Apple releases iOS 12.4.7, iOS 13.5, iPadOS 13.5, tvOS 13.4.5 updates

[AshRiver]

Quote

Apple has released updates for its operating systems bringing them to iOS 13.5, iPadOS 13.5, tvOS 13.4.5, and iOS 12.4.7 — updates that chiefly include changes relating to COVID-19 Exposure Notification.

 

Released on Monday, the updates for iPadOS and iOS can be installed by entering the Settings app, selecting General, Software Update, then selecting to install the update, while users with automatic updates will encounter a streamlined process. The Apple TV can be updated by going to the Settings App and selecting Software Updates, then Update Software.

Apple released watchOS 6.2.5 earlier than the other operating systems, on May 18.

The new versions arrive after four rounds of beta testing for iOS 13.5, iPadOS 13.5, macOS 10.15.5, and tvOS 13.4.5, while watchOS 6.2.5 went through five builds before the final release. The original betas for iOS and iPadOS were actually numbered version 13.4.5, but were renamed to 13.5 by the third round.

For iOS and iPadOS, the update to 13.5 largely centers around COVID-19. One feature change in the betas involved software hooks required for the Exposure Notification API, which would allow contact tracing apps to provide notifications to users.

Another change related to Face ID, and how it handled the addition of face masks to facial recognition attempts. When a face mask covering the bottom half of the face is detected, Face ID will automaticaly skip the retrying and timeout process in favor of prompting for a passcode, saving users time from not needing to wait for the code entry screen.

The update also includes an update to the HomePod. Version 13.4.5 of the HomePod OS includes improvements to stability and performance, according to Apple.

https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/05/20/apple-releases-ios-1247-ios-135-ipados-135-tvos-1345-updates

 

Yay! Another new IOS updates for Apple devices in COVID-19 that I don't own. One improvement is the FaceID able to recognize your face with mask on. If not, the device will be like "Who the hell are you?" when you try to unlock your luxury flexing IPhone with your beauty face wearing Gucci mask.

[Techstorm970]

I have mixed feelings about this.

 

On one hand, I never liked the exposure notification idea.  Delves too much into people's privacy.

 

On the other hand, the Face ID mask thing is genius!  That'll also help when you have a scarf on in the winter, if they choose to keep it.

 

Just now, AshRiver said:

luxury flexing IPhone with your beauty face wearing Gucci mask.

This is probably meant to be satirical, but I hear this stuff too much.  It's really gotten old...

 

I'm just saying, if you still see an iPhone as a pretentious status symbol, you (and/or your friends) either need to grow up or get out more.

Fun fact: This "iPhone is for rich people" stereotype holds no water whatsoever in France, for example.  Speaking from experience.

[Guest]

The FaceID thing is pretty cool. You can try it yourself if you over the bottom of your face with your hand, it will quickly ask for your passcode.

[theninja35]

Does iOS 13.5 fix the stupid issue with Apple Carplay where Waze and Google Maps won't show up on the infotainment screen? The only reason I bought a phone mount for my car was so that I could see Google Maps on my screen.

 

Apple is great but I would have to be paid to use Apple Maps on Carplay.

[PhantomJaguarr]

That updated FaceID feature will help a lot when I use my iPhone at work. I dislike typing in my code still though.

[TempestCatto]

So is iOS security still fucked?

[Commodus]

1 hour ago, Techstorm970 said:

On one hand, I never liked the exposure notification idea.  Delves too much into people's privacy.

The Apple/Google solution is decentralized and designed to protect privacy -- you really shouldn't have to worry about it.

 

Even then, though?  Unless there are truly egregious privacy violations... please, please use contact tracing when it's available to you.  Until there are vaccines or reliable treatments, this is one of the best tools we have for tracking the virus and reducing the need for more large-scale lockdowns.

[Kisai]

6 minutes ago, Commodus said:

The Apple/Google solution is decentralized and designed to protect privacy -- you really shouldn't have to worry about it.

