With the release of iOS 14.5, Apple introduced a new process for recalibrating the battery health reporting on the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max.
The update recalibrates the maximum battery capacity and peak performance capacity on iPhone 11 models to address inaccurate estimates of battery health reporting that some users have encountered.
Symptoms of this bug include unexpected battery drain behavior or in some cases, reduced peak performance capability, but these issues should be fixed after installing the update.
Once you've updated your iPhone 11 to iOS 14.5 or later (Settings -> General -> Software Update), you'll see a message in the Settings app under the Battery -> Battery Health section informing you of the recalibration process.
Note that the process can take a few weeks to complete after updating your device. This is because recalibration of the battery's maximum capacity and peak performance capability takes place over the course regular charge cycles.
It's also worth bearing in mind that the displayed maximum capacity percentage won't change during recalibration, and while peak performance capability might also be updated, it may not be noticeable.
Only when the recalibration is complete can the maximum capacity percentage and peak performance capability information be regarded as accurate. If the recalibration indicates that battery health has indeed significantly declined, you'll see a battery service message.
In some cases, your iPhone 11 battery's recalibration may not be successful and a battery service message will pop up. In such cases, Apple will replace affected batteries free of charge to restore full performance and capacity to your device.
As was rumored last week, Spotify today announced a new paid subscription platform for podcasts. The service will begin rolling out in the United States today and then expand internationally in the coming months (via Variety).
The announcement comes exactly one week after Apple announced its own Apple Podcasts subscription platform at the "Spring Loaded" event.
The new Spotify feature will be available to creators through its partner Anchor, allowing podcasters to mark episodes as "subscriber only." Spotify says that it will come at no cost to the creator, and they'll receive 100 percent of subscriber revenue (excluding payment transaction fees). Beginning in 2023, Spotify plans to introduce a 5 percent fee to access the tool.
Podcasters can select from three different price tiers for their subscriptions: $2.99/month, $4.99/month, or $7.99/month. The rollout will begin with 12 independent podcasters on Spotify, and will expand to more creators in a few months.
All of the new subscriber-only content will be fully searchable within Spotify like other podcasts. They'll be marked with a lock icon on the play button, until listeners pay to subscribe to the podcast.
Apple's version of podcast subscriptions won't debut until May, and similar to other App Store subscriptions, Apple will collect 30 percent of podcast subscription fees that creators generate in their first year. Afterwards, Apple will collect 15 percent. Creators will also have to sign up for the Apple Podcasters Program by paying $19.99 per year.
According to Spotify podcast service lead Michael Mignano, the company is trying to show creators that Spotify has "the best terms" for publishing their podcasts.
“We really wanted to come out and show creators that we are offering the best terms… and two years [of no fees] is a great way to do that,” said Michael Mignano, Spotify’s head of podcaster services and tools. He added, “There’s no exclusivity. We’re not locking you into terms.”
To start, Spotify has partnered with NPR to be among the first media companies to launch podcast subscriptions. There will be new ad-free paid shows on May 4, including "How I Built This with Guy Raz," "Short Wave," "It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders," "Code Switch," and "Planet Money."
We're a few days out from the launch of the newest iPad Pro models, and that means we're seeing all-time low sale prices on the previous generation models this week. We began to track these sales after the "Spring Loaded" event last week, and Amazon has now provided even steeper discounts on a few of these 2020 iPad Pro tablets.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This time around, prices start at $699.99 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro, which is $99 off its original price and the best deal we've seen to date. You'll find similar best ever prices among many of the 11-inch 2020 line-up, and the 12.9-inch tablets start at $909.93 for 128GB Wi-Fi.
11-Inch iPad Pro (2020)
Wi-Fi 128GB - $699.99 at Amazon ($99 off, lowest price)
Wi-Fi 256GB - $769.93 at Amazon ($129 off, lowest price)
Wi-Fi 512GB - $999.00 at Amazon ($100 off, lowest price)
Cellular 1TB - $1,499.00 at Amazon ($150 off, lowest price)
For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. Additionally, be sure to visit our Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Apple today shared the first teaser trailer for its upcoming dark comedy show "Physical." The show stars Rose Byrne as a distressed housewife in 1980's San Diego, who gets swept up in the aerobics craze of the decade and has to contend with battling personal demons along her new journey.
"Physical" will launch on June 18 on Apple TV+. It was created by Annie Weisman, who has worked on shows like "About a Boy," "Suburgatory," "I Feel Bad," and "Desperate Housewives." The show is directed by "I, Tonya" director Craig Gillepsie, as well as Liza Johnson and Stephanie Laing.
Set in the idyllic but fragile beach paradise of sunny 1980s San Diego, "Physical" is a half-hour dark comedy following Sheila Rubin, a quietly tortured, seemingly dutiful housewife supporting her smart but controversial husband's bid for state assembly. But behind closed doors, Sheila has her own darkly funny take on life she rarely lets the world see. She's also battling a complex set of personal demons relating to her self-image... that is, until she finds release through the unlikeliest source: the world of aerobics.
