iOS 14.5, HIG updates, Surface Duo, and more in this week's issue of…

03 May 2021

Apple rolled out the latest iOS 14.5 updates this past week, allowing people to unlock their iPhones with their Apple Watches (re: Face ID & face masks don't mix). To be honest, I was a little worried about this one, but having had my kid right next to me in the car — within close proximity to my watch — and still need to use the PIN to enter my phone is a good sign. And while you're in the car, the ability to report traffic incidents in Apple Maps was also included in the update. Just, you know… wait until your car is stopped before you report it so you don't end up needing to report two…

To coincide with the iOS 14.5 updates, Apple also updated the HIG to provide additional guidance around the AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) framework that was also rolled out. I've listened to mobile marketers belly-ache over these privacy changes since they were announced last year — with some even proclaiming it will lead to an "implosion of the iOS app ecosystem" (Nope, not going to happen). Hyperbole aside, what this really represents is the classic UX struggle of advocating for the users while finding a business viable solution within the constraints of the given technology.

Ever since the first dual screens phones were launched, I've been curious about their practicality and usability once the cool factor wears off. Honestly, I'm dying to pick one up and find out for myself, but if you're like me, the price tag is prohibitive for a test device. Fortunately, the fine folx at the Nielsen Norman Group have looked into that for us, investigating Microsoft's Surface Duo in particular (bit of a long read).

In the same vein, if you're still on the wait list like me, this… ahem, secondary usability research on Spotify's Car Thing may have to suffice. And from what I've gathered, it appears to be the upgrade for older vehicles that I'd hoped it would be. Maybe this will lead to retrofitting cars with new tech beyond music players (see also: GPS)?

And managing your daily spending habits seems like the next logical progression for Google Pay. That is, if you're comfortable with letting Google into that aspect of your digital life (I'm admittedly on the fence, stuck between professionally curious and personally cautious). But if it holds true to its promise to anonymize your data and delivers on usefulness, it may turn out I'm just being hand-wavy. We shall see…

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