Apple's iOS 14.5 update for iPhones introduces major quality of life changes

Apple's iOS 14.5 update for iPhones introduces major quality of life changes
iPhone 12.
PHOTO: Apple

By now, nearly everyone and their mother would have heard about Apple's new AirTags, with many offering up creative ways to use it to track their car, belongings, and even pets. AirTag support comes with the iOS 14.5 software update, which just went live on iOS (iPhones) this week.

However, iOS 14.5 offers plenty of changes and updates, not unlike its last major patch in December 2020, iOS 14.3. So, in the end-user, software end of things, iOS 14.5 is as big as it can be with significant changes and additions to the iOS experience. Perhaps these updates would be a nice way to start your iPhone journey on a purple iPhone 12.

Below are some key features for iOS 14.5 and how it applies to your everyday use.

App Tracking Transparency

iOS 14.5 comes with App Tracking Transparency. In essence, the feature allows you to control which apps are allowed to track your activity and control which companies can broker/sell your data. We've covered App Tracking Transparency in great detail here - pop over for a read if you want to know how to maximise your iOS privacy tools.

5G improvements

Smart Data Mode, a data-and-battery-saving feature that's enabled by default for iPhone 12 models, is now further improved, so you're supposed to see better battery and data management on your 5G-capable iPhones. Apple also enabled 5G international roaming for iPhone 12, provided that the telco you use supports it.

Siri now announces who's calling you

Siri, your iPhone's voice assistant, also gets a ton of upgrades. Notably, Siri now announces who on your contact list is calling, making it possible to be completely hands-free before you decide to accept or reject the call.

Users can now ask Siri to FaceTime a list of contacts or a group name from the Messages app. You can also now ask Siri to call your Emergency Contact (if you've set it up). Finally, you can also choose from a wider range of voice types and styles.

ALSO READ: iOS 14.5 is coming next week and it will let Apple Watch owners unlock their iPhones without Face ID

Printing your to-do list directly from the Reminder app

If you use the Reminder built-in app by Apple, you'll be pleased to know that there's now an option to print these lists. It may not sound like much, but having a button that directly gives you hard copies of your digital to-do list is handy for organised folks. Also, Reminders now offer sorting by Title, Priority, Due Date, or Creation Date.

Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 game controller support

Exactly as the header says - controllers from the latest gaming consoles from Microsoft and Sony are now supported on iOS 14.5. You can spare yourself from getting wonky third-party controllers for your Apple Arcade games. Heck, if you own a PS5, just grab the controller and go to town.

Screen brightness fix

While not exactly a feature, certain iPhone 12 models may suddenly have very poor screen brightness during use. According to the patch notes, iOS 14.5 reduces the appearance of that dim glow. Apparently, it happens on iPhone 12 models with black backgrounds.

Of course, there are many other changes, like new emojiss and better Apple Music integration with the rest of the device. For a full list of iOS 14.5 changes and improvements, you can check it out on Apple's official website here. Of course, don't forget to actually update your devices.

This article was first published in Hardware Zone.

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