Apple Releases iOS 14.5 Update That Includes App Tracking Transparency 

Apple release of iOS 14.5, includes the App Tracking Transparency privacy feature that has caused some controversy, especially with Facebook. Today’s post will go over the latest iOS update.

About iOS 14.5 Update

For iOS 14.5 there are several updates and changes that include

• The addition of AirTag support
• The ability to unlock the iPhone with an Apple Watch while wearing a face mask
• More diverse Siri voices
• The new privacy controls (This is the one that has Facebook upset)
• Changes to the couples emoji’s, with better skin tone options to better represent couples
• The ability to report an incident in Apple Maps

Of the additions, the ones of most note are

• • AirTag and the Find My feature update. For those who want to keep track of important items, you can use an AirTag with your keys, wallet, backpack, or anything else you can think of and locate it using the Find My feature.

• • Unlocking iPhone with Apple Watch for Face ID

Since the start of the pandemic, users of Face ID would need to pull down or remove their masks to use Face ID. Obviously, in a pandemic where it is recommended you wear a mask, having to pull it down for Face ID would be a problem. The solution from Apple, for those who also own an Apple watch, is that you can look at your phone with your mask on. When you do, you will receive a “haptic feedback” on your Apple watch that indicates your iPhone has been unlocked. There is 1 limitation to this feature, Ok 2.

• • • You have to own an Apple Watch as well as the iPhone
    • The minimum requirement is an iPhone X and Apple Watch Series 3 or later. So this feature will not work with those who have older model phones or watches.

The unlock feature does require some configuration once you update your phone and your watch.

• • iOS More Privacy Controls

This is the one that has Facebook upset because they won’t be able to track what you do as easily as before. With App Tracking Transparency requirements, apps will need to get the user’s permission before tracking their data across apps or websites owned by other companies for advertising, or sharing their data with data brokers. Once you update to iOS 14.5, you can go to settings -> Privacy and see Tracking listed under location services.

It seems that this setting is off by default.  If you leave it off, then you are telling all apps that you DO NOT want to be tracked. If you turn this setting on, then each app can ask you for permission, and you can Ask App Not To Track / Allow Tracking on an app-by-app basis.

Here is something to consider before updating to iOS 14.5, especially for business users.  Are the apps that are critical to you updated to meet the iOS 14.5 requirements?  If an update has not been updated to the new requirements, and you update to iOS 14.5, you will get a message that “The developer of this app needs to update it to work with this version of iOS”, and the app will not run.

Final Thought 

The feature to unlock using FaceID is nice if you have a compatible iPhone and Apple Watch. Usually, Tech Geek and More always encourage keeping devices up to date with all of the latest updates. However, in the case of iOS 14.5, even though most major app developers have made the necessary changes, if you have a critical app you use, please check with the developer on the App Store to see if there is an app update for iOS 14.5, before updating your device.

Apple releases iOS 14.5

Source(s) 

• Apple – Apple Newsroom iOS 14.5