Apple Shortcuts With Multiple Actions Reportedly Run Faster in iOS 14.6

[MacRumors]

Apple appears to have quietly given its Shortcuts feature a performance boost in iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6, which launched for iPhone and iPad on Monday.

Despite no mention of the feature in the software's release notes, users on Reddit are describing speed improvements when running automations that include multiple actions.

For example, one user describes how a 700-action shortcut they designed to scrape websites is running in 13 seconds since updating to iOS 14.6, compared to around 30 seconds in the previous version.

As 9to5Mac notes, the speed improvements aren't all that noticeable for Shortcuts that don't have many actions, but for those with actions that number in the dozens or hundreds, the performance boost is a lot more obvious.

Apple's iOS 14.6 update isn't quite as significant as the iOS 14.5 update that preceded it, but it still introduces a number of notable new features, including support for Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio in Apple Music, Apple Card Family, and Apple Podcasts Subscription support.

Article Link: Apple Shortcuts With Multiple Actions Reportedly Run Faster in iOS 14.6

 

[_Spinn_]

This is pretty cool. I love shortcuts and I’m glad Apple is improving performance behind the scenes. I wonder what they actually did to get this speed up?

 

[CarpalMac]

Some may even say, snappier?

Yeah, I went there....

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Great edition! Can’t wait till the new iOS 15 is release now. See what Apple has been cooking.

 

[LFC2020]

Great edition! Can’t wait till the new iOS 15 is release now. See what Apple has been cooking.

Cant wait to install the first iOS 15 public beta on my M1 mini led iPad 😃

 

[mccdyl001]

A 700 action shortcut? That does seem rather extreme.

Edit: went looking for what a 700 action shortcut does. From the links:

It’s a daily wallpaper switcher. It pulls a random post from the 25 most popular posts of the day on r/earthporn. Then it runs a shortcut that overlays a calendar+weather+reminder graphic over the image (pulls from phones info and events). That image is then set to the Lock Screen. Then the original image is blurred and set to the home screen. It has a few options (disabling calendar overlay, disabling blur).

 

[I7guy]

Some may even say, snappier?

Yeah, I went there....

lol…shortcuts is snappier?

 

[Pafoofnik]

I remember when there used to be editors who caught bad grammar. Now bad grammar is as common as bad reporting.

"Despite no mention of the feature in the software's release notes, users on Reddit are...." No, it's not the Reddit users who made no mention, it was Apple who made no mention. Should be: "Despite Apple making no mention of the feature in the software's release notes, users on Reddit are...." (Sorry, folks, I'm a born editor.)

 

[bb9]

Cant wait to install the first iOS 15 public beta on my M1 mini led iPad 😃

Very subtle
Typing this on my mini led iPad Pro 12.9 inch
Sigh, I would have bought an iPad Mini Pro with mini led this year if Apple made it.

 

[Total Respray]

"Despite no mention of the feature in the software's release notes, users on Reddit are...." No, it's not the Reddit users who made no mention, it was Apple who made no mention. Should be: "Despite Apple making no mention of the feature in the software's release notes, users on Reddit are...."

It was perfectly clear. You seem to be overthinking this.

 

[CarpalMac]

lol…shortcuts is snappier?

Ok, speedier?

 

[sniffies]

This pop-up after completion is still slow as ever and a huge nuisance

 

[mansplains]

Since iOS 14 nerfed variables and other scripting I've ditched Shortcuts. No point when you make a 300 action Shortcut that gets broken beyond repair after an update.

 

[LeadingHeat]

Since iOS 14 nerfed variables and other scripting I've ditched Shortcuts. No point when you make a 300 action Shortcut that gets broken beyond repair after an update.

What happened with variables for you? It seems to still work just fine for me and the ones I create

 

[mansplains]

What happened with variables for you? It seems to still work just fine for me and the ones I create

I had made a Shortcut for easier interaction with a Discord bot on mobile since it can be a pain to work with some commands or easy to forget others.. It was basically an interface for commands. iOS 14 broke all menu variables for me. They appeared to work, store a menu result as a variable, but the variable held a null value. So a user would tap through multiple screens of menus with some text inputs and instead of concatenating variable values based on their selections, the Shortcut would return a null string.

There was a shorter Shortcut I was making a month ago or so to tell the HomePod to play certain white noises based on a menu choice. Now, it's not hard to tell Siri to do it yourself by any means, but sometimes my wife would want a different sound and couldn't remember all the options the HomePod has. Instead of concatenating and speaking 'Hey Siri, play <selection> sounds' it would skip the selection entirely and just ask HomePod to 'play sounds.'

 

[LFC2020]

Very subtle
Typing this on my mini led iPad Pro 12.9 inch
Sigh, I would have bought an iPad Mini Pro with mini led this year if Apple made it.

I want mini led everything, mini led for the win 👊 white text looks so much better on my mini led iPad, pure white and way brighter compared to the slightly yellow white text on my 12 pro max, looks like someone has taken a wee wee over my phone. 😂

The more I use this mini led display the more this screen blows me away, iOS 15 is going to look amazing on it.

 

[Apple$]

The only shortcut I use on my iPad is "Hey Siri, OK Google" it opens the Google app to use Google Assistant. I know, it's funny saying the trigger as it activates the Google Assistant on my Pixel. Full disclosure: I plan on getting a iPhone 12 mini later this year if Apple drops the price.

 

[LeadingHeat]

I had made a Shortcut for easier interaction with a Discord bot on mobile since it can be a pain to work with some commands or easy to forget others.. It was basically an interface for commands. iOS 14 broke all menu variables for me. They appeared to work, store a menu result as a variable, but the variable held a null value. So a user would tap through multiple screens of menus with some text inputs and instead of concatenating variable values based on their selections, the Shortcut would return a null string.

There was a shorter Shortcut I was making a month ago or so to tell the HomePod to play certain white noises based on a menu choice. Now, it's not hard to tell Siri to do it yourself by any means, but sometimes my wife would want a different sound and couldn't remember all the options the HomePod has. Instead of concatenating and speaking 'Hey Siri, play <selection> sounds' it would skip the selection entirely and just ask HomePod to 'play sounds.'

Interesting. I’ll try that out and see if my mileage varies! Have you submitted feedback to Apple?

 

[mansplains]

Interesting. I’ll try that out and see if my mileage varies! Have you submitted feedback to Apple?

I haven't, but perhaps I should. Complaining on the internet is easier, if Twitter has taught us anything 😏

 

[kkclstuff]

I don't know about 'faster' (most of my shortcuts are simple and already ran in a blink of the eye) but I have noticed my Automations aren't running! simple things like <play app> at <certain time> in personal automations.

I did a restart of phone, tested they worked, next morning... nothing. alert shows 'error' notification?
I can build a 'new' shortcut from scratch, test, and they work. But when needed, automations don't activate.
Everything worked as expected in 14.5

Anyone else seeing this?