Apple today unveiled the second beta of iOS and iPadOS 14.5, based on the extensive set of features that were introduced in the first beta.
The changes in the second beta have a smaller scale than the ones we saw in the first beta, but there are still new additions that are worth highlighting. We then completed the changes we saw in the second beta.
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New Emoji characters
As Emojipedia pointed out, iOS 14.5 introduces several new emoji characters, including the burning heart, the repaired heart, the exhaling face, the spiral-eyed face, the cloud face, along with different genre options for people with a beard. There are also new couple emojis that have new blends of skin tones.
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Apple has done it he drew the blood from the syringe emoji to give it a more neutral look that also works for vaccines. The headphone emoji has been updated to look more like the AirPods Max than a generic headset, and now the climbing emoji includes a helmet.
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Correction of green inks?
Reports suggest that the second beta version of iOS 14.5 could fix the green tone issue that some iPhone owners have experienced. Some models of the iPhone 12 feature a gray or green glow, a problem Apple said it was investigating in November. For some users, there are improvements, but for others, the problem still exists, so it’s not entirely clear if the beta will definitely address the nuance.
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Mention of the battery pack
There is a vague mention of charging a vagiPhone with a “battery pack” in iOS 14.5 code in the optimized charging section. It’s unclear what Apple is referring to with the “battery pack,” as the existing battery options made by Apple are Smart Battery Case. It is an unusual wording for the case or an idea of a future battery pack iphone iPhone 12. “To improve charging efficiency and maximize available battery life, the battery will keep the phone charged at around 90%,” the text says.
iPad Smart Folio Security
On the eighth-generation iPad, 4th-generation iPad Air, 2nd-generation iPad Pro, and 4th-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, Apple has added a new privacy feature designed to mute the built-in microphone device whenever the Smart Folio is closed.
This will prevent applications from accessing the microphone when the tablet is not in use, as the feature also works with other MFi smart cases. Apple first introduced this feature to the 2020 iPad Pro 2020 models and is expanding it to additional models.
Shortcuts
There’s a new shortcut action for taking a screenshot that can be incorporated into multiple shortcuts, as well as new actions to block the iphone’s orientation and switch between mobile data modes. With the action of Voice and Data mode, there are options to select 5G, 5G Auto and 4G network options.
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Apple Music
There are new slide shows in Apple Music to add a song to the Now Playing queue or add it to the Apple Music library. If you press a song for a long time, there are also new options for “Last Play” and “Show Album”. In the Library, the download button has been replaced by three points that can be played to access a whole range of options for a song. The actions are the same as the actions available when you hold down the title of a song from anywhere in the Music app.
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Updated text software
The first iOS 14.5 beta modified the text of the software update to say “Your iPhone is up to date with all the latest bug fixes and security enhancements,” but iOS 14.5 beta 2 goes back. Now it only reads “iOS is updated”, which can be placeholder text for a future change.
App Store privacy tags
Apple has modified the look of the App Store’s privacy tags to make them easier to distinguish in dark mode.
Minor code changes and feature adjustments
There are a handful of changes to the underlying code that don’t necessarily reflect new feature implementations right now, but that could potentially serve as an indication of what’s to come in the future. There are also some minor changes and adjustments that we have included below.
- For the Find My app, there is a new wording for AirTags or future third-party article crawlers. “These are articles that are not yours, but have been seen with you for a continuous time.”
- It is mentioned that web applications access voice recognition.
- There is an Apple Watch Accessibility option for headset notifications, which allows you to turn off the feature.
- Apps may ask you to connect with your Game Center friends for improved multiplayer.
Are iOS 14.5 Beta 2 features missing?
Do you see anything we missed? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll add it.
More iOS features 14.5
We have a full list of all the features that are new for iOS 14.5 iOS 14.5 feature guide, which is worth checking out if you want to know what to expect when the software is released to the public in early spring.