Apple is beginning to roll out the iOS 14.6 update to compatible devices, which includes iPhone models as far back as the iPhone 6s and the latest iPod touch. Along with several bug fixes and security updates, some nice new features have been added which enhance the usefulness of various Apple products and services. Apple will likely announce iOS 15 at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, so this could be one of the last updates for iOS 14.
iOS 14's Home Screen Widgets made a huge splash with many users taking the option to customize to the extreme, replacing app icons with their own designs to complete the aesthetic. Since the Shortcuts app was used to accomplish the icon swap, it initially came with a time penalty, as the Shortcuts app opened before opening the app that was linked to the new icon. For those that enjoy refining the look of the iPhone Home Screen, it's worth noting that this has changed and custom icons now open the app directly rather than requiring Shortcuts to open first.
For AirTag owners, Apple's rollout of iOS 14.6 adds a welcome option when marking an item as lost. Previously 'lost mode' had a place to share a phone number with anyone that found a missing or stolen AirTag and a box to type a message. With the updated version of the Find My app, an email address can be given instead. Since many iPhone owners may have multiple email addresses, but only one phone, giving out an easily replaceable email address is a more privacy-focused approach. This applies also to other Find My enabled devices. Another AirTag privacy improvement hides the first six digits of a phone number when an AirTag is scanned by another phone, whereas the full phone number was shown previously. AirTag owners will want to update to the latest iOS and iPadOS to enjoy these upgrades. The full list of changes can be found in the Settings app under the heading 'Software Update' while security updates are available to view on Apple's website.
Other iOS 14.6 Changes Worth Noting
For anyone using the Voice Control accessibility feature, an iPhone can be unlocked using only their voice after upgrading to iOS 14.6. This is a great addition for those with a motor impairment and that usually rely on this voice input. Podcast listeners will appreciate the ability to subscribe to channels, which are Apple curated groups of shows that aid in discovering new content, as well as focusing on particular interests. Individual shows can also be subscribed to, of course. In addition, the Apple Card now has new expense-tracking abilities with spending limits and controls when using family sharing.
iOS 14.6 also brings fixes for a few issues, such as trouble that some have experienced with Bluetooth connecting to the wrong audio device during calls. Anyone that has seen reminders appear as blank lines will also likely be relieved by the latest update. In some instances, Apple Watch unlocking of an iPhone failed and this update should also resolve those issues. Apparently, the iPhone may have suffered from reduced performance during startup, causing the process to take longer than usual, but this has also been corrected with the new update. With AirTag, Find My, accessibility, podcast, and Apple Card updates, Apple's iOS 14.6 brings some nice new features, along with important bug fixes.
Source: Apple