One week after the release of iOS 14.5, Apple today is releasing iOS 14.5.1 to the public with bug fixes and performance improvements. Apple is also releasing iOS 12.5.3 for older iPhones that are not supported by iOS 14.5.
Today’s new release iOS 14.5.1 is available via an over-the-air update in the Settings app. As usual, if the update does not immediately appear for download, keep checking, as it sometimes takes a few minutes to roll out to all users. The build number for today’s release is 18E212.
iOS 14.5 was a major update for iPhone users, bringing new features such as App Tracking Transparency, Appel Watch Unlock, Siri improvements, and more. For such a big update, it is unsurprising to see Apple release a point update with bug fixes.
Apple says iOS 14.5.1 fixes a bug that prevented some users from seeing App Tracking Transparency prompts:
This update fixes an issue with App Tracking Transparency where some users who previously disabled Allow Apps to Request to Track in Settings may not receive prompts from apps after re-enabling it. This update also provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.
Notably, iOS 14.5.1 does not fix an issue that causes the App Tracking Transparency toggle in Settings to be grayed out. After updating to iOS 14.5.1, the “Allow Apps to Request to Track” toggle is still grayed out for some users in the Settings app.
iOS 14.5.1 is rolling out today and you can update by going to the Settings app on your device, choosing General, then choosing Software Update. Apple is also rolling out iPadOS 14.5.1 today as well.
Apple has published its 2021 update to its Platform Security guide today along with refreshing the Apple Platform Security landing page. The latest guide goes in-depth on the new and updated security features that have arrived with iOS 14, macOS 11 Big Sur, Apple Silicon Macs, watchOS 7, and more. Apple has also launched an all-new Security Certifications and Compliance Center website and guide.
Apple has long held that secure software necessitates the foundation of security built into hardware. With the shift to using its own custom Apple Silicon in its first three M1 Macs starting last fall, the company has been able to realize that goal across its entire lineup of devices.
2021 Apple Platform Security guide
Device security is a never-ending mission and the latest Apple Platform Security guide details all the effort and changes Apple has implemented over the last year – highlighted by the guide growing 39 pages with this edition to a total of 196.
This documentation provides details about how security technology and features are implemented within Apple platforms. It also helps organizations combine Apple platform security technology and features with their own policies and procedures to meet their specific security needs.
While there a number of security updates that apply to existing/older devices, Apple Silicon has been notable with the M1 Macs allowing Apple to step up security to new levels when it comes to Data Protection via a rebuilt FileVault, System integrity, password protection, and more.
Another notable change in the last year has been the advanced BlastDoor security for iMessage (not specifically mentioned in the new security guide). While it was just recently discovered as present in iOS 14, we’ve learned Apple has built it into macOS Big Sur as well. It’s a totally under the hood change that users won’t notice, but it’s the biggest security improvement to iMessage since the service got end-to-end encryption.
Check out all the new topics added to the Apple Platform Security guide this year:
Memory safe iBoot implementation
Boot process for a Mac with Apple silicon
Boot modes for a Mac with Apple silicon
Startup Disk security policy control for a Mac with Apple silicon
LocalPolicy signing-key creation and management
Contents of a LocalPolicy file for a Mac with Apple silicon
Signed system volume security in macOS
Apple Security Research Device
Password Monitoring
IPv6 security
Car keys security in iOS
And here are all the security topics that have been updated:
Secure Enclave
Hardware microphone disconnect
recoveryOS and diagnostics environments for an Intel-based Mac
Direct memory access protections for Mac computers
A conspiracy theory being spread on Facebook and other social media platforms this week claims that iOS 14 widgets are actually serving as key loggers, tracking everything you type on your iPhone. This is unequivocally not true, and there are technical limitations and protections in place that prevent widgets from accessing your data.
The viral post on Facebook has been screenshotted and shared to other social media platforms. On Twitter, a tweet with a screenshot of the original Facebook post has over 7,000 retweets and 8,000 likes. Screenshots have also gone viral on Instagram.
The Facebook post comes from an iPhone user who claims to have noticed that their “keyboard would lag and wouldn’t show the characters” as they were being typed, as well as other issues like app crashes and generally laggy performance.
The Facebook post also cites the security code autofill feature of iOS as evidence the app is tracking what they type.
iOS 12’s new security code auto-fill feature works
Another piece of misinformation gaining social media traction is that iOS 14 and/or home screen widgets are responsible for compromised passwords. The misconception here is that a lot of iOS 14 users are receiving a push notification upon updating informing them that their passwords may have been involved in a data breach.
The passwords were likely compromised in a data breach that occurred before you even installed iOS 14. Apple added data breach notifications to the built-in iOS password manager as a way to make users more informed about the security of their various online accounts.
iOS 14: iCloud Keychain now alerts users about leaked passwords
The Facebook user and other social posts all jump to the conclusion that these pieces of evidence are “all signs of a key logger.” This is not true, as it is technically impossible for widgets to access your keyboard data or virtually any other data about you.