 

Even then, though?  Unless there are truly egregious privacy violations... please, please use contact tracing when it's available to you.  Until there are vaccines or reliable treatments, this is one of the best tools we have for tracking the virus and reducing the need for more large-scale lockdowns.

I wish this had been a thing back in March, but oh well. The problem I see is it being "opt-in" rather than opt-out. That's a bit too chicken of Apple and Google, but I understand why. You have to explicitly download a contract tracing app, and probably only the one your country approves. Which means it's entirely possible for travelers to completely botch how it works when two countries that have a lot of cross border traffic.

[Guest willies leg]

I'm sure this will end well.

[BuckGup]

1 hour ago, TempestCatto said:

So is iOS security still fucked?

Did you even read that article?

[TempestCatto]

29 minutes ago, BuckGup said:

Did you even read that article?

No actually, I didn't. Didn't feel like reading it all tbh. Hence why I asked (also poking fun at a previous tech news post).

[Commodus]

2 hours ago, Kisai said:

I wish this had been a thing back in March, but oh well. The problem I see is it being "opt-in" rather than opt-out. That's a bit too chicken of Apple and Google, but I understand why. You have to explicitly download a contract tracing app, and probably only the one your country approves. Which means it's entirely possible for travelers to completely botch how it works when two countries that have a lot of cross border traffic.

Yeah, travel is an issue, but the one-app thing is likely necessary.  Otherwise you end up with a fairly splintered tracing system where it's harder to get everyone on the same page and aggregate their information.

[Zodiark1593]

4 hours ago, RorzNZ said:

The FaceID thing is pretty cool. You can try it yourself if you over the bottom of your face with your hand, it will quickly ask for your passcode.

*is lamenting at my many character passphrase that I use instead of the passcode like literally everyone else*

 

Now, if only iOS would allow me to update over cellular instead of requiring my nonexistent home wifi. 

[xtroria]

4 hours ago, Commodus said:

The Apple/Google solution is decentralized and designed to protect privacy -- you really shouldn't have to worry about it.

 

Even then, though?  Unless there are truly egregious privacy violations... please, please use contact tracing when it's available to you.  Until there are vaccines or reliable treatments, this is one of the best tools we have for tracking the virus and reducing the need for more large-scale lockdowns.

This.

 

People who are yelling "muh privacy" in this type of situation should really check their priorities.

 

Highest priority is to limit the spread of this pandemic, not your privacy. No one is going to give a crap about your privacy when someone else's life is on the line.

[AlTech]

6 hours ago, Techstorm970 said:

I have mixed feelings about this.

 

On one hand, I never liked the exposure notification idea.  Delves too much into people's privacy.

This implementation is more privacy focussed than others and is about as privacy focussed as you can get given what needs to be done for it to work properly.

 

6 hours ago, Techstorm970 said:

 

[AlTech]

39 minutes ago, xtroria said:

This.

 

People who are yelling "muh privacy" in this type of situation should really check their priorities.

See below.

39 minutes ago, xtroria said:

Highest priority is to limit the spread of this pandemic, not your privacy. No one is going to give a crap about your privacy when someone else's life is on the line.

I disagree. Forgiving privacy violations now will lead to permanently worse privacy in the future for people.

 

5 hours ago, Commodus said:

The Apple/Google solution is decentralized and designed to protect privacy -- you really shouldn't have to worry about it.

This. The solution Apple has is as good as it gets privacy wise.

5 hours ago, Commodus said:

Even then, though?  Unless there are truly egregious privacy violations... please, please use contact tracing when it's available to you.  Until there are vaccines or reliable treatments, this is one of the best tools we have for tracking the virus and reducing the need for more large-scale lockdowns.

Not gonna lie I have no intention of using a centralised contact tracing system. I'll only use a decentralised one.

 

And yes I know the UK is developing a centralised one. Still have no intention of using it.

[DrMacintosh]

6 hours ago, Techstorm970 said:

On one hand, I never liked the exposure notification idea.  Delves too much into people's privacy.

Interestingly enough, all of the COVID exposure stuff is off by default, its opt-in. 

