Nandini YadavApr 02, 2021 12:42:08 IST
The iOS 14.5 is a highly awaited update for iPhones which is currently being tested in beta 6 and is available for developers. The iOS 14.5 is expected to be rolled out to all users later this year. Ahead of the public availability of the update, a bunch of features have been revealed that will likely make it to the iOS soon. Here’s taking a look at all the features that are expected to make it to the iOS 14.5:
Update to Siri in iOS 14.5
As per the latest beta, Apple is updating its voice assistant by bringing two new voices. The two new Siri voices that Apple is planning to introduce are designed for US English users and are available in both female and male versions. These will come in addition to the already existing Siri voices.
If you are already using iOS 14.5 beta, you can go to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Voice to select a new voice for your Siri.
Additionally, Apple is also testing an option to let users pick which Siri voice they want on their device at the time of setup, which is female in most countries and male in some.
The latter update comes after a United Nations report was released in 2019 that alleged that by making Siri voice female by default, Apple reinforces gender bias and sent a signal that “women are obliging, docile, and eager-to-please helpers.”
iOS 14
Recalibration of battery health reporting in iOS 14.5
The latest iOS 14.5 will allow users to recalibrate battery health reporting on the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max to address inaccurate estimates of battery health reporting for some users. Symptoms of this issue include unexpected battery drain behaviour or, in a small number of instances, reduced peak performance capability. Although, Apple highlights in its support page that this inaccurate battery health reporting does not reflect an issue with actual battery health.
While the battery health reporting system is recalibrating, users will you will see a message in Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Recalibration of maximum capacity and peak performance capability happens during regular charge cycles, and this process might take a few weeks. The displayed maximum capacity percentage will not change during recalibration. Peak performance capability might be updated, but this might not be noticeable by most users. If a previous degraded battery message was displayed, this message will be removed after updating to iOS 14.5.
Recalibration of battery health reporting on iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max
After the recalibration is complete, for most users the recalibration message will be removed However, if the battery health reporting indicates that your battery health has significantly degraded, the battery service message will appear. In that case, Apple says “an Apple Authorized Service Provider can replace the battery free of charge to restore full performance and capacity.”
Unlock iPhone with Apple Watch in iOS 14.5
The iOS 14,5 beta 1 suggested that with the new update Apple iPhone users will be able to unlock their smartphones via Apple watch while wearing a face mask. User will of course need an Apple Watch to make the feature work, which as per the changelog in the new iOS 14.5 beta 1, should be updated to watchOS 7.4. According to Apple, the iPhone would use your Apple Watch to unlock when Face ID detects a face with a mask. For this to work, the Apple Watch must be nearby or on the wrist to unlock. This is a notable improvement over the iOS 13.5 feature that Apple had rolled out in April last year that allowed to skip Face ID prompt while wearing a face mask and automatically offering the passcode screen.
in #watchOS 7.4 beta 2 the screen animation on #AppleWatch, related to unlocking your #iPhone (FaceID) with Apple Watch while wearing a face mask has been slightly redesigned https://t.co/HagE4WMEiM pic.twitter.com/eTUJzrcpxW
— AR7 (@AR72014) February 16, 2021
App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14.5
In iOS 14.5, Apple’s new App Tracking Transparency feature will finally go live. This beta will serve as a final call to app developers to comply with the new behaviour. The feature will be available under the device settings option, where users will be able to see the list of apps requested for permission to track the data. The feature will allow users to choose which apps can track their user data across other apps or websites owned by different companies.
Last month, Apple announced its own web page to show how its own apps gather data on users.
Controller support for iOS 14.5
With Apple going big with Apple Arcade, on iOS 14.5 it will be adding support PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S controllers. Neither of these new controllers is currently supported in the latest versions of iOS and iPadOS, but 14.5 introduces support for both.
This is in line with Apple’s announcement last year that it was working with Microsoft to include support for the Xbox Series X controllers.
Over 200 new emojis and new shortcut actions on iOS 14.5
The iOS 14.5 will bring over 200 new emojis including a new AirPods Max-inspired headphone design. According to a report by Emojipedia, the new emojis include face exhaling, face in clouds, heart on fire, mending heart, face with spiral eyes, and a wide variety of people with beard and more.
The iOS 14.5 beta 2 also suggested new shortcut actions like “Take Screenshot”, “Orientation Lock,” “Voice & Data mode”, among others.
The iOS 14.5 will reportedly also fix the green tint issue on iPhones.
Update to Apple Music on iOS 14.5
The Apple Music app on iOS 14.5 will come with new swipe gestures so users can quickly add songs to queue along with new pop-over menus for other controls. Apple will also add support for setting third-party music streaming services like Spotify and YouTube Music as your default music player for Siri. Currently, Apple Music by default is the default music player on Siri.
How to enroll on the iOS 14.5 beta software programme
If you want to trying out the iOS 14.5 or iPadOS 14.5, you can enroll your device in Apple Beta Software Program. If you’re already on the iOS 14 public beta, head to Settings > Software Update to install this latest beta. This goes without saying that this is an developer update and comes with its own risk. There are often chances of bugs and glitches in the beta updates. Make sure you backup all your data before you join the beta software program.
