iOS 14.5's best features: 19 things to try on your iPhone ASAP - CNET

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iOS 14 changes a lot. 

Patrick Holland/CNET

This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple headquarters.

Dang! Apple is back at it again with another big iOS update, this time in the form of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5. The latest update for your iPhone and iPad brings a healthy list of changes and improvements. There's a new feature that makes unlocking your iPhone with Face ID while wearing a face mask a breeze (we could have used that feature about a year ago, am I right?). It also requires that app makers ask you for permission to track you across the web and other apps, which is a welcome privacy addition. 

Features Apple built into 14.5 join other notable features included in iOS 14 since its release last September. For example, iOS 14.4 added a new workout to Fitness Plus for Apple Watch owners. That update also included a series of security fixes for vulnerabilities that were actively being exploited. Yikes. 

And 14.4 followed the addition of Apple ProRaw photos to the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max in yet another update. 

Upon its release in September, iOS 14 added the ability to create custom app icons and place new widgets wherever you want. It also added a new Scribble feature in the iPad update now lets you use the Apple Pencil to write in any text field, and the tablet will convert it to text, instead of always pulling up the keyboard. And that's just the beginning. 

Below you'll find the best tips and tricks we've discovered for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. We keep this post updated to reflect new features and updates, so check back for more fantastic tips.

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1. Face ID now works with a mask… but there's a catch 

Raise your phone while wearing a mask and before you know it, it's unlocked thanks to your watch. 

Animated image by Jason Cipriani/CNET

Wearing a face mask during a pandemic keeps you safe, but it also leads to an incredibly frustrating experience when it comes to unlocking your Face ID-equipped iPhone when you're out in public. You either have to lower your mask for a split second, or wait for it to ask you for your PIN code. Neither option is ideal. 

With iOS 14.5, the iPhone will now look for your paired Apple Watch to unlock itself whenever it sees the bottom half of your face is covered. If your watch is nearby, your iPhone will unlock -- more often than not, just as fast as it normally does when using Face ID. 

Here are complete instructions detailing how to set up the new unlock tool and how to use it (complete with a fancy animated GIF).

2. Siri has new voices, and you get to choose 

For the first time, Siri's voice will no longer default to a female voice. In fact, Apple added two totally new voices and made subtle improvements to the previous voices. In total, there are four voices English speakers get to choose from when setting up a new device. 

If you want to change Siri's voice, you can do it at any time by going into the Settings app. Complete instructions can be found here. After you pick a new sound for Siri, be sure to come back and leave a comment with your favorite. I went with Voice 3. 

3. New privacy feature to stop apps from tracking you

One of the most controversial features in iOS 14.5 is the requirement that apps ask for permission to track you across your Apple devices. If you decline the request, or block apps from asking you altogether, the developer has to honor your decision. If an app is caught tracking you without permission, it could get kicked out of the App Store. To check out the new feature, go to Settings > Privacy > Tracking on your iPhone or iPad. Or you can check out our complete walkthrough that dives into the feature with more detail. 

When you download an app, you'll see a notification pop up giving you a choice of whether or not you want to give the app permission to track you.

Apple

4. Check out the new home screen features

The iPhone now has an app drawer-like feature called App Library, which acts as a warehouse to store all of the apps you don't regularly use. You can access the App Library by swiping from right to left on your screen past all of your current home screens. Another first for the iPhone is the ability to place widgets on the home screen. Apple provided developers with the tools to create a new style of widget that's sure to make your Android friends jealous. We go into more detail about the home screen changes here. 

iOS 14's App Library is the iPhone's app drawer. 

Jason Cipriani/CNET

5. Create a custom Smart Stack widget

Speaking of widgets, you're not locked into using Apple's curated Smart Stack widget. You can create your own stack of widgets using the same technique you'd use to create an app folder. Seriously, it takes longer to decide which widgets to include than it does to create it. 

Just keep stacking widgets until you're happy. 

Animated image by Jason Cipriani/CNET

5. Make your own app icons

Apple also added new features to its Shortcuts app, with the most popular addition being the ability to create your own app icons and fully customize the look of your phone. So instead of the Apple Mail app icon, you can download an icon that replaces it with a picture of a cute cat or the Gmail icon and use that to launch the app. The process is somewhat tedious, but if you want a home screen that's unlike any other, it's well worth your time. 

Custom icons make your phone your own.

CNET

6. Use apps without installing them, thanks to App Clips

Think of App Clips as miniature apps that only show you a portion of what the full app can do. For example, a Yelp App Clip could show you business hours and the menu for a specific restaurant and nothing more. Want to try one? Open the Apple Maps app on your iPhone, search for Panera Bread, tap on a location and then select Order Food. Pretty cool, right? After using an App Clip, you can access it again in the App Library in the recently added folder. 

iOS 14.3 brings with it ProRaw photo support on the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. Once you enable ProRaw, you'll see a new "RAW" button on the top right side of the native camera app.

