The iPadOS spring update, iPadOS 14.5, is now officially available and as usual gathers new features and important changes before the release of the next version of the operating systems at WWDC in June. So let’s see what all the news are.
New features and redesigns
- App Tracking Transparency: The apps that want to access the advertising identifier of our device must ask us for permission through the system. A permission that we can change afterwards from Settings > Privacy > Tracking.
- AirPlay 2 for Fitness+: In countries where Fitness + is available, it is already possible to broadcast workouts via AirPlay 2 to televisions from the iPhone or iPad.
- Security enhancements on iPad: The 2020 iPad Pro silences their microphones completely and through the hardware when we put an MFi sleeve that covers the screen. Now this feature also reaches the 8th generation iPad, 4th generation iPad Air, 2nd generation 11-inch iPad Pro and 4th generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
In the beta of iPadOS 14.5 we can already use the Apple Pencil to write in Spanish. pic.twitter.com/xj79qEDBuy
– David Bernal Raspall (@ david_br8) February 3, 2021
- Scribble in Spanish: The Spanish language comes to Scribble, so we can use our pencil to write any text we want.
- New shortcuts: Now in the shortcuts app we find an action to take screenshots. The orientation lock action gains more options and the Adjust voice and data action allows us to choose between 5G, 5G Auto, 4G, etc. Ideal for location-based automations, for example.
- Compatibility with new game controllers: In iPadOS 14.5 we can use the new DualSense of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X controllers with our iPhone or iPad.
- Gestos and Apple Music: Now when we want to add a song to the queue we can do it with a gesture. Just slide a song to the right and tap the blue button to add it right after it or the orange button to add it at the end.
Now in iOS and iPadOS 14.5 we can slide to the left in the Music app to add a track to the playlist. Both below and at the end of the list. pic.twitter.com/t4w07VJeZl
– David Bernal Raspall (@ david_br8) February 16, 2021
- Changes to Apple Music menus: In the library, the download button has been replaced by one of three dots that gives us access to the same menu that until now appeared when pressing and holding on a song. In this menu the options of Play at end and Show album have been added.
- Knob controls customization: Now it is possible to customize what action each button of the controls that we connect to the system does.
- App redesign Podcasts: The Podcasts app has undergone a small redesign, with changes in some download buttons, text on the buttons such as “Continue” and the arrival of the categories in the tab. Look for.
- New features in Reminders: Now we can sort the task lists manually, by due date, by creation date, by priority or by title. It is also possible to print entire reminder lists from the same app.
- Horizontal boot screen: When the iPad is horizontal and we turn it on, the Apple logo will position itself accordingly.
- New Emoji: As reflected in Emojipedia, iOS and iPadOS 14.5 arrive with several new icons such as the burning heart, the bandaged heart, the face in the clouds, the sigh or the face with spiral eyes. The possibility of putting a beard is also added to all face emoji regardless of skin color and hair length. Similarly, couples icons gain various combinations of skin tones. Finally, the headphone emoji now shows AirPods Max and the syringe has been redesigned.
- Search for Emojis: As we already do on our iPhone, it is now possible to search for Emojis on our iPad.
- Software update information: The section of Software update now shows a clear message when the device is updated to the latest version available.
- System security improvements: Apple has made major internal changes to make 0-Click attacks much more difficult on iPads. Using a signature system that prevents apps from executing code they shouldn’t and makes it almost impossible to escape from the app sandbox.
Small changes and fixes
Along with the main novelties of these versions there are a number of minor changes that Apple has included in the update. The list is as follows:
- The Siri interface when sending an iMessage is now more compact and takes up less space on the screen.
- When asking Siri to find someone in the Find app, the layout of the animation and content has changed.
- Notification that our Apple Watch has been unlocked with our iPhone.
- The Search app updates its sound when we want to locate Beats.
- New colors for the Beats icons.
- Minor update and slight redesign in the app News.
And nothing more, at least for now. We will see what Apple has prepared for us for iPadOS 15 that, if we are based on the calendars of previous years, we should see this next June during the WWDC.