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

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

In other news: we got some important new rumors about Apple’s VR headset project and the Apple Car, while on our YouTube channel we put the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra against each other 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 seeded the first betas of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 for developers and public beta testers this week. These updates are packed with 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 have shared a hands-on video on how to unlock an iPhone with the Apple Watch, which is a welcome solution for Face ID not working well with masks. We’ve also rounded up all the new in the first betas of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, including hidden code-level changes.

Starting with iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, Apple is also enforcing the App Tracking Transparency privacy measure, which requires app developers to get users’ permission to track their activities in other apps and websites for targeted advertising purposes.

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

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

This week, macOS 11.2 was publicly released, which improves Bluetooth reliability and fixes several bugs, including an issue where external displays can show a black screen when connected to an M1-based Mac mini using an HDMI to DVI converter.

Do note that some users are still experiencing other remote display issues on macOS 11.2.

The release of macOS 11.2 was soon followed by the first beta of macOS 11.3, which introduces more customization options in Safari, adds improved sorting options in the Reminders app, improves Warranty Coverage Support tab in the About This Mac menu, stereo paired HomePods that should be set as the default audio output for a Mac, and more.

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

Comparison video for blind cameras: iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Samsung debuted its latest flagship range for smartphones in January, including the Galaxy S21 Ultra, a direct competitor to the iPhone 12 Pro Max that Apple introduced in October. In our latest YouTube video, we pitted 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 revealing which camera that is at the end of the video. Share your choices in the comments section.

Apple’s Mixed Reality headset is said to include 8K displays, a $ 3,000 price tag and more

Apple is rumored to be working on a virtual reality headset, and a report this week from Alex Heath and Wayne Ma of The Information outlined some possible features and other details.

The report claimed the headset will be equipped with more than a dozen hand-tracking cameras, along with dual 8K ultra-high-resolution displays and advanced eye-tracking technology. The cameras could send real-world video through the visor and show it to the user, creating a “mixed-reality effect” that goes a step beyond virtual reality.

The report also claimed that the headset will have interchangeable headbands, one with spatial audio technology like the AirPods Pro for a surround sound-like experience, and another with longer battery life on the go. As with AirPods Max replacement ear pads, the headbands may also be offered in different colors.

According to the report, Apple has internally talked about the price of the headset at around $ 3,000. This price would certainly make Apple’s headset a high-end niche product, with the company apparently setting an internal goal of shipping just 250,000 units of the headset in its first year of release. Multiple reports have said the headset will be released in 2022 at the earliest.

Apple reportedly has plans to invest $ 3.6 billion in Kia for Apple Car production

Rumors still circulate around the so-called Apple Car, with a partnership between Apple and Korean automaker Hyundai looking increasingly likely based on a few reports this week.

The first report came from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said Apple’s electric vehicle chassis will be based on Hyundai’s E-GMP Electric Vehicle (BEV) platform, which allows for a range of more than 300 miles , acceleration from 0-60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds, top speed of 160 miles per hour, up to 80% charge in 18 minutes, and more.

A second report from Korea claimed that Apple plans to invest the equivalent of $ 3.6 billion in Hyundai subsidiary Kia as part of a planned manufacturing partnership between the two companies that would build Kia Apple Cars at its U.S. plant in Georgia .

The Apple Car is believed to be years away from release, with projections ranging from 2024 to 2028.

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