[Zodiark1593]

1 hour ago, xtroria said:

This.

 

People who are yelling "muh privacy" in this type of situation should really check their priorities.

 

Highest priority is to limit the spread of this pandemic, not your privacy. No one is going to give a crap about your privacy when someone else's life is on the line.

Given that the contact tracing bit is entirely optional (whether in settings, modding it out or flat out shutting off the phone and leaving it home), it is up to no one but the users as to whether to enable contact tracing. A user can just as well choose to not give a crap about what happens to anyone else. 
 

Telling people what they should think is likely to provoke hostility toward your intended goal. And given there’s no mandate for contact tracing apps to be in use, it is entirely the will of the person using the phone to just give you the middle finger. Writing off other’s concerns, even if their opinions differ dramatically from yours (and even if they are factually incorrect), is unlikely find you many sympathizers. 
 

Pragmatically speaking, in absence of authoritative measures, you’ll probably win more people over with a moderate approach rather than adversarial. 

[RejZoR]

Good thing that COVID crap is not even enabled in my country. And if it was, I'd disbale it. Stupid nonsensical waste of resources as it won't help anyone for anything, just a privacy liability.

[DrMacintosh]

9 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

just a privacy liability.

Which is why it’s disabled by default....

[suicidalfranco]

2 hours ago, Zodiark1593 said:

it is entirely the will of the person using the phone to just give you the middle finger.

exactly what i'll be doing

[RejZoR]

31 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Which is why it’s disabled by default....

In my case it actually says "Not available in Slovenia". Now, get the damn EKG feature available on my damn Apple Watch, thank you very much Apple... That's at least actually useful opposed to this useless idiocy.

[SeriousDad69]

12 hours ago, Commodus said:

The Apple/Google solution is decentralized and designed to protect privacy -- you really shouldn't have to worry about it.

 

Even then, though?  Unless there are truly egregious privacy violations... please, please use contact tracing when it's available to you.  Until there are vaccines or reliable treatments, this is one of the best tools we have for tracking the virus and reducing the need for more large-scale lockdowns.

No.

[SeriousDad69]

8 hours ago, xtroria said:

This.

 

People who are yelling "muh privacy" in this type of situation should really check their priorities.

 

Highest priority is to limit the spread of this pandemic, not your privacy. No one is going to give a crap about your privacy when someone else's life is on the line.

You cant ask people to make sacrifices for total strangers. Well, actually you can. Just don't be shocked if they get angry and tell you to fuck off. My privacy > Your well under 1% chance to get corona virus and die from it.

I'm not really mad about this contact tracing stuff because it sounds like it's opt-in, but it's a slippery slope and anyone with a brain knows you don't trust billion dollar corporations and large bloated Governments, at least when it comes to privacy.

[Commodus]

4 hours ago, SeriousDad69 said:

No.

Yes.  You want to end wide-scale lockdowns once and for all?  You need extensive contact tracing so that infected people can be quickly isolated and prevent the virus from getting out of control.  Again, this doesn't mean that agencies should have carte blanche to violate privacy, but insisting on an all-or-nothing approach that threatens thousands of lives and prolongs lockdowns?  No thanks -- I'm not going to send legions of people to the hospital out of stubbornness.

 

And to follow on your reply to xtroria... people make sacrifices for total strangers all the time.  You avoid having more than one or two drinks before you drive because you don't want to risk hurting someone.  You pay taxes for services that you never use because they ultimately help everyone.  I don't know about you, but I find that making a small (emphasis on small), temporary sacrifice to privacy is worthwhile if it means that thousands more people still have parents, partners and children when this is all over.

 

And not to turn this into a virus thread, but the consequences of the virus go well beyond dying.  You can end up with permanent lung damage.  People have lost limbs due to complications.  And even if you don't go to hospital, you can spend weeks fighting what feels like the worst fever you'll have in your entire life.  If you don't mind inflicting that kind of suffering on others simply because you don't feel like using an app, go ahead and be intransigent.