MacRumors

Apple today released iOS and iPadOS 13.4, the latest major updates to the iOS 13 operating system that was released in September. iOS and iPadOS 13.4 come two months after the release of iOS and iPadOS 13.3.1 with Screen Time Communication Limits.

The iOS and ‌iPadOS‌ 13.4 updates are available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the updates, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple is also releasing iOS 12.4.6 for older iPhones, with the update adding security improvements.

iOS and iPadOS 13.4 are significant updates, bringing several important new features to the iPhone and the iPad. Most notably, the iPadOS 13.4 update introduces mouse and trackpad support for the iPad to allow for greater precision and improved navigation.

Mouse and trackpad support comes ahead of the May release of Apple's new Magic Keyboard, which is a keyboard for the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro that includes a trackpad. The update adds support for Magic Mouse, Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad, Magic Trackpad 2, and third-party USB and Bluetooth mouse options, plus it introduces multi-touch gestures when using the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad 2.

There's a new toolbar available in the Mail app that's available when viewing an email, with the updated design featuring a more logical layout to address complaints about the Mail app in earlier versions of iOS 13.

The revamped design moves the reply icon away from the delete icon, making it harder to accidentally delete an email. It also adds Folder and Compose icons.

iCloud Folder Sharing, which is designed to let users share iCloud Drive folders with other people, is included in iOS 13.4. iCloud‌ Folder Sharing was initially announced at WWDC as an iOS 13 feature last year, but it has taken Apple several months to implement it. The feature shows real-time updates so file changes will sync across the devices of all people with access to a specific folder.

Apple has added nine new Memoji and Animoji stickers in the update, with the new stickers featuring emoji-style poses like shocked face, face with hearts, eyes rolling, and more.

Apple has also made a subtle but notable change to the way the URL bar works in Safari. In iOS 13.4, you can tap into the URL bar right away even when a URL is highlighted, which is different behavior from iOS 13.3.1. In iOS 13.3.1, an extra tap outside of a URL was required to deselect it before it could be tapped to be edited.

New settings in the TV app allow users to control streaming and downloading over Wi-Fi and cellular, adding new data saving options for those who don't have unlimited streaming plans.

Hints of a new "CarKey" API were found in iOS 13.4, which would allow the ‌iPhone‌ to be used to lock, unlock, and start a car that has NFC capabilities. Sharing features will also be available for assigning keys to friends and family members through the Messages app.

CarKey functionality hasn't been announced by Apple as of yet, and it's not mentioned in the release notes for the update, but when launched, it will ‌iPhone‌ owners to use their devices in lieu of a car key. CarKey could be coming as an iOS 14 feature, and BMW could be one of the first partners.

Though not an iOS specific feature, Apple with iOS 13.4, macOS 10.15.4, tvOS 13.4, and Xcode 11.4 is allowing developers to create apps with universal purchase support, which means Apple device users will be able to purchase one app that works across multiple platforms.

iOS 13.4 includes third-party navigation app support for the CarPlay Dashboard along with support for in-call information. There are new keyboard shortcuts for the Photos app on the iPad and AR Quick Look supports audio playback for USDZ files.

Apple also added a new Shazam Shortcuts action, options for remapping hardware keys of a keyboard connected to the ‌iPad‌, there's a new status indicator to display when a VPN has disconnected on iPhones with all-screen displays, and Apple has introduced a number of bug fixes.

A bug that could cause the camera viewfinder to appear as a black screen has been addressed, as has an issue that could cause Photos to appear to use too much storage. The update addresses a problem that could cause Mail message to appear out of order, fixes a Settings issue that resulted in cellular data incorrectly displaying as off, and fixes an issue that could cause CarPlay to lose connection in certain vehicles.

Apple's full release notes for the iOS 13.4 update are below:

iOS 13.4 introduces new Memoji stickers and iCloud Drive folder sharing from the Files app. This update also contains bug fixes and improvements.

