iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch owners, your week is starting with a new update.
First up, Apple today released iOS 12.4. There’s a lot of focus on iOS 13 right now, but the update to iOS 12.4 brings a new feature and some other improvements. Included is the ability to wirelessly transfer data and migrate directly from an old iPhone to a new iPhone, making it easier for you to move all your data to your shiny new iPhone.
iOS 12.4 also includes Apple News improvements, like making downladed issues available in the My Magazines section and adding all publications in Apple News+ to the catalog at the top of the News+ feed. The update also includes a security fix for the Apple Watch’s Walkie-Talkie app and re-enables that functionality.
You can download iOS 12.4 on your iPhone or iPad by going into Settings > General > Software Update.
Apple Watch owners can now grab the update to watchOS 5.3, which includes the Walkie-Talkie security fix and also enables the Apple Watch Series 4‘s ECG feature and irregular heart rhythm notifications in Canada and Singapore.
The update to watchOS 5.3 is available by going into General > Software Update in your iPhone’s Watch app.
Here’s Apple’s full changelog for the iOS 12.4 and watchOS 5.3 updates:
iOS 12.4
iPhone migration
- Introduces the ability to wirelessly transfer data and migrate directly from an old iPhone to a new iPhone during setup
Apple News
- Makes downloaded issues accessible in the My Magazines section, both online and offline
- Adds all publications in Apple News+, including newspapers, to the catalog at the top of the News+ feed
- Adds the ability to clear downloaded magazine issues by selection History > Clear > Clear All
Other improvements and fixes
- Includes a security fix for the Walkie-Talkie app on Apple Watch and re-enables Walkie-Talkie functionality
This release also includes support for HomePod in Japan and Taiwan.
watchOS 5.3
- Provides important security updates including a fix for the Walkie-Talkie app
- ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 now available in Canada and Singapore
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications now available in Canada and Singapore