Patrick Holland/CNET

7. iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max can take raw photos

This is surely a feature for photography buffs, but one that will hopefully pique the curiosity of those who are looking to get a bit more out of their iPhone camera. The release of iOS 14.3 adds Apple's ProRaw photo format, which allows you to take photos using the "raw" photography format, and make changes to it without any image degradation as when the photo is converted to a JPG (the standard for Apple's camera app). 

For many more details and instructions on where to find the new setting, check out our complete ProRaw guide.

Apple's Fitness Plus app is available on the iPhone, iPad and AppleTV. 

Vanessa Hand Orellana/CNET

8. Work out at home with Fitness Plus

With gyms closed or running at limited capacity, now's the time to work out at home. Apple's Fitness Plus service is built directly into your iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, and it uses your Apple Watch to track your workout. The guided video workouts are released weekly, with options for all different fitness levels. Read our hands-on with the new service and then let us walk you through everything you need to know to set it up.

Read more: How Apple's Fitness Plus solves the Netflix forever-browsing problem

You can view details of what each session is about, including a preview of the songs that are included. 

Jason Cipriani/CNET

9. Time to take a walk

Speaking of Fitness Plus, iOS 14.4 and WatchOS 7.3 added a new workout called Time to Walk. Apple has enlisted celebrities who go on a virtual walk with you, telling stories that are meant to be inspiring, intertwined with personal music choices. You'll need to install updates on your watch and phone before you can use it. Here's how to set up and use the new workout.

10. Picture-in-Picture comes to the iPhone

You're no longer forced to decide whether you want to watch a Twitch stream or browse Reddit on your iPhone. With iOS 14, you can do both at the same time, now that Apple has added picture-in-picture mode to the iPhone. The iPad has had this feature for a couple of years now, so it's nice to see the iPhone get it as well. When you start watching a video you only need to leave the app and go back to the home screen to trigger PiP. There are some apps, like YouTube, that don't support the feature. You can view a list of all the apps installed on your phone that support it by going to Settings > General > Picture in Picture. Read more about picture-in-picture to get a better idea of when and where it works. 

Picture-in-picture is incredibly useful. 

Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

11. Deleting apps can be confusing now

With the addition of the App Library, there's now an extra step when it comes to deleting an app from your phone and for longtime iPhone users, it's not at all straightforward. But it doesn't have to be too confusing: We walk you through the new steps to delete an app. 

12. Ditch Apple Mail and Safari

Apple added the ability to delete its own apps from your iPhone a few years ago, but you still couldn't set apps like Gmail or Outlook as your default email app. Now you can, but Apple has limited this new feature to only the email and web browsers. It only takes a few taps to make the change, after which you won't have to deal with Apple's apps ever again. 

It's true, you can set some default apps on iOS 14. 

Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET

13. AirPods Pro has a new audio feature

The iPhone and iPad aren't the only devices that received a big update. Apple's AirPods Pro also got a small firmware update that added a new feature called Spatial Audio. You'll need an iPhone or iPad running iOS 14 to use the feature. With both devices updated, whenever you're watching a video the sound will follow the movements of your head, adjusting with each twist and turn. CNET's David Carnoy described it as an "out-of-bud experience." And he's not wrong. 

14. The iPad looks more like a Mac than ever

iPadOS 14 includes several new features and enhancements that bring its interface closer to looking and working like a Mac. Or is it the Mac that's starting to look like an iPad with MacOS Big Sur? Either way, you'll want to learn all you can about the new iPad features in iPadOS 14. 

Can't find that emoji you need? Search for it. 

Jason Cipriani/CNET

15. Hidden features are the best features

Not to be left out, there are several hidden features in iOS 14 that do some truly amazing things. For instance, a new back-tap feature lets you tap on the back of your phone two or three times, triggering a task like taking a screenshot or launching an app. We've found a total of thirteen hidden features worth sharing with you so far and plan to keep adding to the list. 

16. New privacy features 

Keeping your information private is one of Apple's main marketing points, and iOS 14 is going even further to help keep your information private. There are new location sharing settings that will limit whether an app sees your exact location or a more general area. There's also a new notification dot that will tell you when an app is using your phone's camera or mic, and finer controls over which photos an app has access to. Check out all of the new privacy features and how to use them.

You don't have to tell apps exactly where you are if you don't want to. 

Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET

17. New camera tricks 

There are several subtle but important new features in the Camera app. For example, when taking a photo at night, there's a new guide to remind you to keep still. You'll see crosshairs that show you where to keep the camera. There's also a new exposure adjustment dial, and you can snap multiple photos much quicker. Learn how to use and where to find the new features, complete with animated images. 

iOS 14 makes it so you can take consecutive photos faster. There's less time from one photo to another.

Patrick Holland/CNET

18. Up your selfie game

Another new feature in the Camera app is a new setting for the front-facing camera that is sure to help your selfies shine. The new mirror mode forces the camera to act more like a, well, mirror, which can make it easier to make sure your shot is framed and lined up the way you want. We show you where to find the new setting. 