Memoji
- Nine new Memoji stickers, including Smiling Face with Hearts, Hands Pressed Together, and Party Face

Files
- iCloud Drive folder sharing from the Files app
- Controls to limit access only to people you explicitly invite or grant access to anyone with the folder link
- Permissions to choose who can make changes and upload files and who can only view and download files

Mail
- Always-visible controls to delete, move, reply to, or compose a message in conversation view
- Responses to encrypted emails are automatically encrypted when you have configured S/MIME

App Store with Apple Arcade
- Universal Purchase support enables the use of a singular purchase of a participating app across iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
- Recently played Arcade games appear in the Arcade tab so you can continue playing on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
- List view for See All Games

CarPlay
- Third-party navigation app support for the CarPlay Dashboard
- In-call information appears on the CarPlay Dashboard

Augmented Reality
- AR Quick Look supports audio playback in USDZ files

Keyboard
- Predictive typing support for Arabic

This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements. This update:
- Adds status bar indicator to display when VPN has disconnected on iPhone models with all-screen displays
- Fixes an issue in Camera where the viewfinder may appear as a black screen after launch
- Addresses an issue where Photos may appear to use excess storage
- Resolves an issue in Photos that may prevent sharing an image to Messages if iMessage is disabled
- Fixes an issue in Mail where messages may appear out of order
- Addresses an issue in Mail where the conversation list may display empty rows
- Resolves an issue where Mail may crash when tapping the Share button in Quick Look
- Fixes an issue in Settings where cellular data may incorrectly display as off
- Addresses an issue in Safari where webpages may not be inverted when both Dark Mode and Smart Invert are active
- Resolves an issue where text copied from web content may appear invisible when pasted when Dark Mode is active
- Fixes an issue in Safari where a CAPTCHA tile may display incorrectly
- Addresses an issue where Reminders may not issue new notifications for an overdue recurring reminder until it is marked as completed
- Resolves an issue where Reminders may send notifications for completed reminders
- Fixes an issue where iCloud Drive appears to be available in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote even when not signed in
- Addresses an issue in Apple Music where music videos may not stream in high quality
- Resolves an issue where CarPlay may lose its connection in certain vehicles
- Fixes an issue in CarPlay where the view in Maps may move away briefly from the current area
- Addresses an issue in the Home app where tapping an activity notification from a security camera may open a different recording
- Resolves an issue where Shortcuts may not appear when tapping on the Share menu from a screenshot
- Improves the Burmese keyboard so punctuation symbols are now accessible from numbers and symbols

Apple has also provided separate release notes for the iPadOS update, which are available below and cover all of the new mouse and trackpad features.

iPadOS 13.4 introduces support for mouse and trackpad with iPad for greater precision and navigating the system with Multi-Touch gestures, and adds iCloud Drive folder sharing from the Files app and new Memoji stickers. This update also contains bug fixes and improvements.

Mouse and Trackpad Support
- All-new cursor design highlights app icons on the Home Screen and Dock and buttons and controls in apps
- Magic Keyboard for iPad support on iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation or later) and iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation or later)
- Magic Mouse, Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad, Magic Trackpad 2, and third-party Bluetooth and USB mouse support
- Multi-Touch gestures on Magic Keyboard for iPad and Magic Trackpad 2 enable you to scroll, swipe between app spaces, go Home, access App Switcher, zoom in or out, tap to click, secondary click (right-click), and swipe between pages
- Multi-Touch gestures on Magic Mouse 2 enable you to scroll, secondary click (right-click), and swipe between pages

Files
- iCloud Drive folder sharing from the Files app
- Controls to limit access only to people you explicitly invite or grant access to anyone with the folder link
- Permissions to choose who can make changes and upload files and who can only view and download files

Memoji
- Nine new Memoji stickers, including Smiling Face with Hearts, Hands Pressed Together, and Party Face

Mail
- Always-visible controls to delete, move, reply to, or compose a message in conversation view
- Responses to encrypted emails are automatically encrypted when you have configured S/MIME

App Store with Apple Arcade
- Universal Purchase support enables the use of a singular purchase of a participating app across iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
- Recently played Arcade games appear in the Arcade tab so you can continue playing on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
- List view for See All Games

