Facebook is now beginning a broader rollout of Dark Mode support on iOS. This comes 5 months after Facebook confirmed its plans to roll out Dark Mode support for iOS, and over a year after Dark Mode came to the iPhone with iOS 13.
In April, 9to5Mac reported that Facebook was in the process of developing and designing Dark Mode support on iOS. Then in June, the company confirmed its plans and rolled the new design to a very small percentage of users.
Now, Facebook has confirmed in collaboration with Jane Manchun Wong that it is now publicly testing Dark Mode support on iPhone. This doesn’t necessarily mean the feature is available to every, but it does signal that it’s coming to a wider percentage of the user base now.
Here’s how to check to see if Dark Mode is available though your Facebook account and how to enable it:
Make sure you have the latest version of the Facebook app from the App Store
Open the Facebook app and tap the tree lines in the bottom-right of the navigation bar
Tap “Settings & Privacy”
Look for a new “Dark Mode” option
Choose between On, Off, or System.
Under the “System” option, Facebook will adjust its appearance based the settings of your iOS device. This is the best option if you want the Facebook app to adhere to the Dark Mode schedule you use on your iPhone.
Again, Facebook has not yet rolled out Dark Mode support on iOS to everyone, but it is publicly testing the feature with a wider percentage of the Facebook user base. Hopefully, a full rollout will commence sooner rather than later.
Do you have Dark Mode support in the Facebook app on your iPhone? Let us know down in the comments!
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Apple first announced iOS 14 a WWDC, its first virtual developer conference, earlier this summer. After more than a month of using the developer beta, and then the public beta, it’s safe to say that this might be its best update so far.
For the first time in its history, iOS just feels different. That’s not to say Apple ditched your familiar favorites, but there are a lot of new features you’re really going to love.
You can grab the public version this fall, but in the meantime, here’s what you have to look forward to.
This is going to be a recurring theme here, so bear with me. Apple, for the first time, is offering customizable widgets, and not just in the Today view; you can add first-party (Apple product) widgets to any of your home screens too. Better still, each of these apps has a few customization options, specifically in terms of size and viewing options.
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)
It’s not quite as customizable as Android, but it’s a good start, and I’ve had a bit of fun customizing my home screen with the available widgets.
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)
I only wish Apple allowed you to move third-party widgets to the home screen. For now, at least, you can only use them in the Today view.
App Library
Remember that warning that this might turn into a recurring theme? Here’s another of those features I was talking about: App Library. Essentially, it’s what Android owners have had for, well, ever. And while Apple does it well — it automatically sorts your apps into folders and offers both an alphabetical scrolling option, and a search bar — it’s not exactly revolutionary. But you’re still going to love it.
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)
And though the App library is the standout feature here, what I found much more impressive is the ability to hide entire home screens. After work, for example, you could hide all of the apps from a designated home screen for work-related apps.
Of course, you can customize this to your heart’s content. Just note that a hidden screen doesn’t mean the app is hidden. They’ll still appear in your App Library.
Better Window Management
We’re going to combine a few features here and talk about how much easier it is to multitask in iOS 14 because of how it handles apps that normally took over the home screen.
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)
Siri, for example, is now just a bubble at the bottom of the screen rather than an invasive app that hijacks your home screen.
Also, with some inspiration from the iPad, iOS now has a picture-in-picture mode that allows you to watch a video (or take a FaceTime call) even after swiping away. When you’re watching a video, for example, and you swipe to the home screen to check your text messages, your video continues to play in a little box. You can move this box around, resize it, or swipe it away when you’re done.
App Clips also fall into this category. In essence, it’s a mini version of the full application that allows you to use on-demand pieces of it without having to download and install the full version. These also appear in a picture-in-picture window without hijacking the entire screen.
Messages
Anyone that gets a lot of two-factor authentication codes, or random spam texts should appreciate a new feature in Messages that allows you to pin up to nine conversations. Once pinned, these conversations stay at the top of your screen, regardless of whether newer messages (from non-pinned chats) are newer.
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)
Group chats are much improved too. Now you’ll see images of everyone in the group, and you can (finally) reply to a specific person using in-line message replies, or tag them in a thread to address them directly.
Change Your Default Browser or Email Client
This is another feature that belongs in the “finally” category, but it’s finally here. IOS users can now choose their default email apps and web browsers. For years, clicking an email address, or a hyperlink meant opening Mail, or Safari. Now, you can open these links using Spark, Hey, Airmail, or any other email client (or web browser) of your choice.
