The new iPhone update isn’t feature-rich and you probably won’t even find any changes, but it does include a number of enhancements that aim to please regulators.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Apple is rolling out a new iOS 15.5 update for eligible iPhone users.
- This update is not very user-facing, but the enhancements aim at appeasing regulators.
- The iOS 15.5 update is around 600-700MB in size and can be installed right away.
Apple has released an unexpected iPhone update. The new iOS 15.5 update is now available to all users who have an eligible iPhone. The new iPhone update isn’t feature-rich and you probably won’t even find any changes, but it does include a number of enhancements aimed at appeasing regulators who aren’t happy with Apple’s in-app purchase system on iOS.
Despite being more focused on under-the-hood optimization, iOS 15.5 brings a few enhancements anyway. For example, the Apple Wallet app now has a pair of buttons that let Apple Card users send or receive money with just a single tap. The Apple Podcasts app won’t let you set a limit on how many episodes of a podcast series will automatically download. The update also contains several bug fixes that will improve the experience. Apple said in a release note that a bug affecting home automation has been fixed in this update.
Read More: Apple sues startup, former Indian-origin worker for stealing chip secrets.
Here are Apple’s full release notes for iOS 15.5:
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includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
- The wallet now allows Apple Cash users to send and receive money using their Apple Cash card.
- Apple Podcasts now includes a new setting that allows you to limit the number of episodes stored on your iPhone and automatically delete older ones.
- It resolves a problem in which home automation triggered by people arriving or departing could fail.
Apple’s new iOS 15.5 isn’t big on consumer-facing features, but according to 9to5Mac, there are references to something called “outside purchases” in this build. This indicates that Apple is working on giving some apps the ability to offer users an external payment system — in line with changes to the App Store Apple announced last month. iOS 15.5 lays the groundwork for that capability, which means the next update may bring it. Apple announced that it will allow some apps to connect to external payment services after facing heavy scrutiny from regulators around the world. Apple has been accused of dominating the payment system of the ecosystem as well as levying a hefty 30 percent fee on each transaction. South Korea and the Netherlands have already ordered Apple to start offering its users more payment options for digital purchases made inside the app.