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5 Things to Know About the iOS 14.4 Update

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Apple’s released its iOS 14.4 update for iPhone.

Like iOS 14.3 before it, iOS 14.4 is a milestone release (x.x) which means it’s bigger than your average iOS update. Like most milestone upgrades, iOS 14.4 includes a mix of new features, bug fixes, and enhancements.

The iOS 14.4 update is compatible with the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE 2, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

With all of that in mind, we want to take you through everything there is to know about Apple’s latest and greatest software update for iPhone.In this guide we’ll walk you through iOS 14.4’s changes, the software’s current performance, iOS 14.4 problems, the iOS 14.4 jailbreak status, and more:

We’ll start with iOS 14.4’s performance on iPhone.

iOS 14.4 Reviews

If your iPhone is currently running iOS 14.3, iOS 14.4 requires a large download.

For iOS 14.3 users, the iOS 14.4 download size will fall somewhere around 400 MB. The exact size depends on your iPhone model and the version of iOS it’s currently running.

If your iPhone is running on an older version of iOS, you’ll most likely see a larger bigger download because your iOS 14.4 includes the features and fixes from iOS updates you skipped.

If you’re moving up from iOS 14.3, the iOS 14.4 installation should take less than 15 minutes to complete. It took about eight minutes to install on an iPhone 12 Pro and about nine minutes to install on an iPhone X.

For more on the iOS 14.4 download and installation, take a look at our guide.

We’ve been using the iOS 14.4 update for several days now and here’s what we’ve noticed about its performance in key areas:

iOS 14.4 Connectivity

  • Battery life is currently stable.
  • Wi-Fi connectivity is fast and reliable.
  • Bluetooth is working normally.
  • GPS and cellular data are both stable.

iOS 14.4 App Performance

  • Third-party apps including Netflix, Dark Sky, Twitter, Slack, Asana, Gmail, Chrome, and Spotify are working fine at the moment.
  • First party apps like Safari, Podcasts, and Calendar are also stable.

iOS 14.4 Speed

  • iOS 14.4 currently feels as fast as iOS 14.3.

If your iPhone is struggling on iOS 14.3 or an older version of iOS, you might want to install iOS 14.4 on your iPhone right now.

If you need help making a decision, please check out our reasons to, and not to, install the iOS 14.4 update. It will help you make a decision.

We’ve published our mini iOS 14.4 reviews for the iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s, and iPhone SE so check those guides for additional feedback if you need it.

iOS 14.4 Problems

iOS 14.4 is causing problems for some iPhone users. Some problems are brand new while others have carried over from older versions of iOS 14.

The current list of iOS 14 issues includes installation problems, lag, Exchange issues, problems with first and third-party apps, hotspot problems, severe battery drain, touchscreen issues, issues with Touch ID and Face ID, green tint issues on the iPhone 12, random stuttering, charging issues, and various other bugs/performance issues.

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If you run into an issue on iOS 14.4, have a look at our fixes for the most common iOS 14 problems. We’ve also released tips that could help you improve your phone’s performance as well as some tips that could help fix bad iOS 14 battery life.

If you don’t like iOS 14.4’s performance on your device, downgrading your phone’s software to the previous version of iOS 14 is no longer an option.

Apple has stopped signing on iOS 14.3 which means you can’t drop back in an attempt to improve your iPhone’s performance. This is a permanent change.

The company has also stopped signing on iOS 14.2.1 (iPhone 12 only), iOS 14.2 iOS 14.1, iOS 14.0.1, iOS 14.0, and iOS 13 which means there’s no way to get back to those versions of iOS either.

For more on the downgrade process, check out our guide.

iOS 14.4 Update: What’s New

Apple’s x.x updates almost always bring a mix of features, security patches, and under-the-hood improvements and that’s exactly what you get from iOS 14.4.

Here’s the full list of iOS 14.4’s changes:

New Features

  • 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.

Bug Fixes

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

iOS 14.4 also carries new security updates and you can read about those right here.

iOS 14.4 Jailbreak

The developer teams behind the Checkra1n and unC0ver jailbreaking tools have released versions that are compatible with newer versions of iOS 14 but they aren’t compatible with iOS 14.4.

