New iOS 15.4 beta helps prevent AirTag stalking and gives Siri a new voice

Date:
Wed, 23 Feb 2022 10:39:09 +0000

Description:
The fourth iOS 15.4 developer beta has landed, and it contains at least two new features.

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Another week, another iOS 15.4 beta, and this fourth developer beta of the software has at least two new features in it.

The most important of these is the start of Apples anti-stalking measures , designed to make it harder for people to track you with an AirTag without
your knowledge.

The iOS 15.4 beta includes a message on the AirTag setup screen warning users that this is a crime in many parts of the world, and that AirTag is designed so as to be detectable, and to enable law enforcement to identify the owner.

The hope there of course is that the warning will put off any would-be stalkers, but there are also other small tweaks, such as removing the ability to disable Item Safety Alerts, and being clearer about the type of device
that was detected by Find My so you shouldnt get a vague Unknown Accessory Alert anymore.

Next up, the latest iOS 15.4 beta has added a new American Siri voice, this being the fifth American option. You can hear a sample of how this sounds in the Tweet below. iOS 15.4 Beta 4 changes : Apple adds a 5th American Siri voice with filename Quinn pic.twitter.com/HFQZV1oF0I February 22, 2022 See more

This appears to be the only new Siri voice added for any region, but if youre unhappy with the other four American options then this could be a big deal
for you.

Those are the only changes that have been found so far in this new beta, but its possible that other tweaks are hiding somewhere, and weve already seen plenty of additions in earlier iOS 15.4 betas, such as Universal Control and the ability to properly use Face ID with a mask .

Wed expect a public beta will arrive very soon if you want to get an early look at this stuff for yourself, but even the finished iOS 15.4 release probably isnt more than a few weeks away, based on past form. Analysis: a start, but not enough

Apples attempts at anti-stalking measures are good to see, but the changes added in this beta dont go far enough. They dont really even add new
features, with the main change simply being a warning.

The good news is that Apple has a whole lot more planned, including improvements to the system logic for identifying unwanted AirTag trackers, so that those being tracked can be alerted earlier. The company is also working on a precision tracking feature, which would make it easier for users to locate an unknown AirTag.

But theres no news on exactly when these changes will appear, other than a vague claim of later this year. So we might be waiting a while yet. Take a look at the best iPhone apps

Via AppleInsider and MacRumors



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/new-ios-154-beta-helps-prevent-airtag-stalking- and-gives-siri-a-new-voice/


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