Apple’s latest operating system updates are here with a few bonus features, most notably the delayed introduction of Universal Control. Both iOS and iPadOS for Apple’s mobile devices have been bumped to 15.4, while macOS Monterey is now at version 12.3.
With those rollouts come Universal Control; it was supposed to launch last year, but Apple announced in December that it would delay the rollout until spring 2022. The feature effectively allows someone with a Mac to use their keyboard and mouse or trackpad across multiple devices. It's similar to Sidecar, which allows an iPad to serve as an external monitor for a Mac, but with Universal Control, the devices operate independently. So users can mouse across devices and drag and drop files between them.
As Apple notes, Universal Control may struggle to drag and drop certain file types and apps, while some third-party mice and keyboards may not work as expected between devices.
Also included in iOS 15.4 is an update to Face ID that allows users to unlock their iPhone while wearing a mask. However, this feature is limited to only iPhone 12 and newer, 9to5Mac reports.
For Macs and iPads, meanwhile, people can now use a saved passkey on an iPhone to sign into passkey-compatible sites and apps on their tablet or computer.
There’s one last feature that stands out for gamers. Firmware support for the adaptive triggers on Sony’s DualSense controller on all three Apple OSes will potentially give gamers a more dynamic experience while playing, provided developers implement the feature.