Privacy Upgrades
My favorite new privacy feature is a simple dot in the upper right corner of the screen. This dot, when green, shows that an app is using the camera. When orange, it means an app is using the microphone. This is insanely useful for figuring out what’s watching, or listening, even when they shouldn’t be.
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)
You’ll also get more granular control over what you’re sharing with applications when they ask for it. Apps that want to view your photo library, for example, can be limited to viewing select folders instead of the entire thing.
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)
Another cool feature is the ability to give apps your approximate location instead of your exact location.
Translate
Google Translate works fine, so I’m not sure this is much of a game-changer. But from a few weeks of using it in Mexico, I can tell you that it does seem much more responsive than Google Translate, and the translations are on point too.
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)
Unlike Google Translate, you just select two languages (speaking and translating) and start talking. Apple figures out which language you’re speaking, and what language to translate it to. This is handy, as it saves you a button press. In Google, you’ll need to tell it which language you’re speaking, and which language you want to translate to — and then switch it back and forth during conversations.
Unified Search Refinements
On the iPhone, Apple combined search into one, singular search bar. Now, a search here brings up Siri suggestions and apps, as well as results from your contacts, mail, maps, messages, files, and suggests web searches.
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)
It’s Spotlight, essentially, in iOS 14. And it certainly makes life just a little easier, especially for app hoarders like me.
After months of delay and stop-start testing, Dark Mode for Facebook finally appears to be rolling out for iOS users globally, over 400 days since Apple first introduced the feature in iOS 13.
Evidence that Facebook has been working on a Dark Mode for its official app first surfaced in April, and by June a small percentage of users had access to the setting, which hinted that the company was gradually rolling out the feature for testing purposes.
However, propagation has been glacially slow ever since, and it's only in the last couple of days that more and more users have contacted MacRumors to report that they're seeing the option under Settings & Privacy within the app's Menu tab.
Confirmation that Dark Mode is rolling out in earnest on iOS and Android came courtesy of app hacker Jane Manchun Wong, who made a video in collaboration with Facebook and shared it on Twitter.
Facebook is publicly testing Dark Mode! đ You asked it, I chatted with Facebook’s @alexvoica about it and here’s a video made in collaboration with Facebook! pic.twitter.com/TGjdTXDxoP — Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) October 30, 2020
Dark Mode has been available on the social network's website for a while now, and some of Facebook's other apps, including Messenger and Instagram have long featured Dark Mode, so it's unclear why the company's flagship app took longer to gain the feature.
Google's Gmail app was the last major app to get Dark Mode, following a similar patchy rollout beset by inconsistent functionality.
iOS is one of two mobile operating platforms that are ruling the smartphone industry. Owned by Apple, the quality and security of this OS is what the company claims for. This is the reason why even when more than 60% of the market is captured by Android, still Apple managed to keep its loyal customer base intact. iOS recently launched the latest version which is iOS 14 and in this article, we are going to talk about all the important features that this update has. iOS always manages to create buzz and excitement among its users and the mobile development industry.
Something that most people were excited about was the home screen and they have made great changes to it. There is a support widget that has been added to the home screen with this update. This is just the tip of the iceberg and the article will have much more when you read on. There are a lot of features that have improved with this, and then there are some that are new. iOS 14 is what people wanted and also what they didn’t expect. The initial version of it was released in June 2020, and since then, it has been improving.
An iPhone app development company needs to comply with the latest update and release an amazing app supported by the most updated features. iOS is known for the security and the experience that they provide to their users. This is what has kept it going strong in the market and this is what will keep it there for long. The reason for this is the brand name that they have created. Apple has always preferred quality and this update enhances that purpose. Apple has also launched the latest iPhone and with that, the curiosity increased even more.
Users Are Excited About the New Features
iPhone users are really excited about the update. The whole world might be mocking Apple but iPhone lovers are dedicated to it. This is also the reason why Apple does everything so well and according to its users’ tastes. iOS 14 has taken into consideration the problems that users faced and the suggestions that they sent them. There are features that might look inspired but will make iPhone users happy as earlier those features were not as efficient. According to the survey over user sentiments, iPhone app development companies found to be appreciating the changes.
The New Features Of iOS 14
Apple has integrated some really new and exciting features in their latest iOS version and now that this version is out in the market, let’s have a detailed insight about a few of them.
