Apple iOS 14.2 Release: Should You Upgrade? - Forbes

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Apple iOS 14.2 is here and it is full of fixes, new features and over 100 new emoji. But following the troubled iOS 14.1 release, does iOS 14.2 get Apple back on track?. Here’s everything you need to know. 

Tip: bookmark this page because I will keep it up to date if/when new problems are found. I will deliver my final verdict in a week. 

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Who Is It For?

Apple iOS 14.2 is available for all iOS 13-compatible devices. That means the iPhone 6S and newer and 7th generation iPod touch. You should receive an update notification automatically but, if not, you can trigger the update manually by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update. Beta testers, if you are running a later version of iOS 14 when you read this (see ‘The Road Ahead’ section at the end), you must unenroll your iPhone before iOS 14.2 will show up.

iPad owners, Apple has moved you to iPadOS. This is not an iPadOS-focused guide, but I will touch upon pertinent issues in these guides. 

The Deal Breakers

At the time of writing, jailbreakers should stay away from this new version of iOS. Unc0ver remains stuck on iOS 13.5 while checkra1n has an iOS 14 jailbreak (not iOS 14.2), but it is restricted to Apple devices running A9(X) chipsets and older. 

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Following the problems with iOS 14.1, it looks like iOS 14.2 is off to a much better start. It isn’t bug free - I’m seeing isolated reports of issues with WiFi stability, ongoing Health bugs and a vibration bug - but no pattern of any widespread problems. Even Reddit is calm. 

So What Do You Get?

Apple lists the following iOS 14.2 upgrades: 

• Over 100 new emoji, including animals, food, faces, household objects, musical instruments, gender-inclusive emoji, and more
• Eight new wallpapers in both light and dark mode versions
• Magnifier can detect people nearby, and report their distance using the LiDAR sensor included in iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
• Support for iPhone 12 Leather Sleeve with MagSafe
• Optimized battery charging for AirPods to slow the rate of battery aging by reducing the time your AirPods spend fully charged
• Headphone audio level notifications to alert you when audio level could impact your hearing
• New AirPlay controls to stream entertainment throughout your home
• Intercom support with HomePod and HomePod mini using iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and CarPlay
• Ability to connect HomePod to Apple TV 4K for stereo, surround sound, and Dolby Atmos audio
• Option to provide statistics about Exposure Notifications, without identifying you, to participating Public Health Authorities

The numerous new emoji are the headline here but the improvements to AirPlay control, AirPods battery optimization and improved Exposure Notifications are more important upgrades. While the ability to now connect the HomePod to Apple TV for premium audio is great news. 

iOS 14.2 also contains a large number of fixes for the following problems:

• Apps could be out of order on the Home Screen dock
• Camera viewfinder may appear black when launched
• The keyboard on the Lock Screen could miss touches when trying to enter the passcode
• Reminders could default to times in the past
• Photos widget may not display content
• Weather widget could display the high temperature in Celsius when set to Fahrenheit
• Next-hour precipitation chart description in Weather could incorrectly indicate when precipitation stops
• Voice Memos recordings are interrupted by incoming calls
• The screen could be black during Netflix video playback
• Apple Cash could fail to send or receive money when asked via Siri
• Apple Watch app may unexpectedly close when opened
• Workout GPS routes or Health data are prevented from syncing between Apple Watch and iPhone for some users
• Audio is incorrectly labeled as “Not Playing” in the CarPlay Dashboard
• Devices could be prevented from charging wirelessly
• Exposure Notifications is disabled when restoring iPhone from iCloud Backup or transferring data to a new iPhone using iPhone Migration

The oddity here is the high profile problems with resetting mail and browser defaults (reintroduced by iOS 14.1) are not mentioned here. That said, I remain hopeful of an unlisted fix since complaints about this issue have seemingly disappeared since iOS 14.2 was released. 

Lastly, Apple’s official security page lists 24 security patches bundled with iOS 14.2, including fixes for browser, keyboard and audio vulnerabilities. Crucially, three patches address exploits for vulnerabilities which Apple acknowledges were in the wild and therefore a tangible threat. 

Apple iOS 14.2 Verdict: Looking Good

As always with my hot takes at 24 hours, there is still time for problems to be discovered given only a small percentage of users have updated at this stage. That said, out of the gate iOS 14.2 looks like one of the most stable iOS updates in some time. It is also packed with new features, emoji and some important security updates. 

Cautious upgraders should wait for my final verdict, which I deliver one week after release, but eager updaters will be pleased to know there are no obvious showstoppers at this point. 

The Road Ahead 

At the time of publication, Apple has yet to launch the next version of iOS 14 for beta testers. This is somewhat unusual, given the regular overlap in recent years. The likelihood of an iOS 14.2.1 update will depend on whether iOS 14.2 did fix the mail/browser default bug (given it was not listed in the release notes), otherwise Apple may have a clear path to move straight to iOS 14.3. 

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November 07, 2020 at 06:29AM
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Apple iOS 14.2 Release: Should You Upgrade? - Forbes

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