iOS has a new update, and Apple has decided to close the year on a high note. It has a lot of big features that iPhone users will want to get their hands on right away.
2021 has been a productive year for the IT giant. New iPad Pros, an updated iMac, and a new Apple TV 4K were all released by the company at the start of the year. The iPhone 13 series, iPad mini, iPad 9, and Apple Watch Series 7 came out in September. While its fans were still trying their breathe AirPods 3 and new MacBook Pros Apple during its third and last event of 2021.
Newer software updates from Apple have also been launched in 2021, one of which is arguably its most significant: iOS 15. In September, Apple released iOS 15, which included a slew of new capabilities for iPhone users. With this iOS update, FaceTime capabilities were improved, notifications were overhauled, and Focus modes have been added (just to name a few). These were minor tweaks however it’s still a great addition to the iPhone.
This time, with the recent update, Apple has taken the core experience of iOS 15 and made it even better with iOS 15.2. One of the most requested new features is a Macro toggle for the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.
Since the iPhone 13 Pro came out, the phones automatically switch to macro mode when they get close enough to a subject. Even though it functions reasonably well, the absence of manual control over this functionality has been complained about by many since its introduction. The Macro button on iOS 15.2 makes it easy to turn on or off macro mode. Users just have to press the button. This isn’t the only new feature in the Settings app. There’s also an App Privacy Report in there. This tells iPhone users how frequently apps have accessed their phone’s location, camera, microphone, photographs, and other capabilities over the past seven days.
The Apple Music Voice Plan is another thing to look for in iOS 15.2. Using Siri to access Apple Music is $4.99/month for iPhone users. Members have access to the whole Apple Music collection for half the cost of a standard membership, but the catch is that they are unable to use the Apple Music app itself. The new ‘Store’ option on Apple TV allows users to “browse, buy, and rent movies and TV shows all in one spot.”.
In addition, iOS 15.2 is strong on enhanced security features. New safety options for Messages were added in iOS 15.2 which work with the App Privacy Report. Parental cautions are now available when children send or receive images that involve nudity. In a similar development, Apple has improved Siri, Safari Search, and Spotlight with options to “assist children and parents in staying safe online and getting help in dangerous situations.”
There are some minor upgrades to take into consideration. A new “enhanced city map” has been added to Apple Maps in CarPlay. If you’ve got iCloud+, you can now hide your email in the mail app, erase or change tags in Reminders and Notes, and track lost iPhones for up to five hours in Power Reserve mode. Essentially, this is a major update that no iPhone owner should miss.
Ready for iOS 15.2? Take a look at the Settings app. You should see “General,” then “Software Update,” and the instructions on how to install should be there.
