watches will also track your sleep, but it’s not as common considering most people are unlikely to wear the watch 24-hours a day. The watch will alert you of notifications on your phone with vibrations, and some kind of visual hint about which app is alerting you.

The method for notification alerts varies. Fossil, for example, makes the watch hands zip around to point at a single number, which you designate to a certain app or contact when you first set up the watch.

For example, if email notifications are linked to the number 3, the hands will move to 3 o’clock on the watch and will linger there long enough for you to take a glance. Other watches do it it different, such as the NYSW GTS Activity Tracker, which has a dedicated sub-dial for notification alerts. Hybrid watches from Guess and Martian have a small LCD screen for alerts.

You can also expect features like alarms, world time zones, and a programmable button that can be configured for different functions. This can include working as a remote shutter for your phone’s camera, for music control, or to make your phone ring in case you can’t find it.

Don’t expect most hybrid smartwatches to run apps, have watch faces you can change, or include more complex features like a heart rate sensor (though there are some like the Nokia Steel HR).

No charging?

Because most hybrid smartwatches don’t have a touchscreen, they don’t consume anywhere near the same degree of energy as one that does. Paired with Bluetooth Low Energy, a hybrid smartwatch can usually survive on a coin-cell battery, and therefore doesn’t require nightly charging.

The battery can last up to six months before it needs replacing, which can be done at home, and for a very low price. This makes hybrid smartwatches perfect for anyone that wants to avoid owning yet another device to recharge every day.

Anything else?

Because a hybrid smartwatch doesn’t deviate very far from traditional watch styling and design, you get many of the benefits associated with mechanical watches. Almost all are water resistant, and usually down to at least 5ATM (underwater up to 50 meters), not just a simple IP68 rating (limited to about 1.5 meters), and the standard size lugs mean you can pick and choose your own straps. Also, because the designs are more watch-like, there’s greater choice for women in the hybrid smartwatch world.

Finally, because hybrid smartwatches aren’t as technically complex as a full smartwatch, they’re often much cheaper.

Apple revealed Wednesday a plethora of new features and upgrades coming to the iPhone and iPad with the iOS 11.3 upgrade due out in the spring.

Most notably, Apple is adding setting allowing iPhone owners to disable a performance downgrade meant to prevent unexpected shutdowns in older iPhone models with aging batteries. The features comes after Apple was criticized for meddling with iPhone performance without customer consent; a pair of California residents even filed a class action lawsuit against the company over the issue. Apple has since apologized, lowering the price of iPhone battery replacements from $79 to $29. The ability to turn off this performance-altering feature will be found in the Battery section in the iPhone’s Settings menu.

Apple’s iOS 11.3 upgrade will also have a feature called Health Records, a one-stop-shop for iPhone owners to view their collective health data from participating medical providers. As its name implies, the app keeps track of a user’s health records so that they can see information like allergies, recent or upcoming procedures, medications, and lab results all in one place. Apple says this information is protected by encryption and requires a passcode to view.

Apple is making some improvements to its ARKit augmented reality platform as well, which it launched in the fall with iOS 11. The augmented reality software will now be able to recognize vertical surfaces like walls and doors, whereas it previously could only identify horizontal objects such as tables and floors. It will also be able to learn the position of two-dimensional objects hanging on a wall, like posters and signs, which Apple says developers could use to add interactive augmented reality elements to movie posters or museum exhibits.

iOS 11.3 will also bring changes to Messages, which will allow users to chat with businesses to schedule appointments, make purchases with Apple Pay, or ask other questions. This feature will be launching in beta in iOS 11.3 with support for companies like Hilton, Discover, Lowe’s, and Wells Fargo. Facebook has made a similar push with its Messenger app, particularly by adding a new feature that makes it easier for Messenger users to discover businesses that are active on Facebook’s messaging platform.

Other new features in iOS 11.3 include four new Animoji characters — a dragon, a bear, a skull, and a lion — and updates to Apple Music and Apple News.