iOS 13.6 and iPad 13.6 are available: how to update and what's new?

The new versions 13.6 of iOS and iPadOS can be installed on compatible iPhones and iPads since last night, after several weeks of beta testing.

digital car key

New functionality allowing you to open, close and start your car compatible with the iPhone. A digital car key can be deleted from iCloud or even shared via iMessage. In addition, specific profiles per key can be created, for example to limit access to the car over time or provide permanent access.

Finally, a digital car key works up to 5 hours after the iPhone turns off due to a lack of battery (thanks to the iPhone's battery reserve mode, a sort of standby mode for the device leaving some functionalities active a few hours after switching off).

• More details here on the iPhone digital car key

Health

New symptoms section in the Health app, indicating symptoms recorded from the Cycle Tracking and ECG features, but also symptoms added directly such as fever, chills, sore throat and cough. Like any Health data, symptoms can be shared and completed to/from third-party apps.

Adjusting downloads for iOS

A new setting now allows you to best configure the download of new versions of iOS:Download iOS updates. If enabled, automatically downloads any new iOS updates when the device is connected to Wi-Fi. If disabled, no automatic download possible. The new setting can be found inSettings > General > Software update > Customize auto updates.

Apple News+

Apple will produce 20 current affairs podcasts per week on different subjects, with narration by professional actors. The most important news from different sources will then be audible via this new form of content exclusive to the Apple News+ subscription, which is still unavailable in France.

Audio summaries of the day will also be offered from Monday to Friday in the News app but also in Apple Podcasts, under the nameApple News Today.

Audio content from Apple News and Apple News+ is accessible in thenew tab Audioof the News app, both on iPhone, iPod touch and on CarPlay now, with synchronization of audio playback between devices.

Apple News also has a new reading memory feature. In short, synchronously on all Apple devices using Apple News, it is possible to find an open article at the place where the user had previously stopped reading.

Finally, new local news sources and publications (American and Canadian) are taken into account in Apple News.

But still?

• Added a mechanism for administrators to specify domains to exclude from traffic carried over persistent VPN connections.
• FaceTime is now usable in the United Arab Emirates
• Fixed an issue where apps could become unresponsive when syncing data from iCloud Drive
• Fixed a display issue where the “Overseas Data” feature could appear disabled on an eSIM card even though it was enabled
• Fixed an issue where some phone calls made from Saskatchewan were showing as originating from the United States
• Fixed an issue where audio could drop out during phone calls made using Wi-Fi Calling
• Fixed an issue where some iPhone 6s and SE could not set up Wi-Fi Calling
• Fixed an issue where the virtual keyboard could appear unexpectedly when the device is connected to certain third-party physical keyboards
• Fixed an issue where Japanese physical keyboards could be mapped as US keyboards
• Fixed stability issues occurring when accessing Control Center when AssistiveTouch was enabled
• Various security fixes

Comment installer iOS 13.6 ?

To learn how to update to iOS 13.6, or iPadOS 13.6, whether from an older mainstream version or a beta version of the system, you can follow the detailed guidein this article. Everything is described there, OTA procedure, iTunes, backup of your device before updating, etc.

To put it simply, just go toSettings > General > Software Update, then do “Download and install” all this after making a backup on iCloud or via iTunes on your machine.

Editor-in-chief for iPhon.fr. Pierre is like Indiana Jones, looking for the lost iOS trick. Also a long-time Mac user, Apple devices hold no secrets for him. Contact: pierre[a]iphon.fr.