Apple released iOS 14 back in September. It didn’t take long before the company started beta testing iOS 14.2. But now the company is releasing iOS 14.1 to the public.
It was widely expected that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro would launch with iOS 14.1 installed out of the box. And with today’s release, that will probably be the case as Apple makes sure the iPhones out there in the wild are running the latest version of the mobile operating system when the new iPhones launch. But this new release isn’t meant to add a ton of new features to the mix. Rather, it’s squashing bugs and optimizing the overall performance.
That isn’t to say there aren’t new elements to the software, including the bug fixes. iOS 14.1 and iPadOS 14.1 add support for 10-bit HDR video playback on supported devices (like the 2nd-generation iPad Pro and newer models, the 11-inch iPad Pro, and third-generation iPad Air and later models). It also includes bug fixes for widgets, an issue with the Mail app, and more.
Here’s the official changelog:
iPadOS 14.1 includes improvements and bug fixes for your iPad.
- Adds support for 10-bit HDR video playback and edit in Photos for iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (2nd generation) and later, iPad Pro 11‑inch, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Air (3rd generation) and later, and iPad mini (5th generation)
- Addresses an issue where some widgets, folders, and icons were showing up in reduced size on the Home Screen
- Fixes an issue where some emails in Mail were sent from an incorrect alias
- Addresses an issue where some users were occasionally unable to download or add songs to their library while viewing an album or playlist
- Resolves an issue where streaming video resolution could temporarily be reduced at the start of playback
- Addresses an issue in the Files app that could cause some MDM-managed cloud service providers to incorrectly display content as unavailable
iPadOS 14.1 and iOS 14.1 are both free to download and install.
To update, simply open Settings –> General –> Software Update and follow the onscreen instructions. If you have Automatic Updates switched on, your device(s) will automatically download and update to the newest software automatically.
HomePod and HomePod mini
iOS 14.1 also includes support for the HomePod mini (which Apple announced earlier this month), and also for the brand new Intercom feature. With Intercom, folks with HomePod smart speakers, iPhones, iPads, and other products can talk to one another throughout the home.
The new HomePod software is available now, and will automatically install to powered HomePod smart speakers once you’ve updated your iPhone to iOS 14.1.