Trending December 2023 # Ios 14.4 Beta Changes And Features – Homepod Mini Gets New U1 # Suggested January 2024 # Top 19 Popular

You are reading the article Ios 14.4 Beta Changes And Features – Homepod Mini Gets New U1 updated in December 2023 on the website Achiashop.com. We hope that the information we have shared is helpful to you. If you find the content interesting and meaningful, please share it with your friends and continue to follow and support us for the latest updates. Suggested January 2024 Ios 14.4 Beta Changes And Features – Homepod Mini Gets New U1

The initial iOS 14.4 beta includes a new feature that was first demonstrated during Apple’s iPhone 12 event. The new feature specifically relates to the HomePod mini and its U1 Ultra Wideband chip that allows for spatial awareness. An iPhone equipped with the U1 chip can interact with Apple’s diminutive smart speaker in new ways on iOS 14.4. Watch our hands-on walkthrough as we explore the updated Handoff experience and other iOS 14.4 beta changes and features.

What’s new in iOS 14.4 beta? New Handoff experience for HomePod mini

The biggest new change is, of course, the new Handoff experience that comes to the HomePod mini. Unlike the full-sized HomePod that’s been available for a few years, the new HomePod mini comes equipped with new technology, such as Apple’s U1 Ultra Wideband chip. The U1 chip allows for spatial awareness, so an iPhone with this chip can benefit from richer nearby interactions with other products equipped with the U1 chip, such as the HomePod mini.

Apple decided to elevate the Handoff experience, which previously relied on precise placement of your iPhone near the HomePod. Compared to the more boolean interaction of the old method, the HomePod mini and iPhone 11/12 running the latest iOS 14.4 betas are able to create intuitive spatial interactions with one another.

Video: iOS 14.4 Changes and Features

Subscribe to 9to5mac on YouTube for more videos

With the previous Handoff interaction, users would simply hold their iPhones near the top of HomePod to transfer audio or phone calls to or from the device. A small banner notification would appear at the top of the iPhone’s screen indicating that Handoff was successful. No longer is Handoff relegated to a small banner notification at the top of the iPhone, but now users can enjoy a full card interface that pops into view as the iPhone moves closer to the HomePod mini.

How the new Handoff experience works

If you move a media-playing iPhone closer to the HomePod mini, you’ll feel the device’s Taptic Engine go to work. At first, force feedback is subtle, but as you move your iPhone closer to the HomePod mini, the feedback ramps up. To go along with the force feedback, visual flair is employed as well. When it senses an iPhone close by, the HomePod mini LED illuminates. As you move closer, the light grows in intensity.

A visual notification appears on the iPhone end in the form of a banner. The banner shows the name and location of the HomePod mini, along with a HomePod glyph, miniature album artwork, artist, and track title.

Users have the option of simply tapping the banner to manually invoke the full-sized Handoff interface, or moving the iPhone closer to the HomePod mini, which will cause the Handoff interface to pop open automatically. The new Handoff experience works with the Music app and other types of media sources, such as YouTube. Phone calls are also Handoff-eligible with the new and improved experience.

The updated Handoff interface provides large album artwork, transport controls, volume controls, and an AirPlay button to reroute audio. Tapping the album artwork opens the source audio application on your iPhone.

Music can be transferred both ways — from the HomePod mini to the iPhone, or from the iPhone to the HomePod mini. A Transfer to iPhone or Transfer from iPhone button appears at the top of the Handoff interface, but functionality has been hit or miss for me thus far.

Shortcuts app Set Wallpaper action updates

The return of the Set Wallpaper action in the Shortcuts app was one of my favorite new features in iOS 14.3, and Apple has not only kept it around in iOS 14.4, but it’s actively improving on it. In the iOS 14.4 beta, users can now toggle Perspective Zoom for wallpaper using a handy on/off switch. This option gives users the ability to enable or disable the parallax effect that appears on wallpaper set by Shortcuts.

VoiceOver Direct Touch Apps

Finally, VoiceOver received a new Direct Touch Apps feature, which will allow VoiceOver users to control an app directly without requiring more interaction. A similar feature already exists for direct typing input on the keyboard within apps, but this seems like it will take that one step further, lending VoiceOver users more flexibility within selected apps.

From my brief hands-on time with Direct Touch Apps, it doesn’t appear that the feature is fully baked, as selecting an app in Settings → Accessibility → VoiceOver → Rotor Actions → Direct Touch Apps, doesn’t stick. We’ll follow up once additional betas are released with more details.

9to5Mac’s Take

The new Handoff experience is the standout feature in the initial iOS 14.4 beta. Here’s hoping that more Apple devices begin to adopt the U1 Ultra Wideband chip because it’s what makes interesting new features like this possible. What do you think?

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You're reading Ios 14.4 Beta Changes And Features – Homepod Mini Gets New U1

Ios 15.4 Beta 3 Changes And Features: Hands

The initial iOS 15.4 beta brought about several significant new changes and updates, and the next release featured smaller tweaks to the update. Developer beta 3, the third release of the iOS 15.4 beta, follows this trend. Watch our brief hands-on video as we have a look at the iOS 15.4 beta 3 changes and features, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5mac on Youtube for more videos.

What’s new in iOS 15.4 beta 3? Emergency SOS reminder

One of the easiest new changes to spot is the new Emergency SOS reminder that appears when visiting the Settings app. Users may find a Review Emergency SOS reminder right below the iCloud preference panel in the root of the Settings app. This reminder prompt, which takes users directly to Settings → Emergency SOS, serves as a means to review emergency contact settings and update or add to those contacts if needed. Emergency SOS is also where users can setup the Emergency SOS emergency services triggers either by holding the Side and Volume buttons or by rapidly pressing the side button fives times in a row.

Video: iOS 15.4 beta 3 changes and features

Subscribe to 9to5mac on YouTube for more videos

Users have been able to download OTA updates via 5G since the iPhone 12, but today’s iOS 15.4 appears to allow some users in previously unsupported locations to download updates via cellular LTE.

The Magnifier app, which has seen several updates to its lens selection UI over the course of the beta, gets new iconography for the Auto, Close-up, and Front lens selections in beta 3.

