Looking to end 2021 on a high note, Apple's now rolling out its iOS 15.2 update — bringing multiple big features iPhone users will want to get their hands on ASAP. This past year has been an incredibly busy one for Apple. Towards the beginning of the year, Apple announced the AirTag, redesigned M1 iMac, new iPad Pros, and its long-awaited Apple TV 4K refresh. That was followed up in September with the iPhone 13 series, iPad mini, iPad 9, and Apple Watch Series 7. And as if that wasn't enough, Apple's third and final event of 2021 gave us AirPods 3 and overhauled MacBook Pros.

Alongside all of that new hardware, 2021's also seen the release of multiple new software updates from Apple — one of the biggest being iOS 15. iOS 15 came to the iPhone in September with a host of exciting features. It redesigned notifications, added a ton of new FaceTime features, and introduced Focus modes (just to name a few). It's not as drastic of an update as iOS 14 was, but it's been a welcome addition to the iPhone regardless.

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Now, with the release of iOS 15.2, Apple's taking the core iOS 15 experience and making it even better. One of the biggest new features is something that's been requested for months: a Macro toggle for the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. Since their release, the iPhone 13 Pro handsets enable Macro mode automatically when getting close enough to a subject. It works fairly well, but the lack of manual control over the feature has been a regular annoyance ever since. With iOS 15.2, users can simply tap the Macro button to enable or disable the mode as they see fit. Another new feature is App Privacy Report in the Settings app. This shows users how often applications have accessed certain features on their iPhone over the past seven days – such as its location, camera, microphone, photos, etc.

Other New Features In iOS 15.2

Something else to look for in iOS 15.2 is the Apple Music Voice Plan. This is a $4.99/month subscription that enables iPhone users to access Apple Music exclusively through Siri. Subscribers can listen to the entire Apple Music catalog for half the price of the standard subscription, but the kicker is that they can't use the actual Apple Music appEverything they want to do has to be done through Siri. Speaking of Apple apps, Apple TV has a new 'Store' tab where users can "browse, buy, and rent movies and TV shows all in one place."

iOS 15.2 also puts a heavy emphasis on expanded security features. Along with App Privacy Report, iOS 15.2 introduces new safety options for Messages. Parents now have the option to enable warnings for their children when they send/receive photos containing nudity. Kids also get safety warnings with "helpful resources" if they receive a photo with nudity. On a related note, Apple's updated Siri, Safari Search, and Spotlight with tools to "help children and parents stay safe online and get help with unsafe situations."

Then there are all of the smaller updates. Apple Maps in CarPlay now has an "enhanced city map," Hide My Email is now available in the Mail app (for users who have iCloud+), the Reminders and Notes apps allow users to delete/rename tags, and Find My can now track lost iPhones for up to five hours while in Power Reserve mode. In other words, this is a huge update iPhone users don't want to miss. Ready to install iOS 15.2? Open the Settings app, tap 'General,' tap 'Software Update,' and it should be there waiting for you.

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Source: Apple