Apple seeds iOS 14.4, iPadOS 14.4, watchOS 7.3, macOS 11.2 Big Sur, and tvOS 14.4 Release Candidate to developers and public beta testers

We’re on the cusp of Apple releasing new software for its most popular devices, as Apple seeds the Release Candidate for new software ahead of a public launch.

On Thursday, Apple seeded the Release Candidate for not only iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4, but also watchOS 7.3 and tvOS 14.4. Apple has been working on the next update for some time now, and it looks like the company is ready to launch a public release. That will happen in the next few days now that the RC is out for developers and public beta testers.

While iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 aren’t major updates, the new software does bring some new features to the mix. Specifically, iOS 14.4 welcomes the new security and privacy prompts for when an app wants to track the user’s activity.

In addition to that, there are new haptic feedback elements when transferring media from a HomePod mini to an iPhone 11 or iPhone 12 equipped with the U1 chip. That haptic feedback will start to pulse when it nears a HomePod mini, and get faster as the iPhone nears the smart speaker.

There is a new “Time to Walk” feature in the Apple Watch. There’s a new “Add Newest Workouts to Watch”, That’s associated with the Apple Watch’s upcoming update, watchOS 7.3, and suggests a new guided audio walking workouts are in the works.

Here’s the full release notes for iOS 14.4:

iOS 14.4 includes the following improvements for your ‌iPhone‌:

– Smaller QR codes can be recognized by Camera
– Option to classify Bluetooth device type in Settings for correct identification of headphones for audio notifications
– Notifications for when the camera on your ‌iPhone‌ is unable to be verified as a new, genuine Apple camera in ‌iPhone 12‌, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

This release also fixes the following issues:
– Image artifacts could appear in HDR photos taken with ‌iPhone 12 Pro‌
– Fitness widget may not display updated Activity data
– Typing may be delayed and word suggestions may not appear in the keyboard
– The keyboard may not come up in the correct language in Messages
– Audio stories from the News app in CarPlay may not resume after being paused for spoken directions or Siri
– Enabling Switch Control in Accessibility may prevent phone calls from being answered from the Lock Screen

In addition to the Release Candidate for iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4, Apple also seeded the RC for watchOS 7.3, macOS 11.2 Big Sur, and tvOS 14.4.