TV app Still Frame / Poster Art selection option now works

A new preference for the TV app found in Settings → TV → Up Next Display was initially presented in the first iOS 15.4 beta, but changing the settings had no effect. In iOS 15.4 beta 3, you’ll notice a visible change when switching between a still frame from a paused image versus promotional poster artwork in the TV app.

Before and after switching Up Next Display setting

What’s New in Apple Podcasts splash screen

A new Apple Podcasts splash screen highlights two new features — podcast filters and episode browsing – that rolled out in the previous iOS 15.4 beta.

You can now filter podcasts that you subscribe to show episodes that are unplayed or downloaded. The new filter feature is accessible by tapping the Episodes drop down menu from the main podcast show page.

Browse podcasts by seasons

In addition to being able to filter podcasts by episodes, you can also browse individual seasons for shows shows that feature season metadata. Using the same Episodes dropdown menu on the main show page, you can quickly select between multiple seasons. Once you select a season, the Podcasts app allows you to continue to filter by episode.

Scheduled summary weekly notification average

The Scheduled Summary found in Settings → Notifications, now breaks down the Apps in Summary by weekly notification average instead of daily notification average.

New ‘Universal Control’ buttons in macOS beta

In an effort to make accessing options for Universal Control easier, Apple has replaced the Advanced button with a Universal Control button in System Preferences → Displays. Behind this button, you’ll find the three primary Universal Control settings. Be sure to watch our in-depth Universal Control walkthrough for all of the juicy details.

No new Xcode beta probably means hardware announcements soon

Finally, in what is perhaps the most significant portion of yesterday’s beta updates, there was no new Xcode 13.3 beta to download, which is usually indicative that hardware updates are right around the corner. Seeing as Apple is rumored to be holding a March 8th event, it may be several weeks before we see a new Xcode beta.

9to5mac’s Take

It looks like all of the major changes for iOS 15.4 happened with the initial beta release. That release included the update’s two headlining features: Face ID unlock while wearing a face mask, and Universal Control for iPadOS/macOS. Updates like iOS 15.4 beta 3 continue to work out the bugs and make minor modifications as iOS 15.4 gets closer to a public release.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

40+ Ios 15.4 Changes And Features – Hands

Apple yesterday shipped the final public versions of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4. The releases include many iOS 15.4 changes and features, along with several noteworthy updates. Included is the ability to unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask, support for Universal Control on the iPad for those running the macOS 12.3 beta, brand new emoji, a new Apple Wallet widget, and tons more.

In this hands-on video walkthrough, we take a look at over 40 new iOS 15.4 changes and features. Be sure to subscribe to 9to5mac on YouTube for more hands-on videos.

Video: iOS 15.4 changes and features for iPhone and iPad

Subscribe to 9to5mac on YouTube for more videos

What’s new in iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4?

Universal Control support

(00:12) Keyboard brightness control toggle (2:44)

If you’re a Magic Keyboard user, you might appreciate a new toggle in iPadOS 15 that lets you adjust keyboard backlight brightness via Control Center. Keep in mind that you’ll need to be in a dark or dimly-lit environment before the keyboard backlight – and thus the toggle – becomes active.

iPadOS Notes preferences corner gestures (3:46)

Replicating already-present functionality in Settings → General → Gestures, users can now change corner gesture settings directly from the Notes app preferences. In iOS 15.4, it’s also possible to invoke a corner gesture from either the bottom-right or left corner and use it to take a screenshot or start a Quick Note.

Green wallpaper for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro

As it normally does for new hardware releases, Apple includes a new wallpaper to match the just-launched green iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models.

New American Siri voice

American Siri voice users will find a new voice simply entitled American (Voice 5). The new voice can be configured in Settings → Siri & Search → Siri Voice. You can hear an example of the new Siri voice here.

New anti-stalking warning messages during AirTag setup process

Apple has taken measures to address AirTag stalking with a new anti-stalking warning that appears during the initial AirTag setup process. The new warning is there to inform would-be stalkers about potential legal and criminal ramifications from stalking.

Alongside new anti-stalking measures is a slightly revamped Me tab in the Find My app. The updated Me tab eschews the Item Safety Alerts toggle for direct links to Find My notifications preferences.

Separate Tracking Notifications and Find My Notifications preferences

Apple has broken out Find My notifications into two different categories in iOS 15.4. You can find separate Tracking Notifications and Find My panels in Settings → Notifications.

Improved Find My alerts

Less ambiguous Find My alerts are also featured in iOS 15.4, with specific details on the types of devices that may be following you. For instance, if an unknown pair of AirPods Pro is detected as “moving with you,” the alert will clearly state “AirPods Pro Detected” rather than a vague “Unknown Accessory Detected.” 

Emoji 14.0

A considerable amount of new emoji characters make their debut in iOS 15.4, including a new melting face and troll emoji. In total, there are over 37 new emoji characters to choose from.

Support for Face ID while wearing a mask

Just in time for dwindling mask mandates, Apple has finally added direct support for Face ID while wearing a mask. The new iOS 15.4 feature, which doesn’t require an Apple Watch, lets users unlock their iPhones and even use authentication with third-party apps while wearing a mask. To learn more about Face ID unlock with a mask, be sure to watch our in-depth walkthrough with the feature.

New authentication screen when invoking Apple Pay before unlocking

If you invoke Apple Pay by double-pressing your iPhone’s Side button prior to unlocking, you’ll be met with a new authentication screen that’s devoid of any personal information.

Apple Wallet widget

You’ll find a new Apple Wallet widget in iOS 15.4 that’s exclusive to Apple Card users. The new 2×2 widget allows you to display your card balance and available balance on a weekly, monthly, or yearly period.

If you’re a dual SIM user, switching between phone numbers in the Messages app just became a little less cumbersome. When reengaging a new or established conversation, you can now directly select the phone number you wish to use directly from the conversation screen.

Seamless Safari Status Bar

iOS 15.4 fixes a bug with Safari that would cause a break in the full bleed status bar area.

Search Safari extensions

You can now search through installed extensions directly from Safari. Simply tap the ‘aA’ button in the address bar and select Manage Extensions. You’ll now see a search box at the top of the Manage Extensions interface.

