Four out of five iPhones released in the past four years run iOS 14, according to Apple. That’s despite the operating system version only being available for three months. And iOS 14 adoption is well ahead of where iOS 13 was at this point last year.
Nearly as many iPad users have upgraded to iPadOS 14.
Apple quietly added support for FaceTime HD to an array of iPhones. Every model newer than the iPhone 8 can make video calls at 1080p resolution as long as the device runs iOS 14.2.
Apple today released a small “bug fix” update for iPhones. iOS 14.2.1 takes care of problem that caused the iPhone 12 mini’s touchscreen to not always respond on the Lock Screen. A couple of other small problems were taken care of too.
In an unusual move, there is no iPadOS equivalent for this update. It’s iPhone only.
Apple released iOS 14.2 to everyone on Thursday. It offers iPhone users plenty of fun new emoji, as well as Shazam music recognition integrated into the Control Center. Tablet users can install iPadOS 14.2 with the same features.
At the same time came the debut of watchOS 7.1 and tvOS 14.2. And users of older devices will find security fixes in iOS 12.4.9 and iPadOS 12.4.9.
Apple on Friday gave developers access to iOS 14.2 golden master, along with the iPadOS equivalent. This is the last step before releasing these new versions to the public.
When available to all, iOS 14.2 will offer plenty of fun new emoji, as well as Shazam music recognition integrated into the Control Center.
Apple seeded a second beta of iOS 14.2 to everyone on Wednesday, along with the iPad equivalent. It brings plenty of fun new emoji like ninja, the transgender symbol and a certain Italian hand gesture. And beta testers get Shazam music recognition integrated into the Control Center.
But anyone hoping to get an iPhone 12 in October might want to skip this beta.
A “minor code tweak” discovered in iOS 14.2 appears to confirm previous reports that Apple will not package EarPods with the iPhone 12.
The rumor was originally suggested by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo back in May. This change in language, hidden in iOS 14.2, seems to lend credence to that idea.
Apple is already testing iOS 14.2. But you should stay away from it if you intend to get an iPhone 12 as soon as it’s released. It’s likely the new handset will launch running an earlier version of iOS, and that’ll cause you difficulties.
Anyone can start testing iOS 14.2, along with the iPad equivalent, thanks to the new public betas released Monday by Apple.
The first developer beta of iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 went out Thursday, just a day after the full release of iOS 14. The most notable new feature in the new betas builds the Shazam music-recognition service into the Control Center.
It’s not clear what’s happening with iOS 14.1, but it isn’t part of Apple’s testing program for developers.
