Image Credits: Twitter
The first release of iOS 15 was last year, and as is customary for Apple, it has received modest tweaks in the months afterward. iOS 15.3 was released earlier this week, with a patch for Safari’s IndexedDB data leak and other minor improvements, and the first beta for iOS 15.4 is now ready for testing. This is a far more stunning version, featuring a few long-awaited enhancements mentioned by Apple months ago.
The most interesting new feature is Universal Control, which was supposed to be included in macOS 12 Monterey but was postponed until the spring of this year. Once you’ve loaded iOS/iPadOS 15.4 on an iPad and the most recent macOS 12 beta version on a compatible Mac, the mouse and keyboard on one device may control another.
According to MacRumors, the new settings menu is accessible from Displays > Advanced on macOS and from the ‘Cursor and Keyboard (Beta)’ option in the ‘AirPlay & Handoff’ area of the iPad.
This update also adds support for Face ID when wearing a face mask. There is a caution that Face ID will not be as accurate as it would be with your complete face showing, but it is now an option. A new setting is available under Settings > Face ID, and, like with conventional Face ID, you must stare at the phone to unlock it.
Well this is new 🤔 (iOS 15.4 Beta 1) pic.twitter.com/MSe7hmPGlR
— Brandon Butch (@BrandonButch) January 27, 2022
Apple claims about improvement in Face ID
Image Credits: Twitter
When wearing a mask, Apple has developed new algorithms to recognize people based on their eye area. This allows users to unlock their iPhone using Face ID without having to remove their mask or utilize alternate methods such as passcodes or their Apple Watch.
When users launch their iPhone running iOS 15.4 for the first time, they have the option to set up Face ID with a mask. Alternatively, after booting with iOS 15.4, the capability may be activated by activating the ‘Use Face ID With a Mask’ option under Settings > Face ID & Passcode.
During the setup, you do not need to wear a face mask. This implies that enrolling for Face ID with a mask is equivalent to enrolling for facial recognition technology in general.
Apple has also made the function compatible with glasses. When using Face ID with a mask, it is advised that you enroll separately for your glasses. Each enrolled appearance allows you to utilize up to four pairs of glasses.
It is crucial to note that, while Face ID is accessible on iPhone X and later devices, the ability to utilize Face ID with a mask is only available on iPhone 12 and later models. It is also not yet available to iPad users.
According to Apple, the accuracy and security of Face ID with the mask are on par with existing facial recognition solutions. This implies that with a single enrolled appearance, the likelihood of a random individual in the population looking at your iPhone and unlocking it using Face ID with a mask is around one in 1,000,000.
In addition to the Face ID upgrade, the first developer beta of iOS 15.4 includes the ability to copy text from items in the Notes and Reminders apps using the camera. There are also new emoji, such as heart hands, biting lip, pregnant woman and pregnant man, hamsa, and many more.
Along with the iPhone beta, Apple has released the first developer betas of iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3 with Universal Control.
This feature was introduced at the WWDC last year and was expected to be included in macOS Monterey when it was released for the first time in October. Apple, on the other hand, postponed the release by many months.