Augmented Reality
- AR Quick Look supports audio playback in USDZ files

Keyboard
- Live Conversion for Zhuyin automatically transforms Zhuyin into the correct characters without pressing the space bar to convert text or select candidates
- Live Conversion for Japanese automatically transforms Hiragana into the correct characters without pressing the space bar to convert text or select candidates
- Predictive typing support for Arabic
- Swiss German keyboard layout supported on iPad Pro 12.9-inch
- On-screen keyboard layout for iPad Pro 12.9-inch now matches Smart Keyboard

This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements. This update:
- Fixes an issue in Camera where the viewfinder may appear as a black screen after launch
- Addresses an issue where Photos may appear to use excess storage
- Resolves an issue in Photos that may prevent sharing an image to Messages if iMessage is disabled
- Fixes an issue in Mail where messages may appear out of order
- Addresses an issue in Mail where the conversation list may display empty rows
- Resolves an issue where Mail may crash when tapping the Share button in Quick Look
- Fixes an issue in Settings where cellular data may incorrectly display as off
- Addresses an issue in Safari where webpages may not be inverted when both Dark Mode and Smart Invert are active
- Resolves an issue where text copied from web content in a third-party app may appear invisible when pasted if Dark Mode is active
- Fixes an issue in Safari where a CAPTCHA tile may display incorrectly
- Addresses an issue where Reminders may not issue new notifications for an overdue recurring reminder until it is marked as completed
- Resolves an issue where Reminders may send notifications for completed reminders
- Fixes an issue where iCloud Drive appears to be available in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote even when not signed in
- Addresses an issue in Apple Music where music videos may not stream in high quality
- Addresses an issue in the Home app where tapping an activity notification from a security camera may open a different recording
- Resolves an issue where Shortcuts may not appear when tapping on the Share menu from a screenshot
- Improves the Burmese keyboard so punctuation symbols are now accessible from numbers and symbols

iOS 13.4 is likely to be one of the last major updates to the iOS 13 operating system as Apple begins to shift focus to iOS 14, which is expected to be previewed in June ahead of a fall release. There have already been quite a few iOS 14 leaks, which can be found in our iOS 14 roundup.

Apple's rumored augmented reality glasses are under development and could launch by 2022, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes. The full report has yet to be released, but a paywalled preview reads as follows:

Apple AR glasses under development
Taiwan-based optical component suppliers are engaged in the development of Apple's augmented reality smart glasses, which may be commercialized by 2022, according to industry sources.

This follows a report from The Information in November that claimed Apple is developing two head-worn products, including a combination AR/VR headset for release in 2022 and "full-fledged" AR glasses for release by 2023. Those plans were corroborated by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who said the headset could be released as early as 2021.

The Information claimed that Apple's initial headset will resemble Facebook's Oculus Quest, but with a "sleeker design" that makes "heavy use of fabrics and lightweight materials to ensure the device is comfortable to wear for extended periods of time." The headset is expected to have a "high-resolution display" that will "allow users to read small type and see other people standing in front of and behind virtual objects."

The report claimed that Apple is planning to reach out to third-party developers as early as 2021 to encourage them to build apps for the hardware.

The headset would be followed up by Apple's rumored AR glasses that would be designed to "be worn all day." The Information previously reported that some prototypes "looked like high-priced sunglasses with thick frames that house the battery and chips," but the final design could change. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the glasses will be "lightweight."

Early reports had pegged a 2020 release for Apple's headset, but the company reportedly pushed back the project. Given the current pandemic, the timeframe may continue to shift, but Apple's interest in augmented reality hardware is clear.

The first reviews of the new iPad Pro have hit the web and we've rounded them up below.

Given that trackpad support is coming to all modern iPad models with iPadOS 13.4, set to be released later today, the actual hardware changes to the 2020 iPad Pro are rather minor. Reviews confirm that the device's new A12Z Bionic chip has very similar CPU performance as the previous A12X chip, and beyond that, the only additions are an Ultra Wide camera, LiDAR scanner, and better sounding microphones.

