Yesterday, in addition to meeting a historical record for Apple in income, the company excited the public more than on foot with expected news for your next software updates. They launched the first beta for developers as much of iOS 15.4 Y macOS 12.3 as for the rest of the operating systems (iPadOS 15.4, watchOS 8.5 and tvOS 15.4).
Although, first of all, surely you wonder when will these versions arrive. It is the million dollar question and unfortunately there is no officially set date. In any case, based on what has been seen in recent years and knowing Apple’s beta process, it is likely that for mid march updates are ready to be released to the public.
Lots of news for iOS 15.4
This week, after the release of iOS 15.3, many were left cold. It was an important update for incorporating very important security measures to the system, but lacking visual or functional novelties. And yes, it is true that great things are not expected from intermediate versions, but there is always some striking detail. Precisely iOS 15.4 will bring several relevant changes according to what was seen in its first beta.
The salient features that will arrive with this version 15.4 to the iPhone are these:
- Face ID with mask: Until now, the facial recognition of the iPhone did not allow it, unless you had a linked Apple Watch. With this version you can choose between unlocking or not wearing a mask. And it is that the security of the recognition decreases if we only have to detect the upper part of the face, but at least the option is already given to the user.
Image by 9to5Mac
- New emoji: a classic novelty and that after a few months loses importance, but it is never badly received. In this new version, 37 new emoticons and 75 skin tones will be added to other emojis, making a total of 112. Some new gestures with the hands stand out, a mouth biting its lip or a melting emoticon.
- Disabling notifications in Shortcuts is finally a reality, thus preventing a banner from appearing at the top every time one is run. It is no longer necessary to resort to tedious methods to achieve it and their execution becomes less abrupt.
- iCloud Keychain lets you add notes that will be secretly registered, a functionality that many password managers already had for years and was longed for in the Apple system.
- custom domains within the functions of iCloud Private, now allowing you to choose an option in which to configure anonymous emails.
- Share Play It can now be activated from the sharing options, now being a much more intuitive and faster method to execute.
- New widget for Apple Card, something that in any case is secondary for users who are not from the United States, the only territory in which this card can currently be contracted.
Notably iPad OS 15.4 It also brings, in addition to the previous ones, its own novelties such as these:
- Magic Keyboard brightness control from the control center.
- Customize corner gestures being able to choose between opening a quick note or taking a screenshot.
In addition to all these, and referring in this case to both systems, indications of new features have been found at the level of privacy and even the possibility of self-analyzing the iPhone or iPad in search of damage to find out if a repair is needed.
Universal Control is finally coming to the Mac
If there is something that all Mac users expected from WWDC 2022, it was Universal Control, a functionality that allows you to control multiple devices with the same keyboard and mouse. From being able to unify the controls of a Mac and an iPad, to being able to do it between two computers, one being an iMac and the other a MacBook. Configuring it will be very simple from the settings, and you can even have it always activated.
Holy wow Universal Control is incredible.
This is me moving between a MacBook Pro, an iPad mini, and an iPad Pro using just the MacBook trackpad and keyboard. It’s aware of position, lets you drag files, and supports iPadOS gestures.
The hype was real and it all just works 🤯 pic.twitter.com/PWUTLYZtkW
— Federico Viticci (@viticci) January 27, 2022
This is a function that took longer than expected and, although it has not been officially commented, it could be due to a problem with its development. However, it seems already solved and even Apple itself has taken it upon itself to help developers and press users to use it. Therefore, it would be totally unreasonable if it did not end up in the final version.
