11 Exciting New Features and Changes in iOS 14.2

Apple recently released iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2. The updates are chockfull of new features, including a few that integrate with the company's HomePod smart speakers. This second major update to iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 was released two weeks after the rollout of iOS 14.1. Continue reading to learn about 11 Exciting New Features and Changes in iOS 14.2.

New Emojis

iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 have thirteen new emoji characters, including a smiling face with a tear, a ninja, pinched fingers, an anatomical heart, a bell pepper, and more. There are also new animals such as a black cat, a mammoth, a polar bear, and the much-loved, but now extinct, dodo bird. Including variations, there are over 100 new emoji in total.

New Wallpapers

Apple has eight new wallpapers that include both artistic scenes and realistic natural scenes. There also are new wallpaper choices for dark and light mode.

Updated Apple Watch App

Apple updated the icon for the Apple Watch app to reflect the company's latest Apple Watch Series 6 and Watch SE options. The new Apple Watch icon does away with the typical clasp band and replaces it with the Solo Loop band.

Apple Card History Tracking

Use the Apple Card to make purchases and want to track your yearly spending habits? Well, now you can in iOS 14.2. Previously, users could only view their spending on a weekly or monthly basis. The new interface also lets users track the Daily Cash they've earned on their purchases.

Optimized Battery Charging for Apple AirPods

AirPods owners may see improved battery performance over the life of their device thanks to the new optimized battery charging Apple added to iOS 14.2. The feature monitors your usage habits and optimizes the battery charging cycle. The goal is to minimize the wear and tear on the battery and increase available power right when you need it.

iPad Gets A14 Camera Support

All A14-equipped iPad Air owners can now use scene detection, a camera feature that identifies objects in your surroundings to improve the quality of the resulting photo. The update also adds Auto FPS, which will enhance low light videos by reducing the frame rate of the video as it is being recorded.

People Detection

People detection is a new accessibility feature that uses the camera to judge the distance to another person. It can be helpful for those with eyesight problems to maintain a safe social distance.

Music Recognition

Apple added a new music recognition feature to the Control Center. You can turn on Apple's Shazam music recognition feature using a toggle in settings. Once enabled, music recognition is available all the time from the control center. You can simply open the control center and tap the Shazam icon to fire up music recognition.

Now Playing Widget and AirPlay Interface

The newly refreshed "Now Playing" widget in the Control Center now lists recently played albums. This list appears when there is no music playing, giving you the chance to revisit some of your most recent tunes. Also, a new AirPlay interface lets you easily select multiple AirPlay 2 compatible devices at the same time.

Personal Update

Personal Update is a new Siri feature similar to the daily briefing Amazon added to its Echo devices. The personal update feature gathers the information that is relevant to you and compiles it into a short minute or two blurb. The news bulletin can include the local weather, your calendar events, and other relevant news. It generates the information using your HomePod speaker and supports the multi-user feature, so a blurb can be tailor-made for a specific user.

Intercom

Intercom is a new HomePod feature that allows family members to communicate with each other inside a home. Members can send messages through the HomePod speakers to connected iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and AirPods. It even sends notifications to CarPlay, so users can receive these voice notes when they are out and about.