Moreover, the LiDAR scanner is more about the future than today. The Verge's Dieter Bohn noted that the sensor "improves some current apps for free, but there aren't any third-party apps that take full advantage of it yet."

"As I used the iPad Pro this week, I kept coming back to that LIDAR sensor," said Bohn. "It's a powerful and interesting sensor and Apple's total control over software and hardware means that it 'just works' to improve existing apps. But as powerful as it is, I'm not super sure a lot of users will be able to take advantage of it — it's an extra thing they may not even use."

There are some benefits to the LiDAR scanner today. For example, all existing ARKit apps will now have instant AR placement, improved motion capture, and people occlusion, while the Measure app can more quickly calculate someone's height.

Apple has been heavily invested in augmented reality for years, and with rumors suggesting that the company is working on an augmented reality headset, the LiDAR scanner will likely have much more significance in the years to come.

As for the A12Z Bionic chip, Apple told WIRED's Lauren Goode that it has enhanced thermal architecture, meaning that it should heat up less when pushed to the limit. And while the A12Z does not move the needle with CPU performance, it does have an eight-core GPU — up from seven in the 2018 iPad Pro — for a modest boost in graphics performance.

The new Ultra Wide camera is mostly what you would expect based on the iPhone 11 Pro, enabling 0.5x zoom for those who take photos with an iPad.

2020 iPad Pro Reviews

We've also rounded up 2020 iPad Pro unboxing videos here.

• The Verge
• TechCrunch
• WIRED
• CNET
• Six Colors
• The Independent
• CNN
• CNBC
• iMore
• Tom's Guide
• Pocket-lint
• MobileSyrup

Apple last week launched the new iPad Pro and MacBook Air, and shortly after Expercom provided the first discount on these devices. Today, Amazon has introduced the second set of markdowns on a few of these new 2020 Apple products.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

For the iPad Pro, you'll find prices starting at $749.99 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model of the 11-inch iPad Pro, while the same version of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is at $949.99, both representing $49 discounts. As of writing, the only 2020 MacBook Air on sale on Amazon is the 256GB model at $949.99, another $49 discount from Apple's price.

These products are available for pre-order on Amazon, and the company states that the iPad Pros will begin shipping tomorrow, March 25.

11-inch iPad Pro

• 128GB, Wi-Fi - $749.99, down from $799.00 ($49 off)
• 256GB, Wi-Fi - $849.99, down from $899.00 ($49 off)

12.9-inch iPad Pro

• 128GB, Wi-Fi - $949.99, down from $999.00 ($49 off)

MacBook Air

• 256GB - $949.99, down from $999.00 ($49 off)

You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.

Apple last week introduced new iPad Pro models with an similar performing A12Z Bionic chip, an Ultra Wide camera for 0.5x zoom, and a LiDAR Scanner for enhanced augmented reality. The new iPad Pro models will begin arriving to customers and go on sale at select stores starting tomorrow, and ahead of time, the first unboxing videos have surfaced.

The new iPad Pro models will be compatible with Apple's new Magic Keyboard with a built-in trackpad, set to be released in May. Apple did not provide reviewers with a Magic Keyboard at this time, but with trackpad support arriving in iPadOS 13.4, which will be released later today, mostly any Bluetooth trackpad or mouse can be used with the new iPad Pro.

For detailed reviews of the new iPad Pro, read our review roundup.

Disney+ today officially launched in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, and Austria.

The premium streaming service is accessible via web browser, on Amazon Fire devices, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV (4K or HD), iOS devices, Android, Google Chromecast, Xbox One, PS4, and smart TVs from LG, Sony, Samsung, and Vizio. You can download the iPhone and iPad apps here.

The subscription price in the U.K. and across Europe is £5.99/€6.99 per month, or £59.99/€69.99 for an annual subscription.

Over 500 feature films and over 7,500 shows are available on the service including new original content like the critically acclaimed "The Mandalorian" and "The World According To Jeff Goldblum," along with timeless classics like "Lady and the Tramp," "Star Wars," and the entire Pixar library.

