iOS 15.2 release imminent with surprise Apple Music Voice debut

It’s common for Apple to start beta-testing a new version of iOS just a day or two after the previous version is released. And sure enough, iOS 15.2 began its beta test period just a day after iOS 15.1 was released on October 25, 2021.

As is typical of these releases, it is first available only to registered developers. The public beta typically follows within a day.

Update 12/08/21: The release candidate for iOS 15.2 is now available for developers and public beta testers meaning the final release of iOS 15.2 could come as early as this week. This update adds the Apple Music Voice plan for $4.99 a month that was announced at Apple’s “Unleashed” event.

New features in iOS 15.2

Apple Music Voice Plan

The $4.99/month Apple Music Voice Plan is first supported in iOS 15.2.

Apple Music playlist search

It’s hard to believe it took this long, but iOS 15.2 brings the ability to search for songs within Apple Music playlists.

Macro mode toggle in the Camera app

While iOS 15.1 added an “auto macro” toggle in Settings for the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, iOS 15.2 goes a step further and puts a macro toggle button right in the Camera app. A small circle with an icon of a flower shows up when you get close enough to engage Macro mode, and you can turn Macro on or off with a tap. This toggle apparently only appears when “auto macro” is disabled in Settings. In the third beta, Apple renamed the toggle “Macro Control” to let people know that it will show a button instead of automatically switching.

App Privacy Report

According to Apple’s release notes, iOS 15.2 brings the App Privacy Report, which is basically a new interface for the Record App Activity feature.

Communication Safety feature in Messages

Before the release of iOS 15, Apple announced a new CSAM feature to detect child sexual abuse and trafficking in iCloud photos. It also announced a new parental controls feature for Messages, whereby a parent can enable a feature for their child’s phone to warn them if adult content is shared in Messages. This is separate from the CSAM scanning and has to be enabled in parental controls.

With the iOS 15.2 update, Apple is making the Messages child safety parental control available, but it has not yet rolled out the iCloud Photos CSAM feature. Apple said it will delay the launch of that feature while it re-works it to address complaints from privacy advocates.

Legacy Contact

The Legacy Contact feature allows you to designate someone who can access your iCloud data in the event that you pass away. You can access it by opening Settings, choosing your Apple ID, then Password & Security.

Find My: Items That Can Track Me

Apple has added a new feature to the Find My app that lets people search for a nearby AirTag or other Find My item that may be surreptitiously being used to track your location. When the option in Items is tapped, it scans for unknown Find My items.

Sidebar and Store for the TV app (iPad)

On the iPad, iPadOS 15.2 replaces the tab bar at the bottom of the screen with a sidebar. The tab bar includes a new section: Store.

Hide My Email in Mail app (iCloud+)

Tap the From label in an outgoing mail in the Mail app to see a Hide My Email option. This is only available to iCloud+ subscribers (basically anyone who pays for expanded iCloud storage space).

Reminders

iOS 15.2 brings the ability to bulk rename and delete tags in the Reminders app.

How to download iOS 15.2

When the final release of iOS 15.2 is out, here’s how you can download iOS 15 on your iPhone or iPadOS 15 on your iPad:

• Open Settings
• Tap General
• Tap Software Update

After quickly checking the servers, the update will display there, with “Download and Install” button. Simply tap that to begin the install process. It will take several minutes to download and prepare the update, and then your iPhone/iPad will restart.

Release Notes