WebXR experiments

Safari in iOS 15.4 now includes support for WebXR experiments, which are disabled by default. By visiting Settings → Safari → Advanced → Experimental Features, you’ll find the following new switches:

Reset Safari experimental features

Now, it’s easy to revert back to stock Safari settings after toggling the numerous experimental settings.

iOS 15.4 stops iCloud Keychain from saving passwords without usernames

A new provision to prevent iCloud Keychain from saving passwords without usernames is present in iOS 15.4. When creating a new password, and Safari isn’t sure which user name that password belongs to, you’ll see a popup asking you to enter the user name for your account on that specific website.

Add notes to keychain passwords

Like other passwords managers, such as 1Password, it’s now possible to add notes to the passwords in your keychain. You can even perform searches on the contents of the notes in Settings → Passwords.

Run Shortcuts Automations without notifications

Prior to iOS 15.4, you would always receive a banner notification when a shortcut automation ran. Now users have the option of disabling these notifications, providing a more seamless experience with shortcut automations.

Tighter SharePlay integration

SharePlay-enabled apps can now display a SharePlay button within the Share Sheet to make it easier to start a SharePlay session.

TV app Up Next Display preferences

The Up Next panel that appears at the top of the TV app’s Watch now Page can now be customized to display poster artwork or a still frame.

New Custom Email Domain UI in iCloud settings

Apple’s new Custom Email Domain support – which was revealed at WWDC 2023 – is somewhat integrated into iOS starting with iOS 15.4. Previously, you’ve been able to set up custom email domains only via chúng tôi and while chúng tôi is still a requirement, you can now start the process of adding a custom domain directly from iOS’ iCloud Mail preferences.

iCloud Mail preferences consolidation

iCloud Mail now gains its own full panel within iCloud preferences and consolidates all related settings into a single area.

Notes and Reminders get Live Text integration

You can now capture Live Text directly into note or reminder via the new Scan Text feature in the stock Notes app or Reminders app.

New UI tweaks for invoking the camera within the Magnifier app are now present in iOS 15.4. You now have the option of switching between the front-facing camera, ultra wide angle for up close shots, or automatic mode that will switch between the appropriate camera dynamically.

Apple Music playlists now display name of playlist in top bar

When scrolling down on a Playlist within Apple Music, the name of the playlist is now displayed in the top bar.

Music app Quick Action shortcuts

A pair of new Quick Action shortcuts are now available for the Music app in iOS 15.4. Long-pressing on the Music app icon now reveals a new Play Most Recent shortcut and a new Play My Station shortcut.

Apple Music SharePlay shortcut

A new SharePlay shortcut is now included in the Music app when long-pressing on a song or album or when utilizing context menus.

What’s New in Apple Podcasts splash screen

The stock Podcasts app includes a new splash screen previewing the new filter and browse by season changes in iOS 15.4.

When you visit the main page for a podcast that you subscribe to, you’ll now see a handy filter button that lets you filter the podcast by unplayed or downloaded episodes.

The Podcasts app now allows you to filter podcasts that you subscribe to by seasons.

Scheduled summary weekly notification average

Instead of a daily notification average in Settings → Notifications → Scheduled Summary, iOS 15.4 now features weekly notification averages.

Configure App Store notifications

Tapping your avatar in the upper right-hand corner of the App Store app will reveal a new Notifications panel in iOS 15.4. Inside that panel, you’ll find the ability to toggle notifications for New Features & Updates and Recommendations & Offers.

The Shortcuts app gains lots of new tweaked system icons for things like URL encode, X-Callback URL, etc.

A modified Top Stories layout in the stocks app includes increased padding between stories, bylines, and a context menu to easily save or share a story.

The AirPods status screen that appears when you open your AirPods charging case next to your iPhone features several subtle UI tweaks.

New AirPods Pro accessibility glyph

Instead of a generic pair of headphones, the AirPods accessibility panel includes an AirPods Pro glyph.

AirPlay 2-enabled Roku devices received an updated AirPlay icon when managing destinations within Control Center.

Visual Lookup available in more countries like Germany, Italy, Spain, etc.

The Siri-powered visual lookup feature, which lets you quickly gain info on things like flowers, animals, etc., is now available in more countries in iOS 15.4.

9to5Mac’s Take

iOS 15.4 is the biggest iOS 15 update since the initial release debuted last September. Features like new emoji, Universal Control, and Face ID with mask support might garner the headlines, but there are many, many smaller quality of life enhancements that are now available in iOS 15.4. Of course, that doesn’t include the behind the scenes bug fixes, which are also a huge reason to upgrade.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Windows 10 Build 14942 Rolls Out With New Features And Changes

Microsoft is now rolling out Windows 10 build 14942 for PCs enrolled in the Fast ring. This particular release includes a number of small features and improvements that users will be getting as part of the Windows 10 Redstone 2 update in early 2023.

According to the company in build 14942 there are a new few features, including an option to hide the app list on the Start menu, you can now extend Active Hours longer than 12 hours, the precision touch experience has improved, and there are new changes under-the-hood. This is in addition to various other fixes and improvements.

Start menu

Now on Windows 10, you can hide the app list on the Start menu. The new feature works similar to the Start screen on tablet mode, which means that under the hamburger button, you’ll see a button to see only tiles or the list of apps.

Touchpad experience Settings

In the Settings app, Windows 10 build 14942 now includes some minor tweaks to increase the default Active Hours range from 12 to 18 hours, but it’s only for Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, Education, and Windows 10 Mobile — Windows 10 Home will retain the default 12-hours range.

Additionally, there is a new Windows Update icon that matches the iconography of Windows 10. After installing new updates, you’ll now see the icon on Action Center.

Internal changes

Service hosts are now split into separate processes on devices with 3.5GB or more RAM. While you’ll see an increased number of processes in the Task Manager, there is nothing to worry about.

Increase reliability: Currently, if one service host fails, all the services grouped in one process will fail. The change removes the case of single point of failure.

Increase transparency: Now it’ll finally be possible to view what’s really happening on each process. You can now see how much processor, memory, disk & network individual services are consuming.

Reduce servicing costs: This small improvement will allow technicians to quickly pinpoint issues and get them resolve quickly.

Increase security: Process isolation and individual permission sets for services will increase the security of the operating system.

