(Pocket-lint) – Apple has rolled iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6 to the public. You can now check for these software updates in the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
The 14.6 update isn’t quite as big as the 14.5 update – but it still introduces a couple of key features, such as Apple Podcasts subscriptions. This allows podcast creators to collect subscription fees from their listeners. It also means, as a subscriber, you can pay to unlock ad-free bonus content and to get early access. NPR, the Los Angeles Times, Sony Music Entertainment, Wondery, and others are all planning to introduce premium podcast content.
Apple is also updating the Apple Podcasts app with the ability to mark all episodes as played, recover old episodes, and remove downloads.
The new OS update will let Apple Music subscribers enable lossless audio or Dolby Atmos. Keep in mind Apple recently announced it is upgrading its entire music catalog to lossless audio at no additional cost. It also introduced Apple Music Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, which will offer up an immersive, multi-dimensional audio experience. Both of these features are set to arrive in June, and now, Apple Music will support them.
Apple’s iOS 14.6 update, specifically, includes a number of other improvements. For AirTag owners, iOS 14.6 includes the option to add an email address as a contact method for when the item tracker is in lost mode. There’s also Apple Card Family sharing, with support for up to five people.
iOS 14.6 comes one month after the launch of iOS 14.5, an update that added Apple Watch iPhone unlocking, Apple Maps accident crowdsourcing, and more. Both the iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6 updates can be downloaded over the air for free. Just go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Writing by Maggie Tillman.