Disney+ has been available in the U.S. for a while now, but subscribers should note that there will be some content differences in the European offering because of licensing issues.

Due to the anticipated high load on the continent's broadband infrastructure because of a surge in remote working, Disney+ is following other digital video services by streaming at an intentionally lowered bitrate, so picture quality won't be as good as some viewers will be expecting.

It's unclear how long Disney intends to limit video quality, but Netflix said last Thursday that it plans to implement similar measures for 30 days, following a request from the European Union.

The launch of Disney+ has been delayed in France by two weeks on request of the French government – Disney+ will now launch in the country the week of April 7.

Disney says the service will launch later this summer in additional Western Europe markets, including Belgium, the Nordics, and Portugal. Disney+ has been available in the Netherlands since September, when it launched there as a pilot trial.

One of the new 2020 iPad Pro models equipped with an A12Z chip arrived early to a Reddit user, who did some benchmarking tests to see how it performs.

In a Geekbench 5 test, the 11-inch 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ earned a single-core score of 1114 and a multi-core score of 4654, which is close to the Geekbench scores of the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ from 2018.

The 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ has an aggregate single-core Geekbench 5 score of 1113 and a multi-core score of 4608. Like the A12X, the A12Z is an 8-core chip running at 2.48GHz.

The new 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ pulled ahead a little in Metal scores, earning a 9894 Metal score, up from the 9020 score in the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ from 2018. That's no surprise, though, because the A12Z features an 8-core GPU instead of the 7-core GPU that was in the A12X.

Antutu tests were also conducted, showing lower scores than prior models in the memory category, though the test may not be optimized for the new models and the iOS 13.4 update. CPU was 187648, GPU was 348519, and Memory was 71476 vs. CPU 184553, GPU 357335, and Memory 90598 for the 11-inch 2018 model.

More testing will need to be done to confirm whether there are notable differences in CPU speed between the 2018 and 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ models, but for now, it looks like any gains are modest.

The new ‌iPad Pro‌ models ship with iOS 13.4, which is set to be released by Apple tomorrow, so new ‌iPad Pro‌ owners will not need to upgrade. Most people who ordered a new ‌iPad Pro‌ on the day they were introduced will receive their shipments on Wednesday, March 25.

An original Apple Computer Inc. sign created around 1978 with Apple's well-known rainbow logo is set to be auctioned off later this week.

Measuring in at four feet by five feet, the sign is said to be one of the earliest Apple retail signs and was displayed by an Apple authorized reseller who first learned about Apple after attending a 1976 computer conference.

The sign is yellowed and the description says there are "a few surface marks," but overall, the rainbow colors are said to be bright and in good condition. The sign will be auctioned by Nate D. Sanders Auctions on March 26, and the starting price is $20,000.

macOS versions of apps can now be included as part of a universal purchase, which allows customers to purchase a single app (or in-app purchase) that works across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.

Apple says that developers can get ready to use the feature by assigning a single bundle ID for apps in Xcode and setting up their app record for universal purchase using App Store Connect.

A single purchase option for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS apps was added in the Xcode 11.4 beta, which was first released in February. After developers have implemented single purchase options, customers will be able to buy one app that works across all of their Apple devices.

With the option to make a purchase of an app that works on all devices, Apple is unifying the categories in the iOS ‌App Store‌ and macOS App Stores, so there will be minor changes coming to the categories available in Apple's App Stores.

With most of Apple's corporate employees working from home at the current time, the Apple Park campus in Cupertino is nearly abandoned.

Drone footage shot recently by drone pilot Duncan Sinfield looks similar to drone videos shot before ‌Apple Park‌ opened, with no visible people on the campus and parking lots abandoned.

Apple employees worldwide have been working at home since March 8, though there are likely still employees on the ‌Apple Park‌ campus who have essential roles at the company.

Apple employees with non-essential roles are required to stay at home under Santa Clara County's shelter-in-place order.