Narrator

Starting with Windows 10 build 14942, Narrator introduces field navigation. Form Fields have been added to Narrator’s Search and Select feature to allow you to list items such as buttons, links, headings and other elements available in an app, webpage or document.

Windows 10 build 14942 fixes and improvements

Improved frame rates when Game Bar is enabled for full screen games.

Custom printer names will be preserved across upgrades after updating to this build. In addition, the company is fixing a number of issues, including sfc /scannow command failing at 20 percent. Settings app crashing when navigating certain pages.

Fixed an issue resulting in Windows Defender Antimalware Service Executable sometimes using an unexpectedly large amount of CPU.

Fixed an issue resulting in a small set of users seeing the NTFS partition of their external hard drive incorrectly showing up as RAW format.

Windows 10 build 14942 known issues

In build 14942 there is a problem with IIS World Wide Web Publishing Service (W3Svc), prevents the service to start successfully.

Microsoft is listing the complete set of the features, fixes, and known issues for build 14942 at the Windows Blog.

Alongside, the features and changes, Microsoft also is shipping an updated version of the Photos app adding a much improved user interface.

The new changes include a horizontal navigation bar, new light view mode, new animations for full screen mode, and you can see photos more quickly with your mouse.

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (Version 1709): All The New Features And Changes

The Fall Creators Update (version 1709) is out and brings a new set of features and changes to Windows 10. This is the fourth major feature update Microsoft is making available for desktops, laptops, tablets, Xbox One, and other devices with a new set of features and improvements focus on security, new experiences, and expanding functionalities to iOS and Android devices.

The next version of Windows 10 includes a slew of new features and tweaks, but Microsoft is touting some key additions, including a new interface design using Microsoft’s new Fluent Design System, My People, OneDrive File On-Demand, Windows Defender’s Controlled folder access, Settings tweaks, new cross-device experiences, new version of Microsoft Edge, and a lot more.

How to get the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update? Starting October 17, if your device is compatible, the new version will automatically download through Windows Update. Alternatively, you can install the update using the Media Creation Tool to do a clean or in-place upgrade, Update Assistant, or you can also download the ISO file to create a USB bootable media.

It’s expected that Microsoft will refer the update as “Windows 10 version 1709” following the same version scheme we’ve been seeing with the previous versions, including the Creators Update (version 1703) and the Anniversary Update (version 1607) indicating the year and month of the release.

Version 1709 will be offered as a free update for devices already running Windows 10.

Formerly known with the Windows 10 “Redstone 3” codename, this is a continuation of the work introduced with the first Creators Update, and it’ll continue the quest to help consumers to spark creativity.

Here are all the most exciting new features coming to Windows 10 in the second Creators Update arriving this fall.

Microsoft Fluent Design System

As part of the Fall Creators Update, Windows 10 will introduce a new design system. You heard it before as Project Neon, but it’s now officially known as “Microsoft Fluent Design System”.

Microsoft is focusing this new design system on light, depth, motion, material, and scale to deliver a more intuitive, responsive, and inclusive cross-device experiences and interactions.

In this update, we’ll begin to see these changes on apps and throughout the OS, such as in the Start menu, Action Center, built-in apps (e.g., Photos, Calculator, Clock, and People), Microsoft Edge, and on the Windows Store. However, it’s something that the company plans to implement gradually on Windows 10 and other products.

Microsoft Graph

You probably never heard of it before, but Microsoft Graph is a technology to access data in the Microsoft Cloud for both, consumers and commercial users, data across Windows, Office, and many other services hosted by Microsoft.

Previously, it was a cloud service for commercial used as part of the Office 365 offering, but now it’ll also be available for Windows 10 users.

An easy way to put it: Microsoft Graph is the connectivity glue that will help Windows 10 to seamlessly connect with other devices, including iOS, Android, and other Windows 10 devices.

On the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, the Microsoft Graph will allow to implement new features, including Timeline (coming in 2023), pick up where you left off, Clipboard, and OneDrive File On-Demand.

OneDrive File On-Demand

Another new feature coming with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is OneDrive File On-Demand. It’s like placeholders, but it works in a different way.

As before, you’ll be able to browser your files stored in OneDrive without having to download them first, but the feature will work more intelligently. For example, if you recently opened a file online, then it’ll sync to be available offline. Opening files on your computer will also sync them to be available without an internet connection. Otherwise, you’ll still need to configure a folder or file individually to make them available offline.

My People

While the “My People” feature was expected in the first Creators Update, it’ll roll out with the new feature update arriving this fall.

This is a new experience to easily connect with people close to your circle. Using My People, you can pin contacts to the right side of the taskbar and quickly send messages and files.

Just to be clear, it’s not another communication service, instead it’s a feature that connects with other services and apps, including Skype, Mail, and People, and simplifies the way you contact other people using one interface.

My People includes the following features:

Pin contacts to the taskbar.

View multiple communications in one interface.

Animated emoji.

Drag-and-drop files to pin contact to share files.

Send files to any contact using the new Windows Share experience.

Badge notification to see the number of unseen messages from a contact.

Lock screen

If you ever forget your PIN or password, it’s now possible to recover your credentials from the Lock screen. This feature is available for users using a Azure AD Premium (AADP) or Microsoft account.

Start menu

The Start menu isn’t getting big changes, but now it uses the Acrylic Material backdrop part of Fluent Design. You can resize the layout diagonally, and resizing horizontally is now a lot smoother than before.

Action Center

Action Center is also getting the Fluent Design treatment with Acrylic Material and Reveal Highlight. In addition, toast notification banners include a new arrow button instead of an X to make it clear you’re dismissing the alert, and not deleting it.

Cortana

Cortana is also being updated with a few new features, including the ability to use voice commands to turn off, restart, lock, or sign-out your PC using Cortana.

Here is the list of voice commands you can use:

Hey Cortana — restart PC.

Hey Cortana — turn off PC.

Hey Cortana — sign out.

Hey Cortana — lock PC.

If you have Cortana enabled above the Lock screen, you can also ask the assistant to execute the commands above the Lock screen.

Starting with version 1709, Cortana can show web result snippets without opening the web browser. As you type a question, the Cortana pane will expand automatically, quickly showing you exactly what you need to know. If Cortana doesn’t have a quick answer for your query, the pane won’t automatically expand.