1. Shifting Of Newly Downloaded Applications to App Library
This feature helps the phone to look quite manageable. When someone deletes an app from the phone’s storage, it will not be available on the home screen. In its place, the deleted apps will directly go to the app library. The main advantage of this feature is that the newly downloaded apps will not crown the home screen. The settings are easy and it can be changed into old functionality whenever required.
2. Curation of Applications Into Categories
The app library also helps to curate applications into several categories including social, entertainment, creativity, work, and many more. Categorizing applications makes it easier for users to view, navigate, and find them. This feature is getting a lot of love lately from its users because it was highly anticipated and is one of the competing features when it comes to Android.
3. Compact Call Notification
This is one of the features that looks inspired by Android. Earlier the call notifications used to take up the whole screen of the device and stopped anything the user was doing. There are many situations in which the user is watching something and then a spam call just disturbs their experience. This is something that will not happen with this feature. Users will get a small call notification on the top of the screen where they can either pick it up or reject it by sliding it away. It will make things convenient for users. This is one of the most demanded features and almost every iOS app development service provider was expecting this feature.
4. Picture-In-Picture
This feature was there on iPad but now with the launch of iOS 14, this will be present in iPhones as well. Apple decided to provide the best of its services to its iPhone users. Now, users will be able to do other things while they are FaceTiming. This will improve their time management and also will make them do more things at the same time and increase their productivity. Most people who have iPhones are working class and they need these features.
5. Updates for Siri And Searching
Siri has been a great help to iPhone users and one of the most talked-about tools for mobile app development companies. This is the reason why most people will never switch to Android. Siri has got updates and can now respond better to commands. Also, it can now manage a lot more things for users. Along with it, searching has also improved. This is something that new users will appreciate and like the most. Searching is something that everyone does and if it gets improved, users will be happy.
6. Setting Third-Party Apps as Default
This has been a problem that iPhone users were facing for a long time. Even though Apple’s default applications are safe, they don’t have features like third-party applications. If we take the example of Safari and Chrome, all users will prefer Chrome. The reason for this is an easy interface, more features, and compatibility with almost every web application. Earlier users had to open everything distinctly in the browser, or copy the link and paste it in Chrome. Now, they can just change the default browser application from Safari to Chrome and open every link in it. This will give users the freedom to choose the app they want as default.
7. Updates in the Messages App
The Messages application has got updates in almost all versions. This time the old features like memoji have got some updates. There are new hairstyles and other things that make a memoji look a lot better. There are other updates as well that will make users happy. This is something that might not stand out but people who use the Messages application a lot will love this one. Alongside, iPhone app development companies can leverage the update.
8. Standalone Translation App
The last update came with Siri was being integrated with a translator. This means that Siri could translate things for users but now this translator has got a standalone application. Yes, it will be efficient and will be easy to use for people who just want to convert text for copy-pasting and forwarding messages. This feature will be loved a lot.
9. New Features For Safari
Safari is one of the things that Apple is proud of and it should be. The browser looks cool, gives a lot of features to users, and is improving a lot. This update came with new features for the browser.
10. Security/Privacy Enhancements
There can’t be an article in which we talk about the new features in the latest update and miss out on the security aspect. Yes, the already super secure iOS has got enhancement in this specific part. It will be super hard now to get inside the device and look up information that is personal and sensitive.
Conclusion
iOS 14 has everything that users expected and some things come as a surprise but a pleasant one. Most of the important features have been mentioned above and all of them are accepted well by users. There is a great buzz about this version in the market.
The report of the update is positive and looks like it will allow any mobile application development company to make applications that will also become a default in iPhones. The market interest has increased and eventually, the numbers will depict the success of this version.
iOS 14 has been out for six weeks, and seen a few updates, and battery issues still seem to be at the top of the complaint list. The battery drain issue is so bad that it's noticeable on the Pro Max iPhones with the big batteries.
The battery drain issue is no real problem if you have access to a charger or power bank (except for the long-term battery wear that the excess charging is causing), but what about times when you are away from a charger?
Is there anything that you can do to extend precious battery life and keep it out of the yellow -- or red! -- zone?
This makes a massive difference. Yes, I know that brighter displays are nicer to look at, but it's a huge drain on the battery.
A massive drain.
Reducing the screen brightness (either from the Control Center screen or going Settings > Display & Brightness) makes an appreciable difference. And the more you use the handset, the more battery you're saving.
If you have a newer iPhone with the OLED displays, then switching over to Dark Mode (again, you can do this from Control Center screen or going Settings > Display & Brightness) is another good way to save power.