19. Still want more? We gotcha

As a bonus round, we've compiled a few more tips on how to do even more, like tag someone in a group conversation in the Messages app and use Apple's new Translate app to carry a conversation in two completely different languages. We walk you through those two tips, plus a few more of our favorite features. 

There's still plenty more to learn and figure out in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, so we're just getting started. Just getting started with a new iPhone 12? Here's how to set it up. After that's done, be sure to check these settings. Finally, don't forget to transfer your Google Authenticator accounts to your new phone. 

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The Link Lonk


May 02, 2021 at 06:39AM
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iOS 14.5's best features: 19 things to try on your iPhone ASAP - CNET

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iOS 14.5: The Surprising Problem With Apple’s Big Privacy Update - Forbes

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After months of build-up, everyone was expecting Apple’s iOS 14.5’s much-hyped privacy feature to arrive with a bang. Quite rightly, privacy advocates believed iOS 14.5’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) would shake up internet advertising for the better. 

But so far, Apple’s new iPhone privacy feature has not worked as it was billed. Among the issues, many Apple users are complaining about a lack of “Ask to Track” prompts since upgrading to iOS 14.5. Some people haven’t seen any at all, while others have seen heavily customised prompts—not the uniform iOS prompts seen in Apple’s marketing—many of which do not ask specifically to track iPhone users. 

“The reality is that App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14.5 is a mess,” says Johnny Lin, a former Apple engineer and co-founder of tracker-blocking app Lockdown Privacy. “It’s possible it could sort itself out in the long run, but right now, it’s inconsistent, with low compliance rates, confusing since it doesn’t work the same way as other permissions, and easy to get around.”

It’s certainly disappointing for many iPhone users, who had expected transparency about which apps were tracking them once upgrading to iOS 14.5. Others just wanted to try out the new privacy feature when it launched. So, what’s happening?

Reason 1: Check Your Settings in iOS 14.5

Some people won’t be receiving any Ask to Track notices because they have already disallowed collection of the identifier for advertisers (IDFA) in their settings. This will have carried over to iOS 14.5.

MORE FOR YOU

The setting can be found in Settings > Privacy >Tracking.

Some people won’t be receiving any Ask to Track notices because they have already disallowed ... [+] collection of the identifier for advertisers (IDFA) in their settings. This will have carried over to iOS 14.5.

Apple iPhone

If you have already toggled it to off, apps have already been sent the message not to collect the IDFA and this carries over to iOS 14.5. You can turn on Allow Apps to Request to Track, but if apps have already been given the instruction not to track, they won’t ask again. In other words, you may need to wait for new apps to ask.

However, according to 9to5Mac some users are complaining that the toggled switch is grayed out to stop apps from requesting to track. There could be a reason for this: For example, those under 18 will find they are unable to turn on tracking (which is a good thing). It is also grayed out if your Apple ID is managed by an educational institution or uses a configuration profile that limits tracking, or if your Apple ID was created in the last three days.

The other explanation is that the grayed out button is a bug in iOS 14.5 that needs fixing. 

Reason 2: The developer’s app isn’t ready for ATT yet

Despite Apple’s PR machine indicating ATT would emerge suddenly and dramatically upon updating to iOS 14.5, in reality, it will take time for app developers to adjust. Facebook said in a statement to CNET that ATT would be rolling out over the coming weeks.

So other apps may also be slow to get their ATT alerts out, but rest assured: Just because the ATT pop up isn’t appearing, it doesn’t mean apps can track you in iOS 14.5. Apple has indicated that app makers who don’t ask will not be given access to the IDFA. Instead of the unique IDFA code that identifies you, the app developer will receive a string of 000s. 

Developers need to use the AppTrackingTransparency framework to request permission to track the user. “If called properly, the framework displays a system prompt on behalf of the app,” says security researcher Tommy Mysk. “Without receiving permission from the user, the value of the advertising identifier, or IDFA,  will be all zeros.”

He says none of the apps he tested triggered the system prompt to be displayed: “Even though we could clearly see the IDFA value in their network traffic, it was all zeros. This is consistent with Apple's documentation.”

As for the heavily customised prompts that are clearly not the uniform iOS permission (see picture below), these shouldn’t be used to allow tracking. They are allowed by Apple as a pop up before the native iOS prompt comes up—not instead of it. 

This is how it should work: When you say yes to tracking, the app will appear in your privacy settings, where you can turn it off. Watch the video demo included in this article to see how it works. 

The uniform iOS 14.5 Ask to Track prompt should look like this. It can be customised slightly.

Apple

But the real issue is that third party tracking goes beyond just the IDFA. Apple says it is “not considered tracking when the app developer combines information about you or your device for targeted advertising or advertising measurement purposes if the developer is doing so solely on your device and not sending information off your device in a way that identifies you.”

In addition, the app is allowed to share information with data brokers if this is used for fraud detection or prevention or security. 

However, iPhone developers are not allowed to use fingerprinting methods—another way of uniquely identifying you—to track people, according to Apple’s developer documentation.

Mysk explained in a tweet how he found the IDFA blocking process is working, and apps only gain access to the IDFA if they are using the iOS native prompt. However, it did not stop the app from collecting other data.

