Apple has finally started rolling out the iOS 14.5 update for its users. The new update is the biggest since Apple announced iOS 14 back in September last year and is a follow-up to iOS 14.4 that came in January earlier this year. Here, we will be discussing the biggest changes and exciting features included in the iOS 14.5 update.

iOS 14.5 Update Overview:

Unlock iPhone with Apple Watch

Since iPhones do not feature fingerprint scanners and Face ID doesn’t work well when putting on a mask, users have been facing trouble unlocking their iPhones during the pandemic. However, Apple has addressed the issue on the latest iOS build. Users will now be able to unlock their iPhones using their Apple Watch.For this, they'll need to bring their unlocked Apple Watch in close proximity to their iPhone. Then, just glance at their iPhone to unlock it. This feature works with iPhone X and Apple Watch Series 3 and newer devices.

Changes to Siri

Apple has removed the default Siri voice with the iOS 14.5 update. From now on, users will have to choose the Siri voice at the time of initial setup. They also have more Siri voices to choose from. Apple has turned to Neural Text to Speech technology to make Siri sound more natural. Similarly, Siri is now capable of initiating Group FaceTime calls. It can even make emergency calls when the user is unable to do so. Additionally, Siri can notify you of incoming calls via AirPods or compatible Beats headphones as well.

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App Tracking Transparency

Because of the new App Tracking Transparency feature, iOS apps will now have to ask for user’s permission for cross-platform tracking. This means apps and websites won’t be able to track your activities outside of them without your consent. Users can review and make changes to the permissions from the Settings after the initial prompt.

Report accidents in Apple Maps

Though this feature is limited to the US and China, it’s an exciting one nonetheless. Users can now report cases of accidents and speed check on iPhone via Siri. Alternately, users can also clear such incidents off the map. They can share their expected time of arrival with friends and family using Siri or keyboard controls too.

New Emojis

For all the love birds out there, you can now select between different skin tones when sending a couple's emoji. Similarly, Apple has added numerous new emojis including a face exhaling, face with spiral eyes, and hearts on fire.

Other features:

• Apple Podcasts has been redesigned to facilitate listening, saving, and downloading.
• Find My app now has support for AirTag.
• News+ tab on Apple News has been redesigned.
• Users can now sort Reminders by the title, priority, due date, created date. They can also print reminder lists.
• iPhone 12 now has support for dual SIM 5G and improved Smart Data Mode.
• Voice Control for Accessibility is now available in English for Australia and Canada, and in Spanish for Mexico, Spain, and the US.

Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of the iPhone 12.