Desktop and File Explorer

The Settings app continues to improve, and on the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, you’ll not only find new options, but the experience will be more useful.

In this release, the Settings app includes tips and videos in the right side, where you only were able to find related settings links.

For example, if you play the video in the Multitasking page, you’ll get a few tips when working with multiple applications. The tips are related to the Multitasking options, but actually shows you how to use Task View and Snap View.

Display Storage sense

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update redesigns the page by adding check mark boxes to select the items you want to delete, and adds the ability to free up space by deleting the previous installation of Windows 10.

Remote Desktop About

On the Settings app, the About page gets redesigned to be simpler and to give you more valuable information at glance.

In this version, the About settings app, includes three sections. One to show your device’s health information generated by Windows Defender Security Center, including virus protection, firewall, performance, and an app control status.

Then there is a section that gives you a summary of the hardware specifications of your PC, such as processor, memory, and system type. Finally, there is a section where you’ll be able to find the edition, version, and build number of Windows 10.

Phone

Phone is a new section in the Settings app that is currently in development, but you’ll find a Phone page with an option to link your Android or iPhone device to your computer through Cortana to enable cross-device web-browsing. This means that after linking your phone using the same Microsoft account, you can use the share experience on your phone to send web links and pick up where you left off on your PC using Microsoft Edge.

Network & Internet

The Network & Internet page updates the network adapter properties to make easier to change network profiles to Private or Public.

Inside the properties for a Wi-Fi and Ethernet network adapter, the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update now allows you to change network profiles more clearly. This feature allows you to make your device invisible or discoverable in a local network.

Also, only in the properties for a Wi-Fi network, you’ll find a new “IP Settings” section that allows you to exit the IP address assignment for the adapter. You can set a network connection use an automatic configuration using DHCP, and you can also set up an static IP address.

Data usage

The Data usage settings page adds a new option that allows you to reset data usage stats from apps at any time.

Start menu

While the Fall Creators Update isn’t adding new options to the Start settings page, you’ll notice that the page has been updated, and now it no longer shows a preview found in the Themes page.

My People

My People and its feature comes enabled by default, but the Settings app adds a new “People” section inside the Taskbar settings page to enable or disable the feature.

In addition, you get two options, including “Show My People notifications” and “Play a sound when a My People arrives” to control animated emojis and message sounds.

Apps & features

Microsoft Edge is now part of the apps list, and accessing the Advanced options page, you can repair or reset the browser to fix any issues.

Default apps Video Playback

In the Apps section, you’ll now find a new Video playback page to control video settings for applications that use Windows 10’s video playback features.

On HDR displays, it’s also possible to change video stream settings with the option to lower the resolution to reduce network bandwidth usage and battery.

This page even includes a setting to optimize video streaming for quality or to save battery life.

Sign-in options

Inside the Sign-in options page, you’ll find a new option under Privacy described as Use my sign-in info to automatically finish setting up my device after an update or restart. In order to speed up the update process Windows 10 already automatically signs you in after a restart and finish setting up your device, but now the same functionality has been expanded to regular reboots and shutdowns when using the Start menu or other locations.

In addition, this feature will restore your accessibility apps and other apps that have registered to restart automatically.

Broadcasting

The Broadcasting page has been improved to offer smoother and seamless game experience, and it’s now possible to select a language during the broadcast.

Additionally, you can now choose Per-app audio to broadcast using only the game’s audio on Mixer as opposed to the audio for your entire PC.

Game Mode

In Game Mode, the page no longer includes a toggle switch to enable or disable the feature, and under-the-hood, the performance has been improved for six-core and eight-core processors.

TruePlay

The Gaming section also introduces a new page called TruePlay with an option to turn on an anti-cheating functionality to make sure everything runs the way it was meant to.

Xbox Networking

The Settings app introduces a new Xbox Networking page to help users troubleshoot and fix problems that may be preventing users from playing multiplayer game or using voice chat on Xbox Live.

Color and high contrast

The Color and high contrast page now introduces a color filtering feature to help users with color blindness to distinguish between colors like green and red.

Magnifier

On the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, Microsoft is also working on improving the Easy of Access features, and one of these new improvements are happening in the Magnifier page.

In the update the Magnifier page, you’ll find new controls and options to control magnification zoom levels, inverted colors, new magnifier mode, and a handy list of all the keyboard shortcuts you can use with the magnifier.

And there is a new option to enable bitmap smoothing when using the magnifier.

Cortana

Cortana is moving to the Settings app. In order to make Microsoft’s digital assistant more discoverable starting with the Fall Creators Update, Windows 10 is migrating the Cortana settings to the Settings app.

The new Cortana section features four new pages, including Talk to Cortana, Permissions & history, Notifications, and More details.

These new pages don’t introduce new options to use the assistant, instead Windows 10 is reorganizing all the existing settings into four different pages.

On this page, you can control your search filters, device history, and search history.

Windows Update

In the Advanced options page, it’s now possible to enable an option to allow Windows 10 to download updates even when a Wi-Fi or Ethernet network connection is set to metered.

In the new Advanced options page for Delivery Optimization, you can now control how much bandwidth you want to reserve for system and apps updates.

There is also an option to set in percentage, exactly how much bandwidth you want to dedicate for upload updates for other devices — if you’re allowing to download updates from other devices.

Additionally, there is also a slider to set the monthly upload limit in gigabytes, up to 500GB.

In this new version, Windows 10 is also replacing the previous modal dialog with a new interactive toast notification, which makes much easier to be aware of an available update without interrupting your work.

What’s new on Windows Defender

Windows 10 is now a bit more secure. Starting with version 1709, the Windows Defender Security Center dashboard introduces Controlled folder access, a new feature designed specifically to protect your data from malicious programs, such as ransomware.

When enabled it monitors the changes apps are trying make to your files. If a blacklisted app is the one trying to modify files inside the protected folders, the app will be blocked, and you’ll get a notification of the suspicious activity.

By default, Controlled folder access monitors your files stored in the Documents, Pictures, Movies, and Desktop folders. While you can’t remove the default folders, it’s possible to add other locations.

The feature is disable by default, but you can use this guide to set Controlled folder access on your device.

In addition, Windows 10 is introducing a new security feature to audit, configure, and manage Windows system and apps exploit mitigation settings using the dashboard, and this feature works even if you use a third-party antivirus.

