The first important feature that this new update brought from Apple is a feature that was long-awaited due to the health conditions that the world is experiencing today due to the outbreak of Covid-19, which imposed on all the world's inhabitants to wear a protective mask to prevent this virus, which created a challenge for iPhone users while trying Unlocking their phone using the face recognition feature (Face ID) when wearing a mask, and to address this problem, iOS 14.5 update provides the ability to unlock your iPhone X and above using the Apple Watch Series 3 or later, provided you update the watch to a watchOS 7.4 or higher. To set up Unlock with Apple Watch feature open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap Face ID & Passcode, then type your passcode, scroll down to Unlock with Apple Watch, then turn on the feature next to your watch's name. If your watch doesn't have wrist detection enabled, you're asked to turn it on.
This update adds support for the AirTag tracking accessory that Apple announced last week to help you find your important items like your keys, wallet, backpack through the Find My app.
On iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models, AirTag has a Precision Finding feature that uses visual, audible, and haptic feedback to guide you directly to your nearby AirTag using Ultra-Wideband provided by the U1 chip, and in case you lose your AirTag, you can activate a Lost Mode feature through the Find My app, and enter a phone number to call when someone finds your AirTag.
This update also contains 217 different new emojis including Face in Clouds, Face Exhaling, Mending Heart, Heart on Fire, Beared Woman, new skin tones for Couple with Heart and Kiss; and an updated Headphone and Syringe emojis.
With iOS 14.5, Siri no longer has a default voice, allowing users to choose the voice that speaks to them when they first set up their device, and in English, users can now select more diverse voice options.
Siri also gains new capabilities with support for Group FaceTime, making it easier to initiate calls with multiple contacts or ask Siri to FaceTime the name of any group in Messages. In addition to incoming messages, Siri can now announce incoming calls through AirPods or compatible Beats headphones and supports calling emergency contacts if the iPhone owner needs assistance and is unable to make a call.
IOS 14.5 includes a new privacy option: App Tracking Transparency, which allows you to control which apps are allowed to track your activity across apps or websites owned by other companies for advertising, or sharing their data with data brokers, and starting with this update, apps will require your permission before starting tracking your activities. In settings, users will be able to see which apps have requested permission to track so that they can make changes to their selection at any time.
This feature has angered Facebook from the moment this feature was announced, as it will limit the ability of the social network to track users to target them with ads, which will undoubtedly reduce its profits.
Another long-awaited feature of the iPhone 12 models was activated in this update, which is the dual-SIM support for 5G connectivity, which allows you to use 5G on any of the two SIM cards you want, unlike what was previously the case where users could use the 5 Only one of the SIM cards is on the SIM card, while the other remains on the 4G mode.
Improvements have also been made to extend battery life when using a 5G connection, and 5G international roaming has been enabled on supported network providers on iPhone 12 models in this update as well.
Apple's core applications also got several features with the iOS 14.5 update, so
- The Podcasts app got a redesigned show pages to make it easier to start listening, as well as an option to save and download episodes, so they are automatically added to your Library for quick access. Top Charts, categories, and curated collections on the Search tab help you discover new shows.
- Apple Music lets you share your favorite lyrics using messages, Facebook, and Instagram stories, and subscribers can play the snippet in messages without leaving the conversation, city charts show what's popular in over 100 cities from around the world.
- Reminders add the ability to sort by title, priority, due date, or creation date, and offer the option to print reminder lists.
- Apple News features a redesigned News+ tab, making it easier for subscribers to quickly find, download, and manage magazine and newspaper issues, and an all-new Search experience helps you find relevant topics, channels, and stories.
- Apple Fitness+ users can now stream audio and video to AirPlay 2-enabled TVs and devices.
- When using the Apple’s Translate app, the subtitle playback speed can be set by long-pressing the play button
- Maps users (in the US and China for now) can now report an accident, hazard, or speed check along their route by telling Siri on iPhone or CarPlay. During navigation, users can let Siri know “There’s a crash up ahead” or “There’s something on the road,” or even report that incidents displayed on the map have been cleared. Incidents can also be reported or cleared by passengers using “Report an Issue” in Maps. In addition, Maps users can now share their estimated time of arrival (ETA) when walking or cycling, in addition to driving, to let friends and family know what time they might arrive by asking Siri or tapping on the route card at the bottom of the screen, then tapping Share ETA.
- CarPlay's users can also start the Share ETA feature using the new Siri or keyboard controls.
In iOS 14.5, there is now an option to select your preferred streaming service to use when asking Siri to play songs, which will also be used whenever you ask Siri to play music, a podcast, or an audiobook, and You can now also use the PlayStation 5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers with your iPhone or iPad.
This update also fixes the following issues:
- Messages at the bottom of the thread may be hidden by the keyboard under certain circumstances.
- Deleted messages may still appear in the Spotlight search.
- Messages may persistently fail to send texts in some threads.
- Mail would not load new emails for some users until restarting the device.
- The call blocking and identification section may not appear in Phone settings.
- iCloud Tabs may not appear in Safari.
- iCloud Keychain could be prevented from turning off.
- Reminders created via Siri may be unintentionally set for early morning hours.
- The battery health reporting system will recalibrate maximum battery capacity and peak performance capability on iPhone 11 models to address inaccurate estimates of battery health reporting for some users.
- Optimization to reduce the appearance of a dim glow that may appear at reduced brightness levels with black backgrounds on iPhone 12 models.
- AirPods audio routing to an incorrect device for Automatic Switching.
- AirPods Automatic Switching notifications might be missing or duplicated.
