Apple posted the first betas of upcoming iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 updates to public beta testers today, a day after the beta version ships to developers.
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Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program can download the iOS and iPadOS 14.4 updates wirelessly after installing the appropriate certificate from the Public Beta website on an iOS device.
In conjunction with the HomePod 14.4 beta available only to a limited number of testers, iOS 14.4 adds new HomePod mini functionality that takes advantage of the mini’s U1 chip.
There are now visual, audio and haptic effects when transferring songs from a HomePod mini to a U1-compatible iPhone 11 or iPhone 12. When an iPhone is near the HomePod mini, it starts a soft haptic touch rhythm that continues getting faster. the iPhone will move closer until the interface for transferring a song between the HomePod mini and the iPhone opens.
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This functionality will make the transfer faster and more reliable on a HomePod mini and an iPhone 11 or uitgerustiPhone 12, all of which are equipped with U1 chips that allow the devices to better understand where they are in relation to each other.
No other new features or changes were found in the first developer beta. The update is likely to target bug fixes, security enhancements, and performance improvements that could not be included in the previous update.