“There are many other ways apps can and do third-party tracking of users without the IDFA,” says Lin. “At a very basic level, apps always have access to the user’s IP address, so the IDFA is not really needed to uniquely identify someone—it’s more like a ‘nice to have’. Another example is that third-party trackers can just generate their own unique identifier for each user to track them.”

So why are these non-native prompts appearing? One possibility is that many apps are doing this as a pre-prompt or primer before they show the user the iOS native prompt, in order to increase initial opt-in rates, says Lin.

This is because once the user denies tracking, it’s hard to get them to go to the Settings app to change it back, Lin says. “This same UX pattern, while confusing, has been used for some time for other permission requests like push notifications—a game might have its own explainer prompt for why it wants to enable push notifications before presenting the native iOS prompt.”

Lin says however that the simplest explanation is that these are bugs in the apps, and developers are messing up because it’s their first time implementing ATT. Another possibility, he says, is that it’s an iOS bug (like the grayed out button).

“It’s also possible that some apps are trying to comply with ATT, but can’t figure out how their third-party tracker usage ‘fits in’ with Apple’s ATT rules—for example, if they don’t use IDFA at all, but they do other third-party tracking, so they create their own dialog in the hope of passing App Review’s scrutiny.”

Confusingly, Lin tells me ATT doesn’t work the same way as other permissions. “Other permissions are very cut-and-dry: if you disable Camera access, the app does not have access to your camera, period. However, if you disable access to “Allow Apps to Request To Track”, the app can definitely still track you with third-party trackers; it’s just that if the app wanted to be honest (by their own choice), they could show the Request to Track dialog and respect it. 

“IOS 14.5 supposedly does cut off IDFA for apps that don’t show the dialog, but that isn’t needed to do third-party tracking, and the setting isn’t ‘Allow Apps to Use IDFA’; the setting is ‘Allow Apps to Request To Track’.”

Reason 3: App developers are trying to get around the iOS 14.5 privacy changes

App developers are allowed to customize the text inside the iOS 14.5 pop up, but they need to use the native iOS prompt and can only change the central text. This text needs to offer the user the information they need to decide whether to allow tracking or not without for example, threatening to take away functionality or offering monetary incentives. 

No doubt at first, some developers will push this, but hopefully they will be weeded out during Apple’s review process. Apple has said it will police ATT in iOS 14.5, so let’s hope it keeps its word and the big privacy change will make the difference we were all expecting. 

However, Lin says his app Lockdown, which shows who is tracking you on your iPhone, has been monitoring to see the compliance rate of apps with ATT. “As far as I can tell, it’s very low. For example, he says, opening one food and drink app resulted in Lockdown Privacy blocking 49 third-party tracking attempts, including Facebook trackers. “Even with Allow Apps to Ask To Track enabled, there is no prompt to ask for tracking, and the app doesn’t even show up in the list.”

At the same time, says Lin, Apple isn’t retroactively removing apps that do third-party tracking. “So, even if an app, in the worst case, is being egregious about selling user data to third parties without any consent, as long as they don’t submit a new version, they can keep doing this as long as they want.”

Apple’s explanation

Apple has further explained ATT in a support document. The document explains how iOS app developers can customize part of the message to explain why the app is asking to track your activity. You can also visit the app’s product page in the App Store for more details about how the app developer uses your data.

But Apple states: “If you choose Ask App Not to Track, the app developer can’t access the system advertising identifier (IDFA), which is often used to track. The app is also not permitted to track your activity using other information that identifies you or your device, like your email address.”

I asked Apple for a comment on this story and will update it if the iPhone maker responds.

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May 01, 2021 at 08:00PM
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iOS 14.5: The Surprising Problem With Apple’s Big Privacy Update - Forbes

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iOS 14.5's best features: 19 things to try on your iPhone ASAP - CNET

ios.indah.link

iOS 14 changes a lot. 

Patrick Holland/CNET

This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple headquarters.

Dang! Apple is back at it again with another big iOS update, this time in the form of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5. The latest update for your iPhone and iPad brings a healthy list of changes and improvements. There's a new feature that makes unlocking your iPhone with Face ID while wearing a face mask a breeze (we could have used that feature about a year ago, am I right?). It also requires that app makers ask you for permission to track you across the web and other apps, which is a welcome privacy addition. 

Features Apple built into 14.5 join other notable features included in iOS 14 since its release last September. For example, iOS 14.4 added a new workout to Fitness Plus for Apple Watch owners. That update also included a series of security fixes for vulnerabilities that were actively being exploited. Yikes. 

And 14.4 followed the addition of Apple ProRaw photos to the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max in yet another update. 

Upon its release in September, iOS 14 added the ability to create custom app icons and place new widgets wherever you want. It also added a new Scribble feature in the iPad update now lets you use the Apple Pencil to write in any text field, and the tablet will convert it to text, instead of always pulling up the keyboard. And that's just the beginning. 

