Skip to main content

Featured Article

My all time favorite Apple Watch apps

Notable new features in iOS 14.4 and iPad OS 14.4

Released today, iOS and iPad OS 14.4 have a few new features and bug fixes. The good news is, with a download size of just under 400mb, the install is quite quick, too.

Here's a rundown of new features worth noting:

  • 1: A notification that show up if a non-genuine camera is installed.
  • 2: Select what type of device just got paired to your device in Bluetooth settings.
  • 3: A new, small UI that applies for Homepod Mini near the top of your display along with haptics when transferring audio to it.
  • 4: Overall better QR code recognition.


Why bother updating?

As always, security. Secondly, these enhancements are great in a post-COVID world.

Every new release since the dawn of the iPhone itself has come with reinforcements to security, and as we know-- Apple takes privacy very seriously. That alone is worth the few minutes of downtime to update.

In addition, 14.4 introduces overall better QR code reading functionality. It seems like every restaurant I've visited lately has replaced physical menus with, --you've guessed it,-- a QR code decal stuck to the table. Some of these can be grubby or poorly printed, so with this update you'll be able to launch the camera app, hover over the QR code, and have the link to tap appear much quicker than before with fewer tries and repositioning.

homepod_mini_sideprofile

If you're like me you're spending a lot of time at home. One of my favorite features to show up is a little UI that appears at the top of your device's display when interacting with and playing content to your HomePod Mini. And, as simple as this is, there's even new haptic feedback when a song has been successfully transferred from your iPhone to HomePod mini. For me, this furthers Apple's design note of constantly trying to find new ways of blending hardware and software.

Even with this being a minor release for iOS, what's your favorite feature? And, for a near-perfectly evolved operating system, what would you like to see in the next major release?

Comments