iOS 14.5 UPDATE: Apple Releases Beta 5, Great Features?

By Lucky Ezeinuaku - SEM Nexus

The iOS 14.4 came with mind-blowing features, but as thrilled as users were with 14.4, they still believed that a newer version would come with better improvements.

Currently, beta-testing of iOS 14.5 is being done by Apple. Compared to iOS 14.4, this new version is a hit. With it, you can use your apple watch to unlock your iPhone, have AirPlay fitness Support and App Tracking transparency feature.

On the 1st of February, the first developer beta was released by Apple. The public beta however did not instantly follow, instead, it arrived on the 4th of February after a second build for developers. By April, the general public beta is likely to be out.

And now, the fifth beta iOS has been released by Apple to developers, which will be followed shortly by a public tester. There are speculations that in the next two or three weeks, the final public release would come. 

What update to iOS 14 is made by Apple?

New iOS 14.5 Features

The update to iOS came with amazing features that help you unlock your iPhone with your apple watch even while wearing a nose mask so long you are wearing your Apple Watch. There is an AirPlay fitness Support feature, about 200 new emojis, you can set a default music player of your choice, it has a 5G global support, console controller support, and many more. 

But of the many features that came with beta 5, the most anticipated is the App tracking transparency feature that allows users to grant permission to apps before they can track users' data or activity. So, what’s with it?

App Tracking Transparency

The long-awaited App Tracking Transparency feature advertised by Apple is finally here. With it, app data tracking on iPhone can be controlled. How does it work?

The data mining industry uses your phone's IDFA to track your phone's activities. By doing this, they know the apps and websites you visit often, in fact, everything; this enables them to know which personalized ads to send to you. They also need these pieces of information to strengthen their data mining machines. Facebook, Amazon, and others make money from these mobile ads that pop up on your screen.

These data-mining industries could track your phone's activity because they were granted automatic access (they are buried in terms of agreement and privacy policies on phones and websites you use). So, to opt-out, you will have to go to your settings which in most cases revert after some time.

But with the update to iOS 14.4,  the App Tracking Transparency features offer an opt-in consent to ensure that no app or website can track your activities unless you grant permission. 

Note that Apple is not blocking this data tracking activity, it just ensures that users give their consent.  

Also, Apple last year, released extra information regarding changes to the App Store to include new private information, to help users understand an app's privacy policies before they download the app.

Facebook noted that with this feature data-mining industries would no longer lay hands on enough users' information, thereby advertising agencies that use this information, thus limiting advertising on Facebook.

If the use of data mining in business is to give advertising agencies enough information about users it means that app advertisements, Facebook advertising, and even apple store advertising businesses would suffer great loss.

Facebook, however, has been carrying tests on how to personally send prompts to users explaining why users should allow them to track their activities.

Conclusion

Indeed, the update to iOS has made a great change to the overall performance of the iPhone. But the App tracking transparency is outstanding. Apple understands that users' privacy is important to them. So, monitoring their activities is more like intruding into their private lives. Therefore, users can now decide who to allow to track their data or activities. 

This approach however will affect advertising on Facebook and other advertising agencies.

Sources:

1. https://semnexus.com/ios-14-5-changes-data-mining-for-advertising-agencies/ 
2. https://www.macworld.com/article/3605056/the-next-ios-14-update-will-take-aim-at-ad-tracking-in-apps.html
3. https://developer.apple.com/app-store/user-privacy-and-data-use/
4. https://developer.apple.com/support/app-privacy-on-the-app-store/
5. https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/
6. https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/FB
7. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/27/facebook-fb-earnings-q4-2020.html
8. https://www.huntonprivacyblog.com/2020/08/24/apples-ios-14-requires-new-opt-in-consent-for-advertising-identifiers/
9. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/2839642002
10. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.macworld.com/article/331864/ios-14-5-features-release-date-beta-how-to-install.html/amp
11. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/02/01/facebook-strikes-back-against-apple-ios-14-idfa-privacy-change.html