iOS 15.5 arrives ahead of Apple's annual developer conference

Apple has released iOS 15.5, the latest version of its iPhone operating system. It's short on user-facing enhancements, but could help appease regulators concerned with Apple's major control over in-app purchases.

New iOS 15.5 features include a pair of buttons added to the Wallet app, which allow Apple Cash card users to quickly request or send money, as well as a new setting in the Apple Podcasts app that lets you keep track of archived episodes. Allows you to keep track. Allows you to put a limit on the number. in your phone. According to Apple's release notes, the update also includes various bug fixes, including one that should improve the reliability of home automation triggered by people coming and going.

Along with its latest iOS update, Apple has also released an update for macOS. Monterey 12.4 is notable for being the version of macOS that includes a fix for the poor webcam quality of Apple's Studio Display monitors. In our tests with the beta update, we found that webcam performance was still far from perfect, but the update reduced the amount of visual noise in the image, improved contrast, and increased color accuracy. We'll naturally retest the webcam now that its software is up to date to see if anything has changed.

Although iOS 15.5 is short on user-facing changes, 9to5Mac previously reported that it contains references to "external purchases", suggesting that the update is one of Apple's changes to be able to add external purchases to the system. is in line with. Forms the basis for selected apps. announced last month. Apple typically requires developers to use its in-app payment system for digital in-app purchases (often it receives a 30 percent commission), but the policy has faced increasing scrutiny from regulators around the world. Is. To do. In some countries, such as South Korea and the Netherlands, Apple has been ordered to allow various developers to link to external payment systems.

The release of iOS 15.5 comes less than a month before Apple is expected to announce its upcoming iOS 16 update at its annual developer conference. Instructions for updating your iPhone can be found on Apple's site.