Sure, Dark Mode isn't for everyone, but needs must, right.
#2: Keep your iPhone face down on your desk
Your iPhone -- as long as it is an iPhone 5s or later -- can now use the ambient light detector to tell if it is face down on a surface (or in a pocket or such), and it will not light up the display when you get a notification in.
This, in turn, saves battery life. And the more notifications you get in, the more battery life you save.
For me, this one tip has a huge positive impact on battery life.
If you handle your iPhone a lot when not using it -- some people use them as fidget spinners and all sorts -- then you can also disable Raise to Wake (you can find this in Settings > Display & Brightness) as this again helps keep the display off when you're not actually using your iPhone.
#3: Poor cellular signal
Here's another big drain. Being out of cellular signal makes the iPhone hunt for a connection, and this in turn is a massive drain on the battery. And under iOS 14, this seems to put a big load on the battery.
So, is there anything you can do? It's not like you can build your own cellular transmitter.
There are some things you can do.
Put the iPhone into Airplane Mode
Change cellular providers
Keep a charger when you are in a poor signal zone
Bonus tip
Another thing you can do is to flip your handset into Low Power Mode, but this does disable some features, so you might want to limit it to more dire situations. But this will literally add hours to your battery life, and the sooner you activate it, the more additional hours you'll get.
Yesterday Apple issued the iOS 14.2 Release Candidate (GM) to developers, signifying that a public-facing release is not too far behind. iOS 14.2 RC includes over 100 new emoji characters, features eight beautiful new wallpapers, Shazam music recognition CC toggle, a redesigned AirPlay 2 interface, and much more. This iOS 14.2 release also fixes the annoying “A new iOS update is now available” message that appears upon each unlock for those on the previous beta. Watch our hands-on video as we explore iOS 14.2 top changes and features.
What’s new in iOS 14.2 RC?
Note: It looks as if Apple is replacing the term “GM Seed” for near-final versions of its software with “Release Candidate,” so we will refer to this as the iOS 14.2 (RC) Release Candidate.
A fix for the annoying “A new iOS update is now available. Please update from the iOS 14 beta” message that occurred with each unlock.
Eight beautiful new wallpapers in light and dark versions
Hundreds of new emoji characters
A fix for HDR videos thumbnails exported from Final Cut Pro X
Redesigned AirPlay 2 interface
Updated now playing controls and AirPlay 2 interface on the Lock screen
Redesigned AirPlay 2 controls in Control Center
New animation lets you see if other AirPlay 2 devices are active on your network
‘Reduce Loud Sounds’ is now renamed ‘Headphone Safety’ in Settings
Apple Card users now have ‘Yearly activity’ tab in the Wallet app
Ask Siri to stop playing music on HomePod
Intercom support in Home app and via Siri
There are many takeaways from the iOS 14.2 Release Candidate. If you’re coming from the previous iOS 14.2 beta, you’ll be happy to know that the annoying “A new iOS update is now available. Please update from the iOS 14 beta” that occurred every time you unlocked your iPhone has been fixed with this update. That alone is enough to warrant updating in my opinion.
One of the biggest new features found in iOS 14.2 is the revamped AirPlay 2 interface in Control Center. You’ll now find much bigger album artwork in Control Center for now-playing media. You’ll also find an icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the album artwork denoting the source of the media.
In addition to these changes, both Control Center and the Lock screen will now present suggested media when nothing is playing. On the Lock screen, you’ll need to have headphones connected before suggested media is presented.
There’s also a handy new AirPlay 2 pop-over for accessing other AirPlay 2-compatible devices on your network, including a brand new animation that occurs when media is currently playing on those devices. This pop-over is accessible from anywhere AirPlay 2 devices can be selected, such as the Lock screen, Control Center, Music app, etc.
There is also a brand new Shazam toggle that can be added to Control Center. This toggle allows you to inconspicuously learn details about songs playing in your environment without needing to invoke Siri.
Arguably the two biggest new features in iOS 14.2 are the eight new wallpapers, and the 100+ new emoji characters. The new wallpapers stand out, because they are full screen wallpapers that are less abstract than Apple wallpapers in the recent past. There are also darker versions of the eight new wallpapers included for when users switch to Dark mode.
