Apple updated many of its operating systems yesterday, including iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2. There are some nice new features in this update. I’ll start with the one that wll be the most significant for some people: Legacy Contacts.
If you pass away and a family member or close friend knows your iCloud username and password, then they can access lots of information from your account such as photos, notes, email, and more. But what if they don’t? With the new Legacy Contacts feature, you can identify up to five people as your Legacy Contacts. When you die, once they establish that fact to Apple by providing a death certificate, then the person you designate will be able to access your iCloud data. Apple explains on this webpage what can be accessed.
To use this feature, both you and the other person must update to iOS 15.2 (or later). Then, in the Settings app on your iPhone, tap your name (very top of the Settings app) and then Password & Security. Then tap Legacy Contact. On the next screen, tap Add Legacy Contact.
You will need to provide that person with an access key that they will use, along with your death certificate, to get access. You can print that out, useful if you want to place it in a secure place like a safe. Or you can send it via text message, in which case your iPhone automatically drafts the message for you.
That’s just one of the new features added yesterday. Some of the others:
- Apple Music Voice Plan. If you don’t want to pay for a full Apple Music subscription for $9.99/month, you can now purchase a $4.99/month plan that only works when you ask Siri to play songs. For most folks, I think that the full plan is well worth the extra money, but I guess it is nice to have options.
- Communication Safety in Messages. For children in your family, you can optionally turn on a feature that blurs incoming text messages containing nudity and provides a warning, although the child can decide to view the picture anyway. When Apple originally announced this feature, it said that parents could also be notified if the child is under 13, but Apple decided against adding that in favor of privacy.
- App Privacy Report. In Settings, go to Privacy, then App Privacy Report to see how apps are accessing private information such as your location, photos, camera, microphone, and contacts.
- Track the Trackers. In the Find My app, tap Items. If there are nearby items (like AirTags) belonging to someone else that could be used to track you, you’ll see an option called Items That Can Track Me. Tap that to learn more.
- Five More Hours to Find. If you lose your iPhone and the battery runs down to zero, the iPhone will go into Power Reserve mode. In iOS 15.2, even when in that mode, you can still use Find My on another device to find your iPhone for up to five hours.
- Security Improvements. Every time Apple releases an update, they always enhance security, and I presume they have done the same this time.
- And More. Click here to see a page on the Apple website listing all of the new features.
This is a nice set of new features for a .x release. Update your device to take advantage of everything.