Finally, iOS 14.5 is here, and it has brought a bunch of exciting features for iPhone users. From Face ID unlock while you’re wearing a mask to choosing different Siri voices and stopping apps from following you for marketing reasons, this new update has brought forward some new and useful features with bug fixes. You can download it right now.
Let’s explore some highlighting features of this latest update that’ll enhance your user experience immediately.
Phone Unlock Using Apple Watch While You Are Wearing a Mask
As wearing masks has become a norm, Apple has realized this and made it easier for us to unlock iPhone while we are wearing a mask. By downloading the iOS 14.5 update, you can find an ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ option. This enables your iPhone to use Apple Watch as a secondary method for authentication when your iPhone’s Face ID is not able to view your entire face due to a mask.
When you enable this feature, you don’t need to enter a passcode or take off a mask for unlocking your iPhone. To use this feature, you need a running iOS 14.5 with Apple Watch having OS 7.4. You should enable it by going into the app settings.
Accidents, Speed Checks and Hazards Crowd Sourcing with Apple Maps
The latest iOS 14.5 update includes a unique crowdsourcing feature similar to Waze. It reports speeding checks, hazards, and accidents when getting directions along a route in Apple Maps.
You can get the reports by clicking the ‘report’ button in Apple Maps. This feature is similar to the Waze mapping app and available directly for use on your iPhone. By using this feature, you can avoid hazards and accidents.
Transparency in App Tracking
This is the most prominent addition to this update. Apple has enhanced the transparency of its policies by providing this feature. With the iOS 14.5 updated installed on your iPhone, you get a pop-up message asking if you want an app to track you when you download it. You can also select the app tracking settings by going into ‘Settings’ and managing which apps cannot and can track your phone usage.
Enjoy Siri’s New Voices
One of the significant changes to speaking changes in Siri is the addition of voices in Siri’s American English setting. The concept behind this change is a promotion of inclusivity and provides users better options to select a voice of their choice that resonates more with them. To choose the sound, go to the Settings app, select Siri and simply start a search. It’ll show different options. 2 and 3 are the new Siri voices.
Calibration of Battery Health
This new capability of iOS 14.5 aims to make it easy for you to see whether your iPhone battery is optimally performing or underperforming. The new tool fixes any inaccuracies in battery health reporting estimates. For now, this feature is available for iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max.
Some other feature updates include:
- Teach your most loved music app to Siri
- Support for PS controllers
- Support for Apple AirPlay and Apple Fitness
- Dual-Sim 5G support
- Find My App feature
- Features for Apple Card Family