At first hooked on the exercise itself, Sheila's real road to empowerment comes when she discovers a way to merge this newfound passion with the burgeoning technology of videotape to start a revolutionary business. The series tracks her epic journey from a stifled, overlooked enabler to a powerful, confident economic force, as Sheila transforms into someone we take for granted today (but was entirely radical at the time) -- the female lifestyle guru.
Other upcoming Apple TV+ releases include "The Mosquito Coast" on April 30, "Mythic Quest" season two on May 7, "Trying" season two on May 14, "Lisey's Story" on June 4, and "Home Before Dark" season two on June 11. During last week's event, Apple also announced that the second season of "Ted Lasso" will debut July 23.
Eve Systems today announced the newest version of its HomeKit-compatible Eve Energy Smart Plug, introducing Thread integration.
The fourth-generation Eve Energy supports HomeKit over Thread, and as a main-powered always-on Thread accessory, Eve Energy serves as a router node in the Thread network to make smart homes more reliable with better reach throughout the house.
As a Thread router node, the Eve Energy can relay other accessories' data packages in the Thread mesh network for overall performance improvements.
"Packing Thread router functionality into a premium quality, small-footprint smart plug, Eve Energy is the quintessential HomeKit accessory," said Jerome Gackel, CEO of Eve Systems. "Not only does it offer endless automation possibilities, but it also delivers an ultra-robust network to ensure that your schedules and timers work, any time and any place."
As a Smart Home device, Eve Energy is a plug that can turn any standard appliance into a smart appliance, allowing it to be controlled through the Eve app, though the Home app, and with Siri voice commands.
With the Eve app, users can monitor the energy consumption and energy costs of whatever is plugged into the Eve Energy.
If a smart home setup has a HomePod or Apple TV as a home hub, users can access their accessories when away from home, plus the Eve Energy supports automations that work with other HomeKit products.
Through Thread and Bluetooth integration, Eve Energy can join a Thread network automatically, and it will work more reliably than a standalone Bluetooth-enabled accessory. Eve has several other Thread-compatible accessories including the Eve Door & Window, Eve Weather, and Eve Aqua.
Nomad today announced the launch of the Base Station Mini, a new single-device charging option that's designed to power an iPhone, AirPods, or other Qi-enabled device.
Designed to take up little space, Nomad says that the Base Station Mini is ideal for a night stand or desk. It's square shaped and not too much bigger than the AirPods, so it's useful for those who want a simple, space-saving charger.
This is not a MagSafe charger and when charging an iPhone, it is limited to 7.5W, though it can charge Android devices faster than that. It comes with a 2-meter USB-C cable, but does not ship with a power adapter. Like other Nomad Base Stations, the mini features a padded black leather surface and a zinc frame.
Separately, Nomad is also selling a new 20W USB-C power adapter that's ideal for use with the Base Station Mini or for other devices, including Apple's MagSafe Charger.
The Base Station Mini is priced at $60 and the 20W USB-C Power Adapter is priced at $19. Both products can be purchased from the Nomad website starting today.
Twelve South today announced the launch of the Forté, a charging stand that is compatible with Apple's MagSafe Charger.
The stand is designed to house the Apple-designed MagSafe charger, so you will need to supply your own. The MagSafe Charger fits into the arm of the stand, which in turn slots into a heavy metal base.
Twelve South sent us a Forté, and the base seems to be heavy enough to keep the iPhone in place when you remove it. Since you're using the standard MagSafe Charger with this stand, it charges at the full 15W speeds.
The MagSafe Charger cord is routed behind the Forté, but it's not possible to keep it entirely hidden, so keep that in mind. The base can house your AirPods or iPhone when not charging, but it does not have charging capabilities itself.
What's nice about the Forté is that it has an adjustable head, so the angle of the MagSafe Charger can be adjusted. You can move it where necessary to get a good view for FaceTime calls, or turn it all the way upright to make a charging platform to charge the AirPods with the Forté.
This upright angle should also work for charging older iPhones with the MagSafe Charger, even though it was clearly designed for AirPods. You can use this charger in either landscape or portrait mode when using it with a MagSafe-enabled iPhone 12, and it is easy to remove the MagSafe Charger if you need to take the charger on the go.
Apple has been listed as "Leader" on the TIME'snewly released list of the 100 Most Influential Companies of 2021, continuing the Cupertino tech giant's streak of dominating lists for the most influential and admired companies in the world.
TIME says that Apple's record-breaking holiday quarter, its growing selection of products and services, and the way it handled the global health crisis earned it a spot in this year's list.
During the holiday season, Apple raked in a record-breaking $111 billion, thanks in part to the uptick in remote work and schooling boosting its Mac and iPad sales. And that's just one way the Tim Cook–led, Cupertino, Calif., company was able to defy gravity in 2020, upsetting both the competition and its apparent partners. Among other moves, it launched a new Mac lineup with a plan to phase out its use of Intel processors for its own Apple-made designs based on its mobile devices. It debuted new iPhone models that caught up to the 5G-enabled competition, and added services like Apple Fitness+ to help keep people moving when they're indoors (and to compete with fitness companies like Peloton).