How iOS 14 widgets work
iOS 14 home screen widgets have a variety of limitations and protections in place for things like privacy and battery life. These protections are also why you might notice widgets don’t continuously update but rather at predefined intervals.
Widgets in iOS 14 are not full-blown applications; in fact, Apple has went as far as to say they aren’t even “mini-apps.” Instead, the WidgetKit developer framework provides a limited set of tools that developers can tap into when designing and developing their home screen widgets.
Essentially, widgets run in the background very briefly to update the display content at a pre-defined interval. Once the content has been updated, the background process is killed entirely, ensuring that there is no way a widget can gather any data continuously.
Widgets are not mini-apps, so think through a glanceable experience for your user and use timelines, the concept of reloads, and intelligence to create the perfect experience on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Widgets use SwiftUI views to display their content. WidgetKit renders the views on your behalf in a separate process. As a result, your widget extension is not continually active, even if the widget is onscreen.
If widgets were allowed to run continuously without restrictions, there would not only be privacy implications but also a dramatic impact on battery life and performance. All of these reasons are why Apple put these limitations in place with WidgetKit.
In fact, generally speaking, sandboxing protection within iOS also prevents any sort of key logger application, regardless of whether or not widgets are used.
The viral Facebook post particularly mentions Widgetsmith as the cause of these issues, but again, there are absolutely no facts behind these accusations.
Widgetsmith developer David Smith has addressed the claims head-on, saying that he can “categorically and absolutely” state such rumors are not true. The full Widgetsmith privacy policy can be found here, and it explains that Widgetsmith was designed “from the ground up to ensure that your data stays completely private.”
I’ve seen a number of references to an article being circulated on Facebook that apps like Widgetsmith must include key loggers because of keyboard issues experienced after installing iOS 14. For Widgetsmith I can state categorically and absolutely that this is not true.
Leaving for a moment that I don’t think that is technically possible for a widget to read the keyboard. Widgetsmith was built from the ground up with complete privacy in mind and collects essentially no data about its users.
If you are experiencing laggier performance after installing iOS 14, there are several possible explanations. One of the most common causes of slow iPhone performance is a low amount of available storage.
It’s also important to remember that iOS 14 is a brand new release, and there are likely to be bugs and performance issues. Apple released iOS 14.0.1 with bug fixes last week, so make sure that you’ve updated to that for the best possible experience.
Finally, laggy keyboard performance has been one of the most common iOS 14 complaints since beta testing started in June. The keyboard isn’t laggy because of so-called key logger apps; it’s glitchy because of system-level bugs.
Trust the privacy protections that Apple has put in place and customize your home screen to your heart’s content.
Apple is delaying its new rules around in-app tracking in iOS 14, postponing the controversial disclosure requirement that set it at odds with Facebook. Announced at WWDC 2020, the new feature was intended to make explicit that software could use data to deliver personalized adverts, and indeed track users across multiple apps and websites.
Users would be presented with the option to allow such tracking, or ask the app not to track them. At the time, Apple was praised by privacy advocates for taking the step, which could prevent iPhone and iPad users from unwittingly having their digital lives tracked and comprehensive profiles built on them for more specific advertising purposes.
However it was less popular with ad providers and networks. In August, Facebook called out the iOS 14 feature as having the potential to undermine its partner ad business. The change could leave its so-called Audience Network system “so ineffective on iOS 14 that it may not make sense to offer it on iOS 14,” Facebook said at the time.
Clearly someone at Apple has been listening to the feedback. Now, while iOS 14 will still support the new notification and the prompt to permit in-app tracking, developers won’t be penalized if their apps don’t show it. Instead it won’t be until sometime early in 2021 before Apple makes supporting the notification a requirement.
“We believe technology should protect users’ fundamental right to privacy, and that means giving users tools to understand which apps and websites may be sharing their data with other companies for advertising or advertising measurement purposes, as well as the tools to revoke permission for this tracking. When enabled, a system prompt will give users the ability to allow or reject that tracking on an app-by-app basis. We want to give developers the time they need to make the necessary changes, and as a result, the requirement to use this tracking permission will go into effect early next year”Apple
The technology relies on IDFA, or Identification for Advertisers, which sees each iOS device being given a unique code. That can be shared with advertisers, and used to personalize campaigns shown to a user across different software and websites. Audience Network, for example, is used in numerous apps and sites, and many people may not realize that they’re all keeping track of visits and sharing that data in aggregate in the background.
Making it more visible, Facebook and others have warned, could pull the rug out from under effective campaigns. Without a comprehensive user profile, targeted promotions will be trickier to finesse. “Like all ad networks on iOS 14, advertiser ability to accurately target and measure their campaigns on Audience Network will be impacted,” Facebook explained last week, “and as a result publishers should expect their ability to effectively monetize on Audience Network to decrease.”