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update also brings new apps experiences, such as Story Remix on a new version of Photos, View 3D, and most built-in apps (if not all of them) like Mail & Calendar, Paint 3D, People, Alarms & Clock, Maps, Groove Music, Movies & TV, Windows Store, and others will start getting the Fluent Design System treatment.

Photos & Story Remix

The Photos app is getting an overhaul with Microsoft Fluent Design System and tweaks throughout the interface, and it also integrates Story Remix (shown as Video Remix).

Story Remix is a new experience built into a new version of the Photos app, which is essentially Windows Movie Maker, but recreated for Windows 10.

The new experience makes it easier to create videos using photos and videos in your collections.

Photo’s Story Remix uses Microsoft’s deep learning technology and artificial intelligence to find relevant content in your collections to create videos automatically with transitions, themes, and soundtracks. Of course, you can always keep suggested videos or edit them any way you like.

Other features in Story Remix includes automatically content tagging, which helps you to easily find things and people. You’ll get a new discovery feature to give you quick access to common tasks and past memories of people, places, and things. Additionally, you can also upload your videos to YouTube and Facebook, or share them via OneDrive or email.

Microsoft is also integrating Remix 3D and Paint 3D into Story Remix, letting you import 3D projects into movies.

And because Story Remix is powered by the Microsoft cloud, the experience will be available not only on Windows 10, but on iOS and Android as well.

View 3D Windows Store

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will also bring a few new surprises to the Windows Store. Starting with this update, Microsoft will be making available its suite of Office desktop applications in the Windows Store.

Apple will bring its full-blown version of iTunes to the Windows Store, and Spotify already have its popular music service to the Store too.

Additionally, the Fall Creators Update promises to be even more Linux friendly. While you can already use Bash on Ubuntu on Windows 10, in the next major update, you’re also getting SUSE Linux, and Fedora Linux in the Windows Store.

While we’re waiting for Microsoft Edge to start getting updates using the Windows Store instead of on every feature update, the web browser continues to improve with the Fall Creators Update.

Currently, the default web browser for Windows 10 includes PDF reader functionalities, but it’s quite limited. However, in this new update, Microsoft Edge is adding a bunch of new improvements, including the ability to edit, save, and print PDF forms on the web or locally stored on your computer.

When you come across PDF files like scanned documents without proper orientation, you can use the rotate button from the toolbar to rotate the document. Using the Layout flyout menu, you can now switch from one-page to two-page layout, and change to page-wise scrolling for a better navigation experience.

On this updated version of Microsoft Edge, you can have the browser to read PDF documents aloud using the option in the toolbar (or invoking the Ctrl + Alt + R keyboard shortcut). Accessing the settings for Read aloud, you can change the voice and speed, and controls to play/stop, and jump to the previous and next paragraph.

Other improvements working with PDF files include a new context menu with options to use highlighter, copy text, interface with Cortana, and add notes to the document.

Starting with the Fall Creators Update, Microsoft Edge allows to quickly pin sites to the taskbar, and users finally have a button to use the browser in full-screen mode from the main settings menu.

Perhaps one of the most noticeable changes in addition to Acrylic Material (an element part of Fluent Design) that adds a new form of depth and transparency. You’ll see this new look in the tab bar and other controls.

Windows Defender Application Guard is a feature aimed for Windows 10 Enterprise, which sandboxes web pages on Microsoft Edge to offer maximum protection level from malware and zero day attacks.

When the security feature is enabled, you can select the “New Application Guard window” option from the Microsoft Edge menu to open any website in an isolated environment.

Additional improvements include new “Show search history” and “Show sites I frequently visit in Top sites”, and importing settings from Google Chrome will also import settings and cookies.

On the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, Microsoft is also focusing on improving performance and responsiveness.

Windows 10 is also improving the way you use input devices, whether you use natural handwriting using a pen, dictation, or typing using the on-screen keyboard.

Handwriting

In the Fall Creators Update, Windows 10 is introducing a new handwriting panel that offers overflow writing. This means that as you write and the panel fills up and lift your pen off the screen, the text will shift to make room to continue writing.

While writing you can select text to edit, and you can write on top of a letter to correct it. There are also a few new writing gestures that you can use, including strikethrough, scratch, join, and split.

Alongside these improvements, Windows 10 adds new changes to better recognize handwriting input, there are more enhancements for palm rejection, and you can use the top of the pen as an eraser.

Emoji

You’ll now find a new emoji panel that support light and dark theme, and best of all, you can input emojis on your messages using a hardware keyboard using the Windows key + “.” or Windows key + “;” keyboard shortcuts.

As you open the panel, you can continue writing to search the emoji you want, or you can use the Arrow keys, Tab / Shift + Tab, Enter, and Esc key to navigate emojis. In addition, it’s now possible to change skin color of emojis.

Touch Keyboard

Windows 10 now brings the Windows 10 Mobile touch keyboard experience to the desktop, which also enables a new one-handed keyboard experience, very similar to the one available for mobile devices.

In addition, this new experience includes Microsoft’s shape writing to use swipe over the keys to input text faster.

Other improvements, include easier to work with emoji and clipboard, you can quickly switch between the handwriting and keyboard experience, using the Shift key to switch between capitalization states, and more.

Volume Mixer

On the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, the Volume Mixer will include volume controls for Windows Store apps, such as Groove and Microsoft Edge. This new addition will allow you to control volume without impacting the system audio.

Power Throttling

Microsoft is reintroducing Power Throttling, which is a feature to improve battery life on devices.

The idea behind Power Throttling is to reduce the amount of processor cycles for apps in the background, prioritizing apps working in the foreground, and certain other apps. As a result, users should see an increase of up to 11 percent of battery life saving.

Task Manager

Task Manager now tracks GPU performance over time and display information about DirectX version and the physical location of your GPU.

Virtualization 

Hyper-V, Microsoft’s virtualization technology, is also getting Revert VM, a feature that allows you to quickly undo changes on a virtual machine. This basically means that you can always revert to the last time you started a virtual machine if you make a mistake or for any reasons you want to undo changes.

Windows Console

Microsoft is also updating the Windows Console (Command Prompt) to support 24-bit RGB colors. The default color values have been changed to improve legibility of darker colors on modern screens, and to give the experience a more modern look and feel.