In February, Apple was crowned the world's most admired company by Fortune for the 14th consecutive year. Last year, Apple ranked in fourth for the largest American company. Moving forward, Apple is expected to continue to dominate lists of these kinds thanks to its rumored entry into different markets such as automotive and augmented reality.
Adobe Creative Cloud for Individuals is on sale this week in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, offering 40 percent off your first year of the subscription service. This offer is valid for new subscribers only and will end on Friday, April 30.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Adobe. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
To get the deal, head to Adobe's website and hit the "Buy Now" button on the front page, under the special offer details. On the next page, click "Buy Now" again next to the "Creative Cloud All Apps" option. With the sale, it'll be priced at $359.88/year, down from $599.88/year. There's a limit of one membership per customer.
At the end of your first year, you'll be billed for the current standard price, unless you opt to change or cancel the membership before the automatic renewal. Users should again note that this offer is only for new Adobe subscribers.
When signing up for Creative Cloud All Apps, you gain access to: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Adobe XD, Premiere Pro, Lightroom, Acrobat Pro, Animate, Dreamweaver, Premiere Rush, After Effects, Dimension, Audition, InCopy, Lightroom Classic, Media Encoder, Character Animator, Prelude, Fuse, and Bridge.
These programs can be subscribed to individually as well for a monthly fee, but the new offer is only for Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps. Adobe is not discounting individual services. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
As part of the suite of features in iOS and iPadOS 14.5, Apple has rolled out a brand new set of Apple Music playlists that lists the top 25 songs in more than 100 cities around the world.
Reported by Billboard, the new collection of playlists ranks the top 25 most trending and hottest songs for over 100 cities around the world. The new collection can be found within the Browse section of the Apple Music app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Non-Apple Music subscribers can also browse the playlists using Apple Music on the web.
Apple says the playlists are updated daily with songs "making the waves" in cities worldwide. There are over 100 cities currently part of the collection, and Apple could add more with time. Courtesy of iMore's Stephen Warwick, the full list of cities currently part of the collection can be found below:
Apple says that it will ban and reject apps on the App Store that attempt to offer users monetary incentives to enable tracking through App Tracking Transparency (ATT), one of many measures the company is taking to ensure developers follow through with the new framework.
Yesterday the Cupertino tech giant released iOS and iPadOS 14.5 with several headlining features, including ATT. ATT is a new framework on iOS and iPadOS devices that requires apps to ask for users' permission before tracking them across others apps and websites.
It's received significant criticism from companies such as Facebook, which deems it a threat to its business. With the new framework, all apps on the App Store must present users with a pop-up that asks whether they wish to be tracked or not. Users are shown "Ask App Not to Track" and "Allow" in the pop-up.
Following ATT's release, Apple also updated its Human Interface Guidelines with a new section titled "Accessing User Data." In this section, offering a mix of new and previously known information, Apple outlines the design policies that all apps must follow when they attempt to ask a user for their permission to access personal data, device capabilities such as microphone and camera, and consent to track them across apps and websites.
Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, recently said that Apple can only enforce its privacy values through the policies to which apps on the App Store are subject to and that it entirely can't be done at a system level. Federighi referred to ATT, echoing that Apple will enforce the new change as vigorously as it can through the App Store's rules.
The new additions to the Human Interface Guidelines are reflective of Federighi's comments. Apple can expect to see some apps try to circumvent ATT with gimmicks such as imitation or limiting an app's functionality unless permission to track is given. To counter this, Apple's new guidelines bar apps from attempting to mislead users to enable "Allow" for ad tracking by imitation or using a graphic that mimics the system pop-up.
Most notably, however, Apple says that any app that attempts to offer monetary incentives to users to convince them to enable tracking will be banned from the App Store.
Don't offer incentives for granting the request. You can't offer people compensation for granting their permission, and you can't withhold functionality or content or make your app unusable until people allow you to track them.
Don't display a custom message that mirrors the functionality of the system alert. In particular, don't create a button title that uses "Allow" or similar terms, because people don't allow anything in a pre-alert screen.
Don't show an image of the standard alert and modify it in any way.
Don't draw a visual cue that draws people's attention to the system alert's Allow button.
Apple also outlines the do's and don'ts on how apps can provide additional information for why users should enable ad-tracking. The native ATT pop-up offers developers the choice to customize the text to explain why tracking is needed.
Apps can also employ a splash screen before the pop-up appears that provides information about what the tracking is used for. These splash screens, however, must use wording like "Continue," "Next," and not "Allow," which may mislead and confuse users, according to Apple.
If you display a custom screen that precedes a privacy-related permission request, it must offer only one action, which must display the system alert. Use a word like "Continue" to title the action; don't use "Allow" or other terms that might make people think they're granting their permission or performing other actions within your custom screen.
The new section will be helpful for developers looking to make sure they're up to date with Apple's latest guidelines and can be an interesting read for users looking to learn more about ATT and the privacy aspects of App Store apps.
If your Mac is running macOS Big Sur 11.3 or later, you can use a HomePod stereo pair as your Mac's system audio output. This article explains how to set up two HomePod speakers as a stereo pair and then connect them to your Mac.