Below you'll find the best tips and tricks we've discovered for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. We keep this post updated to reflect new features and updates, so check back for more fantastic tips.

CNET How To

Learn smart gadget and internet tips and tricks with CNET's How To newsletter.

1. Face ID now works with a mask… but there's a catch 

Raise your phone while wearing a mask and before you know it, it's unlocked thanks to your watch. 

Animated image by Jason Cipriani/CNET

Wearing a face mask during a pandemic keeps you safe, but it also leads to an incredibly frustrating experience when it comes to unlocking your Face ID-equipped iPhone when you're out in public. You either have to lower your mask for a split second, or wait for it to ask you for your PIN code. Neither option is ideal. 

With iOS 14.5, the iPhone will now look for your paired Apple Watch to unlock itself whenever it sees the bottom half of your face is covered. If your watch is nearby, your iPhone will unlock -- more often than not, just as fast as it normally does when using Face ID. 

Here are complete instructions detailing how to set up the new unlock tool and how to use it (complete with a fancy animated GIF).

2. Siri has new voices, and you get to choose 

For the first time, Siri's voice will no longer default to a female voice. In fact, Apple added two totally new voices and made subtle improvements to the previous voices. In total, there are four voices English speakers get to choose from when setting up a new device. 

If you want to change Siri's voice, you can do it at any time by going into the Settings app. Complete instructions can be found here. After you pick a new sound for Siri, be sure to come back and leave a comment with your favorite. I went with Voice 3. 

3. New privacy feature to stop apps from tracking you

One of the most controversial features in iOS 14.5 is the requirement that apps ask for permission to track you across your Apple devices. If you decline the request, or block apps from asking you altogether, the developer has to honor your decision. If an app is caught tracking you without permission, it could get kicked out of the App Store. To check out the new feature, go to Settings > Privacy > Tracking on your iPhone or iPad. Or you can check out our complete walkthrough that dives into the feature with more detail. 

When you download an app, you'll see a notification pop up giving you a choice of whether or not you want to give the app permission to track you.

Apple

4. Check out the new home screen features

The iPhone now has an app drawer-like feature called App Library, which acts as a warehouse to store all of the apps you don't regularly use. You can access the App Library by swiping from right to left on your screen past all of your current home screens. Another first for the iPhone is the ability to place widgets on the home screen. Apple provided developers with the tools to create a new style of widget that's sure to make your Android friends jealous. We go into more detail about the home screen changes here. 

iOS 14's App Library is the iPhone's app drawer. 

Jason Cipriani/CNET

5. Create a custom Smart Stack widget

Speaking of widgets, you're not locked into using Apple's curated Smart Stack widget. You can create your own stack of widgets using the same technique you'd use to create an app folder. Seriously, it takes longer to decide which widgets to include than it does to create it. 

Just keep stacking widgets until you're happy. 

Animated image by Jason Cipriani/CNET

5. Make your own app icons

Apple also added new features to its Shortcuts app, with the most popular addition being the ability to create your own app icons and fully customize the look of your phone. So instead of the Apple Mail app icon, you can download an icon that replaces it with a picture of a cute cat or the Gmail icon and use that to launch the app. The process is somewhat tedious, but if you want a home screen that's unlike any other, it's well worth your time. 

Custom icons make your phone your own.

CNET

6. Use apps without installing them, thanks to App Clips

Think of App Clips as miniature apps that only show you a portion of what the full app can do. For example, a Yelp App Clip could show you business hours and the menu for a specific restaurant and nothing more. Want to try one? Open the Apple Maps app on your iPhone, search for Panera Bread, tap on a location and then select Order Food. Pretty cool, right? After using an App Clip, you can access it again in the App Library in the recently added folder. 

iOS 14.3 brings with it ProRaw photo support on the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. Once you enable ProRaw, you'll see a new "RAW" button on the top right side of the native camera app.

Patrick Holland/CNET

7. iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max can take raw photos

This is surely a feature for photography buffs, but one that will hopefully pique the curiosity of those who are looking to get a bit more out of their iPhone camera. The release of iOS 14.3 adds Apple's ProRaw photo format, which allows you to take photos using the "raw" photography format, and make changes to it without any image degradation as when the photo is converted to a JPG (the standard for Apple's camera app). 

For many more details and instructions on where to find the new setting, check out our complete ProRaw guide.

Apple's Fitness Plus app is available on the iPhone, iPad and AppleTV. 

Vanessa Hand Orellana/CNET

8. Work out at home with Fitness Plus

With gyms closed or running at limited capacity, now's the time to work out at home. Apple's Fitness Plus service is built directly into your iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, and it uses your Apple Watch to track your workout. The guided video workouts are released weekly, with options for all different fitness levels. Read our hands-on with the new service and then let us walk you through everything you need to know to set it up.

Read more: How Apple's Fitness Plus solves the Netflix forever-browsing problem

You can view details of what each session is about, including a preview of the songs that are included. 

