Currently, in Beta only but coming to an iOs device near you soon! Lets look at iOS 15.4
So, this looks set to be a very exciting year for Apple if we are to believe half of the rumours currently in circulation. Ranging from the M2 chip or whatever it’s going to be called (the Mac Max Maxed??), a 27” Pro level iMac, a new MacBook Air, new consumer level displays, the list truly is endless. It could end up being their busiest year ever. But that is all hardware. What about the operating systems?
We are all (or, at least should be if you are a good little Apple devotee), be running iOS 15.3 by now. This recent update was pretty innocuous. It was basically an update of necessity, focusing on bug fixes, updates, and layout or wording changes. But iOS 15.4, currently only available in beta form, is due for a full roll-out this spring or summer and looks likely to be bursting with goodies. Here are some of the tempting highlights.
Face ID with Mask on iOS 15.4
As long ago as the 14.5 update, we were supposedly being offered this. However, the devil was very much in the detail. To make use of this feature until now, you’d have to be sporting a £600 Apple Watch, as then it used both your eyes and wrist as secondary ID.
With this update though, you’ll be able to go to the Face ID set-up page and register your face whilst wearing a mask and even glasses too, with no watch in sight. The Face ID algorithm will do all the computing for you and as if by magic, your mask clad face will be recognised. As restrictions seem finally to be lifting, it feels a little like opening the stable door once the horse has bolted, but, given we don’t know what is around the corner, better late than never.
New Emojis
Thirty-seven of them to be precise! Take your pick from a melting face, A saluting face, biting lips and even a pregnant man! Yup, we are living in the age of inclusion. I’m an average kind of guy, with average needs for emojis, but hey, it’s lovely to know the choices are there for me! Moreover, Apple has addressed racism with the multi-racial hand shakes.
Universal Control
This is one I can’t wait to start using. Announced at WWDC last year, it has seen delay after delay, but finally, we will get this super new feature later this year. If you’re in the dark over this one, it will enable you, using only one mouse and keyboard, to drag and drop files and folders directly from an iOS device to your Mac desktop. Wizardry in action!
Credit Payment Terminal
That’s right. If you’ve ever run a business, you’ll remember those days when it cost a small fortune to have a third-party payment terminal in your shop or office. Now it seems as if Apple will enable NFC payments direct to your iPhone. It really will be as simple as someone tapping the back of your iPhone with their card, and you’ll receive the payment immediately. Although not yet confirmed, Bloombergs Mark Gurman has reported it, and we are fully anticipating this functionality later this year too.
New login features
You know when you login to a website, and it offers you ways to login with Apple or Google, well, there will now be another option and that being Passkey. Using on-device authentication, you’ll be able to login using face or touch ID.
Apple car widget
If you own an Apple Card, there will soon be a widget letting you keep track of use and expenses.
Custom email domains
Before this, you’d have to set this up in the iCloud website. You’ll still need an inexpensive iCloud+ subscription, but now, direct in iOS, you’ll be able to set up to five custom domains which can be shared with family members.
More minor useful updates
These include vaccination passports, which will soon be able to be directly stored in your iOS health and wallet apps. This will super convenient and put an end to installing third-party apps. In Keychain, which I live by, you’ll soon be able to add notes. Finally, other minor updates will include 120Hz animations in third-party apps and are-sett option for Safari.
Conclusion
This looks like it will be one of the largest updates that we’ve seen in a while, and I cannot wait. Are you excited too?
Get notified via email whenever I publish. Subscribe now.
First published https://www.talkingtechandaudio.com/blog 1st February 2022