Apple's latest update to iOS 14 has brought in a clutch of neat tweaks and features, notably lossless audio playback and Apple Family Sharing.
With iOS 14.6 Apple Podcast subscriptions is brought to life, alongside the aforementioned high-quality audio format. And you can now share Apple Card payment information with multiple users. Furthermore, if you have the Apple AirTag key finder you'll now have access to an email address recovery option.
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Apple Podcasts Subscriptions
With iOS 14.5, Apple's native Podcast app received its biggest redesign in years. Now, in addition to modernized show pages and library management, users can pay for Apple Podcast Subscriptions. Subscriptions may include benefits such as ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to podcast episodes.
These perks are determined by podcast creators, so there's no blanket subscription cost. Instead, creators can decide how much they want to charge, and users can subscribe on a show-by-show basis.
At no added cost, Apple Music subscribers (who pay a $9.99 monthly fee) will be primed to listen to certain songs through high-fidelity formats when they upgrade to iOS 14.6. According to Apple, "thousands" of tracks will be mastered for Dolby Atmos, which also makes them compatible with spatial audio, the 3D surround sound format for Apple AirPods Pro and Apple AirPods Max.
These audio upgrades won't be available just yet, though. The feature is expected to go live sometime in June, but users with iOS 14.6 will be among the first ready to take advantage of spatial audio and lossless listening.
Apple Card Family sharing
Beyond audio improvements, the debut of Apple Card Family sharing is perhaps the most noteworthy upgrade of iOS 14.6. Until now, you were the only person able to pay for things with Apple's credit card through Apple Pay. Family sharing lets you share your card information with your spouse and children, supporting joint spending under one credit account.
Rather than give your children their own credit card or your physical Apple Card, Apple Card Family features allow them to pay for things with your digital Apple Card through Apple Pay. You're able to monitor the spending and assign user settings, too. You can make your spouse a co-owner of your Apple Card as well.
If the lack of sharing features has been a deal breaker for you opting for an Apple Card, be sure to check our guide on how to apply for an Apple Card after you upgrade to iOS 14.6.
And if you're not sure how to upgrade your iPhone's software to the latest version, just go to Settings and select General, followed by Software Update: the iOS 14.6 update should be there, waiting for you. For more detailed instructions, here's how to upgrade to iOS 14.6.