Jason Cipriani/CNET

9. Time to take a walk

Speaking of Fitness Plus, iOS 14.4 and WatchOS 7.3 added a new workout called Time to Walk. Apple has enlisted celebrities who go on a virtual walk with you, telling stories that are meant to be inspiring, intertwined with personal music choices. You'll need to install updates on your watch and phone before you can use it. Here's how to set up and use the new workout.

10. Picture-in-Picture comes to the iPhone

You're no longer forced to decide whether you want to watch a Twitch stream or browse Reddit on your iPhone. With iOS 14, you can do both at the same time, now that Apple has added picture-in-picture mode to the iPhone. The iPad has had this feature for a couple of years now, so it's nice to see the iPhone get it as well. When you start watching a video you only need to leave the app and go back to the home screen to trigger PiP. There are some apps, like YouTube, that don't support the feature. You can view a list of all the apps installed on your phone that support it by going to Settings > General > Picture in Picture. Read more about picture-in-picture to get a better idea of when and where it works. 

Picture-in-picture is incredibly useful. 

Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

11. Deleting apps can be confusing now

With the addition of the App Library, there's now an extra step when it comes to deleting an app from your phone and for longtime iPhone users, it's not at all straightforward. But it doesn't have to be too confusing: We walk you through the new steps to delete an app. 

12. Ditch Apple Mail and Safari

Apple added the ability to delete its own apps from your iPhone a few years ago, but you still couldn't set apps like Gmail or Outlook as your default email app. Now you can, but Apple has limited this new feature to only the email and web browsers. It only takes a few taps to make the change, after which you won't have to deal with Apple's apps ever again. 

It's true, you can set some default apps on iOS 14. 

Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET

13. AirPods Pro has a new audio feature

The iPhone and iPad aren't the only devices that received a big update. Apple's AirPods Pro also got a small firmware update that added a new feature called Spatial Audio. You'll need an iPhone or iPad running iOS 14 to use the feature. With both devices updated, whenever you're watching a video the sound will follow the movements of your head, adjusting with each twist and turn. CNET's David Carnoy described it as an "out-of-bud experience." And he's not wrong. 

14. The iPad looks more like a Mac than ever

iPadOS 14 includes several new features and enhancements that bring its interface closer to looking and working like a Mac. Or is it the Mac that's starting to look like an iPad with MacOS Big Sur? Either way, you'll want to learn all you can about the new iPad features in iPadOS 14. 

Can't find that emoji you need? Search for it. 

Jason Cipriani/CNET

15. Hidden features are the best features

Not to be left out, there are several hidden features in iOS 14 that do some truly amazing things. For instance, a new back-tap feature lets you tap on the back of your phone two or three times, triggering a task like taking a screenshot or launching an app. We've found a total of thirteen hidden features worth sharing with you so far and plan to keep adding to the list. 

16. New privacy features 

Keeping your information private is one of Apple's main marketing points, and iOS 14 is going even further to help keep your information private. There are new location sharing settings that will limit whether an app sees your exact location or a more general area. There's also a new notification dot that will tell you when an app is using your phone's camera or mic, and finer controls over which photos an app has access to. Check out all of the new privacy features and how to use them.

You don't have to tell apps exactly where you are if you don't want to. 

Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET

17. New camera tricks 

There are several subtle but important new features in the Camera app. For example, when taking a photo at night, there's a new guide to remind you to keep still. You'll see crosshairs that show you where to keep the camera. There's also a new exposure adjustment dial, and you can snap multiple photos much quicker. Learn how to use and where to find the new features, complete with animated images. 

iOS 14 makes it so you can take consecutive photos faster. There's less time from one photo to another.

Patrick Holland/CNET

18. Up your selfie game

Another new feature in the Camera app is a new setting for the front-facing camera that is sure to help your selfies shine. The new mirror mode forces the camera to act more like a, well, mirror, which can make it easier to make sure your shot is framed and lined up the way you want. We show you where to find the new setting. 

19. Still want more? We gotcha

As a bonus round, we've compiled a few more tips on how to do even more, like tag someone in a group conversation in the Messages app and use Apple's new Translate app to carry a conversation in two completely different languages. We walk you through those two tips, plus a few more of our favorite features. 

There's still plenty more to learn and figure out in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, so we're just getting started. Just getting started with a new iPhone 12? Here's how to set it up. After that's done, be sure to check these settings. Finally, don't forget to transfer your Google Authenticator accounts to your new phone. 

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The Link Lonk


May 01, 2021 at 03:00PM
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iOS 14.5's best features: 19 things to try on your iPhone ASAP - CNET

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iOS 14.5 now available to everyone; here are all of the new features - 9to5Mac

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After a beta testing cycle that spanned nearly three months, iOS 14.5 is now available to everyone alongside iPadOS 14.5. You can update your iPhone or iPad by going to the Settings app, choosing General, then choosing Software Update. Read on for details on everything new in iOS 14.5.

Table of contents

What’s new in iOS 14.5?

iOS 14.5 is a major release for iPhone users with a number of notable new features. Here’s the rundown on all of them.

