The reason you should upgrade to iOS 14.5 now

Unlock iPhone with mask on and ECG measurement on Apple Watch

The COVID-19 epidemic created a major hurdle for newer iPhone users with Face ID facial recognition technology. Since Face ID only works when the user is not wearing a mask, while wearing it is now mandatory in many countries, Face ID has since become completely useless. Users are required to enter a password to unlock the phone, instead of using the face.

On iOS 14.5, to minimize the annoyance, Apple has allowed users to unlock the iPhone while wearing a mask without face authentication, provided the user has an Apple Watch. If the user is wearing an Apple Watch and the distance between the iPhone and Apple Watch is close, they'll be able to unlock the iPhone without having to authenticate face or enter any passwords; much more convenient than before.

Not only does this feature require an iPhone to run iOS 14.5, but their Apple Watch must also upgrade to the latest version of watchOS 7.4.

Not only supports iPhone unlocking, iOS 14.5 with watchOS 7.4 also brings another important feature to Apple Watch: ECG. The ECG, or Electrocardiography, is an electrocardiographic feature that was first announced by Apple on the Apple Watch Series 4 back in 2018.

Compared with the Photoplethysmogram (PPG) technology that uses a light sensor to monitor the heart rate with which smartwatches are currently using, ECG gives much more accurate results and is considered the "gold standard" for measuring the rhythm. heart. The ECG allows the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a heart rhythm disorder.

However, since it is a health related feature, it needs to be licensed by each country before it can be put into operation.

And after more than 2 years since its first launch, watchOS 7.4 (with iOS 14.5) has officially "unlocked" this feature for Vietnamese users. Users can take an ECG measurement through the Apple Watch and the Health app on the iPhone.

Restrict the app's ability to track users

On iOS 14.5, Apple started rolling out a feature that required app developers to consult with users before proceeding with their data collection. Called "App Tracking Transparency", iOS will display a dialog box when it detects an application is trying to access the advertising identifier of the device. If the user does not allow it, the application will not be able to obtain this ID and cannot track them across websites and applications.

This is also a feature that is making Facebook fall into a "standing" situation. Over time, Facebook has repeatedly opposed this policy of Apple, claiming that it will affect small businesses, which rely on advertising to sell. 

AirTag support

AirTag is Apple's latest accessory, allowing users to locate their personal items (such as wallets, bags, keys .). AirTag uses UWB (Ultra Wide Band) technology to connect to the network of iPhone users, and allows users to locate through the Find My app. With a relatively reasonable price of only 29 USD and its "beneficial" use, AirTag is forecasted to become a hot item in the near future. 

But before owning AirTag, users will need to update to iOS 14.5, because this is the minimum software version that supports this accessory.

New Emoji

iOS 14.5 added 217 new emojis, along with a few tweaks to existing emojis.

Marvin Fry

Update 27 April 2021