Apple Releases iOS and iPadOS 13.4 and Gradual Roll-Out Begins
Last updated September 23, 2021
- The new iOS 13.4 is fixing a bunch of flaws, and also bringing a couple of productivity-focused features.
- The most notable is the support for trackpads and mice, making working on the iPad Pro easier.
- The new mobile OS version is also introducing the “Universal Purchase” option, enabling users to buy app bundles for all Apple platforms.
Apple has released the fourth bug-fixing version of the iOS 13 branch, and as usual, they have introduced some new and useful features too. Most importantly, iPadOS 13.4 is introducing support for trackpads and mice, bringing the device one step closer to being a production computer. The new update enables users to hook up a mouse on their iPad, and a pointer will appear on the screen. Combined with the new smart keyboard that Apple launched for the iPad Pro recently, a whole new world of usability potential opens up for the lovers of the most popular tablet in the world.
Source: Apple
The pointer is set to automatically snap to user interface elements, so not much time and effort is spent on aimless hovering, which makes things more comfortable to use. It ensures that the countless iPad apps that weren’t explicitly designed to work with mice will not be a pain to use. Remember, the new Magic Keyboard for the iPad has an integrated trackpad, which is often even harder in terms of accuracy compared to mice.
Other new features that landed with the iOS 13.4 include a new set of Memoji stickers, support for predictive typing for the Arabic language, the return of the iCloud folder sharing functionality, and Universal Purchase support on the App Store. It means that you can now buy an app once on any platform-specific App Store, and you will be able to enjoy it on all your Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. As part of this new feature, app developers will be able to create “app bundles,” allowing the customers to download different versions of the same app for its supported Apple products. For this to work, all platform versions of an app will be assigned a common bundle ID, no matter the version number and build strings. Of course, these bundles will cost higher than a single platform purchase, but if you own many Apple devices, it will be worth the price as it will come with a discount.
Finally, CarPlay will now support third-party navigation apps, Safari will block all third-party cookies by default, and the Mail app will keep the controls for “delete,” “move,” “reply,” and “compose” visible at all times. As for the Apple Watch, which will be getting the watchOS 6.2, users from Chile, New Zealand, and Turkey will finally get ECG notifications (irregular heart rhythm). To get the update, go to your device's settings, select "General," and tap on "Software Update."
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