Apple has been working on the next update for iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 for a bit of time now. Which means we’ve been working with a variety of different beta seeds over the last couple of months or so. But, now the company is ready for the public release.
Today is the day! Apple is finally ready with the public updates to iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2. These are free upgrades for the mobile operating systems, as is par for the course. To update, there are a few different options. You can head into the Settings app, then select General –> Software Update and follow the onscreen instructions to get the new software downloaded and installed.
Or, you can turn on Automatic Updates and let your device(s) go through the update process overnight, while they are plugged in.
But what’s new?
iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 don’t add a ton of new features into the mix, but there are some important new additions. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s new in iOS 15.2:
iOS 15.2 adds the Messages Communication Safety feature, which is built into the Messages app on those platforms, and it serves to offer up warnings of potentially explicit photos being shared in the app. Both children and the parents will be notified of that potentially harmful material. Those warnings will be issued when a photo is shared to the child or sent from the child’s device.
iOS 15.2 adds the ability to quickly see a list of what has been repaired and/or replaced on your device, including batteries, displays, and more.
App Privacy Report is now available in iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2. This allows users to see just how often apps are accessing a range of sensitive information based on the permissions the user has allowed. That includes camera, location, and much more.
iOS 15.2 adds support for Legacy Contacts, which will allow someone to declare individuals as those who can access the “digital legacy” of someone who has passed away.
The new software supports a new feature in the Find My app called “Items That Can Track Me.” This allows users to quickly see if an item tracker, like an Apple AirTag, is near them — even if it’s not theirs.
iOS 15.2 adds a dedicated toggle in the Camera app to switch on or off the Macro photography mode.
One more new addition: Apple also released the Apple Music Voice Plan option today as well. This will allow customers to sign up for Apple Music at just $4.99 per month, with full access to the entire music catalog, playlists, and stations. However, the plan only works with Apple’s Siri voice assistant.
An important update, even if it isn’t jam packed with a suite of forward facing new changes.
Apple released macOS Monterey 12.1 today as well. With that, Apple finally brings SharePlay to the desktop operating system as well.
Apple also released watchOS 8.3 to the public as well. To update, the eligible Apple Watch must have at least 50% battery life, be connected to its charger, and be paired with the iPhone. Automatic Update will download and install the new software overnight when the Apple Watch is connected to its charger. Owners can also open the Watch app, tap on General –> Software Update and follow the onscreen instructions to update to the newest software.
Apple also released tvOS 15.2 to the public as well.
The iOS 15.2 changelog (it’s a doozy)
iOS 15.2 adds Apple Music Voice Plan, a new subscription tier that provides access to music using Siri. This update also includes the App Privacy Report, new safety features for children and parents in Messages, and other features and bug fixes for your iPhone.
Apple Music Voice Plan
- Apple Music Voice Plan is a new subscription tier that gives you access to all songs, playlists, and stations in Apple Music using Siri
- Just Ask Siri suggests music based on your listening history and likes or dislikes
- Play it Again lets you access a list of your recently played music
Privacy
- App Privacy Report in Settings lets you see how often apps have accessed your location, photos, camera, microphone, contacts and more during the last seven days, as well as their network activity
Messages
- Communication safety setting gives parents the ability to enable warnings for children when they receive or send photos that contain nudity
- Safety warnings contain helpful resources for children when they receive photos that contain nudity
Siri and Search
- Expanded guidance in Siri, Spotlight and Safari Search to help children and parents stay safe online and get help with unsafe situations
Apple ID
- Digital Legacy allows you to designate people as Legacy Contacts so they can access your iCloud account and personal information in the event of your death
Camera
- Macro photo control for switching to the Ultra Wide lens to capture macro photos and videos can be enabled in Settings on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
TV app
- Store tab lets you browse, buy, and rent movies and TV Shows all in one place
CarPlay
- Enhanced city map in Apple Maps with road details like turn lanes, medians, bike lanes, and pedestrian crosswalks for supported cities
This release also includes the following enhancements for your iPhone:
- Hide My Email is available in the Mail app for iCloud+ subscribers to create unique, random email addresses
- Find My can locate iPhone for up to five hours when in Power Reserve
- Stocks allows you to view the currency for a ticker and see year-to-date performance when viewing charts
- Reminders and Notes now allow you to delete or rename tags
This release also includes bug fixes for your iPhone:
- Siri may not respond while VoiceOver is running and iPhone is locked
- ProRAW photos may appear overexposed when viewing in third-party photo editing apps
- HomeKit scenes that include a garage door may not run from CarPlay when your iPhone is locked
- CarPlay may not update Now Playing information for certain apps
- Video streaming apps may not load content on iPhone 13 models
- Calendar events may appear on the wrong day for Microsoft Exchange users
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
The latest update is available now.