The new emojis include all sorts of new additions, such as the ninja, disguise face, boomerang, and many more. I recommend using the iOS 14 emoji search feature to find new favorites.
iOS 14.2 also brings about the new Intercom functionality demonstrated alongside the unveiling of the HomePod mini at Apple’s iPhone 12 event. You’ll find a new Intercom button in the upper-right hand corner of the Home app that can be used to communicate with HomePods in the various locations of your house. Users can also use Siri to invoke the new Intercom feature as a means to communicate with household members.
9to5mac’s take
iOS 14.2 is a huge release that brings forth all of the features listed here, and many additional changes, bug fixes, and improvements. What’s your favorite new addition in iOS 14.2? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts.
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You've been seeing it for days, maybe all week: "A new iOS update is now available. Please update from the iOS 14 beta." Some Public Beta users were even seeing it before iOS 14.2 Public Beta 4. Thankfully, Apple has released the iOS 14.2 Golden Master (GM) release to all beta testers ahead of next week's public release. This GM release has a fix for the pernicious (and inaccurate) notification.
What's Fixed
There are no official release notes for iOS 14.2 as of yet, that'll come next week when it's released to the public. That doesn't mean that we don't know what's in iOS 14.2.
Of course, the big fix for beta users is that the constant notification to update iOS 14.2 no longer appears. But there are other fixes in this release for everyone else.
Apps appear in the right order on your Home Screen dock
The Camera app viewfinder isn't black when launched
The Lock Screen keypad registers all touches
Reminders no longer default to past dates
The Photos widget displays content again
The Weather widget displays the high temperature in your selected unit and doesn't default to Celsius
You'll no longer see incorrect rain predictions for the next hour
Voice Memos recordings won't be interrupted by incoming calls
Video playback in the Netflix app works properly
Asking Siri to send or receive Apple Cash works again
The Apple Watch app won't unexpectedly close after being opened
GPS routes and Health data from your Apple Watch's Workout app sync properly with your iPhone
Audio won't be labeled as “Not Playing" in the CarPlay Dashboard
Devices charge wirelessly as expected
Exposure Notifications won't be disabled when restoring your iPhone from iCloud Backup or transferring data to a new iPhone using iPhone Migration
What's New
Here's everything that we've seen so far in the iOS 14.2 public beta.
100+ new emoji! There are animals, food, faces, household objects, and musical instruments. There are also a large amount of gender-inclusive emoji, a very welcome addition.
As reported last week, there are eight new wallpapers with light and dark mode versions (but no exclusive iPhone 12 wallpapers without actually having the new device).
If you have an iPhone 12 Pro or are getting a 12 Pro Max, the Magnifier app can now use the LiDAR sensor to detect nearby people and report their distance.
There's now support for iPhone 12 Leather Sleeve with MagSafe. My best guess is that this throttles voltage a bit so that it doesn't leave a mark on the sleeve.
Battery charging for AirPods has been optimized to slow the rate of battery aging.
You'll now get a headphone audio level notification when your current audio level could damage your hearing.
Getting a new HomePod mini? There are new AirPlay controls to stream entertainment throughout your home.
Speaking of HomePods, you'll be able to use them as intercoms from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and CarPlay with this update.
You can now connect you HomePod to your Apple TV 4K for stereo, surround sound, and Dolby Atmos audio.
This release gives you the option to provide statistics about Exposure Notifications, without identifying you, to participating public health authorities.
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What's Next?
iOS 14.2 will be released next week. This GM will be loaded onto those iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max devices we'll be pre-ordering next Friday and getting in our hands the Friday after that.
One interesting note, while I'd warned against participating in the Public Beta Program before getting a new iPhone 12, it seems that Apple has been much quicker on the draw with hardware profiles for their new devices. iPhone 12 and 12 Pro profiles were released last Friday, the day that the devices were released.
This meant that all you had to do to load your iOS 14.2 Public Beta backup onto your new iPhone 12 was set the new device up without using any backups, enroll it in the beta program to get the hardware profile, then reset your device and set up your iPhone 12 like you usually would. Even if you reset your iPhone, the iOS that's last loaded on the device will remain.
If you're getting an iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 12 Pro Max in the next couple of weeks and don't want to bother with any of that then the iOS 14.2 GM would be a great place to hop off. Just go to Settings > General > Profile and delete your beta configuration profile.
With iOS 14.2 being released this week, it's a good bet that we'll see iOS 14.3 either later this week or early in the second week of November. I doubt we'll see anything this Tuesday, since that's Election Day in the U.S. and many companies are giving folks extra time away from work to vote.
No matter what happens, I'll be back as soon as the next beta kicks off! Until then, enjoy your notification-free iPhone!
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