Eye Control

Starting with the Fall Creators Update, Windows 10 is introducing Eye Control, which is a new feature that allows the OS to be more accessible for people with disabilities to operate an on-screen mouse, keyboard, and text-to-speech using only their eyes.

Currently only the US English language keyboard layout is supported, but Microsoft is planning to add more layouts in the future.

Other changes

Windows 10 now detects new connected storage with content, and it’ll make the sources available when browsing files using Windows Store apps.

You no longer need to enable developer mode to install Linux distros on Linux.

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, improves the DPI handling on High-DPI monitors and on multiple monitor setups. This only means that you’ll see less blurry elements on high-resolution displays using traditional desktop applications.

Wrapping things up

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is expected to launch on October 17, 2023, but remember that not every device will get it on day-one. Microsoft will begin the rollout with devices known to work with the update, and as the update gets mature, it’ll continue to roll out to other devices.

Editor’s note: This guide includes features and improvements that appeared until Windows 10 build 16299.20. It should be noted that this guide focuses on features for consumers, as Microsoft is also adding other features aimed for enterprises, which aren’t included here (except for Windows Defender Application Guard).

Original published in June 2023, updated in October 2023.

Ios 16 Features, Info, And More

Last Updated on July 28, 2023

Apple has laid out the new iOS 16 features at WWDC, with SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi leading the lowdown. We’ve looked at the new features in and around iOS 16 to get you the key information. Here’s what you need to know.

iOS 16 Lock Screen

We already had rumors about some of the potential features for the lock screen on iOS 16, but this is the “biggest update ever”. So here’s what we’re getting.

Personalization

A whole host of personalization features are coming with iOS 16’s lock screen, starting with images and filters.

Pressing and holding the lock-screen will allow you to choose ‘customize’ and try out styles, filters, backgrounds, and fonts. These will impact how your chosen lock screen image appears.

Tapping an element allows you to edit it too, so you can choose different typefaces and colors specifically for, let’s say, your clock element.

Wallpapers

Apple has also added a new wallpaper gallery with “hundreds” of wallpapers allowing for “millions of combinations” when edited. The wallpapers include a striking animated weather wallpaper, animated astronomy wallpapers that change when you unlock your phone, and more – including a pride wallpaper and an emoji one.

Users can also make use of iOS 16’s Photo Shuffle option on the lock screen. This will alternate the image appearing.

Or you’ll be able to use the Suggested Photos option: an “intelligently curated” set of personal photos (of friends, family, or nature) which could be good options for your lock screen.

Widgets

As expected, you can now add widgets right onto the lock screen in iOS 16, and you can add several at once. So, for example, you can include calendar notifications, temperature, and activity all on the same lock screen.

It’s one of the most interesting iOS 16 features in terms of usability, as developers can also make use of Apple’s ‘widget kit’ to enable glanceable information from apps…right on the iOS 16 lock screen.

Multiple lock screens

With as much customization as Apple has included, you can also create several lock screens and change between them, seemingly without losing their customization. We don’t yet know of a maximum number of lock screens you can have on standby, but having this option is pretty novel nonetheless.

iOS 16 Notifications

Apple wants to do away with notification blocking personal photos on the lock screen, so iOS 16 features roll-in notifications from the bottom, rather than them appearing from the top-down, creeping across your screen. It looks like two notifications plus an ‘and more’ notification will appear, although you can choose to hide notifications too.

Live activities

To combat persistent, ongoing, notifications, Apple is introducing ‘Live Activities’ in iOS 16 as “compact and glanceable experiences”.

Live Activities means you can view live sports scores, an arriving Uber (or potentially food delivery), and monitor your ongoing activity progress all on the lock screen. Be gone repeated notifications.

The new feature will also impact playing music, which will appear as a compact or a full-screen display with larger album art; whichever you prefer.

Focus

In iOS 16, Apple also wants to build upon its Focus feature, allowing users to keep distractions to a comfortable level. With the ability to create several lock screens in iOS 16, you’ll be able to link levels of Focus to a particular lock screen depending on the situation.

Building on Focus too is Focus Filters, which will allow users to focus chat conversations, calendar reminders, Safari tabs and Mail messages to specific filters, for work, personal, sleep or do not disturb settings.

iOS 16 Messages Typos

In the new iteration of iOS, you’ll be able to edit just-sent messages to avoid those cringe-worthy typos you notice only after the fact. We’ve all been there.

Undo Send

But if there’s more wrong with the message than a simple typo, Messages is getting a new Undo Send feature. Yes, an option to recall a message you then decide against, or what Apple calls a “misfire”.

Unread

The final tweak to Messages is the ability to mark any thread as unread, should you want to revisit it later and easily find it.

SharePlay

It’ll now be easier to discover SharePlay experiences and supported apps in FaceTime in iOS 16. But SharePlay will now also be available in Messages – something Federighi recalled was the number one request from developers.

In the example given, you can now use SharePlay to share a film from Disney+, while chatting about it in Messages. This means watching it in sync with whoever you’re sharing with, while you have the same access to the share playback controls.

Dictation

For anyone making use of the dictation feature in iOS, 16 will allow you to switch between dictation and keyboard without fuss. The keyboard will remain open while you dictate, so if you need to manually correct or tweak something, or move from speech to touch or vice versa, you can.

iOS 16 Siri

Additionally, you’ll be able to select text with touch and replace that text with your voice instead of having to type.

A further trick for dictation is automatic punctuation on long messages, which also works when using Siri to send messages (as does emoji dictation).

Siri in apps

A quick word on Siri too in iOS 16: thanks to a new developer API, Siri should work with supported apps without any need for set-up.

iOS 16 Live Text Live Text in Video

Live text is already pretty useful when it comes to photos and iOS 16 is bringing it to video. That means you’ll be able to pause a video and interact with text in it, in the same ways already allowed for photos. 

Live Text Quick Actions

Quick Actions should allow you to convert currency and translate languages on the fly, with easier access to those features on photos in just one or two taps.

