Top Stories: iOS 14.5 Beta, MacOS 11.2 Released, VR Headset and Apple Car Rumors

It’s been a big week for software this week, with Apple launching a new round of betas for its operating systems with lots of tweaks and changes in iOS 14.5 and related updates. We also saw the public release of macOS 11.2, which followed the release of iOS 14.4 last week.

In other news, we got some significant new rumors about Apple’s VR headset project and the Apple Car, while on our YouTube channel we’ve the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra head-to-head in a blind camera test. Read on for details on these stories and more below!

iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 Betas Released With Many New Features

Apple this week unveiled the first betas of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 for developers and public beta testers. These updates include new features for iPhone and iPad users, including the ability to unlock an iPhone with an Apple Watch while wearing a mask, support for 5G in Dual-SIM mode on iPhone 12 models, support for the latest PS5 and Xbox Series X controllers, AirPlay 2 streaming for Apple Fitness +, and more.

We shared a hands-on video of unlocking an iPhone with the Apple Watch, which is a welcome solution for Face IDs that don’t work properly with masks. We also rounded it all up in the first iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 betas, including hidden code level changes.

From iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, Apple also maintains its privacy measure for tracking transparency, which requires app developers to get permission from users to track their activities on other apps and websites for targeted advertising purposes.

Apple later released a revised version of the first iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 betas with minor fixes.

macOS Big Sur 11.2 released with bug fixes for Bluetooth, external screens, iCloud Drive and more

This week, macOS 11.2 was introduced, which improves the reliability of Bluetooth and addresses several bugs, including an issue where external monitors may display a black screen when paired with an M1-based Mac mini using an HDMI to DVI converter.

Note that some users still experience other issues with external monitors on MacOS 11.2.

The release of macOS 11.2 was quickly followed by the first beta of macOS 11.3, which introduced more customization options in Safari, added enhanced sorting options in the Reminder app, enhanced the Support tab for warranty coverage in the About This Mac menu, stereo-linked HomePods to set as default audio output for a Mac, and more.

Other betas released this week include watchOS 7.4 and tvOS 14.5.

Blind Camera Comparison Video: iPhone 12 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Samsung debuted in January its latest flagship smartphone range, which includes the Galaxy S21 Ultra, a direct competitor to the iPhone 12 Pro Max that Apple launched in October. In our latest YouTube video, we put the two smartphones against each other for a blind camera comparison.

The idea is to look at the images and decide which aesthetic you prefer – “A” or “B” – before we reveal the camera at the end of the video. Share your choices in the comments section.

Apple’s Mixed Reality headset said it features 8K displays, $ 3,000 price tag and more

There are widespread rumors that Apple is working on a virtual reality headset, and a report by Alex Heath and Wayne Ma, The Information, outlined several potential features and other details this week.

The report claims that the headset will be equipped with more than a dozen cameras to detect hand movements, along with 8K screens with ultra-high resolution and advanced eye-tracking technology. The cameras would be able to send real-world videos through the viewer and display them to the user, providing a “mixed reality effect” that goes a step further than virtual reality.

The report also claims that the headset will have interchangeable headphones, with one with spatial audio technology such as the AirPods Pro for a surround sound experience, and another that offers extra battery life on the go. Similar to AirPods Max replacement ear cushions, it is possible that the headbands are also offered in different colors.

According to the report, Apple discussed internally to price the headset about $ 3,000. This price will definitely make Apple’s headset a high-quality, niche product, and the company apparently sets an internal goal to ship only 250,000 units of the headset in the first year of its release. Several reports have said that the headset will be released in 2022 at the earliest.

Apple plans to invest $ 3.6 billion in Kia for Apple car production

There are still a lot of rumors surrounding the so-called Apple Car, and a partnership between Apple and the Korean carmaker Hyundai seems increasingly likely based on some reports this week.

The first report comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said that Apple’s chassis for electric vehicles will be based on Hyundai’s E-GMP battery electric vehicle platform (BEV), which can cover a distance of more than 300 kilometers. accelerates, from 0-60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds, a top speed of 160 miles per hour, to a 80% charge within 18 minutes, and more.

A second report from Korea claims that Apple intends to invest the equivalent of $ 3.6 billion in the Hyundai subsidiary Kia as part of a planned manufacturing partnership between the two companies that Kia would see to Apple Cars builds in its US plant in Georgia.

It is believed that the Apple Car will not be released for years to come, with projections ranging from 2024 to 2028.

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