Apple Seeds presents the release of iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 for developers and public beta testers

Apple today released the RC version of the upcoming iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming a week after Apple released the second beta.

iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or by antenna after you have installed the appropriate profile on an iPhone or iPad.

Combined with the HomePod 14.4 beta, which is only available to a limited number of testers, iOS 14.4 adds a new HomePod mini feature that takes advantage of the mini’s U1 chip.

Now there are visual, audio and tactile effects when songs are transferred from a HomePod mini to an iPhone 11 or an iPhone 12. With a PiPhone near near the omeHomePod mini‌, a soft touch rhythm begins that is achieved the PiPhone‌‌ approaches until the interface is opened to transfer a song between the ‌‌HomePod mini‌‌ and the iPhone‌‌.

This feature will make transfer faster and more reliable on a ‌‌HomePod mini‌‌ and an ‌iPhone 11‌ or ‌iPhone 12‌, all equipped with U1 chips that allow devices to better understand where they are with each other.

In the Training section of the Apple Watch app on ‌iPhone‌ there is a new “Time to walk” feature that includes a switch to “Add newer workouts to watch”. This suggests that Apple might plan to add walk-guided workouts to the watchOS 7.3 beta. “Time to walk workouts is discharged when the Apple Watch is connected to power and close to your ‘iPhone’. Completed workouts are automatically removed,” the configuration says. This is not functional in the first beta version of watchOS 7.3 and iOS 14.4, but could be activated later.

iOS 14.4 includes a setting to specify a device type for third-party Bluetooth-connected audio devices so that audio headset measurements can be made correctly. Apple tracks the audio levels of the headphones to send alerts if the music is playing at a level that can damage hearing health over time.

iOS 14.4 includes code that suggests Apple will add a warning to iPhones that have had their cameras repaired or replaced with aftermarket components. The warning, which says “This iPhone cannot be verified to have a genuine Apple camera,” will let users know that the camera is not a legitimate Apple camera. Below are the full Apple release notes:

iOS 14.4 includes the following enhancements for your iPhone:
– The camera can recognize smaller QR codes
– Option to classify the Bluetooth device type in Settings for correct headset identification for audio notifications
– Notifications when your ‌i‌hone‌’s camera can’t be verified as a new and genuine Apple camera on ‌iPhone 12‌, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

This release also fixes the following issues:
– Image artifacts may appear in HDR photos taken with the iPhone 12 Pro
– The Fitness widget may not show up-to-date activity data
– Typing may be delayed and word suggestions may not appear on the keyboard
– The keyboard may not appear in the correct language in Messages
– CarPlay News app audio stories may not resume after they have been paused for spoken or Siri instructions
– Enabling accessibility switching control can prevent phone calls from being answered from the lock screen

It is not yet known when iOS 14.4 will be released, but as there are release notes available, the public version could arrive soon.