Apple iOS 14.7: What Are the New Features

Sally Polly June 01, 2021 | 06:40

Apple has teased iOS 14.7's launch date, and it will arrive soon with new features. Keep reading the article below for more information.

Photo credit: Techradar

Apple only recently launched iOS 14.6, but the company is keeping the updates coming as iOS 14.7 is now available in beta, and as such we know about some of what it offers.

So far this looks to be a much smaller update than the last couple – which added things like Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, Apple Card Family, and App Tracking Transparency.

That said, it’s possible that some features of iOS 14.7 are yet to be revealed, and even if it does end up being a small update, it’s still sure to be worth having, as if nothing else there will probably be bug and security fixes in it.

Below you’ll find everything we know about iOS 14.7 so far, including the features found in the beta and the likely release date of the finished software. We’ll be updating this article whenever there’s any additional iOS 14.7 news or leaks too, so check back regularly to stay in the loop.

iOS 14.7 release date

Generally Apple has been launching new iOS 14.x updates roughly once a month. Indeed, iOS 14.6 landed almost exactly a month after iOS 14.5. So while there are no guarantees, we’d think the same will probably be true with iOS 14.7.

If so then it will likely land in either late June or early July, as iOS 14.6 was rolled out on May 24.

Of course, if you don’t want to wait until then you can always grab the beta, but this will likely be buggy and unstable, and may not include all the final features, so we wouldn’t recommend it for most people.

So, what’s new in iOS 14.7?

Photo: Forbes

Glad you asked. There will be more than this by the time the release candidate surfaces but so far there are a few new wrinkles. Let’s start with my favorite: a new way to set timers on the HomePod.

Control Timers in the Home app

Picture my house on Christmas Day. Lockdown had meant that we’d ordered in a cook-at-home feast from local, brilliant, restaurant, Luca. Actually, two feasts, one for vegetarians, one for meat-eaters. Full instructions were lovingly supplied and were easy to follow. Except for one thing: multiple timers for each dish.

Right now, you can set multiple timers on HomePod via Siri. I began with “Set a 20-minute timer.” But then I realized the second timer needed a name, so I didn’t get confused. “Set a turkey timer for 18 minutes.” This was quickly followed by “Set a sweet potato timer for 13 minutes.” And so on.

However, the main flaw in the system came as more and more timers were set up simultaneously.

But iOS 14.7 will sort this anxiety because now you can see your timers in the Home app. Finally, a visual expression of which timers have how long to run, with controls to boot.

In iOS 14.7, once you’ve updated your HomePod to HomePod’s own 14.7 release, contained in iOS 14.7, you’ll see an option for Timers just below the previous Alarms offering.

Here, you can set the length of time, and name the timer. Then, you can control them through your voice or the app, pausing, resuming, or cancelling as you see fit.

By the way, in this beta, it’s definitely unfinished with placeholder words that look more like coding than the real thing.

This is a very useful update—even if it takes away some of the fun of Christmas cooking.

Photo: Techradar

Air quality details

Apple has been displaying a rating for air quality in the Weather app since the launch of iOS 14, but only in some countries. Now, with the iOS 14.7 beta, 9to5Mac has spotted that Twitter and Reddit users in Canada, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Spain have reported seeing these details for the first time.

So if you live in one of these places you could soon get an indication of the quality of the air you’re breathing, and if you live somewhere else that doesn’t yet have the feature, it’s always possible you will get it by the time iOS 14.7 launches in finished form.

A fix for battery life bugs

While not specifically mentioned in the beta, some users reported on Twitter that they experienced excessive battery drain with iOS 14.6, so there’s a chance this will be fixed with iOS 14.7. It’s not clear how widespread this issue is though, or how quickly Apple will fix it, so for now this is just a possibility.

Other updates

According to users and forum members there are hints at other benefits coming to iOS 14.7. These are so far unconfirmed by Apple, which has said little about iOS 14.7 yet, but some are promising.

There are reports of the iPhone being much snappier and responsive since 14.7 has been installed. Which is good.

But other reports have hinted at reduced battery life, though this is not uncommon in a first beta release.

It’s also possible that new Apple Music capabilities will be activated by iOS 14.7.