Apple's COVID-19 iOS update: iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5 deliver easier FaceID with masks on, COVID-19 exposure notifications API, and tweaks to FaceTime group calls
Apple's latest iOS 13.5 update makes it easier for people wearing COVID-19 protective masks to unlock their iPhones and iPads on devices with Face ID.
Recognizing that millions of iPhone users are having trouble with FaceID when they're wearing masks, Apple tweaked FaceID to recognize when a user's wearing a mask: your iPhone or iPad will automatically ask you to enter your password instead of failing the FaceID check. This works both to unlock your iPhone or iPad, as well as to make payments on the App Store.
The iOS 13.5 update also brings a host of other incremental improvements. These include the following, among others:
- Support for a COVID-19 Exposure Notifications API, making it easier for contact tracing apps to work.
- An option for FaceTime group chats to prevent speaker portraits from changing size
- A fix for the black screen issue when iPhone and iPad users try to stream videos from certain websites
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I've had a passion for PC gaming since 1996, when I watched my dad score frags in Quake as a 1 year-old. I've gone on to become a Penguin-published author and tech journalist. Apart from working as an editor at Notebookcheck, I write for outlets including TechSpot and Gamingbolt. I’m the Director of Content at Flying V Group, one of the top 5 digital marketing agencies in Orange County. When I'm not traveling the world, gathering stories for my next book, you can find me tinkering with my PC.