Dedicated stereo speakers are always going to provide a better listening experience than relying on your Mac's built-in speakers for audio, so it makes sense that some people will be interested in using two HomePods as a stereo pair to create a wider soundstage for richer, more enveloping sound.
In previous versions of macOS, such a setup had a glaring limitation: HomePods set up as a stereo pair could only be used in the Music app and other apps that support AirPlay. In other words, it was only possible to select separate HomePod speakers from the menu bar on a Mac, which meant using stereo-paired HomePod speakers as your Mac's audio output device was a non-starter.
Fortunately, Apple fixed this omission in macOS Big Sur 11.3, and it's now possible to use a HomePod stereo pair as you default audio output on a Mac. Note that system sounds will remain playing only on your Mac's built-in speakers.
Stereo-paired HomePods can already be set as an audio output option on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, so the update brings the same functionality to the Mac. Note that stereo pairing is available with two HomePods or two HomePod minis, but the HomePod and HomePod mini can't be paired together.
You can join two HomePod speakers as a stereo pair when you initially set up HomePod, or you can later join two speakers that you’ve already set up using the Home app. Keep reading to learn how it's done.
How to Create a HomePod or HomePod Mini Stereo Pair
Swipe up and tap the cog icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Tap Create Stereo Pair....
Select the other HomePod that you want to use.
In the last screen, tap a HomePod to identify it via a tone, and swap the and right channels if needed.
Once you've paired the two HomePod speakers, you'll see a single pane in the Home app representing the stereo pair.
How to Select a HomePod Stereo Pair As Your Mac's Audio Output
This is the easy part. Once you've set up your stereo pair in the Home app, you should be able to select them as your Mac's default audio output, just like any other speaker.
There are two ways to do this. You can click the sound icon in the menu bar and select your paired HomePods from there.
Alternatively, launch System Preferences, click the Sound pane, and select your HomePods in the AirPlay section of the devices list.
It's worth bearing in mind that when two HomePod speakers are joined, only one responds to Siri requests, plays alarms, and acts as a speakerphone.
Tip: If you own an Apple TV 4K and two HomePod speakers, you can create a theater experience with Dolby Atmos or surround sound right in your home.
The European Commission will this week bring charges against Apple over concerns that its App Store rules break EU competition law, reports the Financial Times. The charges relate to a two-year-old antitrust dispute with Spotify.
Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition chief, will late this week publicly issue charges against Apple over concerns that the rules it sets for developers on its App store break EU law, according to several people with direct knowledge of the announcement.
In 2019, Spotify filed a complaint with the European Commission, alleging that Apple enforces App Store rules that "purposely limit choice and stifle innovation at the expense of the user experience," accusing the company of "acting as both a player and referee to deliberately disadvantage other app developers."
Spotify highlighted that Apple's 30% commission on App Store purchases, including in-app subscriptions, forces the music streaming service to charge existing subscribers $12.99 per month for its Premium plan on the App Store, just to collect the $9.99 per month it usually charges.
Spotify argues this gives Apple an unfair advantage because it's unable to compete with Apple Music's standard $9.99 per month price within the App Store.
The Spotify antitrust case is one of several opened by the European Commission into Apple's business practices in June last year. It's not yet known what the EU's charges could involve, but Apple could be forced to pay a fine or make changes to its App Store business model in Europe to foster greater competition.
Last month, Reutersreported that EU regulators were in the process of finalizing a charge sheet against Apple in related to Spotify's antitrust complaint, while FT's sources warned that the timing of the charge could still slip. Apple has denied allegations of anti-competitive behavior, and said at the time of Spotify's complaint that its rival was using "its financial motivations in misleading rhetoric."
Apple's custom next-generation Mac processor entered mass production this month, claims a new report today from Nikkei Asia. Tentatively dubbed the "M2" after Apple's M1 chip, the processors take at least three months to produce and could begin shipping as early as July in time for incorporation in Apple's next line of MacBooks, according to the paper's sources.
The next generation of Mac processors designed by Apple entered mass production this month, sources familiar with the matter told Nikkei Asia, bringing the U.S. tech giant one step closer to its goal of replacing Intel-designed central processing units with its own.
Shipments of the new chipset -- tentatively known as the M2, after Apple's current M1 processor -- could begin as early as July for use in MacBooks that are scheduled to go on sale in the second half of this year, the people said.
Produced by Apple supplier TSMC, Apple's custom M1 silicon made its debut late last year with the introduction of the Mac mini, MacBook Air, and 13-inch MacBook Pro, bringing considerable performance improvements and battery efficiency over the Intel chips it replaced.
Just last week, Apple unveiled redesigned 24-inch iMacs and a new iPad Pro lineup, and to underscore the hardware capabilities of the devices, Apple kitted them out with the same 5nm-based M1 processor found in its other Apple silicon Macs.
With an 8-core CPU, up to an 8-core GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine, unified memory architecture, and more, Apple says the M1 chip delivers up to 3.5x faster system performance, up to 6x faster graphics performance, and up to 15x faster machine learning, while enabling battery life up to 2x longer than previous-generation Macs.
