iOS 14.4, iPadOS 14.4, tvOS 14.4, and watchOS 7.3 released

[OtinG]

In case you missed it, yesterday Apple released iOS 14.4, iPadOS 14.4, tvOS 14.4, and watchOS 7.3. I only saw the releases today. I'm not sure if there is anything of merit in them, but they are now available and I assume at the very least they will squash a few bugs and plug a few security holes.

[tomsem]

https://www.iphonehacks.com/2021/01/...whats-new.html

The biggest highlight:

* enhanced Handoff for HomePod Mini

Also

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

I guess I’m going to have to get a pair of HomePod mini’s..

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I guess I’m going to have to get a pair of HomePod mini’s..

Hopefully they work better than my Amazon Alexa devices. I spend more time arguing with Alexa, or simply trying to get her to shut up when she starts talking and rambling on about some nonsense when I didn't even speak to her! AI as in "Alexa Ignorance" is a very different thing from AI as in "Artificial Intelligence"!

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by tomsem

https://www.iphonehacks.com/2021/01/...whats-new.html

The biggest highlight:

* enhanced Handoff for HomePod Mini

Also

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

I guess I’m going to have to get a pair of HomePod mini’s..

I pick up a HomePod mini back in December. It works pretty well, though I mostly use it as a speaker controlled by my iPhone rather than use Siri. One of the down sides of having multiple Siri enabled devices is confusion over which device you are talking to! I'll probably pick up a second one since two are suppose to sync up for better sound quality. It already sounds good.

My only grip with the HomePod mini is that the top of the device is touch sensitive to start and stop playing. My cats turn it on at least once a week.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I pick up a HomePod mini back in December. It works pretty well, though I mostly use it as a speaker controlled by my iPhone rather than use Siri. One of the down sides of having multiple Siri enabled devices is confusion over which device you are talking to! I'll probably pick up a second one since two are suppose to sync up for better sound quality. It already sounds good.

My only grip with the HomePod mini is that the top of the device is touch sensitive to start and stop playing. My cats turn it on at least once a week.

Re multiple Siri listening devices, it seems to have improved over time, as has Siri itself.

I have a couple of HomePods and love them. Used to have Echo devices but decommissioned them all.

I know voice control is supposed to be the future of computing but like you I prefer to dial things up on my phone and Handoff to the HomePod. ‘Play some Mozart’ works but ‘Play Beethoven 8th symphony conducted by Simon Rattle with the Berlin Philharmonic’ is too much.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Re multiple Siri listening devices, it seems to have improved over time, as has Siri itself.

I have a couple of HomePods and love them. Used to have Echo devices but decommissioned them all.

I know voice control is supposed to be the future of computing but like you I prefer to dial things up on my phone and Handoff to the HomePod. ‘Play some Mozart’ works but ‘Play Beethoven 8th symphony conducted by Simon Rattle with the Berlin Philharmonic’ is too much.

Yep, plus you have to remember off the top of your head exactly which one you want and how to say it so Siri understands which one you mean.

[OtinG]

I use different names for my various Alexa Echo devices, but it reminds me of my mom growing up 50+ years ago: She sometimes had to go down the list of names for all four of us siblings before she got the correct name to yell at us for doing something stupid! I have several Siri capable devices, but just like with the Echo devices, I much prefer to use my iPhone XR or iPads to activate them to do something. Voice should be quicker, but it typically isn't and it is often misinterpreted by the devices. And if I get really mad and call Alexa a dirty name, I get back a lot of attitude. To be honest, I've turned of the microphones on most of my Echos, and I leave Siri disabled on my iThingies. Voice control just isn't that good yet.

My new Sony 4K TV has built in Android TV with voice control. I haven’t tried it yet to see if it is just as bad or perhaps a little better. However, like I stated above, I find using my iPad to search for interesting shows and movies via apps like Netflix, Philo, OTA TV, YouTube, etc. is way faster and easier than trying to get to them via voce control on any device. This includes the Fire TVs and TVs. Chances are high that voice control will screw up the commands and open the wrong app or channel or show or open it on the wrong device.

Getting the right version of a song is nearly impossible with voice control too.

[John F]

I just noticed that I'm not getting iMessage notifications on the lock screen. I upgraded to 14.4 and I still have the sane problem.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by John F

I just noticed that I'm not getting iMessage notifications on the lock screen. I upgraded to 14.4 and I still have the sane problem.

I can’t remember where I read it, probably in the MacRumors iOS 14 forum, but I think that has been an issue for quite a while now.

Personally I still get a bit confused over iMessages versus SMS text messages. The former is apparently for communicating with other iThingies while the latter is used for non-iThingie communication (as in an Android phone, etc.). What works in iMessage might not work in SMS text messages. For example, you have to use certain settings to be able to send photos and videos to a non-iThingie. Rather frustrating at times. Most of the people I exchange text messages with have Android phones...

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by OtinG

I can’t remember where I read it, probably in the MacRumors iOS 14 forum, but I think that has been an issue for quite a while now.

Personally I still get a bit confused over iMessages versus SMS text messages. The former is apparently for communicating with other iThingies while the latter is used for non-iThingie communication (as in an Android phone, etc.). What works in iMessage might not work in SMS text messages. For example, you have to use certain settings to be able to send photos and videos to a non-iThingie. Rather frustrating at times. Most of the people I exchange text messages with have Android phones...

Yes, this is the normal issue that people run into with messaging with an iPhone. iMessages are treated one way and SMS another, plus you have to change a few settings to be able to send SMS. I use to get whines from my niece when she was not on WiFi and her text to her buddies weren't going through (go to settings and turn on SMS)

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Yes, this is the normal issue that people run into with messaging with an iPhone. iMessages are treated one way and SMS another, plus you have to change a few settings to be able to send SMS. I use to get whines from my niece when she was not on WiFi and her text to her buddies weren't going through (go to settings and turn on SMS)

Getting photos and videos to send via SMS can be a PITA too. You have to authorize it and it wasn't that intuitive. Once set up correctly then all is good.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by OtinG

Getting photos and videos to send via SMS can be a PITA too. You have to authorize it and it wasn't that intuitive. Once set up correctly then all is good.

It does seem a bit like Apple's attitude is "well of course everyone uses Apple and everyone does things exactly like we currently think they ought to". It's a bit of an annoyance at times.