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

iOS 14.5 is going to be a huge update for iPhone users and it's coming next week.

This was spotted in the press release for Apple's new AirTag . It says in the footnote at the bottom:

"AirTag requires iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 14.5 or later, or iPad running iPadOS 14.5 or later. These software updates will be available starting next week."

Apart from App Tracking Transparency, and brand new emojis that promote inclusivity , the update will also let Apple Watch owners unlock their iPhones without Face ID.

This is a huge deal because Face ID doesn't work if you are wearing a mask. So if you are wearing a mask, the only way to unlock your phone is to enter your passcode.

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Apple tried to alleviate this with iOS 13.5 by making the prompt to key in your passcode appear faster.

But it still gets tiresome after a while, especially if, say, you need to open your TraceTogether app to get from place to place (try getting from one end of Orchard Road to the other).

The other alternative is to turn off Face ID and authentication altogether, but that's really unwise.

Fortunately, iOS 14.5 will allow owners of Apple Watches to use their watch to unlock their phones. This feature will appear under "Face ID & Passcode".

This will work if the following conditions are met:

• Face ID detects a mask
• Your Apple Watch is nearby
• Your Apple Watch is on your wrist
• Your Apple Watch is unlocked
• Your Apple Watch has a passcode enabled

Alongside AirTags, Apple also announced a new 24-inch iMac, new iPads Pros, an updated Apple TV 4K, and more.