Apple’s decision comes as it faces criticism from multiple quarters about its policies. In August, Epic Games led a revolt around in-app purchases and the so-called “Apple tax” applied to developer revenues made through the App Store. Apple responded by pulling Fortnite from its store, with Epic going on to sue the Cupertino firm – and Google – over the situation.
Apple says it will have more information on when, exactly, app publishers will need to start asking permission around tracking, later this year. “More information, including an update to the App Store Review Guidelines, will follow this fall,” the company told developers.
In our first hands-on iOS 14 video, we’ll step through over 250 changes and features, including all of the aforementioned QOL improvements such as Picture in Picture, Widgets, App Library, Compact call interface, and more.
Picture in Picture
new feature in iOS 14 is Picture in Picture video.
Picture in Picture is a huge convenience feature. It allows me to consume videos while chatting in iMessage or while browsing in Safari. I especially like that it allows me to watch YouTube how-to videos while jotting down notes in the Notes app.
Hands-on with 250 + iOS 14 beta features ( 1HR VIDEO )
Compact Call interface
In bringing a compact incoming call interface to iOS 14, Apple has addressed perhaps one of the most requested quality of life features for the iPhone.
In previous versions of iOS, receiving an incoming call would present a full-screen call interface and interrupt your current task. It was a jarring experience that never fully got used to and it made to dislike receiving incoming phone calls.
In iOS 14, incoming phone calls are relegated to a small banner at the top of the interface. This allows you to keep reading, or browsing without worrying about being ambushed by an incoming call.
Compact Siri
Like the compact call interface, compact Siri allows users to interface with the virtual assistant without interrupting whatever current task you’re engaged in. Siri is now displayed as an overlay at the bottom of the screen, with Siri results appearing as a significantly less conspicuous banner at the top of the screen.
App Library
Apple’s App Library is another big win for iPhone users who have long lamented over the state of app management on iOS. Instead of being forced into adopting page after page of apps and folders, users can now add and remove app pages at will.
Regardless of what’s displayed on the traditional Home screen pages, the App Library is where all of the apps installed on your iPhone reside. There’s even a handy alphabetical list of all of the apps currently installed on your iOS device.
Improved Search
Search in iOS 14 is a big improvement over its predecessors, bringing smarter search results and launcher-like functionality to native iOS. New features include as-you-type suggestions and the ability to press the “go” button to take action and launch websites, web searches, and apps.
For references, here’s a list of everything included in our iOS 14 beta features video walkthrough:
Initial setup
Downloading app data
Home screen
Slide through app pages
Enter edit mode from anywhere
New minus indicator for deleting apps
Edit Home screen pages
Six new iOS 14 wallpapers
App Library
Remove any app from Home screen
Automatic categorization
Suggestions
Widgets on Home screen
Edit a widget
Siri Suggestions widget
Differently sized widgets
Widget stacks
Edit a widget stack
Stack multiple weather widgets
Smart stack
Search
As-you-type search suggestions
Quick launcher
In-app search
Web search
Updated Siri Suggestions UI
Redesigned Siri Knowledge layout
Picture in Picture
Enable Picture in Picture
Customize and control Picture in Picture
Settings > General > Picture in Picture
Siri
Compact Siri UI
Send audio messages
Share ETA
Updated Siri Settings > Suggestions on Lock screen
Updated Siri Settings > Siri Feedback
Updated Siri Settings > Suggestions when Sharing
Updated Siri Settings > In Search settings
Updated Siri Settings > App Clips
Privacy
Manage app tracking
Approximate Location
Limited Photos library access
Recording/microphone indicator
Recently used indicator in Control Center
Notification when apps access clipboard
Privacy > Local Network
Use Private Address
Markup
New colors button
New eyedropper tool
Colors: Grid, Spectrum, Sliders
Opacity
Hexadecimal colors
Save colors as favorites
Shape recognition
Settings
Long press back button to go back levels
Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock
Settings > General > Customize Automatic Updates
Settings > TV > Cellular Streaming > Automatic Optimized based on data plan… Settings > iCloud > Media & Purchases
Rename Bluetooth devices
Search bar added to iPhone Storage
New Glyph when Bluetooth devices connected
AirPods now have their info in iOS Bluetooth Settings
All-new Field Test app
Family sharing
Family sharing shows avatars of all members
New Family Sharing Layout shows when joined, role, and access
“Shared with your Family” instead of shared features
Invite member now uses Share Sheet
Apple TV Channels are broken up individually
Ask To Buy
New Screen Time UI
Keyboard
Emoji search
Control Center
Updated Camera app glyphs
Home app CC toggle removed
Dynamic Home toggles added
Sound Recognition toggle
Hearing toggle shows decibel rating
Updated Control Center Settings
Accessibility
Headphone Accommodations
Accessibility Settings
VoiceOver
Magnifier
Spoken Content
Touch
Switch Control
Side Button
Audio/Visual
Siri
Accessibility Shortcut
Phone
Compact interface
Third-party VoIP calls compact interface
New audio picker
Updated tables and buttons in contacts
New contact photo options camera, photos, emoji, text
