Apple today released iOS and iPadOS 13.5, major updates that come more than a month after the launch of iOS and iPadOS 13.4.1. iOS 13.5 is a major health-related update that brings many features related to the ongoing public health crisis.
The iOS and ??iPadOS?? 13.5 updates are available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the updates, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 12.4.7 for older devices, with the update bringing security fixes.
The iOS 13.5 update introduces the Exposure Notification API created by Apple and Google, which is designed to allow public health authorities to create COVID-19 contact tracing apps with the aim of slowing the spread of the virus.
Exposure Notification is a behind-the-scenes Bluetooth-based API that will be incorporated into apps created by public health authorities in each country. It does not work without an accompanying app installed, but Apple has added details about Exposure Logging in the Privacy section of the Settings app.
There is an Exposure Logging toggle that will let users opt out of participating in COVID-19 exposure notifications if a COVID-19 app is installed, and the section will provide details on which public health app a user has downloaded.
iOS 13.5 lays the groundwork for Exposure Notifications, and now that the update has been released to the public, health apps from governments and health authorities will be able to be released. So far, more than 22 countries have signed up to participate, and apps that use the API should be coming in the near future. From Apple and Google:
Apps that take advantage of the Exposure Notification API will use Bluetooth to communicate with the smartphones of the people around you, and you will be provided with notifications should you come into contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 that chooses to share that information. Google and Apple have focused heavily on privacy with the Exposure Notification API, and full details on how Exposure Notification works can be found in our guide.
In addition to creating a foundation for apps to use the Exposure Notification API, iOS (and iPadOS) 13.5 make it easier to unlock an iPhone or iPad with a passcode when wearing a mask, due to the large number of people that are regularly wearing face coverings.
With the update, the passcode interface is displayed more quickly when an iOS device detects that a user is wearing a mask that obscures the face after the person swipes up, so it's quicker getting into an iPhone using a passcode than before.
Apple has tweaked Group FaceTime, adding a new toggle to disable the feature that automatically enlarges the tile of the person who is speaking. By default, Group FaceTime features a dynamic view with a tile for each person in the conversation, and the person speaking has a larger tile while the tiles representing the other people fade into the background.
A new "Automatic Prominence" section in the FaceTime part of the Settings app allows the shifting tile sizes to be disabled, displaying all of the people in a Group FaceTime chat in a grid with equal-sized windows regardless who of speaking. A tile can be enlarged with a tap.
There's a new feature in iOS 13.5 for sharing Medical ID information automatically with emergency dispatchers when placing an emergency call. A toggle lets this feature be turned on or off, and there's also a new toggle in the Health app for showing Medical ID info on the Lock screen when an iPhone is locked.
For Apple Music, there's a new feature that lets Apple Music songs be shared directly to Instagram Stories. Tapping the Share button on a song in ?Apple Music? creates a story with a song title, album name, and animated background, but there's no way to get to ?Apple Music? from the shared information.
The update patches two security vulnerabilities that affect the Mail app on the iPhone and the iPad. One of the vulnerabilities allowed an attacker to remotely infect an iOS device by sending emails that consume a significant amount of memory, while another allowed remote code executions.
There are additional bug fixes and features included, as outlined in Apple's release notes:
Apple has separate release notes for iPadOS:
iOS 13.5 could be one of the last updates to the iOS 13 operating system as Apple prepares to shift its focus to iOS 14. Apple will unveil iOS 14 on June 22, when its virtual WWDC event kicks off.
Article Link: Apple Releases iPadOS and iOS 13.5 With Exposure Notification API, Face ID Mask Updates, Group FaceTime Changes and More
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