Apple Watch Unlock

The biggest change in iOS 14.5 is a new feature that allows you to unlock your iPhone with your Apple Watch when you’re wearing a face mask. This feature also requires watchOS 7.4, which is also rolling out to Apple Watch users today. To enable this feature, go to the Settings app on your iPhone, choose Face ID and Passcode, then look for the new “Unlock with Apple Watch” toggle.

After you update and enable this feature, your iPhone will unlock automatically with your Apple Watch the next time you wear a face mask. When your iPhone unlocks, you’ll receive a haptic feedback notification on your Apple Watch telling you that your iPhone was unlocked by the Apple Watch. There is also the option to quickly “Lock iPhone” directly from that Apple Watch notification.

App Tracking Transparency

iOS 14.5 also includes the new App Tracking Transparency feature. This requires that applications ask permission from users before tracking them across other apps and websites. For example, when you open the Facebook app, you’ll see a prompt that says the app would like to track you across other apps and services. There will be two options from which to choose: “Ask App not to Track” or “Allow.”

In the “Privacy” section of the Settings app, you will also be able to see a list of applications that have requested permission to track you and make changes as you see fit.

Apple News updates

iOS 14.5 brings new features to the Apple News application, including an all-new Search tab and a redesigned Apple News+ experience.

• Redesigned News+ tab enables Apple News+ subscribers to quickly find, download, and manage magazine and newspaper issues
• All-new Search experience that helps you find relevant topics, channels, and stories

Siri improvements

iOS 14.5 also makes several notable improvements to the Siri virtual assistant. First and foremost, there is a new Siri intelligence feature that helps the virtual assistant adapt to your preferring music application. Apple has explained that because there’s no specific setting in iOS where users can configure a “default” music service, this feature is designed specifically as a Siri intelligence feature.

This means that when you ask Siri to play a song for the first time after installing iOS 14.5, Siri will ask you which app you want to use. After tapping one of the options, it will become the default for all future commands. This works for apps like Spotify, Pandora, and Amazon Music.

Furthermore, Apple says that Siri will no longer default to a female voice starting with iOS 14.5. There are also two additional Siri voice options from which to choose. Apple has said that these changes are part of its ongoing commitment to diversity.

As reported by TechCrunch, the new voices use “source talent recordings that are then run through Apple’s Neural text to speech engine.” This allows the voices to “flow more organically,” even when phrases are being generated on the fly. The new voices are available in English-speaking countries.

Additionally, iOS 14.5 also makes improvements to the Siri voices in Ireland, Russia, and Italy, upgrading them from neural text to speech. This means that 38 voices are now using this new technology in total.

You can find the new Siri voices by going to the Settings app, choosing Siri and Search, then looking for the Siri Voice option.

New emoji

iOS 14.5 also adds over 200 new emoji for iPhone and iPad users. The new emoji come from the Emoji 13.1 specification that was certified back in 2020.

• Support for separate skin tones for each individual in all variations of the couple kissing emoji and couple with heart emoji
• New face emojis, heart emojis, woman with a beard emoji

Podcast app updates

Ahead of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions launching sometime in May, iOS 14.5 makes a handful of other improvements to the Podcasts application.

• Podcasts Show Pages are redesigned to make it easier to start listening
• Option to save and download episodes, automatically adding them to your Library for quick access
• Download behavior and notification settings can be customized on a show-by-show basis
• Top Charts and popular categories in Search help you discover new shows

Other tidbits

Other new features in iOS 14.5:

• AirTag support
• Horizontal boot screen on the iPad
• Updates to the Music app, including swipe gestures, a lyrics sharing feature, and more
• AirPlay 2 support for Fitness+ workouts
• Waze-like features in Apple Maps
• PS5 / Xbox Series X controller support
• Apple introduces battery recalibration tool for iPhone with iOS 14.5
• Dual SIM support enables 5G connectivity on the line that’s using cellular data on iPhone 12 models
• Apple Music: Share your favorite lyrics using Messages, Facebook, and Instagram Stories, and subscribers can play the snippet in Messages without leaving the conversation
• Apple Music: City charts showcase what’s popular in over 100 cities from all over the world
• Reminders: Ability to sort reminders by Title, Priority, Due Date, or Creation date. New Print option as well.

Bug fixes

Apple also says that iOS 14.5 includes a host of bug fixes and performance improvements.

• Messages at the bottom of the thread may be hidden by the keyboard under certain circumstances
• Deleted messages may still appear in Spotlight search
• Messages may persistently fail to send texts in some threads
• Mail would not load new emails for some users until restarting the device
• Call blocking and identification section may not appear in Phone settings
• iCloud Tabs may not appear in Safari
• iCloud Keychain could be prevented from turning off
• Reminders created via Siri may be unintentionally set for early morning hours
• Optimization to reduce the appearance of a dim glow that may appear at reduced brightness levels with black backgrounds on iPhone 12 models
• AirPods audio routing to incorrect device for Automatic Switching
• AirPods Automatic Switching notifications might be missing or duplicated

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April 27, 2021 at 12:51AM
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iOS 14.5 now available to everyone; here are all of the new features - 9to5Mac

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iOS

Why you are not seeing IOS 14.5 privacy pop-ups - Business Insider

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• "App Tracking Transparency" is a core new feature of Apple's iOS 14.5 software update.
• App developers now need to serve users a pop-up asking for permission to track them.
• Some users' settings have prevented them from seeing any pop-ups. Here's how to change that.
• See more stories on Insider's business page.

