We gathered all new Apple iOS 15.5 features in this article. After a few weeks of beta testing, Apple launched iOS 15.5 to developers on April 28th. The new features aren’t as extensive as the previous ones, but there are still a few minor changes worth noting, as seen below.
Also, macOS 12.4 Monterey update was finally released. You can check what is new in macOS 12.4 Monterey update.
Apple iOS 15.5 features
Here are the new features that come with the update:
Podcasts Update
Users may limit the number of episodes stored on an iPhone or iPad using the Apple Podcasts app by going to Settings > iTunes & App Store, then selecting “Account.” It will also delete previously aired programs, keeping the program from taking up excessive storage space on iOS devices.
Apple Pay Cash
To make it easier to handle cash directly from Wallet, there are now “Request” and “Send” buttons in the Apple Pay Cash area of the Wallet app.
In the Messages app, Apple Pay’s name has been changed to “Apple Cash.”
Home App
You may now see WiFi signal bars in the Home app that let you ensure that the HomePod has a connection.
Universal Control
Universal Control is no longer in beta in iPadOS 15.5. That indicates that the functionality has been released completely and officially, with any issues resolved.
Universal Control, which was first introduced in iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3, is a feature that allows you to use one mouse/trackpad and keyboard across multiple iPads and Macs.
Apple Card
The “Titanium Card,” as it’s now known, is the actual Apple Card in the Wallet app.
External links in reader apps
The “External Link Account Entitement” in iOS 15.5 enables reader apps to create and manage links to external websites for account creation and management purposes. An outside link will allow a Netflix app, for example, to provide an alternative method of creating an account outside of the App Store’s in-app purchase system.
Readers are apps that provide digital material such as news, periodicals, books, and audio/music/video streaming services like Spotify, Netflix, and Hulu as the primary feature.
Photo memories
Apple’s iOS 15.5 update introduced a list of “Sensitive Locations” to the Photos app, which means they’ll be hidden from memories. Various concentration camps and Holocaust memorials are among the sensitive locations listed by Apple.
Apple Music playback API
The Apple Music API is back in iOS 15.5, allowing third-party Apple Music players to alter the playback speeds of tracks. The API was removed from iOS 15.4 but has been restored in iOS 15.5.
Apple classical references
There were hints of the upcoming “Apple Classical” app from the beta, which Apple is working on to augment Apple Music, but it didn’t appear as part of iOS 15.5’s release.
There are “Open in Apple Classical” and “Open this in the new app designed for classical music” in the Music app source, suggesting that a launch could be on the way.
In August 2021, Apple bought Primephonic, a classical music streaming provider, and announced that it would be developing a new classical music experience for Apple Music. Apple is developing a new standalone app dedicated to classical music, which will combine Primephonic’s user interface and specializations for classical music with Apple Music and features such as Lossless and Spatial Audio. The launch date for the application has not been specified, but preparations are clearly being made.
SportsKit updates
Following the debut of Friday Night Baseball, Apple has continued to expand its “SportsKit” support, with mentions of TV apps for reporting scores for various baseball innings.
Automation fix
Apple released iOS 15.5 on May 16, with a fix for an issue that might cause home automations triggered by people leaving or entering to fail.
Communication safety in messages
In iOS 15.5, Apple extends the Communication Safety in Messages service to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Communication Safety in Messages is a safety feature that scans iMessages coming into and going out of children’s phones for nudity and warns them that such pictures may be harmful. If a youngster receives a nude photograph, it will be blurred and the child will be given material from child safety organizations. A warning will be displayed if there is nudity in a photo sent by a kid.
Communication Safety is an opt-in, privacy-respecting feature that must be enabled by parents. It covers the accounts of children only, with monitoring done on-device, and it has nothing to do with Apple’s planned anti-CSAM technology or when it may be released.
Security fixes
iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 include more than 25 security improvements, as stated on Apple’s security assistance site. None of the fixes were actively exploited, but it is still a good idea to upgrade right away.
There are fixes for WebKit, the kernel, Wi-Fi, AppleAVD, and more.