Apple said in 2020 that it would take the company two years to fully transition from Intel chipsets to Apple silicon. Rumors suggest that future Apple silicon Macs will include new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with an all-new form factor as early as Q2 2021, in addition to a redesigned 27-inch iMac later this year and a smaller version of the Mac Pro, likely in 2022.
With the release of iOS 14.5, Apple introduced a feature that lets users select a specific music service to use with Siri, with the options including third-party services like Spotify in addition to Apple Music.
When this feature first came to light in beta versions of iOS 14.5, many early reports interpreted it as Apple allowing users to select a default streaming service, similar to the way it allows email apps other than Apple's native Mail client to be selected as the system default.
However, Apple has since clarified that there isn't actually any option to choose a music service that will be selected on every occasion. More accurately, the feature in question uses Siri intelligence to learn from your listening habits and improve the music selection process over time.
In fact, by occasionally asking which service to use, Siri learns your preferences for all types of audio content rather than just music. For example, it will let you open podcasts in Apple Podcasts or a third-party podcasts app, and let you choose a specific audiobook app if you listen to audiobooks. Here's how it works.
Ask Siri to play an artist, song, or album with a request like "Hey Siri, play The Beatles."
Siri will display a list of all music apps you have installed and will ask "Which app would you like to use?"
Choose your preferred music app from the list.
If asked, confirm that Siri can access data from your music app.
From there, Siri will play the music in your app of choice. If you chose Spotify, for example, the music content will play in Spotify.
In past versions of iOS, it's been possible to play music from other services by clarifying which service you want Siri to use, such as "Hey Siri, play music on Spotify," but the change implemented in iOS 14.5 makes it more likely that Siri will remember your music app of choice, so a simple command like "Hey Siri play music" will use your favorite app rather than defaulting to Apple Music.
In iOS 14.5 and later, Apple has added a Waze-like feature to its native Maps app that lets you report accidents, hazards, and speed checks along your route when getting directions. Keep reading to learn how it works.
Driving on public roads can throw up all sorts of hazards, but if you're given prior warning then you can be better prepared to deal with them. Apple recognizes this, which is why it allows you to report incidents in Maps for the benefit of other users. If you see something dangerous on your route that you want to warn others about, you can do so by following the steps below.
Note that the Report feature described here is also available through CarPlay, which should make it easier to report an incident when you're driving, when ideally you shouldn't be interacting with your phone.
How to Report Speed Checks and Traffic Incidents in Apple Maps
In Apple's Maps app, enter an address in the input field and select a route.
Choose Go and start your journey.
If you come across a hazard, accident, or speed check, bring up the options card by tapping the chevron icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
Tap the Report button in the menu card, then tap Accident, Hazard, or Speed Check. Alternately, say "Hey Siri, there's an [accident/hazard/speed check]" and Siri will send in a report to Apple Maps.
Reporting an incident flags the location with Apple, so it shouldn't be used except in a valid situation. If enough people file similar reports in the same location, Apple will use anonymized crowdsourcing to flag the incident site on the map.
Apple today updated its Clips video creation app to version 3.1, introducing support for the LiDAR Scanner on the iPhone 12 Pro and the 2020 and 2021 iPad Pro models.
With the new AR Spaces feature, users can scan a room and then transform their space with immersive visual effects that map to the contours of the room.
With AR Spaces in Clips 3.1, users can easily scan a room and see a live preview of effects that bring dynamic lighting, falling objects, and immersive scenes to life. Using the rear camera on a supported iPhone or iPad, users will see effects appear on walls, floors, surfaces, furniture, and objects.
There are seven AR Spaces effects that are available with the update:
Prism: Ribbons of rainbow light scan the walls, floors, and objects in a room.
Confetti: Celebratory bursts of confetti fall and accumulate on flat surfaces.
Disco: Shining lights reflect off the disco ball that hangs from the ceiling of the space.
Dance Floor: Colorful tiles of light dance in patterns across the floor.
Sparkles: Golden sparkle emoji and white glitter fill the space.
Stardust: Magical trails of starlight encircle and follow a person in the video.
Hearts: Floating heart balloons bubble up within the space.
Clips has all of Apple's most advanced AR tools and is able to recognize people in the video, projecting an AR Space effect both in front of and behind the person, so the effects look like they're applied all around the space.
AR Spaces can be augmented with animated stickers, text labels, and emoji overlays, and the resulting videos can be recorded in all aspect ratios and transferred to social media sites.
Apple says that going forward, Clips will get monthly updates to introduce new filters, Live Titles, text, stickers, and posters "related to seasonal events and cultural trends." With the release of version 3.1, users can choose to opt in to notifications to get an alert when new content is available.
Apple today released iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 to the public, introducing a slew of new features and changes. These updates are the biggest updates that we've had since iOS and iPadOS 14 were released, and we've highlighted everything that's new below.
Unlock Your iPhone With Apple Watch When Wearing a Mask
With iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4, also available now for the Apple Watch, Apple is making it easier to unlock your iPhone when you're wearing a mask.