Camera View

Apple’s shown that you can use Live Text while in the Translate app using a new Camera View. The idea here is that this is better for when you have a lot of text to translate, so you can quickly translate what’s in front of you…for example a signpost or a menu.

iOS 16 Visual Lookup

Visual Lookup already allows you to select the subject of a photo to find additional information about things like landmarks, pets, plants, etc, but in iOS 16, you’ll be able to touch and hold the subject of a photo.

iOS 16 Wallet

iOS 16 features a decent amount of Wallet changes, as Apple’s work on the Wallet app continues: Drivers’ licenses and ID (currently Maryland and Arizona) can be stored inside the app.

Apple has stated that selected TSA (Transportation Security Administration) checkpoints will now accept wallet IDs – although at the time of writing we don’t know which.

ID verification

The Wallet app also supports functionality for users to securely present ID to apps, without the need to provide a scan or photo upload, with only select information shared. This should mean you can protect your birth date if you wish while stating you are “over 21”.

Keys

Wallet also does a decent job of storing keys (for home, hotel, gym, etc). And the sharing of keys should now be easier in Mail, Messages, and WhatsApp, as those receiving a key can add it to their own wallet with one tap of an ‘Add’ icon.

Apple has also revealed it’s working with the IETF (Internet Engineering Taskforce), to make sharing of keys an industry standard. There’s no word on when cross-ecosystem sharing will be available, but it’s a positive move.

iOS 16 Apple Pay

Starting this month (June 2023) merchants across the United States will be able to offer tap-to-pay services directly on a merchant’s own iPhone. That’s without any additional hardware or terminals needed to receive payment.

Clearly, this is a boost for Apple Pay, and (in theory) less hassle if not less expenditure for merchants too.

Apple Pay Later

Announcing Apple Pay Later, Apple says the feature allows for the cost of a purchase to be split into four equal payments, across six weeks with zero interest and no fees of any kind. The feature is to be available anywhere Apple Pay is accepted too, in apps and online.

After the purchase, upcoming payments will be managed through Wallet for users to keep track of what’s due when – something we think is a pretty essential inclusion for budget management.

Apple Pay Order Tracking

This feature will allow merchants to deliver receipt and tracking information to users, and directly to the Wallet App in iOS 16. Apple says the feature will be available at millions of merchants and ecommerce platforms starting with Shopify.

iOS 16 Maps

Apple’s redesigned map is already available in:

Australia

Canada

Germany

Ireland

Italy

Portugal

Singapore

Spain

United Kingdom

United States

We now know that later this year the map is also coming to:

Belgium

France

Israel

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Monaco

Netherlands

New Zealand

Palestinian Territories

Saudi Arabia

Switzerland

Apple’s also adding Las Vegas and six more cities before the end of the year.

Multi-Stop Routing

Maps will also now store previous routes and recents, making it easier to revisit places and get going quicker. Plus, you can ask Siri to add additional stops while en route, which we can see being very helpful indeed.

Transit

Apple’s making it easier for those using transit options to see fares for the cost of journeys and the option to add transit cards to Wallet for safe storing.

Even more useful, if a transit card’s balance is running out, you’ll get an alert in Maps so you can reload the card without having to leave the app.

Map Kit

Developers can now make use of rich detail map data for use in their own apps. This means apps like those of e-scooter service Bird can include better information with a detailed integrated in-app map.

Apple News My Sports

Apple News is introducing a new section featuring stories from hundreds of the best sports stories, specifically for following your teams and leagues, called My Sports. The section will include scores, schedules, and standings for top professional and college sports leagues – plus highlights.

To personalize the experience, your favorites will be synced across to Apple TV and other Apple devices, with the service available for free in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

There’s now an added benefit to Apple News+ too, with subscribers getting “premium sports coverage from many local newspapers”.

iOS 16 Family Sharing Easier Parental Controls

Additional iOS 16 features for Family Sharing meaning that it should be easier and simpler to set age-appropriate controls for content and to set up other parental controls – such as location settings and approval of more screen time.

In fact, you can now respond to requests for more screen time inside the Messages app, when Messages detects a request from a child.

Quick Start

A new ‘Quick Start’ feature will allow you to turn on a new device a child will be using, bring your own iPhone nearby and select to set up with Quick Start.

Apple says that with a few taps the device can be set up with all the parental controls you want to be configured from the get-go.

That should mean less having to adjust things later, and make things somewhat more straightforward.

Family Checklist

In iOS 16 there’s a new Family Checklist too, designed to help remind you to update children’s settings as they get older, suggestions for turning on location sharing. Also there’s helpful reminders around the ability to share subscriptions with family members should you wish.

Essentially the tool is designed to help users get the most out of Family Sharing.

iOS 16 Photos iCloud Shared Photo Library

There’s a new iCloud Shared Photo Library, allowing families to pool their photos instead of missing out on the great shots taken by other members.

The separate iCloud library is designed so that family members can contribute and collaborate. One shared library accessible by up to five people and everyone having equal permissions.

Content in the library will also appear in everyone’s memories, featured photos and be available in the photos widget.

Shared Library Switch

Sharing of photos can be filtered by subject (the people in them) or by start date so you can choose what to share once you set up. But for pictures after set-up, there’s now a shared library switch right in the Camera app.

While the sharing switch can be turned off, Apple states that it can be set up to come on automatically whenever you take photos when other members of the shared library are nearby. Clever switch.

iOS 16 Privacy Safety Check

Introducing Safety Check as one of the iOS 16 features with clearly important use-cases, Apple reveals it’s been working with organizations that support victims of domestic and intimate partner violence. As a result, Safety Check exists.

The tool allows you to review and easily reset any access to your information or app data that you have granted to others. It also includes a ‘Start Emergency Reset’ feature which will allow those in danger to quickly cut off access for other parties when seeking safety.

Safety Check will stop sharing location with others via FindMy, also resetting system privacy information for all apps. It will also protect access to messages by signing you out of iCloud on all other devices, and restrict Messages and FaceTime to the device you are using.

So that’s it. We’ll be covering more information on the future of iOS just as soon as news comes through to us. Don’t forget to keep an eye on our iOS 16 release date page for the latest updates too.

Update the detailed information about Ios 14.4 Beta Changes And Features – Homepod Mini Gets New U1 on the Achiashop.com website. We hope the article's content will meet your needs, and we will regularly update the information to provide you with the fastest and most accurate information. Have a great day!