Apple's iOS 14.5 update, which began rolling out earlier this week, has a bunch of new features, from emoji to new voices for Siri.

Arguably the most significant update is the introduction of "App Tracking Transparency," which requires app developers to serve pop-ups explicitly asking people to opt in to being tracked across other companies' apps and websites.

However, some people who've updated to iOS 14.5 haven't seen any permission pop-ups.

Mobile-advertising experts suggested three possible reasons. Apple did not respond to requests for comment.

1. The 'allow apps to request to track' privacy setting is toggled off

The simplest explanation for not yet seeing the pop-ups boils down to an option in a user's privacy settings.

To check if that's the case, head to the Settings app and scroll down to "privacy." Clicking on "tracking" shows a screen that looks like the image below, with the option to toggle "allow apps to request to track" on or off.

If the toggle is off, apps will be prevented from sharing that device's Identifier for Advertisers, or IDFA, with other apps and companies (unless the person has previously given permission for certain apps to track them).

The "allow apps to request to track" option is under "tracking" in the Settings app.

Apple

Simon Poulton, the vice president of digital intelligence at the digital marketing agency Wpromote, said it was most likely that people with this setting switched off had "limit ad tracking" switched on in previous versions of iOS. In his view, the two settings aren't the same thing but are being treated as such by Apple.

The previous setting "was about ad tracking, obscuring the IDFA to mitigate ad tracking, but App Tracking Transparency is far broader, and there are lots of factors here — I don't think you can make the case that opting out of that is the same thing," Poulton said.

"It's another screw turning" for players in the mobile-advertising market, he said.

2. Some users might not have the option to toggle 'allow apps to request to track' on

Some people have reported that the "allow apps to request to track" option is grayed out, rendering them unable to opt in to receiving the notifications.

Some people can't interact with the option.

Apple

Apple says on its support page that this will affect users under 18 or devices with child accounts; Apple IDs managed by an educational institution or other organization that limits tracking; and Apple IDs created within the past three days.

However, Insider found at least two instances of users who didn't fall into these categories but were unable to toggle the setting. The mobile-measurement firm AppsFlyer said in a blog post last year that some people had been able to reset the toggle by logging out of their iCloud accounts and logging back in again.

3. Some apps haven't rolled out the prompt yet

While many developers began serving the privacy pop-up immediately after the iOS 14.5 update rolled out on Monday, others are waiting a little longer.

"Some brands have decided they will not show the ATT prompt on the first open," Poulton said. "You just get one shot" to show the user the pop-up, he added, and some developers are waiting to see how things shake out before proceeding. That does mean, however, that those apps will not be able to access user IDFAs in the interim.

Some developers have rolled out the pop-ups.

Apple

"After I installed iOS 14.5, I was surprised how few applications presented me with a pop-up," said Aaron McKee, the chief technology officer of Blis, a location-focused adtech company that helps advertisers target consumers. "I didn't see one in Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Snap, LinkedIn, Uber, Uber Eats , Deliveroo, TripAdvisor, or almost any other game or utility app I could find on my phone."

McKee said that on Thursday, 30% of iOS 14.5 bid requests across Blis' network arrived with an IDFA present, meaning those users had opted in to tracking. But for the previous version of iOS, 89% had an IDFA attached.

"Some users understand the value exchange that exists between apps and publishers — sharing a bit of (mostly pseudo-anonymous) data means that apps can continue to provide free content," McKee said. "It also appears that a significant cross-section don't want to be part of that value exchange, and advertising and adtech companies should ensure they have a future-proofed, privacy-first approach to reaching their audiences."

Bonus: Users can check whether they're opted in to receiving 'personalized ads' on Apple's services

At the bottom of iOS 14.5's privacy settings is an "Apple Advertising" page where people can choose whether Apple can serve "personalized ads" to them in the App Store, Apple News, and the Stocks app. Apple is preparing to launch an ad format in the App Store that suggests apps a person might like to download.

A new "Apple Advertising" screen asks users if they want to opt in to "personalized" ads.

Apple

Apple has said that it does not track users and that its own apps don't share information for advertising purposes with other apps and companies. However, the fact that Apple's setting works on an opt-out basis and appears in a separate menu has been a bone of contention among members of the mobile-advertising community.

"It's certainly something the mobile-ad industry isn't impressed with," said Shumel Lais, CEO of the analytics platform Appsumer. "But ultimately Apple can get away with it, as it can serve personalized ads using its own attribution solution without having to expose user identifiers to advertisers."

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May 01, 2021 at 03:06AM
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Why you are not seeing IOS 14.5 privacy pop-ups - Business Insider

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