There's an "Unlock with Apple Watch" option that lets the iPhone use an unlocked and authenticated Apple Watch as a secondary authentication method when Face ID cannot see your whole face due to a face covering.
This means you do not need to take off your mask or enter a passcode to unlock your iPhone when the feature is enabled. It requires both an iPhone running iOS 14.5 and an Apple Watch running watchOS 7.4, and it needs to be enabled in the Settings app by going to Face ID & Passcode and toggling on "Unlock with Apple Watch."
If you're worried about security, Apple has some built-in security functions. You will need to make sure your Apple Watch is on your wrist and authenticated for the unlocking process to work, and the first time you use it, you do need to enter your passcode. If you take off your watch and it locks, you need to enter your passcode again.
There is a proximity function, so it will not unlock if your iPhone is not near your watch, and your full face can't be covered. There's still a partial Face ID scan included that looks for your eyes.
While an unlocked Apple Watch can be used alongside Face ID to unlock an iPhone without a passcode, it cannot be used to authenticate Apple Pay or App Store purchases, nor bypass Face ID locks in apps. These will still require a full Face ID scan or passcode.
AirTags Support
iOS 14.5 update introduces support for Apple's newly released AirTags, allowing them to be tracked within the Find My app. On the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12, there's a Precision Finding feature that takes advantage of the U1 chip to provide visual, audible, and haptic feedback to guide you to a lost item.
AirTags have a lost mode, can be tracked via sound, and can be found through the Find My network by utilizing the iPhones, iPads, and Macs of people who are nearby a lost item.
Apple Maps Crowdsourcing for Accidents, Hazards, and Speed Checks
iOS 14.5 includes a Waze-like crowdsourcing feature for reporting accidents, hazards, and speed checks along a route in Maps when getting directions.
There's a new "Report" button available in the Apple Maps app that lets you tap to report an accident, hazard, or speed trap at your location in the Apple Maps app, which is a feature that mapping app Waze offers. This is available directly on the iPhone and in CarPlay.
Tapping on the info button in the upper right corner of the Maps app lets you "Report an Issue," with this option now displaying options to report an accident, hazard, or speed check. When getting directions, there are also easy access report buttons for sharing problems.
Crowdsourced information provided by Apple Maps users will be displayed in the Apple Maps app, offering an earlier heads up at accidents and hazards that need to be avoided.
ETA for Walking/Cycling Directions
When getting directions for a walking or cycling route, there's now an option to send an Estimated Time of Arrival to someone through the Messages app. This can be done by tapping on the route card at the bottom of the screen or through a Siri request.
AirPlay 2 for Fitness+
iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, and watchOS 7.4 enable AirPlay 2 support for Apple Fitness+, allowing Apple Fitness+ subscribers to AirPlay their workouts to a compatible AirPlay 2-enabled smart TV or set-top box.
Workouts can be displayed on a bigger screen with this feature, but unfortunately, Apple Watch metrics are not able to be displayed on the TV when AirPlaying a workout from an iPhone or iPad. Activity rings, workout time remaining, calories burned, set length, and burn bars will not show up on the TV set and will instead need to be viewed on the connected iPhone or iPad.
Dual-SIM 5G Support
iOS 14.5 includes a long-awaited feature for those who take advantage of the iPhone's Dual-SIM functionality. It introduces global support for 5G in Dual-SIM mode on the iPhone 12 models.
The Dual-SIM feature on the iPhone 12 allows for two lines of service on a single iPhone, useful for traveling or keeping separate work and home numbers. Prior to iOS 14.5, Dual-SIM mode was limited to LTE in all countries except for China, but iOS 14.5 will allow Dual-SIM users worldwide to get 5G speeds on both lines for the first time.
Standalone 5G support allows a direct connection to a 5G network without the need for piggybacking on an LTE network, which allows for better 5G range and lower latency in some situations. After installing the update, T-Mobile users may see some improvements in their 5G connectivity on iPhone 12 models.
5G Data Usage Improvements
Improvements to Smart Data Mode offer optimizations on 5G networks to improve data usage and extend battery life. 5G international roaming has also been enabled for supported carriers on iPhone 12 models.
New Emoji Characters
iOS 14.5 introduces several new emoji characters including heart on fire, mending heart, exhaling face, face with spiral eyes, face in clouds, along with different gender options for people with beards. There are also additional couple emojis that have new skin tone mixes.
Apple removed the blood from the syringe emoji to give it a more neutral look that also works for vaccinations. The Headphone emoji has been updated to look like the AirPods Max rather than a generic set of headphones, and the rock climbing emoji now includes a helmet.
Setting a Preferred Music Streaming Service
In iO5 and iPadOS 14.5, there is an option to select a preferred streaming service to use when asking Siri to play songs, which Siri will use whenever you make a request to play music, a podcast, or an audiobook.
The first time that you ask Siri to play something after installing the update, you'll see an option to choose from a list of third-party audio services in addition to the built-in Apple apps like Apple Music and Apple Podcasts.
