iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 hit supported devices today

Today, Apple began rolling out iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 to supported iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices. The company also pushed watchOS 7.3 to Apple Watches and tvOS 14.4 to Apple TVs.

iOS 14.4/iPadOS 14.4 is a somewhat small feature update. New additions in the release notes include the ability to read smaller QR codes with the iPhone cameras, notifications to tell users “when the camera of your iPhone is unable to be verified as a new, genuine Apple camera,” and a number of bug fixes.

Here are Apple’s full iOS 14.4 release notes:

iOS 14.4 includes the following improvements for your iPhone:

• Smaller QR codes can be recognized by Camera
• Option to classify Bluetooth device type in Settings for correct identification of headphones for audio notifications
• Notifications for when the camera on your iPhone is unable to be verified as a new, genuine Apple camera in iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

This release also fixes the following issues:

• Image artifacts could appear in HDR photos taken with iPhone 12 Pro
• Fitness widget may not display updated Activity data
• Typing may be delayed and word suggestions may not appear in the keyboard
• The keyboard may not come up in the correct language in Messages
• Audio stories from the News app in CarPlay may not resume after being paused for spoken directions or Siri
• Enabling Switch Control in Accessibility may prevent phone calls from being answered from the Lock Screen

Besides features listed in the release notes for iOS 14.4, some users and developers say they have found other changes. According to MacRumors, one of those is “Find My Items,” which enables third parties to use Apple’s Find My APIs for their devices. There is also an update to handoff with the HomePod mini, whereby the iPhone now uses its U1 ultra-wideband chip to detect proximity to the HomePod mini to enable an improved experience.

As noted, Apple also introduce new updates for watchOS and tvOS. The tvOS update is composed purely of bug fixes and optimizations, and Apple did not provide detailed release notes. This is not uncommon with tvOS updates, which tend to get a big push with each major annual release but relatively little in between.

Apple did provide release notes for watchOS 7.3, however. They are as follows:

watchOS 7.3 includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:

• Unity watch face—inspired by the colors of the Pan-African Flag, the shapes change throughout the day as you move creating a face that’s unique to you
• Time to Walk for Apple Fitness+ subscribers—an audio experience in the Workout app where guests share inspiring stories as you walk
• ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 or later in Japan, Mayotte, Philippines, and Thailand
• Irregular heart rhythm notifications in Japan, Mayotte, Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand
• Fix for an issue where Control Center and Notification Center may be unresponsive when Zoom is enabled

Apple announced the Time to Walk feature earlier this week. This Fitness+ feature guides users through walking workouts while they listen to talks by celebrities such as Dolly Parton and Draymond Green.

The Unity watch face’s release coincides with the start of Black History Month (February). Today, Apple also announced a number of other Black History Month-related initiatives, including a special Apple Watch design, new editorial collections across various content services, and more.

All of these software updates should be rolling out to users of supported devices globally today.