Being able to easily unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask is coming in iOS 15.4. Photo: Ivan Samkov/Pexels CC
Face ID in iOS 15.4 will let users unlock their iPhones while wearing a mask. No Apple Watch necessary. The system will scan just the area around eyes. It comes with a warning that the change makes Face ID less secure, though.
Apple seeded the first iOS 15.4 beta to developers Thursday.
Bug fixes aren't exciting, but they're necessary. Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple seeded the iOS 15.3 release candidate to developers on Thursday, along with the iPadOS equivalent. Surprisingly, the updates appear to include nothing but bug fixes and security updates. There are no new features. Still, I t’s possible these will take care of a headline-making WebKit bug that leaks user information.
Release candidates for macOS Monterey 12.2, watchOS 8.4 and tvOS 15.3 are also out on Thursday.
Apple released iOS 15.1 and iPadOS 15.1 on Monday. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple seeded iOS 15.1 to developers on Tuesday and gave the general public access on Wednesday. But you should stay away from it if you intend to get an iPhone 13 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.
That didn’t take long. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 15.1 to developers on Tuesday, just a day after the general public got access to iOS 15. The company also gave devs access to the initial betas for iPadOS 15.1, watchOS 8.1 and tvOS 15.1. These are expected to include some of the features promised earlier but removed from the versions that debuted on Monday to give additional development time.
In addition, Apple released to macOS Monterey beta 7 to developers.
Feeling brave? You can try the latest betas for iOS 15 or iPadOS 15. But stay away from testing macOS Monterey. Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
It’s been a very weird summer for Apple’s beta program, with major changes happening months after the initial unveiling of the operating system upgrades. But iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 have finally reached the point where they’re stable enough for average users to try them out. The same goes for watchOS 8.
The latest iOS 15 beta gives users the option to have the Address Bar at the top of the screen or at the bottom. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple hoped to redesign the Safari web browser in iOS 15 by moving the Address bar to the bottom of the screen. But there was so much pushback from beta testers that the latest prerelease version includes the option to move the Address Bar back to the top. iPhone users can still keep it at the bottom, though.
And there’s also a much-requested design change for those who decide to keep the Address Bar at the bottom.
The first release candidates for iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6 are out. The same goes for watchOS 7.5 RC and tvOS 14.6 RC. Photo: Cult of Mac
Apple seeded to developers the first release candidates for iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6 on Monday. These are only small updates for these operating systems, and their timing may be controlled by the 2021 iPad Pro, which will reach customers on Friday.
Not to be left out, devs also got access to the initial release candidates for watchOS 7.5 and tvOS 14.6 on Monday.
Update:Shortly thereafter, Apple also seeded macOS Big Sur 11.4 RC to developers.
iOS 14.5 beta 1 lets Apple Watch wearers unlock their iPhone without Face ID. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple has a solution for the hassle of unlocking an iPhone while wearing a face mask. iOS 14.5 beta 1, which was seeded to beta testers in the general public on Thursday, enables users to unlock their iPhone when their Apple Watch is nearby.
Plus, there are other new features. And this wasn’t the only fresh beta introduced. The first pre-release versions of iPadOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 are also available for the public and developers to begin testing.
iPadOS 14 and the iPhone equivalent just went out, but Apple is already testing iPadOS 14.2.
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.
iOS 13.6 will make life easier for people who don’t want to install new iOS versions. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple decided to remove one of the little irritations of iPhone and iPad. Developers on Tuesday got their first look at iOS 13.6 and the iPad equivalent, which give users the option to not download new system software updates.
This is important enough to bring on a new iOS version number.