iOS 14.5 important update is here! Unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask!

Recently, Apple pushed the iOS 14.5 Beta version to users. The main updated features are as follows:

1. Apple Watch can unlock iPhone
2. Support for new Xbox and PlayStation game controllers
3. iPhone 12 series supports 5G dual SIM dual standby
4. Apple Fitness adds AirPlay 2 support
5. Allow multiple users to use the same Apple Card
6. Siri adds emergency calling feature

The size of this update installation package is 4.62GB. Among the above 6 functions, 3, 4, and 5 can be ignored because these three functions are for overseas users. The domestic version of the iPhone 12 series already supported 5G dual SIM dual standby, but the dual 5G logo was not displayed. Function 3 opens up the 5G dual SIM card dual standby of the physical SIM card + eSIM of the overseas version of the iPhone 12 series, while functions 4 and 5 have not yet been launched in China.

It should be noted that if you want to try out function 1, you also need to upgrade your Apple Watch to watchOS 7.4 Beta.

Apple Watch unlocks iPhone features

In 2017, Apple launched its first iPhone X with a full-screen design, and abandoned the physical Touch ID (fingerprint recognition) button and introduced the Face ID (face unlocking) function.

Compared with Touch ID, Face ID is more seamless, eliminating the need to tap the screen with your finger. Users only need to face their face at the iPhone to unlock it successfully. However, this does not mean that Face ID has no shortcomings. For example, during the epidemic, users will wear masks when going out, and Face ID cannot recognize your personal identity, resulting in device unlocking failure.

The inconvenience of Face ID unlocking during the epidemic has attracted the attention of consumers around the world. To this end, Apple has added the Apple Watch unlocking iPhone function in the iOS 14.5 Beta version, allowing users to quickly unlock the iPhone while wearing a mask.

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Before the actual test, let's take a brief look at the implementation principle of this function. To put it simply, Apple Watch communicates with iPhone via Bluetooth, and then uses cellular network or Wi-Fi to authenticate the device to iCloud. If the iPhone is disconnected from the network, Apple Watch will not be able to unlock the phone.

The strength of the signal and the stability of the Bluetooth connection determine the success rate of Apple Watch unlocking the iPhone. According to actual experience, in an indoor Wi-Fi environment, Apple Watch can basically unlock in seconds without any delay.

When you are outdoors, this function is left to chance. It is fine in places with strong signals, but if you are in a garage, elevator, subway or other areas with weak signals, the success rate of Apple Watch unlocking iPhone will be greatly reduced.

Since this feature is still in the beta stage, there will be some minor problems from time to time. For example, even when there is little Bluetooth interference, a good Wi-Fi signal, and the Apple Watch is very close to the iPhone, the unlocking will still fail or even malfunction, requiring both devices to be restarted before it can return to normal. Therefore, the Apple Watch unlocking iPhone needs to be further optimized, and I hope that the subsequent official version can enhance the stability of this feature.

This time, Android is ahead of Apple

In fact, before the launch of the Apple Watch unlocking iPhone feature, Apple Watch was already able to unlock Mac. Their technical principles are the same. Apple simply moved this feature to the iPhone with the aim of providing users with a better mobile phone unlocking experience during the epidemic.

For Apple fans, it is definitely a happy thing that Apple Watch can unlock iPhone, and they may also think that this function is very black technology. In fact, Android has launched a similar function a long time ago, but the implementation principles of the two are different.

On October 15, 2014, Google officially released Android 5.0, which brought many new features to users, among which "Smart Lock" was eye-catching. This feature can intelligently determine whether to enable the lock screen password based on the scene in which the device is located.

To put it simply, if you are connected to a trusted Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc., the system will determine that the current scenario of the device is safe, and the lock screen password will be automatically canceled; if the device's state does not match the user's preset scenario, the system will automatically lock the screen.

Compared with unlocking iPhone with Apple Watch, Android 5.0's Smart Lock is a bit more troublesome to set up and has lower security. For example, the Xiaomi bracelet has been added to the list of trusted devices. If you put it on the desk and occasionally walk away for a while, the screen will not be locked unless the user manually clicks the "small lock" on the phone's screen.

However, Smart Lock can be truly seamless, without having to consider network issues. As long as the trusted device is next to the phone, it will always be unlocked. When Apple Watch unlocks the iPhone, it also needs to consider the signal of the device, so in some special scenarios, the experience may not be that good, but it is more secure.

Summarize

As of now, Apple Watch unlocking iPhone not only provides users with a new way to unlock, but also helps boost Apple Watch sales, while demonstrating the power of the iOS ecosystem.

Previously, there were rumors that this year's new iPhone may be equipped with under-screen fingerprint recognition technology. Now that Apple has launched the Apple Watch to unlock the iPhone function, does it mean that the under-screen fingerprint version of the iPhone will be gone? First of all, we must first understand that rumors do not mean they are true. Secondly, even if Apple launches an under-screen fingerprint version of the iPhone, there is no conflict with Apple Watch unlocking the iPhone. This is the same as Android smart lock, which is more like an auxiliary unlocking function.