After you select an app, Siri will remember to select that service whenever you ask the personal assistant to play a song. So, for example, if you set Spotify as the default and then ask Siri to play a song, you will not need to specify "on Spotify" to prevent the track from defaulting to Apple Music.
This is not a "default" music setting and there is no toggle to select a service you want to continually use, but it is a feature where Siri will learn your preferences and adapt to them. Since there is no toggle, Siri will occasionally re-ask for your preferred services to keep up to date.
New Siri Voices
There are two new English Siri voices in iOS 14.5, and by default, Siri no longer has a female voice. Users are able to choose a preferred Siri voice at setup.
After upgrading to iOS 14.5, the "Siri & Search" portion of the Settings app has an upgraded "Siri Voice" option. The "Accent" label has been changed to "Variety," and there's no longer a "Gender" selection due to the addition of extra voices.
Other Siri Improvements
Apple says that incoming calls can be announced with Siri, with Siri providing details on who is calling. When wearing AirPods or Beats headphones, calls can be answered hands-free. Siri can also dial emergency contacts and can create Group FaceTime calls.
Accessibility Voice Control
English Voice Control capabilities are expanding to Australia and Canada, while support for Spanish is being added in Mexico, Spain, and the United States.
Expanded Controller Support
With iOS and iPadOS 14.5, you can now use the latest PlayStation 5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers with the iPhone and the iPad. The new controllers also connect to the Apple TV with the tvOS 14.5 update.
iPhone 11 Battery Recalibration
For the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max, iOS 14.5 introduces a new process for recalibrating the battery health reporting feature.
The update recalibrates the maximum battery capacity and peak performance capacity on the iPhone 11 models to address inaccurate estimates of battery health reporting that some users have encountered.
Symptoms of this bug include unexpected battery drain behavior or in some cases, reduced peak performance capability, and these issues should be fixed after installing the update. The recalibration process can take a few weeks to complete after upgrading.
App Tracking Transparency
With the release of iOS 14.5, developers are now required to ask for and receive your permission before an app access your random advertising identifier, which is used to track your activity across apps and websites.
You're probably already familiar with these upcoming changes because Facebook has been fighting against them, but with iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, and tvOS 14.5, you're going to see more apps start to comply with Apple's rules, presenting a popup that lets you agree to or disable ad tracking.
Apple has already implemented all of the framework for App Tracking Transparency, so these popups are also going to appear more frequently in earlier versions of iOS 14. iOS 14.5 is more of a deadline than a feature update when it comes to Apple's new privacy rules, but it will mark the wide adoption of Apple's iOS 14 anti-tracking functionality.
One notable aspect of this change is a requirement that developers not track you in other ways to skirt the preferences that you select for anti-tracking, so if you choose not to allow an app to track you with a random advertising identifier, that app is not allowed to use non-Apple sanctioned tools to get around the rules.
Apple Music Changes
There are several minor tweaks in Apple Music that when combined, result in a much improved usage experience.
There are new slide gestures for adding a song to the Now Playing queue or adding it to the Apple Music Library. When long pressing on a song, there are also new options to "Play Last" and "Show Album."
In the Library, the download button has been replaced by three dots that can be tapped to access a whole range of options for a song. The actions are the same as the actions that are available when long pressing on a song title anywhere in the Music app.
There's also a new "Share Lyrics" feature that lets you send lyrics and song clips to others. Just long press on any lyric when viewing the real-time lyrics of a song to bring up a share interface. This is not available for all songs that support lyrics.
The lyric sharing option supports Instagram Stories and iMessage cards. If you send a song lyric using iMessages, the specific part of the song plays in the Messages app.
For some albums, the recording label information is more prominently displayed, with an option to tap it to find more albums from the label.
Apple Music 'City Charts'
There's a new "City Charts" feature that offers users access to playlists featuring the most played songs in more than 100 cities around the world.
Podcasts App
There are some design changes in the Podcasts app, with Apple introducing a new Smart Button that replaces the prior play button, along with an updated interface that makes it easier to find, follow, and listen to new episodes.
Podcasts under "Shows" are now more prominently listed with episode descriptions and an easier access "Resume" button, plus the Search tab lets you browse through different categories to find what you're looking for.
Apple is also removing the "Subscribe" language from the Podcasts app in iOS 14.5, replacing it with "Follow" options now that Apple has introduced a paid Podcast service.
There is an option to save and download podcast episodes, automatically adding them to the Library for quick access, and download and notification settings can be customized on a show-by-show basis.
Reminders App
There's now an option to sort lists in Reminders by Due Date, Creation Date, Priority, or Title, plus there is an option to print a Reminder list, which has been a feature that Reminders users have wanted for some time.
Apple has also fixed a bug that could cause some Reminders created through Siri to be set for early morning hours.
News App
There's a new Search tab in the Apple News app, and the News+ section has been redesigned with a "For You" feature and an easier to access Browse tab.
Translate App
When using Apple's translate app, you can now adjust playback speed by long pressing on the play button when listening to a translation out loud.
Apple Watch iCloud Settings
iOS 14.5 adds a new iCloud toggle for the Apple Watch that lets you choose whether or not to back up the Apple Watch to the cloud.