Fortunately, the newest version of unC0ver is compatible with newer iPhones including the iPhone 12 series. That’s big news if you’ve been waiting to jailbreak your new phone.

That said, again, there’s no way to get your phone back to iOS 14.3 or any older versions of iOS which means you’re out of luck if you upgrade/you already upgraded to iOS 14.4.

Apple plugged up the exploits used by these jailbreaks in iOS 14.4 so there’s no telling how long it will be until we see tools for iOS 14.4 and future versions of iOS 14.

What’s Next for iOS 14

Apple’s working on a new version of iOS 14.

The company’s confirmed a new iOS 14.5 update and the software is currently in beta testing ahead of an official release later this year. If you don’t want to wait for the official release, you can download the beta.

iOS 14.5 is a milestone upgrade which means it will carry new features, bug fixes, and security patches. The beta currently includes AirPlay 2 support for Fitness+, a new option to unlock your iPhone with an Apple Watch while wearing a mask, and much more.

The iOS 14.5 update also has some important bug fixes on board (for now at least) including remedies for the green tint issues and stuttering plaguing iPhone 12 models.

For more on iOS 14.5, check out our guide.

4 Reasons Not to Install iOS 14.8.1 & 11 Reasons You Should

Install iOS 14.8.1 for Better Security

Install iOS 14.8.1 for Better Security

If security is important to you, think about installing iOS 14.8.1 right away.

The iOS 14.8.1 update brings 12 new security patches to the iPhone. You can read about all of them over on Apple's site

If you want to better protect your iPhone and its data, you'll want to install the iOS 14.8.1 update in the near future. 

If you missed iOS 14.8, you'll get its security patches with your upgrade. You can learn more about them right here

If you missed iOS 14.7.1, you'll get its patch with your upgrade. If you want to learn more about iOS 14.7.1's security update, check out its support page.

If you missed iOS 14.7, you'll get its 31 security patches with your upgrade. You can learn more about those on Apple's website

If you skipped iOS 14.6, you'll get the update's 38 security patches with your iOS 14.8.1 update. If you're curious about the particulars, you can read about them right here.

If you skipped iOS 14.5.1, you get the update's two security patches on board. You can read about them over on Apple's website. Both are related to WebKit. 

If you missed iOS 14.5 you'll get its patches with your upgrade. You can read more about those changes over on Apple's website.

iOS 14.5 also brought Apple's new App Tracking Transparency which lets you control which apps are allowed to track your activity across other companies' apps and websites for ads or sharing with data brokers.

If you skipped iOS 14.4.2, you get its security patch with iOS 14.8.1. You can learn more about that patch over on Apple's website as well. 

If you missed iOS 14.4.1, you get its patch with your upgrade to iOS 14.8.1. You can read about that patch right here.

If you skipped iOS 14.4, you get the update's patches with your upgrade. You can learn more about iOS 14.4's security patches right here

If you skipped iOS 14.3 you'll get its nine security updates with your upgrade. You can read more about them on its security site

iOS 14.3 also included a new privacy information section on App Store pages that includes a developer-reported summary of the app’s privacy practices.

If you skipped iOS 14.2, your iOS 14.8.1 update includes 24 additional security patches. You can learn more about the patches on Apple's security website

If you're still running iOS 13, iOS 14.8.1 includes iOS 14.0's security updates. 

iOS 14.0 brought 11 new security patches to the iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's website.

In addition to those patches, iOS 14 comes with some security and privacy upgrades including improvements to Home/HomeKit and Safari. 

For instance in Safari, you can now tap the Privacy Report button to better understand how websites handle your privacy.

With iOS 14 on board you can now get information on the App Store that will help you understand the privacy practices of apps before you download them. 

There is also a new recording indicator that will appear at the top of your screen whenever an app is using your microphone or camera. You can see if an app has used them recently in Control Center.

Researchers also discovered that Apple brought a new "BlastDoor" sandbox security system to iOS 14. The system is meant to prevent attacks from occurring via the Messages app. 

You can read more about "BlastDoor" right here

Last update on 2024-03-11. This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read our disclosure policy for more details. Images via Amazon API

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Sophia

    02/12/2021 at 7:43 am

    14.4 downloaded , and nou i have no Outlook mail on my iPad and iPhone its start and drop down

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