Shortcuts
There's a new Shortcut action for taking a screenshot that can be incorporated into various shortcuts, plus new actions for locking the orientation of the iPhone and switching between cellular data modes. With the Voice & Data mode action, there are options to select 5G, 5G Auto, and 4G network options.
Silence Unknown Callers Popup
When you receive a call from an unknown caller in iOS 14.5, Apple may prompt you to set up Call Silencing, a feature that was first introduced in iOS 13.
With Call Silencing, calls from unknown numbers will be sent directly to voicemail. The feature itself isn't new, but Apple does appear to be highlighting the feature in the Phone app in some situations.
Keep Track of Beats Headphones and Third-Party Accessories in Find My
The Items tab will also ultimately house AirTags when Apple releases the item tracking accessory.
Find My Safety Setting
In the Find My app under "Me," there's a new Item Safety Feature that's designed as a precautionary measure for AirTags and Bluetooth-enabled devices that can be tracked using the Find My app.
If you have an item on your person or nearby that is relaying its location and by proxy your location, your iPhone will let you know. The setting will prevent someone from placing a Find My-compatible Bluetooth tracker or an AirTag in your possession for the purpose of tracking or stalking you. There is a toggle to turn this off if desired, but most people will likely want to keep it enabled.
MagSafe Wallet Haptic Feedback
When attaching or detaching one of Apple's MagSafe Wallets to an iPhone 12 model, there's a stronger and more noticeable haptic vibration.
Emergency Alerts Settings
If you go to Settings > Notifications and scroll all the way down to Emergency Alerts, you can now tap the setting to disable an "Always Deliver" feature that causes emergency alerts to not play a sound when the Volume/Ringer is silenced. Alerts for earthquakes, tsunamis, and other similar emergency alerts will still cause your iPhone to sound an alarm, according to Apple's code.
CarPlay
You can share an ETA from Apple Maps using Siri or keyboard controls in CarPlay.
iPadOS 14.5 Only Features
Apple Logo on Horizontal Loading Screen
On the iPad, the loading screen with the Apple logo now shows up in a horizontal orientation if your iPad is positioned that way.
iPad Emoji Support
You can now search for a specific emoji in iPadOS 14.5, a feature that was added to the iPhone with the launch of iOS 14.
Scribble Language Support
For Apple Pencil users, iPadOS 14.5 expands the number of languages that work with the Scribble feature. It is now compatible with German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.
Scribble is designed to let users write in any text field on the iPad, with the handwritten text converted automatically into typed text. Scribble can be used across iPadOS 14 for writing out iMessages, conducting Safari searches, looking for directions in Maps, creating Notes, scheduling Calendar events, and more.
iPad Smart Folio Security
On the 8th-generation iPad, the 4th-generation iPad Air, the 2nd-generation 11-inch iPad Pro, and the 4th-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, Apple has added a new privacy feature that's designed to mute the built-in microphone whenever the Smart Folio is shut.
This will prevent apps from accessing the microphone when the tablet is not in use, with the feature also working with other MFi smart cases. Apple first introduced this feature in the 2020 iPad Pro models, and is expanding it to additional models.
Security
Safer Safe Browsing
In iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, Apple is proxying Google's Safe Browsing feature through its own servers in an effort to limit that personal data that Google is able to collect from users.
In Safari, the Fraudulent Website Warning feature is designed to warn users if they're visiting a suspected phishing website that's attempting to steal user data. To power this feature, Apple uses Google's "Safe Browsing" database, which can allow Google to collect IP addresses. By proxying the Safe Browsing feature through its own servers, Apple can limit the data that Google sees.
Zero-Click Attack Prevention
iOS and iPadOS 14.5 include extended PAC security provisions that are designed to make zero-click attacks more difficult to execute. With zero-click attacks, hackers are able to break into a target device without victim interaction, such as clicking a link, which makes them harder for users to detect.
Bug Fixes
Green Tint Fix
iOS 14.5 includes "optimizations" to address the green tint issue that some iPhone owners have been experiencing. Apple says that the optimization is intended to "reduce the appearance of a dim glow that may appear at reduced brightness levels with black backgrounds on iPhone 12 models."
AirPods Switching
Apple says that it has fixed a bug that could cause AirPods audio to route to the incorrect device when Automatic Switching is in use. There's also a fix for a bug that could cause Automatic Switching notifications to be missing or duplicated.
Messages Issues
Apple says a bug that caused some Messages to persistently fail to send text in some threads has been fixed, which suggests there could be a fix for the issue that has been causing iMessage issues in group conversations with Android users.
Notable Code
iPhone 12 MagSafe Battery Pack
There's a vague mention of charging an iPhone with a "battery pack" in the iOS 14.5 code under the optimized charging section, which appears to hint at a future iPhone 12 battery pack. "To improve charging efficiency and maximize available battery life, the battery pack will keep your phone charged at around 90%," reads the text.
Bloomberghas confirmed that Apple is indeed developing an iPhone 12 battery pack that attaches using MagSafe.
Guide Feedback
Know of something that we left off of our iOS 14.5 feature list? Let us know in the comments.
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